The Best Places to Rediscover America's Past

Plymouth: President Calvin Coolidge was born in this high, upland valley; the state has done a superb job preserving his hometown village. You not only get a good sense of the president's roots but also gain a greater understanding of how a New England village once worked. Don't miss the excellent cheese shop, owned until recently by the Coolidge family.

Shelburne Museum (Shelburne, Vermont): Think of this sprawling museum as New England's attic. Located on 45 acres on the shores of Lake Champlain, the Shelburne Museum not only features the usual exhibits of quilts and early glass, but also whole buildings preserved like specimens in formaldehyde. Be sure to take in the lighthouse, railroad station, and stagecoach inn. This is one of northern New England's "don't miss" destinations.