kathy: when is your trip ?

it is 7/1-7/8

Kathy - do you plan to be in Boston for the 4th? If so perhaps others can advise you on how to manage that day as well, it can be quite challenging to get a good view. Your daughter will find some great shopping in the city. Ptown leans to the eclectic, but there are some fine womans clothing stores.

With regard to the carnival, I have calls into the Provincetown Business Guild and the Chamber of Commerce.

Hi,
Yes, I will be in Boston on 7/4. I didn't realize that seeing the fireworks would pose any problems. Anyone that has had experience with this please let me know what to expect.

Thanks

Expect 500,000 other people to also be looking for a place to see the fireworks.

Hi,

I have been living in the Boston area for over 40 years and haven't run out of places to visit and things to see and do. If someone has not had the opportunity to experience dunes and the ocean, a trip to the ocean would be a wonderful adventure. The Pesbody Essex is an excellent museum, and, as an artist, I love visitng it. I understand that the boat ride there is a lot of fun, but I've always travled by car!

I love the Cape and the ferry to P Town is a lot of fun too- I think it is about 2-3 hours. The town itself is quite lively and the state parks and dunes are nearby. Rockport is another wonderful ocean destination and closer, though I don't know much about public transportation. You could rent a car for the day and travel north, visiting Salem,, Gloucester, and Rockport in one day. You can stop for lobster along the way! Lots of fun.

July 4th is a busy time in Boston. There is a free evening concert given by the Boston Pops and followed by great fireworks, but, as others have said, it is quite crowded and folks spend the day sitting and picnicking to get good seats. In other years, there has been another firework display on July 3rd or 5th on the waterfront, but I don't know if that is happening this year. The ads for this haven't started yet.

You might consider a whale watch. You can book them from Boston. I understand that the Aquarium has a good tour and there are other from Boston or towns within an hour or so of Boston.

If you have other questions, let me know.

Enjoy our city. We love it,

Margret

The Peabody Essex is a very good museum. We have also enjoyed the Salem National Maritime Historic park which might appeal to your husband with his interest in history.
http://www.nps.gov/sama/
(This link also describes a new walking guide to the architecture in Salem)

I find Provincetown way too crowded in the summer . It is a very interesting town, though

In Boston in addition to the Freedom Trail there is the Black Heritage Trail
http://www.afroammuseum.org/trail.htm
The rest of the Beacon Hill area is very beautiful and interesting to explore,too

For someone interested in history who wants to stop at the different sites I would expect the Freedom Trail to take quite a while. You might want to break it up into different segments

Definitely do not go to Plymouth just to see the rock--Plimouth Plantation and the Mayflower are excellent living history museums.

I just heard from the Provincetown Chamber of Commerce. The parade is in fact 8/21 this year. Provincetown.com is not correct. They will get it fixed ASAP. Sorry for the confusion - I know I as well as many other s will be changing our vacation plans.

Your husband may be interested in checking out the Pilgrim monument and museum in Provincetown - It's where the pilgrims first landed. It's quite close to the shops and other attractions if you decide to split up.

As others have said, the ferry books early. I didn't look at the rules so I'm not sure if you can book and cancel.

www.pilgrim-monument.org.