Day Trips from Boston
 

Hi!

I am finishing up my last year of law school in Boston and will be leaving MA once I'm done. I want to take some time, when possible, to see the sights around Boston as I've seen most of the city already after 2+ years of law school here.

My boyfriend and I were thinking of Gloucester as the destination for the next day trip. Any suggestions of places to eat while there and things to do???? Or other possible destinations? We have a car so transportation is not an issue.

Another thought was Walden Pond before it gets too cold.

We've previously visited Concord and Lexington, the Adams home in Quincy, and Salem on various day trips.

Thanks very much.

Portland Maine
Newport RI

Drive up to NH...lunch at Pickity Place is quite nice. Drive out to Peterborough...

LA Burdick Chocolates in Cambridge

Gloucester

Rockport

Halibut Point SP

Ferry to Provincetown

Drive down to Newport, visit the mansions

If you have a car (and even if you don't), there are scads of possible day trips from Boston, including most anyplace in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, as well as much of New Hampshire and anyplace in Maine from Portland southward. Some are easier to manage than others, of course.

You've already been to Salem, Quincy, Concord (MA), and Lexington, all good choices. Some relatively close-in ones you haven't done:

-in MA: Gloucester, Rockport, Ipswich, Manchester-by-the Sea, Newburyport, Marblehead, Plymouth, New Bedford, Lowell, Sturbridge, Worcester, anyplace on Cape Cod. Further out, anyplace in the Pioneer Valley or the Berkshires is possible, and (while it's a very long day), even good-sized chunks of Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard can be seen (many of the attractions on these islands can be seen split into four trips total, two per island). It's an early start and a long day, however, when you head out to these spots.

-in RI: Providence, Newport. Block Island is possible, but again a very long day (there aren't as many attractions here as on MV or Nantucket).

-in CT: Mystic, Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, Groton/New London, New Haven, Hartford, other Connecticut River Valley (Essex/East Haddam), Guilford/Old Lyme, Stamford/Norwalk. The further west the destination, the longer the day trip.

-in NH: Portsmouth, Exeter, Manchester, Concord. Other points further north into the White Mountains, like The Flume/The Basin/Profile Lake in Franconia Notch are possible, though a car is necessary for these.

-in Southern Maine: Kittery, The Yorks, Ogunquit, the Kennebunks, Portland.

Without a car, the only spots utterly unreachable via public transportation in my experience are Sturbridge, Kittery, the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, and the primary attractions in The Yorks. In some areas (especially Nantucket, a few parts of Cape Cod, Ipswich, and Southern Maine), local public transportation is seasonal.

We went to Mystic, CT for a day.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...ith/4272373769

Portland ME would be a fun trip maybe some Christmas shopping in the Old Port area.

Spring is pretty in the Portsmouth NH area. Flowering shrubs generally early May. Harbor cruise or inland rivers when weather is good.

You'll need reservations for Pickety Place. The used books at Toadstool bookshop in Peterborough make a fun browse. In early December there will be a cookie tour of inns etc in the area a little bit further west.

bachslunch and others have good ideas. Since our move to Watertown last year we've explored the area (also before when daughter was in Amesbury). I do think Old Sturbridge Village and Plimouth Plantation and Strawberry Banke in Portsmouth and the Nat'l Park Mill Museum in Lowell are excellent historic sites. Of course there is the coastline and the mountain sites too.

And good luck on your antcipated career.

see http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...n-journeys.cfm

Thanks! We're thinking about Gloucester and the North Shore at some point this weekend. Any specific suggestions there? Lunch and dinner spots, things to do???

Here's something I posted about Gloucester eateries on a recent thread here:

"In the Gloucester area, your best bets [for seafood] (if still open, as they are seasonal) are clam shacks such as The Clam Box (Ipswich) and JT Farnham's (Essex). The Village Restaurant (Essex) is a good sit-down place for this. Am less a fan of Woodman's or Tom Shea's. Restaurants in Gloucester I've liked have mostly been non-seafood specialists such as Duckworth's Bistrot, Alchemy Cafe, and Franklin Cape Ann. The Gloucester House is an old-style spot which some like and some find repelling, though I've actually had pretty good luck there in past."

For Gloucester attractions, note that some are seasonal:

-the Cape Ann Historical Museum is very good, and will be open this time of year.

-the Rocky Neck Art Colony area is interesting, and may have some open studios. I'd check online.

-Beauport and Hammond Castle are historic homes to tour that likely are seasonal in their opening times. Both are interesting to visit, but check websites for both to see when they close (or if they already have for the season -- a number of New England attractions are open from Memorial Day to Columbus Day only).

For Rockport, Halibut Point State Park is excellent, but no idea if the trails are snowed-over or icy this time of year. Bearskin Neck is an enjoyable shopping/wandering area here, but may not be bustling in November -- it's also seasonal to an extent. I found the Paper House pretty silly, myself, but it may have its fans.

The historic houses in Ipswich are seasonal (Castle Hill, Heard House, Whipple House) and may have already closed. Check websites. They're worth a visit, especially the first of these.

dfrost - we are headed to that cookie tour on 12/10..can't wait!

Rizzo! I just realized you're on Chowhound, too.

I don't think we'll make the cookie tour this year. There are festivities in a nearby town that were great fun for our GDs last year.

Lots of great suggestions on this thread
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...and-beyond.cfm

bachslunch, thanks for the great suggestions around Gloucester!

dfrost - i have 2 toddlers...please share these festivities!

Good day trip for any age - Dec 3/4 Hopkinton and Contoocook NH Starry Starry Weekend
http://www.starrystarryweekend.blogspot.com/

for rizzo: Gould Hill Orchard doesn't have info listed yet but last year we had a lovely short horse-drawn wagon ride thru the orchard and then a simple craft (involving lots of glitter) by the wood stove in the barn. I think we had hot cider, too. My GDs were 4 & 6 last year. The only shopping we did was at Marklin Candle because I knew they had some interesting simple toys for children. I let each pick something as a treat. If the weather is good, Contoocook also has a great playground that DS takes the girls to. We just spent the morning and went home for a late lunch. Our first stop of the day was a local holiday fair that I knew was having a children's activity (drawing cards for soldiers). We were the only ones on the wagon ride and doing the craft activity. I think with very young children, it's good to find a small community event. It won't be anything fancy but it's not crowded either. There's no info yet as to whether Gould Hill is doing the wagon ride again.

Hippo Press is a free newspaper that does a good job covering events in Concord, Manchester, Nashua and Portsmouth. Of course, I look for the free wine tastings!

Christmas Prelude in Kennebunks is very lively.

http://www.christmasprelude.com/schedule_of_events.htm

I also love Plum Island and Newburyport - great day trip.

If you are finishing up next semester and can travel in the spring, a hidden gem is the National Historic Park, Saugus Iron Works. There is usually no charge. The National Historic Park in Lowell (mills) is outstanding. I would offer one comment on the seafood. It is really a matter of taste, but some people like their fried clams lightly fried, while others like theirs close to burned. Clams at the Clam Box in Ipswich are fried, I think, just right, while the clams at Farnham's are cooked more so a bit drier (but that is how some people like them so it is a matter of taste. The Clam Box is closed until very early spring.

Not sure when you are actually finishing up school, but a drive to Portsmouth, NH is nice anytime of year. Good restaurants and shopping. A little further up 95 are the Kittery outlets and the York beach area. Nice even in the winter! Take a ride up to the Nubble Lighthouse. Going further north on 95 is Kennebunkport. And of course, the Old Port in Portland is fine too.

I especially like the mountains, so NH gets my vote. But there's plenty to do here in New England that's a good daytrip from Boston and gets you out of the city.