THE REGION EXPLAINED

NEW ENGLAND consists of six states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. No, it doesn't include New York state, and yes, it does include Connecticut. For a region that could comfortably fit into Texas -- nearly four times over -- there's a surprising diversity. And sometimes difficulty.

RULE ONE: It always takes longer to get to where you want to go than you think it will. Unless you are on one of the interstates, you will be traveling mostly two-lane roads with traffic lights and traffic cops. Look closely at a good road map; just because places look close doesn't mean there's a road connecting them.

Some of the most popular places to visit are:

• Boston, Massachusetts
• The Maine coast
• Cape Cod, Massachusetts
• The White Mountains, New Hampshire

The Maine coast extends from the towns of York, Ogunquit, and Kennebunkport to Bar Harbor and the natural beauty of Acadia National Park and beyond. That's pretty far north and quite a long driving trip. In between there are lots of untouristed spots with picturesque working harbors and dramatic coastal scenery. Among our favorites are the Pemaquid Peninsula and Penobscot Peninsula. And, yes, the water is very cold for swimming. You won't be lonely in July and August -- lots of people go to Maine in the summer, so make sure you have reservations before you go exploring.

Cape Cod is the big arm that sticks into the Atlantic from Massachusetts. It's a region that's deservedly very popular in the summer. The bane of many travelers' existences on Friday and Sunday nights are the Bourne and Sagamore Bridges, the only access and egress from the Cape. Try to avoid those times. The ocean side of the Cape, along the Atlantic Ocean with towns such as Hyannis, is the most built up and congested. The water's warmer, though. The northern part of the Cape, along Cape Cod Bay with towns such as Brewster, feels more like the rest of New England with small towns and old houses. The water's colder but calmer in the Bay. The outer "arm" of the Cape is fringed with the Cape Cod National Seashore, 40 miles of dunes, sand, and surf.

The White Mountains are where tourism began in New Hampshire in the mid-1800s. Awed by the heights and vistas, gentlemen in bowler hats and ladies in full-length dresses climbed up Mount Washington, New England's highest peak, and other summits of the Presidential range. You still can. The town of North Conway has sold its soul to outlet shopping, but towns such as Jackson make the most of the great outdoors right out the back doors of its many small inns. The pristine mountainscape is preserved in the White Mountain National Forest.

History comes in big doses in New England. To experience the life of the early Pilgrims circa 1623, visit Plimoth Plantation, just south of Boston in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The early sites of the American Revolution are found in Lexington and Concord, just west of Boston, as well as along Boston's Freedom Trail. To see life in the early United States, there's the rural and agricultural setting of Old Sturbridge Village, in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, and there's maritime history at Mystic Seaport, in Mystic, Connecticut.

RULE TWO: Other than the summer months of July and August, the very busiest time in New England is its spectacular fall foliage season. The leaves turn from north to south: You'll find peak color in northern Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine in mid-September; peak color in southern Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts in mid-September to mid-October; and in Connecticut in mid-October. It all depends on the amount of wet weather and cool temperatures, but optimal color nearly everywhere is the first two weeks in October. Trust us, you are not the only one considering a weekend at a charming country inn at this time of year. Some inns are booked two years in advance. Reservations are essential.