New England Road Trip Itinerary

Old Jan 19th, 2017, 03:52 PM
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New England Road Trip Itinerary

My husband & I (50 & 45) are planning a trip in May to New England and I'm finding myself overwhelmed trying to put together an itinerary. We will only have 6 nights and 6 days (not counting the day we fly back home), so I could really use some help putting something together. Here is what I have figured out so far: We will be flying into Boston on a Thursday and spending the first 2 nights there. We plan to catch a Red Sox game the first night, after which we would love to eat in one of the iconic Irish Pubs (suggestions would be great!). Friday we know we want to walk the Freedom Trail, check out Quincy Market (I know..touristy), Faneuil Hall
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Old Jan 19th, 2017, 04:18 PM
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the Paul Revere House. But we have no idea how far apart these places are, which ones are along the Freedom Trail, etc. One very large interest of ours is the food! We want to check out at least one good bakery for Boston Cream Pie, a good coffee shop, an Irish pub (Mr. Dooley's ?) and restaurants/cafes for our 3-4 meals in Boston. Any opinions on The Union Oyster House for dinner? Or better suggestions please. Saturday morning we plan to head over to Cape Cod and spend one day & one night. Perhaps a whale watching trip? What part of the Cape would be best to stay & any suggestions on lodging? And of course restaurant suggestions. We would love a quaint seaside restaurant with great lobster rolls & clam chowder! As far as where to head Sunday, I'm lost. A road trip to Maine sounds awesome and we would love to see as much of the NE states as we could in our time, but don't want to rush so much that we don't enjoy what we do see. But basically we would leave Cape Cod Sunday and return Boston by Tuesday night & fly out Wednesday. Help!
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Old Jan 20th, 2017, 06:07 AM
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I would HIGHLY recommend going to Mike's Pastry on Hanover Street! Whenever my husband and I make a day in Boston we ALWAYS stop here If i remember correctly though, they only take cash so be sure to have some on hand.

here are some common sites along the freedom trail

Boston Common
Massachusetts State House
Park Street Church
Granary Burying Ground
King’s Chapel
King’s Chapel Burying Ground
Benjamin Franklin Statue & Boston Latin School
Old Corner Book Store
Old South Meeting House
Old State House
Site of Boston Massacre
Faneuil Hall
Paul Revere House
Old North Church
Copp’s Hill Burying Ground
Bunker Hill Monument
USS Constitution
I'm not sure how close together the ones are that you mentioned you want to go to. maybe someone else can help you out there. If you can at least get a picture of the USS Constitution it will be worth it! I went there for the first time 2 years ago and it was spectacular! Obviously going on would be great but a picture will be a great "quick" option.

Nice thing about the New England states is that they are relatively small and close together so you can travel through them quickly i live in Maine and would recommend seeing Portland Headlight. Acadia National Park is beautiful but that might be too far for you to go to. Fort Knox in Penobsoct is AWESOME!!! That might be too much of a distance but if you can fit it in it will be well worth it. We go there almost every year!

Hope that was a little helpful and hope you enjoy your trip to New England! I love it here
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Old Jan 20th, 2017, 06:42 AM
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Spent my entire life here in Boston and have NO IDEA what Boston Cream pie even is. Iconic food? You decide.

As far as travel outside Boston, with 6 days, pick one direction or the other, the Cape or Maine. Both will be quiet in May, a nice time to see them, but some things may still be closed.

Whale watching could be from Plymouth (also check out Plimouth Plantation) or from Provincetown, if headed toward the Cape. (The Boston ones woulf require more time to get to where the whales are.)
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Old Jan 20th, 2017, 06:48 AM
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Because you are short on time, instead of Cape Cod, I would head north from Boston and stop in Portsmouth NH for either a harbor cruise or inland rivers cruise. Should you go out in open water on a whale watch, it's going to be pretty cold. Not necessarily quaint but a terrific view would be one of the restaurants in Portsmouth that back up to the harbor and share a back deck.

You can visit a southern Maine beach if you want a sandy beach. There are lots of lobster roll and clam chowder possibilities. You might be too early for the quaint lobster shacks with outdoor picnic tables. Five Islands Lobster opens May 14. Our favorite, McLoon's doesn't open until Memorial Day.

Portland ME's Old Port area is a fun place to shop. You can park in the parking garage next to the boat dock and if you haven't already taken a boat ride, you can do a mailboat cruise of the harbor stopping at several islands. You can also do an evening cruise. Portland light is a good suggestion. Fort Williams park has a terrific view of Casco Bay.

For a more in depth look at Boston history, you might take a food tour of Boston's North End (Italian). It has been a few years since we were in Boston but the push cart vendors might be still out in Haymarket Square on Friday and Saturday. I would explore Haymarket rather than Quincy Market and then walk across to the North End whether or not you are doing a food tour.

Mid-coast Maine north of Portland is so different from southern Maine that I think it would be worth it to visit. If you went as far as Rockland you could visit either the Farnsworth Art Museum or Owl's Head Transportation Museum. The easy hike out to Owls Head Light is nice. If Claws is open for the season, I enjoyed their chowder sampler. My husband thought it had too much seasoning. He got a lobster burger that he enjoyed. It's right on busy Rt 1 and looks out on the industrial side of the harbor but food was great (covered deck and picnic tables). We only did a brief visit to Rockport's harbor which was very pretty. There are other places that will be open.

From the Maine coast you could head to North Conway NH if you want to see mountains. Portland to Conway is about an hour. Then take whichever westerly route you wish to connect with I93 to go back to Boston.
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Old Jan 20th, 2017, 12:18 PM
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Thank you all so much for you help! You have all given me such awesome information! I knew I had stumbled across a great travel forum. I really want to spend at least a day on the Cape, MV or Nantucket. They have always fascinated me. But I may do further research after your advice.
And SambaChula I can't imagine you live in Boston & haven't heard of Boston Cream pie!! I grew up on the dessert named for your city. I guess I can actually offer you some info. The Boston Cream pie was first made at the (Omni)Parker House Hotel in 1856 by a French pastry chef. From what I understand bakeries throughout the city have it, but the best is either at Parker House or Café Bella Vita. You should definitely check it out because it is heavenly!
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Old Jan 20th, 2017, 03:18 PM
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>

And that, for me, is the best/only place to go for that.

With only four nights, recommend choosing between the Cape and points north. Or, choose a spot in both (such as Chatham and Kennebunkport) with quick/easy to reach other destinations in all directions.

May will likely be too early for whale watch cruises, or all depending, may only depart weekends.

It may be too early, as well, for "a quaint seaside restaurant with great lobster rolls & clam chowder", though there are some places open all year, such as Jackie's Too in Ogunquit.
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Old Jan 20th, 2017, 06:46 PM
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You guys are a wealth of information & help! After reading some of your comments, we have decided to push our trip to early or mid June. However, is this going to put us there during an incredibly busy season? I guess I have to pick my poison.... The pub list is great. Does anyone have any restaurant suggestions? Something that is very "Boston" but not a tourist trap? Curious about the Union Oyster House. Also any suggestions or hints about public transportation in the city?
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Old Jan 20th, 2017, 07:38 PM
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I'm a little ignorant about how the public transportation works in Boston. Are there enough stations throughout the city that you can easily walk to & ride the T? I just want to have it planned as to how we are going to move about, so that we don't waste time wandering around trying to figure out how to get from one place to another.

Also, What would be the best transportation to our hotel from the airport?
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Old Jan 20th, 2017, 08:13 PM
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Several things:

-Mike's is one of three major Italian bakeries in the North End, the others being Modern Pastries and Maria's. Many folks prefer the other two to Mike's, though they're all worth a stop.

-avoid the Union Oyster House at all costs. It's a tourist trap -- food is awful and the service is worse. Durgin Park is light years better for this type of food. And the Parker House is also bad except for their Boston cream pie; I'd just stop for dessert.
As for other eateries, there are loads of choices -- what kind of food do you like? Boston has a good Chinatown and several worthy Italian options in the North End.

-the Freedom Trail is an excellent sightseeing option for the day in Boston. The attractions along the way are all close by each other (though the Charlestown end is a little more of a walk away) and the trail is easy to follow. If you like art museums, the Museum of Fine arts and the Gardner Museum (the former large, the latter fairly small) are fine options for your second day in Boston.

-Boston is very easily managed on foot and via subway. Don't even think about driving, as the traffic is heavy, it's relatively easy to get lost, and parking is a nightmare.

-the list of Irish pubs you got is about as good as any. Don't expect much in terms of food quality, though. These are better places to have a drink and soak up the atmosphere.
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Old Jan 20th, 2017, 09:34 PM
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>

Well, it's okay for a drink in the bar and a look around. But, there are far better places for seafood. We gave up on that place years ago, along with Durgin Park, for the positively lousy service and food quality.

>

Well, it depends. There are plenty of stations throughout the city, but not all are conveniently located to where you may be going. For just a bit more, for two, it's just a bit more to get around with Uber, without having to bother with tickets or figuring out routing and climbing in and out of the stations. For me, the T stinks (literally).

However, if you're young and energetic and have considerable stamina, Boston is one terrific "walking city".

>

Many hotels are on the free shuttle routes. Otherwise, take a taxi or Uber.

>

Probably not. The weather will be much more favorable for waterside destinations, and more "seasonal" restaurants and shops on Cape Cod and along the coast of Maine, will have re-opened after Memorial Day.
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Old Jan 21st, 2017, 03:24 AM
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We were in mid-coast Maine last year in June. Things can still be fairly quiet and rates lower before July 4. But even during July and August you can find places that aren't mobbed. McLoon's was open (lobster shack) and a large sailboat based in Rockport was taking people out for a few hours.

I've only been to MV once when we did a day trip via ferry in September. Allow plenty of time to get to ferry because you have to do remote parking and take a shuttle bus to the docks. Once on MV we did a private van tour which was interesting and then spent rest of day walking around.

Funny, we had Boston cream pie growing up but I rarely see it nowadays. We had to do a pilgrimage visit to Durgin Park because it's been there so long. Check out the menu to see if it appeals to you. Back in the 60s we used to go to Howard Johnson's for Indian Pudding.

Yes, you can get around fine with the T. We prefer to use taxis at night. Don't rent a car until you're ready to leave Boston. Expect hotels to charge parking fees.
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Old Jan 21st, 2017, 04:48 AM
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djbooks, if one is going to Union Oyster House regardless, the only thing I can recommend is to sit at the oyster bar and have a beer and raw oysters. They usually do open the oysters fresh under those circumstances, which often doesn't happen otherwise. Personally, I'd pass.

But I haven't had any problems at Durgin Park and I've been going for years. They have the best Indian pudding anywhere (and I've tried it lots of places), they're one of the last places around to get coffee jello, and their food is uniformly good in my experience. Their seafood is good, if not quite to the level of a place like Neptune Oyster, and they do classic New England comfort food (pot roast, prime rib, potted beef) far better than anywhere else. Have also had no issues with the service, which used to be flamboyantly grumpy, but hasn't been for a long time. I recommend them highly.
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Old Jan 21st, 2017, 04:57 AM
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I also have no problem whatsoever with the subway. It goes most everyplace a tourist would want, and it's no worse than any other subway system for cleanliness or reliability. In fact, there are much worse systems (most involving buses) in other cities for cleanliness (Memphis and Oklahoma City for two). You do need to do a little research, but it's pretty easy to figure out. Doing Uber in Boston strikes me as having the same issues with driving -- clogged traffic, etc. -- and probably more expense. One can get T passes covering various days at reasonable rates.
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Old Jan 21st, 2017, 05:12 AM
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This is all helping me so much and I have so many questions, so I am beyond grateful for your help!! I hope I don't overstay my welcome here, but this is so great!!

If we were to eat in one of the Pubs, which would have the best Irish food?

Possibly a stupid question, but do we have to take a ferry to the Cape? We want renting to rent a car when we get ready to leave Boston.

Cold you tell me some of the good Italian Restaurants?
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Old Jan 21st, 2017, 08:02 AM
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The Cape is best by car IMO in order to explore some of the National Seashore trails and beaches. (about 2 hours drive to the Visitor's Center). Chatham is one of the most charming mid-Cape towns to stroll.
There is very little public transportation (Bus from Boston to Hyannis, a very commercial town, train on weekends, sparse local bus service town to town), esp. before Memorial Day.
Another alternative would be to take the ferry from Boston to Provincetown, where activities like a whale watch (they start in April), Art's Dune Tour, art galleries, etc could keep you busy locally for a few days.

Look on Yelp or Chowhound for restaurant reviews (Irish, Italian, etc)

There's a T map on their site, overlaid on a street map, so you can locate the stop/line nearest where you want to go.

Would love to see a poll of locals, for those who have tried Boston cream pie and how long past. Guess I always liked a thick local ice cream frappe (pronounced 'frap') better for sweets or a nice Italian cannoli for pastry.
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Old Jan 21st, 2017, 10:47 AM
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Thank you for the information. I am off to a great start getting this planned.

I am hearing Chatham a lot, so I think it is on my radar for the Cape.

I mainly just want to see if "Boston's" cream pie is as good as what we make here. Sounds like I may be disappointed. Unfortunately I want to hit many bakeries & try lots of desserts. Not a fan of cannoli though.
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Old Jan 21st, 2017, 11:16 AM
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I wouldn't head to Maine in May, Cape Cod will have a lot more up n running. Don't book anything, Maine or elsewhere, with more than a 48 hour cancellation policy as weather may have you deciding to just stay in Boston. Hope not, but be aware.

Marion's Pies near Chatham for Boston Cream Pie, or the Old Yarmouth Inn even better.
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Old Jan 21st, 2017, 11:33 AM
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Public transportation on Cape Cod is okay if not quite to big city standards. I've used it successfully, but you do have to do some logistical planning. The biggest drawback is that for the most part Cape Cod buses don't go to the beaches or along route 6A -- but much of the rest of the area is served respectably. Depending on the time of year, can make a pleasant day trip out of taking the ferry to Provincetown and back. Good Cape towns to visit other than P-town and Chatham include Sandwich, Wellfleet, and Falmouth.

Re food in Boston "Irish" pubs, it's not indigenous Irish food like colcannon, champ, bacon and cabbage, or boxty. It'll be just standard pub fare you'll find in most US bars, though you may see fish and chips or shepherd's pie.
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Old Jan 21st, 2017, 11:49 AM
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Good North End Italian restaurants would include:

Northern Italian: Mamma Maria, Prezza.

Southern Italian: Maurizio's, Pagliuca's, Antico Forno (also good pizza), Saraceno's (stick to red sauce basics), Daily Catch (seafood especially).

Pizza: Pizzeria Regina (the original on Thacher St., avoid the food court outlets).

Galleria Umberto is great for an ultra-cheap Southern Italian lunch. They open at 11 am and close when the food runs out, ca. 1:30 pm or thereabouts. You stand in line, order at the counter, and sit at a table to eat. Getting there earlier rather than later is recommended.

There are some tourist trap places here, so avoid just wandering in and hoping for the best -- and avoid anyplace where someone is standing outside trying to wave people in. You might do well this way, but not necessarily. There are dozens of options in the area ranging from great to terrible, with a lot in between.
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