Boston day trip and other ideas in May
 

Going with my 22 year old daughter for 3rd time to Boston Calling music fest Memorial Day weekend. Arriving Thursday am and was thinking of day trip to Rockport but we are not interested in very touristy things so wanted to get ideas and input. Just for background, I'm a Boston native (only til age 6) and returned for undergrad studies and have visited several times over the years, so I am familiar with the main attractions in the city itself.

Also need recs for dinner in the North End that are not part of the one family that owns all the touristy restaurants there.

Lastly, need good local spa (trying to avoid hotel spa) for a massage (we are historically in great pain by day 3!). We are staying at the Liberty Hotel near Charles St so Back Bay Area would be great.

Thanks Fodorites!

Well, if you haven't done this already, a day trip to Concord to see Louisa May Alcott's house and tour it, visit Walden Pond and walk the neighborhood (Hawthorne's house etc also there). Note that the Alcott house and neighborhood appears in both the new Little Women movie and in the Winona Rider version. There also is revolutionary history to check out. The Old North Bridge and also sights in nearby Lexington.

Food: Our friends took us to a great place in Concord for lunch, it's been around since the American Revolution. A quick search on Google and I'm pretty sure it was the Colonial Inn.

Living in NH, friends and I have done Boston weekends quite a few times. The most recent trip we did the Sweet & Savory South End food bites tour which showed us a different part of Boston. Enjoyed it a lot.
The recommendation for Concord MA is a great idea. We have also visited Fruitlands where the Alcott family lived for awhile.

Will you have a car?

Thanks for the suggestions - no car