Spring in New England

Nantucket Whaler Guest House

Dazzling fall foliage in Vermont and carefree Cape Cod summers are deservedly iconic, but many New Englanders consider spring to be the sweetest season. As the U.S. Northeast blooms to life, here's a look at what's happening at a few Harper-recommended properties.

The intimate, charming Nantucket Whaler Guest House (pictured above) makes a perfect base for the island's 37th annual Daffodil Festival Weekend (an event originated by the late Jean MacAusland, the former publisher of Gourmet magazine). The festival takes place from April 29 to May 1, but millions of the flowers are in bloom for about five weeks, from early April through mid-May. In mid-April, as Vermont's Green Mountains continue to thaw, the recently renovated 2,300-acre

Equinox Resort & Spa connects guests with the Orvis Fly-Fishing School, where expert instructors will tutor you in casting technique and freshwater entomology before you head out to the trout-rich Battenkill River.

The spring also brings a welcome palette of seasonal flavors to several properties' restaurants: At the evocative seaside mansion Ocean House in Rhode Island, the superb chefs will offer a spring lamb cooking demonstration followed by a three-course menu paired with wines (April 13) as well as a seasonal, seafood-based "Good Friday Fish Dinner" on April 22.

At Winvian, a serene Connecticut property with 18 unique, architect-designed cottages, Executive Chef Chris Eddy's farm-to-table menu will be on display for a special Easter Sunday brunch. A typical menu might range from Thai chicken soup to Berkshire pork rack.