> New England is the collective name for Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. The six states, taken together, are bordered only by three other entities: the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, Quebec to the north, and New York state to the west.
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> Internally, there's a cultural division between northern New England and southern New England; Maine, NH, and Vermont comprise northern New England, and the other three, obviously, comprise southern New England.
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> New Hampshire is the coolest of the six states. Politically, it's the freest and least hampered by bureaucracy. Maine is probably a touch prettier, though, thanks to its long and jagged coastline and its many relatively untouched lakes. (NH's lakes are few and crowded, but NH's gorgeous mountains match Maine's.)
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> Massachusetts is the least cool of the six states (apologies to those who live there); its greatest asset is also its albatross: Boston, one of the most messed up cities in the West yet which nevertheless has a lot of rich history and culture behind it.

Wow. I had no idea New York State was that big. Or maybe New England is simply composed of a bunch of TINY states...

Don "Still need to go buy a map, despite all the wonderful responses" Monkey