After binging on far too many New England lobster rolls, I switched out an ocean view for the woodsy rolling hinterland of Southern New England. Home to some characterful heartland towns, my first stop was a rather fragrant one, just 30 minutes’ north of Springfield, Western Massachusetts. The Yankee Candle Village in South Deerfield is more than just a seasonal “Scenter of the Universe.’ The world’s largest candle shop is chocca with year-round temptations.

From wandering through the festive flamboyance of the Bavarian Village to learning how candles were made throughout history — and even trying your hand at making one of your own — an aromatic world of fun and fragrance awaits at this family-friendly destination. The classic New England company originated in 1969, when 16-year-old Mike Kittredge in South Hadley, Massachusetts, realised he didn’t have the money to buy his mother a Christmas present. In a daring display of Yankee ingenuity, he melted common household wax and a red crayon into an empty milk carton before adding some string for a wick.

A neighbour saw Mike’s project before he could give it to his Mum, and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Mike sold the candle and used the profits to buy supplies to make two more (one for his mother and an extra to sell). Kittredge then opened up a shop out of his father’s garage. His products gained local popularity and the rest is history. The company shifted its headquarters to its current location 30 years ago, attracting three million visitors annually, who marvel over the 200,000 candles in more than 200 fragrances.

Add to that the general store, gift boutique and kitchen – and you could spend hours browsing, sniffing and noshing here. It’s truly wondrous. Needless to say, it feels like Christmas everyday at Yankee Candle Village. Heading into Springfield, there is one particularly unique attraction that should take pole-position on your check-list – The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum.

Oh, the places you'll go...in Springfield! The magnificent museum and adjoining Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden is a tribute to beloved Springfieldian Theodor Geisel, the children's book author behind Dr. Seuss. His first published book, "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street," was inspired by a street you can still stroll down today: It's just outside downtown.

The outdoor sculpture garden, featuring famous Seuss characters like the Cat in the Hat and the Lorax, has been an attraction for 20 years, but the museum didn't make its debut until five years ago. Inside, you'll find kid-friendly, interactive spaces and an artifact-filled recreation of Dr. Seuss's studio. The museum even owns the author's 117 bowties. And there’s an abundance of photo-ops with Dr Seuss’s most famous characters. Even if you don't have kids, take an enchanting trip down memory lane at this interactive celebration of his iconic children's books.

Also in Springfield is the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, a museum that sees almost 200,000 basketball fans file through each year. This beautifully presented Hall of Fame museum has inducted more than 400 players, and houses historic basketball memorabilia for attendees to learn about the past and present of the game. James Naismith allegedly invented basketball in a Springfield YMCA gym in 1891, after being tasked with devising an indoor game to occupy the attention of a rowdy class of young men.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is, of course, named after the legend and pays tribute to the NBA’s star players and coaches. The museum packs 40,000 square feet of floor space with interactive exhibits, skills challenges, and shooting contests. The real fun is hitting the full-size

Center Court for some shooting, passing and other skills challenges and heading to the Hoop Hall’s high-tech, experiential attractions that allow you to measure your vertical leap, sit in the broadcaster's seat, coach a team to victory and even play a game of "Virtual Hoops." Get amongst it!

In the heart of town, a stack of historic buildings has been rescued and repurposed as part of the $960 million MGM Springfield, a hotel, casino and entertainment complex. Thoughtfully designed to reflect its location in a city known for 19th- and 20th-century industrial innovation, the 240-room hotel is a stylish roost in Springfield. In addition to the casino, MGM Springfield has diverse nightlife and entertainment offerings including indoor and outdoor concert venues, a seven-screen cinema with recliner seats, and a comedy club. Restaurants include Wahlburgers, the actor-founded burger joint, and the Chandler Steakhouse, helmed by “Hell’s Kitchen” winner Meghan Gill. It’s a temple of indulgent escapism. If you’re visiting in the winter months, the historic State Armory which was restored as part of the redevelopment, is graced with a superb skating rink. https://explorewesternmass.com/

30 minutes south of Springfield and often overshadowed by New England’s bigger cities like Boston, Connecticut’s state capital of Hartford is not only an aesthetically pleasing river city, but it’s endowed with some serious cultural heft. Top of your list should be a guided tour of the Mark Twain House & Museum.

Samuel (Mark Twain) and Olivia "Livy" Clemens commissioned their new home in Hartford in 1873 and moved in the following year. The house had every latest convenience, some of which you'll see demonstrated on the tour of this three-story Victorian mansion. Twain eagerly embraced technology in his work. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was the first American book submitted to a publisher in typed manuscript. Soon after Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone in 1876, Twain had one installed in his house. Louis Comfort Tiffany was one of the four designers engaged for the interior of the house, and you'll see some of the exotic influences that were popular at the time. The home is one of only two with Tiffany–designed domestic interiors open to the public.

Throughout my tour, the engaging guide kept our group engrossed with poignant anecdotes about this much-loved family home and from where Mark Twain wrote several of his best-known works including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. It is a sumptuous property with so many interior design highlights, headlined by the gorgeously homely library room and the conservatory – which his children dubbed the Jungle room. The death of their daughter from meningitis eventually prompted the family to sell the property in 1903. Thankfully, this 25-room Victorian Gothic mansion has been safeguarded as a museum and a National Historic Landmark.

Mark Twain's Hartford neighbour, Harriet Beecher Stowe, is best remembered as the author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," a novel that powerfully ignited antislavery sentiments. At the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, next door to the Mark Twain House, you can tour the Victorian brick cottage where she lived from 1871 to 1896 and "meet" this prolific and multifaceted woman who also wrote children's stories and was the Martha Stewart of her day. The kitchen design of the Gothic Revival cottage is based on the kitchen described in her book The American Woman's Home. Also in Hartford, the Noah Webster House, birthplace of the famed author of the American dictionary.

Culture vultures should also head to the Wadsworth Atheneum - the oldest free public museum in the United States, boasting more than 50,000 works of art in its imposing Gothic-style building. Major highlights of the European collection are Italian Baroque painting, with feature works by Caravaggio, as well as the Surrealist artists, represented here in works by Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, Max Ernst, and René Magritte; and impressionist works by Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

I adored the Cabinet of Art and Curiosity, a room inspired by the Victorian collectors who dedicated rooms to their collections of art, technology, and natural curiosities. More than 200 objects from the European Decorative Arts collection are displayed in cabinets as they might have been in the home of a wealthy collector. They are without labels, inspiring a more personal and interactive experience, although you can find details about any piece by a mobile tour or digital touch screens.

Hartford boasts some striking architecture, from the high Victorian Gothic glory of the State Capitol, overlooking Bushnell Memorial Park, to the Old State House. Built in 1796, this National Historic Landmark is one of the nation's oldest state houses. Definitely take a leisurely stroll through the lush finery of Bushnell Park, created in 1850 and proudly classified as the USA’s first public park. It’s endowed with numerous memorials, spanning the Civil War and world wars. A 1914 Stein and Goldstein carousel with 48 hand-carved wooden horses and two chariots circling a Wurlitzer band organ is one of only three surviving Stein and Goldstein carousels in existence – a family favourite.

Smack bang in the heart of Hartford, the elegant façade of The Goodwin Hotel is a gracious downtown landmark. Beginning life in 1881 as an apartment building, J.P. Morgan resided here during visits to his hometown. Converted into a hotel a century later, The Goodwin was reborn in an urban-chic style, but with its charming grand hotel heritage in place, with features including original fireplaces and built-in wood closets. There is no disputing its enduring sophistication and appeal, nor the exceptional service and hospitality.

The hotel’s thoughtfully designed guest rooms and interior spaces feature original architectural elements harmoniously infused with modern amenities. With a variety of accommodation configurations, push the boat out and bag an executive suite. It’s like luxuriating in your own private apartment with ample space for lounging working, meeting or sleeping. All guestrooms and suites are lavishly loaded with creature comforts, from fine pressed European linens to luxurious toiletries. This one of a kind boutique hotel is an exceptional place to stay, in the heart of beautiful Hartford. https://hartford.com

New England is pitch-perfect for road trips to remember. From Boston, cruise the coastal delights of Rhode Island, Cape Cod, Portsmouth and Portland before heading for the hinterland to savour indelible sights in Springfield and Hartford. www.visittheusa.com.au Score great rates and holiday deals on Expedia. Create an account to become an Expedia member and save an average of 15% on thousands of hotels. Plus, earn points to help you save on your next trip. Earn air miles on top of Expedia points by entering your Frequent Flyer details at checkout, an easy way to double-dip and earn points even faster. Bundle your travel by booking your airfares, hotel and car at the same time to instantly unlock savings. Use the Expedia mobile app or visit expedia.co.nz

Mike Yardley is our resident traveller on Jack Tame Saturday Mornings.