Flying in New England

Flying in New England can be fun, but it's even more fun if you know what you're doing! Keep a constant eye out for the weather as it changes quickly, and check out some of the fun places below.

Destinations from KBED

Associated Pilots, Inc. (API) at KBED maintains a great list of destinations. Philip Greenspun also has a good overview. Here I list the areas where I have direct experience and give more specific recommendations. I currently rent Piper Warriors/Archers out of East Coast Aero Club, so all of these fields should be allowed by the renter's agreement.

For food destinations, make sure to call the restaurant ahead of time or check their business hours online!

Sightseeing

Location	FAA Identifier	Distance from BED	Food Recommendations	Other Notes
Boston City Tour	BOS	14.1 nm		As of 2025, ECAC no longer allows the Boston City Tour. We would not actually land in Boston, but as long as there isn't a Red Sox game we could request to fly along the Charles and over the city. ATC can deny us entry into the airspace if they are too busy, but I've done it a few times and it's totally worth it to ask.
New Bedford, MA	EWB	49.8 nm	The Airport Grille - heard a lot about this place but haven't tried it yet	Just shy of being long enough to count as a XC trip--this airport has a decent diner!
Keene, NH	EEN	50.5 nm		Great for building XC time, and a wonderful view during the fall. Brunch at Dinner Table is available before noons, and they close at 3pm on Sundays as of September 2019. Haven't tried it, so if you do please send a recommendation!
Northampton, MA	7B2	59.4 nm	Thai Garden	Wonderful little city in Western MA. Home to some good friends of mine who can take us around downtown if they are free. Great food, though it's a bit of a walk from the airport (we could potentially borrow a crew car).
Laconia, NH	LCI	66.4 nm		Beautiful little town with some nice lake shore beaches. In off-peak seasons take the crew car from Sky Bright for free. Avis and Enterprise are available for longer stays, and rideshare apps should work in the summer during the day [1].
Martha's Vineyard, MA	MVY or 1B2	71 nm or 75 nm	Menemsha Fish Market or 20byNine	To make a really good day trip out of this, book the plane for 8+ hours (8am-8pm if you can swing it). Total flight time is 2.3-2.5 Hobbs hours, and the extra half hour is largely worth it to be able to see more of the island. No experience with Katama, but API has a good info sheet [2]. Turo is a good option to rent.
Portland, ME	PWM	82 nm	Crispy Gai	Park at Northeast Air and take the 2 hr courtesy car or a rideshare app into the city.

Aspirational Trips

I haven't been on any of these trips, but they sound really fun!

Location	FAA Identifier	Distance from BED	Notes
Lewiston, ME	LEW	104 nm	Grab the crew car from Auburn-Lewiston and go apple picking at Thompson's Orchard.