roguemckenzie

Staying in a flat in the North End for 5 nights, then renting a car and plan to explore MA and CT. We like antiques, back roads, old house/building tours. 10/3-10/17. Have read a lot here about what to see and do in Boston proper, looking for suggestions of what to see in the two states. Also, Vegetarian suggestions in Boston??

emalloy

If you haven't been to Sturbridge Village in MA or Mystic Seaport in CT, they both give a look at life in the 1800 s (Sturbridge on farming community, Mystic on seafaring/whaling). For antiques the town of Putnam, CT, on route 12, has lots of shops, as does the Mystic/Stonington area in CT. These are in eastern CT. It seems like most small towns have antique/resale shops in the more rural areas of both states. In the western parts of both states are lots of charming towns like Litchfield and Kent in CT, or Lenox and Stockbridge in MA. I think the web site for CT is www.visitct.com. For interesting house tours in the central CT area, visit the Mark Twain House and Harriet Beecher Stowe House in Hartford and the Hillstead Museum in Farmington.

Have a great trip.

emd3

If you are on Cape Cod during that time period you can see a cranberry bog being harvested. It is an AMAZING sight, very colorful to see them float the cranberries to the top and rake them in, just like in the Ocean Spray commercial! The fall colors should be good then too. There are some nice antique shops on the Cape also, I have spent many Sunday afternoons antique shopping on the Cape. The Cape is lovely in the fall.

yk

For old houses, you should focus on the N Shore of MA. Ipswich MA has the largest # of First Period Architecture in the country, and Ipswich is celebrating its 375th anniversary of its founding. Newburyport also has lots of historic old buildings.
http://www.ipswichma.com/

Also, check out the website of Historic New England. It manages plenty of historic buildings and many are open for tours.
http://www.historicnewengland.org/

For Vegetarian, many regular restaurants offer vegetarian entrees.

Cranachin

Essex, MA (one town over from Ipswich) has many antique stores. There are some in Ipswich and in Rowley (adjoining Ipswich on the opposite side) as well.

You also could pick apples and get cider donuts at Russell Orchards in Ipswich.

If you are in Western MA, Hancock Shaker Village near Pittsfield is worth a visit (there is also a Shaker village at Canterbury in Southern NH).

bachslunch

Boston doesn't have much of anything decent for vegetarian restaurants, though most spots have at least one vegetarian selection on the menu or will prepare one for you if you ask. Chinatown is often a good area for tofu based dishes and such.

Charles Street in Boston's Beacon Hill is a great spot for antique exploring.

fdxeng

I would go north towards Maine. You can hit the North Shore (Ipswich, etc.), Portsmouth NH (seaport town) and Kittery Maine (Route 1 for antiques). As for getting vegetarian, use www.yelp.com. Yelp is a review site done by locals who will give you the their opinion of the place. Kittery is about 60 minutes from the North End.

PamEwing

I recommend a visit to Louisa May Alcott's home, Orchard House, in Concord. If you like antiques, take a stoll on Newbury St. in Boston.