aabha

Hi, my husband and I from India are visiting friends in Boston for this weekend and would like to spend the first 4 days in May in a place close to Boston where it does not get too cold -preferably above 14-15 degree and was wondering whether Cape Cod would be a good idea. Mainly interested in natural beauty. Would like suggestions on places to see in the area and a cottage kind of cozy place to stay in - not too expensive and drive around in. How far would the drive to Berkshire be from there.We could keep a base in Cape Cod and make day journeys around the place

bachslunch

Cape Cod can be warm or freezing in early May, and there's no way to predict how it may be. There are good "natural beauty" things to experience in Cape Cod, mainly beaches (especially the Cape Cod National Seashore) and nature walk areas in woods and marshes (Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, Nickerson State Park, several walk areas connected to the National Seashore). Some standard attractions may be open (museums, historic houses) as well as restaurants, but others have restrictive seasonal hours, mainly from Memorial Day to Columbus Day.

Nice as Cape Cod is, I'm not sure basing oneself there for day trips around New England is wise (am assuming you have a car here). You add on about an hour to what would otherwise be a three-hour drive to the Berkshires from Boston. It takes a surprisingly long time to reach North Shore destinations (like Salem, Gloucester, Rockport) from the Cape. And it takes at least as long to get to Rhode Island or Connecticut destinations from the Cape as it does from Boston. It might be a good choice for exploring Plymouth and New Bedford, but that's about it from that standpoint.

Note that several attractions outside of large cities in New England can have seasonal hours similar to those on Cape Cod (check first). And you're very likely to encounter snowy/icy paths if you're mountain hiking in May.

bachslunch

Also, if you hike on Cape Cod, check yourself for ticks afterward. Ticks here carry Lyme Disease, which you don't want to get, and it's apparently very prevalent on the Cape.

aabha

Thanks for the responses on Cape Cod, these do not seem to be very encouraging thou gh.. How about basing ourselves in the White mountain valley and make 2-3 hour day trips from there in terms of natural beauty, I guess these will score better.. Can someone give suggestions around the White mountain area- guess it would not be very cold...

bachslunch

Normally, any area in the mountains of New England in April or early May can and likely will be cold (White or Green or Berkshire, it likely won't make much difference). Again, many attractions are seasonal in this region (often open Memorial Day to Columbus Day), and if you plan to hike, expect to encounter snow and ice on trails -- depending on how much snow fell, it might not all melt until well into June. If you want to just drive around to see the countryside, that's certainly possible, though -- the area is pretty, though there won't be leaves on the trees. But if you're considering this week, you might actually be in luck. A quick check at weather.com suggests the weather may be warmer than usual over the next week (highs in the 50s or low 60s, lows in the 30s and 40s) in the Franconia Notch area of NH, Stockbridge MA, and Stowe VT, though rain looks likely.

You may be better off staying in Boston and doing day trips from there -- there are lots of options. Or you could decide to spend a couple days in Newport, RI -- several, though not all, of the big mansions should be open by then, and you can walk the Cliff Walk or see some of the small beachside parks.

bachslunch

Checking the weather for Cape Cod, it looks like the temperatures won't be that different from those in the northern and western mountains this upcoming week. But at least you won't encounter snow on hiking trails here.