SWAP THE CAR FOR THE TRAIN

Avoid motoring stress and traffic jams by letting the train take the strain. For instance, the nation-wide Amtrak rail network links all the major East Coast cities: Boston, Providence, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, DC. But it’s also worth a stop at smaller towns such as Brunswick and Portland, Maine; Mystic and New Haven, Connecticut. Stations are usually downtown, close to attractions, so no car is required (www.amtrak.com, www.holidaysbyrail.com).