The Hamptons are a headache. And while Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard still offer cobblestoned charm, what none of those destinations offers (anymore) is value.
The median home sale price in the Hamptons surpassed $2 million this year. Nantucket, meanwhile, is home to the most expensive county in the United States. Rental prices are equally exorbitant, with homes in either destination easily soaring into the five figures in the summer months — per week.
The solution? Set your sights beyond the most obvious status-symbol destinations. New England is filled with picturesque towns that deliver not only the coastal magic of their glitzier cousins, but serious value, too. If it’s cedar-shingle houses, lighthouses and clam shacks — and not Instagram bragging rights — set your sights on these undervalued New England summer destinations.
Block Island, RI
While Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard are edging toward billionaires-only status, Block Island remains decidedly democratic.
Located 13 miles off the coast, “the Block” is reached via a quick ferry ride from Point Judith near Narragansett, or slightly longer ferries from New London or Montauk.
Nature is the big story here and about 46% of the island is protected. The town of New Shoreham (the official name of the town that spans the entire island) has an open space goal of 50%.
Don’t miss Mohegan Bluffs, the island’s most iconic natural attraction, where enormous clay cliffs tumble into the Atlantic, and a steep staircase leads down to a secluded beach. Numerous trails make hiking and biking this small island a cinch.
Is it more expensive than mainland towns? Certainly — but it’s still a far cry from prices you’ll find on the Vineyard or Nantucket. Rooms at the traditional Hotel Manisses or the more boutique Block Island Beach House (both of which are on the island’s higher end of the spectrum) clock in for about $500 to $600 per night for peak summer dates.
A room at the White Elephant Nantucket, on the other hand, can easily exceed $1,800 per night in the same period.
Mystic, Conn.
Ferries not your thing? Not keen on sitting in Cape traffic?
Consider the historic seaport town of Mystic — it’s roughly halfway between Boston and New York City and is conveniently accessed via Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor.
The town is also undergoing a bit of a hotel boom at the moment. Delamar Hotel Collection, known for its original Greenwich, Conn., location, just opened the dog-friendly Delamar Mystic earlier this year, complete with waterfront views in every room, complimentary breakfast and a guests-only outdoor heated swimming pool.
The Whaler’s Inn, a long-standing favorite, also just added a new building of high-end accommodations, the Stanton House. Its Riverview Penthouse comes with a private balcony overlooking Fishers Island Sound, and you can order room service from the hotel’s restaurant, the Shipwright’s Daughter, run by a James Beard Award-winning chef.
Both hotels are in close proximity to the Mystic Seaport Museum and the Mystic Aquarium, two rain-proof attractions that are great for kids. The modest Williams Beach Park is also close by.
Plum Island, Mass.
Out-of-staters typically drive to Cape Cod — only to find sticker shock (and other outlanders) — or they drive straight through Massachusetts’ North Shore region to get to Maine. But exit off Interstate 95 about 40 minutes north of Boston and you’ll find Plum Island, a microcosm of what the Cape has to offer, without the price tag and only a fraction of the crowds.
This barrier island is home to unspoiled beaches, miles and miles of hiking and biking trails and a laid-back vibe that feels like the Cape did 30 years ago.
Nature lover? Check out the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, an important conservation area for migratory birds, wild roses and beach plums. The buzzy Sunset Club is a great place for drinks, snacks and lawn games with fantastic sunsets over the adjacent Great Marsh. For a proper meal, venture into neighboring Newburyport, a culinary hot spot in this part of the state — book a table at Bar 25 for Middle Eastern food, or seafood towers at Brine that cost a fraction of what they’d cost at the Surf Lodge in Montauk.
For accommodations, there’s nowhere better in this area than Blue – Inn on the Beach. As its name implies, it sits directly on a quiet stretch of beach, and most rooms have direct water views from their private balconies.
Peaks Island, Maine
Budget-friendly Peaks Island delivers all the charm of a New England island but at a fraction of the cost. The 15-minute ferry ride from Portland will set you back just $14 round trip, whereas a high-speed ferry to Nantucket runs about $89. Once you’ve arrived, rent a bike or a golf cart and get exploring.
The island has a rich tradition of Wabanaki settlement — which the Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano noted when he sailed through this area in 1524, having just been the first European to sail into New York Harbor and the Hudson River. History buffs will love a visit to Battery Steele, a World War II-era fort.
Peaks Island can easily be done as a day trip from Portland, but the Inn on Peaks Island makes a serious case for spending a night or two. Top summer rates hover around the $300 to $500 mark for cottage-style guest rooms that can sleep up to four. This is a great option for larger groups, too — the inn has an apartment-style suite on the top floor with four-bedrooms that can sleep up to 11. Whether you end up overnighting here or not, make time for a dinner of lobster rolls, steamers and Maine whoopie pies at the waterfront Island Lobster Company. It’s a quintessential coastal Maine experience.
Ogunquit, Maine
Don’t sleep on the expansive sandy beaches of Maine’s southern coast south of Portland. Ogunquit, in particular, has a fantastic beach that is far wallet-friendlier than Cape Cod or the Vineyard. Start your visit with a stroll along Marginal Way, a 1.25-mile coastal trail that’s far less pretentious than Newport’s tony, mansion-laden Cliff Walk.
Ogunquit punches above its weight culturally, whether it’s contemporary art shows at the Ogunquit Museum of American Art or theater at the historic Ogunquit Playhouse. On Saturdays evenings, there’s no place livelier than the Mainestreet bar, which hosts a LGBTQ+-friendly “tea dance,” welcoming all.
Hotels here span both rustic and luxury. The delightfully old-school Norseman Resort sits directly on Ogunquit Beach, with nothing but the charming Lobster House restaurant to one side, and about 3 miles of undeveloped sand to the other. You can score a partial ocean view room there that sleeps five for about $1,545 for three nights over a prime August weekend.
For a splurge, check out the new-ish Dunes on the Waterfront, a series of adorable, fully renovated cottages with a secluded atmosphere just steps from the beach. You can get a two-bedroom cottage that sleeps four for $945 a night in the September shoulder season, which New Englanders lovingly call “locals summer.”
Sure, the latter rate feels more aligned with Nantucket pricing —but in a town this relaxed, luxurious touches stand out all the more. Sometimes, it does pay to be a big fish in a smaller pond.
