New England – General info

New England General Information

New England is the historic region in the northeast of the USA where the English colonization of North America began. Settlement began first in the area of the coasts, where villages and towns were built.

New England includes the states of Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont. This was the origin of the United States: Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, was the site of the first uprising against British colonial rule, which subsequently led to US independence.

The settlement of New England began in 1620 by the Pilgrim Fathers, who landed with the Mayflower in Massachusetts Bay, near the present-day city of Plymouth. In the 17th century, Boston developed into one of the most important ports in America.

New England is considered the most European part of the USA, which is why it is particularly popular with many European travellers. The landscape, climate and vegetation of New England seem familiar to Europeans. The region is steeped in history – over 400 years ago, the Mayflower landed here with the Pilgrim Fathers on board, and the famous Boston Tea Party took place in the secret capital of Boston.

New England is also still the region of the most traditional colleges and universities in the USA. In addition to the two most famous, Harvard in Massachusetts and Yale in Connecticut, there are a large number of other universities that are respected throughout the country (including MIT, Dartmouth, Brown, Amherst, Williams).

New England is about the size of Austria and Portugal combined in terms of area – but still rather small compared to the huge American continent. In the Indian summer, the forests of New England shine in the most beautiful colors every year.

New England – Entry and Visa

German, Austrian and Swiss nationals can enter the USA for tourist and business stays of up to 90 days under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) without a classic visa. The prerequisite is prior online registration via the electronic entry system ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), which should be applied for at least 72 hours before departure – preferably much earlier – via the official website esta.cbp.dhs.gov. The fee is 21 US dollars; an approved ESTA is usually valid for two years or until the expiry of the passport and entitles the holder to multiple entries.

The prerequisite is a biometric, machine-readable passport and the absence of certain exclusion criteria (including relevant criminal records or previous travel to or dual citizenship of Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan, Syria or Cuba since 2011) – in such cases, a regular tourist visa (B1/B2) at the US embassy is required instead.

The use of unofficial third-party websites that charge excessive fees for the ESTA application is not recommended – the application should only be made via the official government website. Since US entry requirements can change at short notice, it is advisable to take a look at the current information from the Federal Foreign Office and the US Embassy before each trip.

Driving Driving in the New England states is most comparable to driving in German cities. In contrast to many other parts of the USA, the population density in New England is relatively high, although not comparable to Germany. American drivers are usually very disciplined. Speed limits should always be observed, as checks are frequent and violations are severely punished. On the highways, it is advisable to swim with the flow of traffic.

Parking on yellow-marked curbs and closer than about three meters to a hydrant or driveway is prohibited.

Traffic lights are usually installed in the middle of the intersection; there is no yellow phase between red and green – flashing yellow lights are a warning, flashing red ones prompt you to stop. Turning right is allowed outside large cities, in compliance with the right of way rules, even when the light is red. School buses (yellow, with special warning signs) may not be overtaken or passed by oncoming traffic as soon as their red flashing lights are activated – this applies on both sides of the road and is strictly controlled.

The German driver’s license is generally sufficient for tourist stays; for longer stays or for presentation to rental car companies, an international driver’s license is also recommended.

Car Rental Guests should be over 21 years of age; drivers under the age of 25 may require an additional surcharge. A credit card is an advantage, otherwise a large deposit will be required. It is recommended that you take out sufficient insurance coverage, including CDW/LDW (Liability Waiver for Damage to the Rental Vehicle), PAI (Personal Accident Insurance) and Liability Insurance Supplement/Extended Protection.

Money Even in the “land of credit cards”, cash is still often used, especially for tips and smaller amounts – some cash in small denominations is therefore useful. Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, to a lesser extent Amex) are accepted practically everywhere and are now the usual means of payment; Traveller’s cheques no longer play a role in everyday life and are no longer accepted by many hotels and shops – they are therefore not recommended to be taken with you, instead an internationally usable credit or debit card is recommended.

Tipping is almost never included in the price: waiters, taxi drivers and maids usually expect 15 to 20 percent of the bill (the 10-15 percent that used to be the norm is now considered rather tight). Taxes (sales tax) are charged in addition to the stated price and vary by state and location.

New England – Climate

New England has a continental climate – it can get very cold in winter and warm and humid in summer.

Most precipitation falls in the cold season. The ideal time to travel is from May to August, although the high humidity can occasionally be unpleasant.

The most beautiful season, however, is autumn from the beginning of September to mid-October with the so-called foliage or Indian Summer. The deciduous forests show an incredible blaze of colour at this time of year.

Due to the high number of visitors from all over the world, it is essential to make hotel reservations early during this time.

New England – Flora – Indian Summer

The most impressive season in all New England states is autumn, which roughly ranges from early/mid-September to mid/late October – but the exact period varies from year to year. It is advisable to find out about the current status of foliage in advance; corresponding “foliage tracker” websites and apps of the individual states as well as local radio stations report continuously on the current status during the season.

The deciduous forests are full of color at this time of year, and New England is teeming with “leaf peepers,” the foliage tourists. Hotel reservations are highly recommended during this time, otherwise it is difficult to find free accommodation. The Berkshires, a mountainous region in the far west of Massachusetts, is one of the strongholds of the Indian summer.

In Baxter State Park and around Moosehead Lake in Maine, on the other hand, you will find significantly fewer tourists. The White Mountains in New Hampshire or the Green Mountains in Vermont are also particularly worth seeing at this time of year. The exact start date as well as the length and intensity of the discoloration depend on many factors, such as the temperatures and humidity in the previous spring.

The blaze of colour is caused by the contrast between cold night temperatures and relatively warm, sunny daytime temperatures. The leaf discolouration can be seen in a variety of tree species, such as the maple species Red Maple and Silver Maple, the oak species Northern Red Oak and Scarlet Oak, as well as Sassafras, Dogwood and Sweetgum.

Due to the extreme temperature fluctuations, the trees produce a cork-containing substance that blocks the exchange of fluids between leaves and branches. This reduces the chlorophyll content of the leaves, which makes the underlying colour pigments, which are present all year round, visible and make the leaves shine in their magnificent colours.

The name “Indian Summer” goes back to an old indigenous legend, according to which the red of the trees symbolizes the blood of a killed bear.

New England History

According to current research, the colonization of the American continent by humans took place around 15,000 to a maximum of 30,000 years ago (older, sometimes controversial dates go back further); New England itself was still largely uninhabitable until the end of the last ice age about 12,000 years ago.

The oldest sites in New England date back to about 4,000 BC (including the Boylston Street Fish Weir in Boston, shell piles at Ellsworth Falls in Maine). Among the indigenous peoples living here were the Mahican (Mohicans) in Vermont and Massachusetts, known from J. F. Cooper’s novel “The Last of the Mohicans”, as well as numerous other Algonquin-speaking peoples such as the Wampanoag, Narragansett and Abenaki.

Around the year 1000, the first advance of Nordic sailors to the coast of New England probably took place. In the 16th century, various European explorers (including Giovanni da Verrazzano, Jacques Cartier) reached the coast without settling there.

At the beginning of the 17th century, further voyages of discovery and research followed, including by Samuel de Champlain, Adriaen Block, Bartholomew Gosnold and John Smith. The name “New England” goes back to John Smith.

In 1620, the Pilgrim Fathers reached Plymouth with the Mayflower and founded the Plymouth Plantation. In 1630, John Winthrop founded Boston and the surrounding area as the leading center of New England Puritanism. In 1635, cities were founded on the Connecticut River (colony of Connecticut), and in 1635/36 Roger Williams founded Providence (colony of Rhode Island) after his expulsion from the Massachusetts Bay Colony because of dissenting religious views. In 1679, the royal province of New Hampshire was founded, and in 1684 Massachusetts became a royal colony.

In 1773, the Boston Tea Party took place, and in 1775 the Battle of Lexington and Concord, which marked the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed. The new federal constitution was ratified by the New England states as follows: Connecticut (January 9, 1788), Massachusetts (February 6, 1788), New Hampshire (June 21, 1788), Rhode Island (May 29, 1790) and Vermont (1791) as the 14th state of the United States.

In 1820, Maine, which had previously belonged to Massachusetts, was admitted as an independent state as part of the so-called Missouri Compromise.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, New England developed into a center of American textile and industrial production (including Lowell, Massachusetts, one of the cradles of the American Industrial Revolution) and was also the starting point for important social movements such as the abolitionism and later educational reform movements. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the region underwent an economic transformation towards services, education, medical technology, and high technology, especially in the Boston area, which is now one of the most important research and biotech locations in the world.

New England – Food and Drink

New England cuisine is hearty and substantial.

The national dish of New England is lobster. In Maine, lobster is offered at almost every food stall. When the early settlers reached the coast of New England, lobsters over six feet long were not uncommon—such large specimens have become rare today, but Maine remains by far the largest lobster producer in the United States.

A well-known fish specialty is clam chowder, a “thick” seafood soup and a traditional recipe of New England cuisine. Ingredients include mussels (clam is a generic term for hard-shelled clams and soft-shelled sand-clams), bacon or pork, potatoes, milk, and cream. The name “chowder” comes from the French “chaudière,” the name for the pot in which fishermen used to prepare their meals.

In addition, there is the clambake, a seafood pot traditionally cooked in the ground made from potatoes, mussels, chicken, onions, corn, sausages, crabs and lobster. Cod (cod), young cod (scrod), haddock, sole, flounder and sea bass are also often on the menu.

The New England Boiled Dinner is a casserole made from beef, potatoes and vegetables. Boston Baked Beans are considered one of the most typical Puritan dishes: dried brown beans cooked with pork and molasses, traditionally served with dark bread. The Boston Cream Pie is a dessert made of egg cream and chocolate coating.

Maple syrup is extracted from the sap of the sugar maple tree (Acer saccharum). In early spring, with daytime temperatures around 4 degrees Celsius and light night frosts, the farmer drills holes in the trunk and inserts a cone through which the sap drains. It takes about 40 liters of maple sap to make one liter of maple syrup; the syrup is offered in different commercial classes depending on the color and flavor intensity.

The cranberry, the red American cranberry, is a staple on any Thanksgiving table and is a classic side dish for turkey dishes – turkey is a true Native American bird and can still be found in the forests of northern New England today.

Traditionally, farming families in New England supplied themselves with fresh milk and butter from their own cows; some of the milk was processed into cheese, usually English-style cheddar, which was matured in large loaves sealed with wax and cloth. This tradition lives on today in many artisan cheese factories in the region.

New England, like the entire USA, also has a large and steadily growing selection of craft beers; the IPA brewing scene around Vermont and Massachusetts in particular now enjoys an excellent reputation internationally.

Note: All information on entry requirements is subject to change and has been researched to the best of our knowledge as of August 2026. For up-to-date, binding information on ESTA/entry, it is advisable to take a look at esta.cbp.dhs.gov as well as the travel and security advice of the Federal Foreign Office before travelling.