I am trying to decide where to take a day trip from Boston this weekend (I am not from Boston). I have seen recommendations for both Newport, RI and Cape Ann (Gloucester, Rockport). Which is better or is there another suggestion? Will the cold make it hard to enjoy either place? I would appreciate any suggestions. Oh, we like great scenery, history, architecture, eating, etc (if that helps).

Well, both Newport and Cape Ann are wonderful, but in January I think I would go for Newport . You won't want to be outside all that much (and we're supposed to have a fairly major winter storm tomorrow, especially to the north, so Newport may be a safer bet, weather wise). Newport has all of those wonderful mansions, you could spend all day touring them and be mostly indoors. There are lots of nice shops and restaurants in Newport, too. Good luck, and drtve carefully if the roads are icy.

Since it's winter, and many places are closed in Newport and Cape Ann, and you haven't left yourself much time to plan, so you may want to consider Newburyport or Salem in MA, or Portsmouth in NH, which are more year-round destinations, all of which are fabulous destinations for your "likes". If you head to Newport, and wish to tour the mansions, do call ahead or check on the web for openings/closings. Other than the mansions, Newport, along with Gloucester and Rockport, are more "seasonal" (Spring thru Fall) destination. Any place is enjoyable in "the cold" so long as you dress comfortably for being out and about. Just check the weather forecast for your destinations on the web before finalizing your packing. Obviously, you probably don't wish to be on the road in treacherous conditions, either. And, the forecast for this weekend is "iffy".

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If you are interested in going to Newport, then by all means, go! We were there this past weekend looking for a house to rent for the summer and were amazed at the number of people wandering around. Almost everything save a few little boutiques was open, and the mansions seemed to be open and attracting plenty of visitors (I know a few of them do close for the winter but I think the most popular ones stay open). Newport has an amazing number of terrific restaurants for such a small city--try Cafe Zelda, Asterix & Obelix, Bouchard, Cooke House, Scales and Shells--as well as beautiful old colonial homes, Victorian era mansions, antiques shops, and plenty to keep you busy. Can you tell it's one of my favorite places?

Because you are into "scenery, history, architecture, eating" I can't think of a better destination than Newport from amoung the ones you listed and the ones other people suggested. I don't buy the argument that Newport is a "seasonal" town for the activities you specifically mentioned; the summer crowds come for the "boats, bars and beaches", thus the only things that tend to close down are some outdoor/dockside bars and tacky t-shirt shops. What you are looking for will still be open (although as some have commented probably at reduced hours): the best restaurants, the best mansions, many of the Colonial Era homes (the Hunter House is fabulous), Fort Adams. Try ocean drive and the Cliff Walk for some nice scenery.

You may also want to check out Lexington/Concord. Its just a little west of the city, maybe 10 miles, and full of revolutionary war history and literary history like Thoreau's Walden Pond, Alcott house, Emerson stuff, Poe stuff, Sleepy Hollow cemetary where all their graves are. Plus theres lots of old new englandy architecture and scenery.

Another place is Salem, around 20 miles north of the city. It has many of the same characteristics as Concord/Lexington except its older, on the water, witches and Hawthorne.