Weekends with Yankee

The Atlantic coastline is a place of beauty and wonder, lapping along five of the six New England states. We start in Ogunquit, Maine, named by Yankee magazine as the best beach town in New England. Next, travel to a cove near Acadia National Park, where we create an authentic Maine clambake. And then it's back to basics with a lesson in traditional boatbuilding in Newport, Rhode Island.

With wild weather, stormy seas, and remote locations, New England is a land of adventure. Travel to the Northeast's highest peak for some of the most extreme weather found anywhere in the world. Then brave the sea's stiff winds and bracing cold, to capture the Atlantic bay scallop. Finally, fly high above Maine's iconic Moosehead Lake in search of the majestic creatures that inspired its name.

New England is full of treasures large and small. Meet lobsterman and photographer Joel Woods, who captures dramatic, gritty, and often poignant snapshots of life aboard a lobster boat. Next, we set out along the coast of New Hampshire to celebrate local oysters with chef Jeremy Sewall. And uncover the world's only authenticated pirate ship--and reveal treasures never before been seen in public.

Board the massive schooner JE Riggin for a cruise along the Maine coast. Then we travel to Boston for the Head of the Charles Regatta, the largest two-day rowing event in the world. And in Vermont, we find the Shelburne Museum, one of the country's most unique museums, home to a land-bound lighthouse, a steamboat docked in a grassy meadow, period gardens, and four centuries of art and Americana.

On Block Island, look for the glass orbs that a local artist makes and tucks away for anyone to discover. Next stop: an orchard paradise in Dummerston, Vermont, filled with heirloom apples that can be traced back to the earliest days of American history. Finally, visit Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, home to a priceless art collection amassed by one of Boston's most unorthodox patrons.

At The Elms in Newport, Rhode Island, take a behind-the-scenes tour from the mansion's caretaker. Then visit the Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut, Phillip Johnson's home that forever changed American architecture. And at Olneyville New York System in Providence, Rhode Island, the Stevens family has been serving up their signature Coney Island-style wieners to four generations of customers.

Visit the region's rivers, lakes, and coastal vineyards. In Providence, Rhode Island, the amazing Waterfire festival illuminates the city with an amazing light show. Then see New Hampshire and the serenity of Squam Lake, where we're in search of the magnificent loon. Rounding things out is a visit to the Farm Coast for a taste of award-winning wines from Westport River Winery in Massachusetts.

"Yankee ingenuity" evokes practicality and know-how. Visit Shelburne Farms, 1,400 acres of stunning farmland and historic buildings on the shores of Lake Champlain, to learn how they make award-winning cheeses. Ride the world's first mountain-climbing cog railway up Mount Washington, and look around Strawbery Banke, along the Piscataqua River in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Visit Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, where we check out the historic gingerbread cottages in Oak Bluffs. Next is Maine's Acadia National Park, a 47,000-acre park on Mount Desert Island, where photographer Jerry Monkman shows us his favorite hidden spots. Then meet two young Massachusetts farmers who grow the most delicious shiitake mushrooms outside Japan.

New England's landscape is vast and varied. Visit the Well at Jordan's Farm, which gives new meaning to "farm to table" dining by serving its own produce at an alfresco restaurant. Then we travel to Connecticut's Grace Farms, where we meet incredible birds of prey. And we conclude with a lesson in fly-fishing from angler, artist, and author James Prosek.

New England is known for its postcard-perfect villages. Visit Stockbridge, Massachusetts, home of the Norman Rockwell Museum. In Woodstock, Vermont, go inside the ultimate general store, Gillingham and Sons, which has been serving customers for 130 years. Lastly, it's off to Biddeford, Maine, for a taste of the Palace Diner, a classic New England eatery reimagined by two ambitious young chefs.

Yankee editor Mel Allen calls foliage season "New England's Mardi Gras." Search out the most vivid autumn colors imaginable along New Hampshire's famed Kancamagus Highway. Then in Vermont, meet Allison Hooper, a successful and pioneering New England cheesemaker. We wrap things up with a look at Kent, Connecticut, which Yankee magazine has named the best foliage town in New England.

Winter in New England is a season of sparkling snow, deep-blue skies, sleigh rides, skiing, and vibrant cities where you can escape the cold for indoor delights. Slide along in a horse-drawn sleigh in beautiful Jackson, New Hampshire. Take a food lover's tour in Boston with chef Barbara Lynch. And escape the crowds on the pristine trails of northern New England for a cross-country ski adventure.