Boston and beyond - quick trip!
 

Husband has meetings at Harvard - we fly in Wed. afternoon (May 2nd)and stay at the lovely Charles in Cambridge. I'll stroll around the area Wed. evening and grab a bite at Legal Seafood. Thursday, I'll be on my own for the whole day -- have done and loved the Duck tour, Prudential tower, JFK library (may go back - it was wonderful) - anything new and interesting to see? Believe me, I will not be bored but just wondering.

Now, Friday the meetings wind up between 3 and 4pm. We could either rent a car and drive somewhere out of town, or take a train. Must be back at the airport on Sunday by 2pm.

We once took the train to Rockport and loved it, but wondering this time about Cape Cod. We could train or drive to the ferry that goes to Martha's Vineyard. Or do the drive up to Provincetown, leaving Cambridge Saturday morning and staying somewhere overnight and driving back to the airport for Sunday at 2pm.

We can probably stay at the Charles Friday night and we could leave Saturday morning on our little excursion, or take off after the meetings end Friday afternoon. Am I crazy?? Is this just too much -- especially on a weekend? Is the traffic already crazy??

Thanks in advance.

Th P.E.M. Museum in Salem has a Cornel Exhibit and the museum and gardens is worth the visit. It's a long drive to P-Town, traffic is bad.
If you love Fashion, Barney's opened at Copley Place shopping where the old film theaters were. And there's my favorite shop, Louis on Berkely between Boylston and Newbury.

I wouldn't do the drive to Ptown just to turn around and come back. If you want to go, then take the high speed ferry over and spend the night, but I'd be stressed about making a 2pm flight the next day.

If you enjoyed Rockport, consider Newburyport, Marblehead, Salem in MA, Portsmouth, NH, or one of the lovely southern Maine harbor villages such as Ogunquit or Kennebunkport.

For Thursday, how about the Museum of Fine Arts or the Isabella Steward Gardner Museum (a jewel!).

Honestly - so exciting to see responses, and touching that strangers want to help us Canadians.

cigaletc... thank you for Barney's news and I will check out Louis!

starrsvile -- is that high speed train do-able?

djkbooks I did manage to get to the Isabella Steward Gardner museum and it is indeed is a jewel. Maybe I should go back and marvel again..

Those are things I like --- wanted to take my husband on a seaside sort of fabulous cape cod kind of thing- he grew up on the praries - loves ocean spectacular views plus cool (not mallish) shopping and hanging out with me!! (astonishing after 32 yrs of marriage)

We have spent one fabulous time at Kennebunkport and loved it but looking for something new and close by - Salem has never really appealed to me and it is inland, is it not?

Regardless, always a lift in sprit to click and see that you have taken the time to help me. Thank you for that.

We haven't been yet but the New Institute of contempory Art opened on
the waterfront to great reviews in the NY Times.

What about Ogunquit, Maine. About 75 miles from the Logan airport. Grab some lobster for dinner. Cute seaside town. I'd do it in a heartbeat!

Funny thing is..when we were in New Hampshire two years ago, a lovely lady directed us to Ogunquit - sounded great.

When we arrived there, we couldn't leave soon enough --wall to wall people. We ended up in Kennebunport at the Colony Inn and loved it.

Sorry - I was writing and contemplating and clicked on SEND at the wrong moment. I'm pondering now Ogungquit -- we arrived at the height of tourist season --maybe next week would be interesting. We did drive back from Kennebunkport and walk the ogun. trail along the water...

Hmmmmm

I'm drawn to cape cod but don't think we have the time this trip.

I think Portsmouth NH is a good choice. It's a beautiful harbor town with a great downtown, restaurants and shops.

You can stay downtown, there's a new Hilton Garden Inn or you can stay 5 min away in New Castle at the Wentworth by the Sea, which is a beautiful property.

Salem is on the ocean and has a charming harbor. The Peabody Essex museum is a gem, and well worth the trip. The witch stuff is a bit cheezy, but otherwise the town is lovely.

Portsmouth NH is another great suggestion.

you could stay in Boston and daytrip to PTown on the ferry. I think you only get to spend a few hours in Provincetown this way, but its a nice trip.

True, but far from the madding crowds is a great restaurant, "Arrows,"

Not opened for lunch but the have a less expensive bistro that is, The American Bistro that was once the Hurricane that overlooks the ocean.

the bistro is called MC at Perkins cove.

http://www.arrowsrestaurant.com/

We enjoyed Wells.
http://www.meliving.com/lodging/inns/south.shtml

Here are some ideas. Click on the "towns" link above to get other ideas. May is definitely not high tourist season! :-)

You should a) Check the weather forecast; and b) Check with Visitor's Offices to see what is and isn't open next week.

On the Cape and Coast of Maine, many seasonal places (dining, shopping, etc.) may be closed until Memorial Day.

Salem, Marblehead and Newburyport in MA, and Portsmouth, NH are year-round coastal destinations.

Check out the Cliff House in Ogunquit.

On your day by yourself, what about the art museum thing - Isabella Stewart Gardner is great; Museum of Fine Arts is good - you could have lunch at either. On a completely different note, both are in area of Fenway Park if you happen to be baseball fan and could take a tour.

With that amount of time I would skip Cape Cod or the Islands (MV, Nantucket) and head a little north - Portsmouth, NH or southern Maine.

Cliff House has a website cliffhousemaine.com. I do not know of lodging in Portsmouth since we live too close to stay there. Southern Maine has art galleries, restaurants, views of ocean, shopping in Freeport or Kittery. If you are driving out on a Friday afternoon you will hit congestion in immediate city area, but once you are about 20 miles north, you should be OK.

Portland, Maine is accessible by train and have had friends tell me it is an interesting place to stay - but have to admit to not having any more info than that.

You mention having done the duck tour but have you ever walked the Freedom Trail? I would vote for that if you haven't and the weather is nice.
The Harvard museums are also good.

I agree w/ others Cape Cod, MV are too far for the length of time you have. Crane's Beach and Plum Island just north of Cape Ann are both very nice if you want beach w/o stores and restaurants right nearby.

I would vote for Ogunquit as well. The Marginal Way for a walk, and the trolleys are great for resting your feet and enjoying the beauty. Salem was kind of a traffic mess and touristy.

Newport RI is only a 1 1/2 hour drive.
Beautiful mansions to tour, great restaurants and fabulous harbor