North along the Connecticut coast from New York, or south from Rhode Island, is antique central. One of the best things about this area is that you’re never far away from the coastline. And this feeling of water, water everywhere is made even better by the charming towns from where the Connecticut river meets the Long Island Sound. Also here is Stonington, the only town on the coast with an active fishing fleet. You can find dealers in New Canaan, Darien, Ridgefield, Westport and  More »

North along the Connecticut coast from New York, or south from Rhode Island, is antique central. One of the best things about this area is that you’re never far away from the coastline. And this feeling of water, water everywhere is made even better by the charming towns from where the Connecticut river meets the Long Island Sound. Also here is Stonington, the only town on the coast with an active fishing fleet. You can find dealers in New Canaan, Darien, Ridgefield, Westport and Greenwich. Darien and Greenwich have more upscale items and is an excellent place to find vintage furniture. New Haven has approximately 30 dealers, as well some wonderful museums. East of New Haven, Westbrook, Old Saybrook, Old Lyme, Essex, East Haddam, and Deep River are also great towns for antiquing. There are also big antique malls in New Haven and New London. Connecticut has a very full antique show schedule. Some of the highlights include Old Greenwich’s antique events, which attracts more than 60 dealers and runs in early February and mid-March. Darien has a weekend show in late February and an outdoor/indoor show in mid-September. And Westport has a weekend show with 53 dealers in mid-April. Noteworthy shows are also held in Wilton, Farmington, and Hartford. Other diversions along Connecticut’s Coast include museums, art museums, antique marketplaces, outdoor activities, performing arts festivals, quaint Inns and culinary delights. As you will soon discover, there is no shortage of antiques, or interesting things to do in this area.   « Less

Miles upon miles of beaches, warm ocean waters, rolling dunes, and quaint cottages all serve to make Cape Cod and Nantucket the perfect antiquing getaway. With more than 130 shops, the Cape is a popular destination for beach and antique-lovers alike. Routes 6A and 28 outlines the perimeter of the Cape, and are ideal routes for antiquing. Route 6A has the most shops, stretching from Bourne through Sandwich, Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, Brewster, and Orleans, before winding up in Provincetown.  More »

Miles upon miles of beaches, warm ocean waters, rolling dunes, and quaint cottages all serve to make Cape Cod and Nantucket the perfect antiquing getaway. With more than 130 shops, the Cape is a popular destination for beach and antique-lovers alike. Routes 6A and 28 outlines the perimeter of the Cape, and are ideal routes for antiquing. Route 6A has the most shops, stretching from Bourne through Sandwich, Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, Brewster, and Orleans, before winding up in Provincetown. Known as antique row, along this route you’ll find everything from home décor items to pottery and the list goes on. Route 28 also has a good number of shops as well, and runs from Bourne through Falmouth, Hyannis, South Yarmouth, Harwich, Dennis and Chatham. Additionally, the CCADA sponsors two annual shows. The first one is held the first Saturday in June at Mill Pond Farm in East Sandwich and the second is in Orleans during the first full weekend in August. In Wellfleet, from mid-April through fall, the flea market on Route 6 takes place every weekend. If you fancy all things nautical, the Cape is a good area to find them. Here you’ll find seascape paintings, maritime antiques and decoys. And when you’re ready for a thrill of a different kind, the Cape offers everything from swimming to fresh seafood dining, to wildlife walks and cruises to country fairs, to road races. “What to do, what to do,” will be your motto when you’re in Cape Cod.   « Less

Never underestimate the amount of fine antiques a small town can possess. The town is in Woodbury, Connecticut, and it is located in the Litchfield Hill, the northwestern corner of the state. About 40 years ago, antique dealers from New York City, Pennsylvania, the Midwest, and the South began moving to Woodbury, wooed by its charm, ambience and landscape. Now Woodbury is home to more than 40 dealers offering a wide variety of impressive items. You’ll find many of those shops as you  More »

Never underestimate the amount of fine antiques a small town can possess. The town is in Woodbury, Connecticut, and it is located in the Litchfield Hill, the northwestern corner of the state. About 40 years ago, antique dealers from New York City, Pennsylvania, the Midwest, and the South began moving to Woodbury, wooed by its charm, ambience and landscape. Now Woodbury is home to more than 40 dealers offering a wide variety of impressive items. You’ll find many of those shops as you travel along Route 6 and on Routes 132 and 47. And you’ll find more shops like these in neighboring towns, notably Bantam on Route 202. Most of the dealers specialize in fine American furniture and decorative and folk art of the 18th and 19th centuries. Europe, Canada, and England are also represented. Something to note, however – the emphasis in this area is quality, so be prepared for hefty price tags. The area also has several antique shows. In Newton, the Historical Society show is held the first weekend in April. In mid-August, the Keeler Tavern Museum in Ridgefield sponsors its annual Antiques and Treasures Sale, and the Glebe House Museum also holds a summer show. About an hour’s drive from here, there are a few more shows happening. In Wilton, a weekend antiques marketplace is held in late June, drawing some 160 dealers, and in mid-September, the DAR’s Sunday show in the high school field attracts 100 dealers. History and nature also abounds in Litchfield Hills. From museums to historic sites, to nature preserves and conservation areas, one can immerse themselves in the quest for antiques one day, and connect with nature the next.   « Less

Known as New England’s premier antiques destination, the Berkshires contains shops along Route 7 from Great Barrington south into and beyond Sheffield, with additional shops in Egremont, Pittsfield, Williamstown and other communities. Contact the Berkshire Art and Antique Dealers Association for a full list. The Berkshires is also close to other interesting antique destinations; you can take Route 7 North to Litchfield Hills, then through Vermont and onto Hudson, New York. All places are  More »

Known as New England’s premier antiques destination, the Berkshires contains shops along Route 7 from Great Barrington south into and beyond Sheffield, with additional shops in Egremont, Pittsfield, Williamstown and other communities. Contact the Berkshire Art and Antique Dealers Association for a full list. The Berkshires is also close to other interesting antique destinations; you can take Route 7 North to Litchfield Hills, then through Vermont and onto Hudson, New York. All places are highly recommended. The history of this area is as fascinating as the antiques you’ll find here. In the 1730s, English settlers established missions to bring Christianity to the Native Americans, making the Berkshires a summer destination for New Yorkers and Bostonians ever since the area’s first train tracks were laid. The regions mountain landscapes and closeness to New York and Boston attracts artists and writers alike, including Herman Melville and Edith Wharton. So while you’re in this remarkably rich historic area, make sure you take some time out from antiquing to explore all of the other marvels the Berkshires have to offer, such as local museums, culinary delights, historic sites, theater festivals, music, quaint Inns and more.   « Less

If you’re interested in experiencing a high volume antique show, drive along Route 20 in central Massachusetts in May, July or September, where you’ll discover over 4,000 dealers who have come from all over the country to showcase their antiques. The antiques range from doorknobs and hinges, to garden ornaments, to textiles, to silver and jewelry. It is highly unlikely that you will walk away from this area without something in hand. Brimfield and its surrounding towns also  More »

If you’re interested in experiencing a high volume antique show, drive along Route 20 in central Massachusetts in May, July or September, where you’ll discover over 4,000 dealers who have come from all over the country to showcase their antiques. The antiques range from doorknobs and hinges, to garden ornaments, to textiles, to silver and jewelry. It is highly unlikely that you will walk away from this area without something in hand. Brimfield and its surrounding towns also present an incredible variety of must-visit shows; there’s the Vintage Textile Show at the Host Hotel in Sturbridge and Nan Gurley’s Sturbridge show, featuring over 40 dealers indoors. Just across the state’s border, northeastern Connecticut’s “Quiet Corner” awaits a calmer den of antiques. It has many quaint Bed and Breakfasts and Inns to stay in, and it also has some good antiquing. A few of the shops specialize in 18th and 19th century American, French and English antiques, and there are several multi-dealer shops as well. At the Antiques Marketplace, for example, there is over 20 dealers offering Mission-style lamps, clocks, china and jewelry. You’ll also find shops in Pomfret, Coventry, Canterbury, Tolland and Woodstock. If you plan on visiting these areas in the Spring and Summer, make sure you reserve accommodations ahead of time. It’s a popular destination for antique shopping and when you experience it for yourself, you’ll understand why.   « Less

In between New Hampshire and Massachusetts lies a scenic area not only rich in American history but full of antique stores. How to find them: follow Routes 133 and 1A and then Route 1 from New Hampshire up into Maine. Known as the “antiques capital” on Cape Ann, Essex has 20 shops to visit with items ranging from Continental furniture to country-painted ladder-back’s to New England redware and inlaid chairs. Next door, Newburyport has ten shops, all of who specialize in  More »

In between New Hampshire and Massachusetts lies a scenic area not only rich in American history but full of antique stores. How to find them: follow Routes 133 and 1A and then Route 1 from New Hampshire up into Maine. Known as the “antiques capital” on Cape Ann, Essex has 20 shops to visit with items ranging from Continental furniture to country-painted ladder-back’s to New England redware and inlaid chairs. Next door, Newburyport has ten shops, all of who specialize in high-quality early American furniture. In Rowley, Todd Farm Antique Shops holds a flea market every Sunday featuring over 240 vendors from New England and New York. And at Topsfield Fairgrounds, there’s a weekend indoor/outdoor show that happens on the last weekend in June and usually draws about 200 dealers with antique and vintage furniture, including primitives, old advertising posters, and jewelry. In coastal New Hampshire, there are shops in Hampton, Hampton Bays, and North Hampton that offer an interesting mix of items, such as vintage linens and milk glass. In the café-filled historic district of Portsmouth, you’ll find numerous shops with high-quality American antiques. And when you need a rest from antique shopping, there are numerous other things to do in the area, including dining on fresh seafood, museums, musical halls and tours of historic houses. Whether you visit the area for a long weekend or a long day, you’ll come back a more relaxed person for it.   « Less

Over a 9-day period you can immerse yourself in some of the finest Americana antiques in the country. It’s called New Hampshire Antiques Week and it takes place in early August every year. Sponsored annually for the past 50 years by the New Hampshire Dealers Association, the show features approximately 65 dealers offering items such as formal furniture, decorative accessories, country primitives and folk art. Situated in Manchester and running Thursday through Saturday, this is without a  More »

Over a 9-day period you can immerse yourself in some of the finest Americana antiques in the country. It’s called New Hampshire Antiques Week and it takes place in early August every year. Sponsored annually for the past 50 years by the New Hampshire Dealers Association, the show features approximately 65 dealers offering items such as formal furniture, decorative accessories, country primitives and folk art. Situated in Manchester and running Thursday through Saturday, this is without a doubt the region’s best show. If you don’t get your fill of antiques from this one, there are a few smaller shows to check out. The weekend before New Hampshire Antiques week is the annual Manchester auction of American furniture and folk art, paintings, and decorative accessories by Ronald Bourgeault’s Northeast Auctions; based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Other shows in Manchester running during this time are the Riverside Antiques Show, with over 60 dealers showcasing 18th to early 20th centruy country and formal furniture, and the Granite State Antiquarian Book and Emphemera Fair, featuring books and paper items. Mosey your way 30 miles further to the fairgrounds in Deerfield and you’ll come across the Americana Celebration Antique Show, which draws more than 135 exhibitors with 18th and 19th century items. In Bedford, 6 miles from Manchester, you can also revel in the Start of Manchester Antiques Show, an indoor event that includes lectures, book signings and appraisals. Once you’ve made your way through the plethora of antique shows, the small city of Manchester has some local antique dealers to meet as well. Since there is no sales tax in New Hampshire, these shops are definitely worth checking out. New Hampshire also has quite a few charming bed and breakfasts and inns to relax in, so you can make antique shopping here an experience to remember.   « Less

Few places in American can rival the picturesque beauty of New England, particularly Southern Vermont. Tree-lined streets, pristine church steeples, bold mountains, sugar maples, and leaves saturated in oranges, reds and yellows in the fall season, all serve to make Southern Vermont a visually stunning destination for all things antiques. As it turns out, Southern Vermont has a lot of them. From 18th and 19th century formal and country American furniture to quilts, hooked rugs and other  More »

Few places in American can rival the picturesque beauty of New England, particularly Southern Vermont. Tree-lined streets, pristine church steeples, bold mountains, sugar maples, and leaves saturated in oranges, reds and yellows in the fall season, all serve to make Southern Vermont a visually stunning destination for all things antiques. As it turns out, Southern Vermont has a lot of them. From 18th and 19th century formal and country American furniture to quilts, hooked rugs and other textiles, drive around the area and you’ll come across many storybook towns rich with serenity and antiques. 50 miles from Manchester are more than 75 dealers, hidden in the Dorset, Arlington, Bennington, Danby, Wallingford, Wilmington, Chester, Newfane and many others, on and off routes 7 and 30. Though the trend is American and fine country furniture, you’ll also find tramp art and similar rustic items, European, as well as Scandinavian items. If you decide to extend your stay, travel further onto Glens Falls, Saratoga Springs, and other New York towns, where you’ll find even more treasures, or you can continue North on route 7 to Burlington, Vermont and Quebec’s Eastern Townships. There are also plenty of shows to partake in as well. On the last weekend of September, the Vermont Antique Dealers Association Show takes place at Hunter Park Pavilion in Manchester, drawing about 75 dealers with top-quality country and folk art pieces, and more formal high country furniture. The Hildene Antiques Show happens on the Sunday of that same weekend with 70 dealers, who offer a wide variety of New England inspired items. This area has smaller shows too, in Dorset and Hidene, and Newfane holds its annual Saturday show in mid-February. Sporting more your cup of tea? The Fly Fishing and Sporting and Antiques and Collectibles show in Manchester is the last weekend in June. And if you want to go to lower key shows, Southern Vermont’s two largest outdoor flea markets are in Wilmington, the last weekends in May through October. Whether you choose to visit this area for the mountains, sugar maples or antiques, Southern Vermont will not disappoint.   « Less

Not too many places in the world hold the charm and majestic nature Maine does. So what’s so beautiful about it? Take your pick. Maine is plentiful in the department of breathtaking views, pine forests, perennial gardens and dense forests. Spend a weekend there and you’ll find yourself chanting the state slogan: “This is the way life should be.” But the majestic nature and quaint towns are only the tip of Baxter Mountain for Mid-Coast Maine. From Portland to Rockland  More »

Not too many places in the world hold the charm and majestic nature Maine does. So what’s so beautiful about it? Take your pick. Maine is plentiful in the department of breathtaking views, pine forests, perennial gardens and dense forests. Spend a weekend there and you’ll find yourself chanting the state slogan: “This is the way life should be.” But the majestic nature and quaint towns are only the tip of Baxter Mountain for Mid-Coast Maine. From Portland to Rockland – and all of the communities in between, the Maine Antique Dealers Association lists over 180 dealers. As well, this area has myriad of flea markets, annual shows and high-quality auctions. Wander North of Portland via Route 1 and you’ll also discover a number of antique havens, including Bath, Newcastle, Thomaston, Camden, Lincolnville and Rockland. If you haven’t hard your fill of antiques after that, the Main Antique Dealers Association sponsors two high-quality annual shows in this area: a midweek coastal show in Damariscotta in late August, and a Thursday through Friday show in Portland in mid-September. These events bring together about 70 member dealers from Maine and beyond. The emphasis is on Americana, with country furniture, folk art, ceramics and glass. Another show you won’t want to miss is the annual outdoor/indoor Maine Antique Festival. Called The Union Show, it features over 200 dealers from Mid-Maine to the Mid-West and it’s the perfect show to find rustic furniture, European and Asian pieces, vintage, hooked rugs, china, silver, jewelry and more. If your idea of the way life should be is nature, fresh air and antiques – hit the road and head to Maine’s Mid-Coast.   « Less

Known for their French-inflected New England ambience, Vermont not only offers breathtaking views of mountaintops and placid lakes, it’s filled with quaint rural towns, old winding roads, and mom and pop shops that sell everything from local cheeses to tasty sugar maples, to delicious wines. And that’s not all Vermont - stunning in all seasons - has to offer, it also boasts a rich array of antique stores. Antique stores in the Lake Champlain Valley and Southern Quebec sell country  More »

Known for their French-inflected New England ambience, Vermont not only offers breathtaking views of mountaintops and placid lakes, it’s filled with quaint rural towns, old winding roads, and mom and pop shops that sell everything from local cheeses to tasty sugar maples, to delicious wines. And that’s not all Vermont - stunning in all seasons - has to offer, it also boasts a rich array of antique stores. Antique stores in the Lake Champlain Valley and Southern Quebec sell country and vintage furnishings, with some formal pieces, many farmhouse finds and country pieces with time-worn painted surfaces. You’ll also find early-20th century pieces, along with exquisite china, glassware and textiles. Cross the U.S. side of the border to Burlington, and 40 miles from there, Lake Champlain islands and the towns of Colchester, Winooski, Essex Junction, Shelburne, New Havem Basic Harbor, Ferrisburgh, Charlotte, Middlebury, Vergennes, and St. Albans – and you’ll discover a lot more antiques where the ones from the other side of the border came from. But don’t stop your quest for antiques here. In Quebec’s Eastern Townships, there’s antiquing in North Hatley, Knowlton, and Eastman; you’ll also come across a few shops in Magog and Sutton. For big antiquing in Canada, head to Montreal or to Rue Saint-Paul in the Old Port area of Quebec City. In mid-October, Eastman, Quebec holds an annual weekend antiques show, which draws more than 30 dealers. Whether you want to stroll through quaint   « Less

Although the summers are short here, the list of antiques stores are long. From Bangor east to Lubec, the state’s northern coast not only encompasses yachting harbors, Acadia National Park and Cadillac Mountain, it boasts a large number of antique shops and shows. The nation’s longest-running summer antiques show is held in Blue Hill on the first weekend in August; sponsored by the George Stevens Academy, the show attracts some of Maine’s top dealers. On the third Sunday in  More »

Although the summers are short here, the list of antiques stores are long. From Bangor east to Lubec, the state’s northern coast not only encompasses yachting harbors, Acadia National Park and Cadillac Mountain, it boasts a large number of antique shops and shows. The nation’s longest-running summer antiques show is held in Blue Hill on the first weekend in August; sponsored by the George Stevens Academy, the show attracts some of Maine’s top dealers. On the third Sunday in July at the Blue Hill Fairgrounds, the down east Antiques Fair features over 70 dealers from all over the country. And if you can’t make this one, the same show runs again on Tuesday/Wednesday in mid-August. As for antique shop, there are several worth visiting. Blue Hill has a few; some stretch into Deer Isle Village, and there are more in Stonington, Sargentville, Brooklin, and other nearby towns as well. Make your way to the coast, and you’ll also discover Ellsworth’s Big Chicken Barn and Searsport shops offer interesting antique opportunities. From the sounds of gulls to swimming and beaches, hiking and breathtaking views, Maine offers more than just great antique destinations.   « Less