mikeyk07

Hi, i'm from the UK and would appreciate some advice on a first time trip to Boston in the first 2 weeks of september with my girlfriend.

Reading the reviews i don't really want to stay a day here and there and do too much driving.

I want the trip to include shopping, bit of nightlife, a couple of days on the beach and a bit of scenic driving !!

I was thinking of staying in boston for the first 7 nights exploring from there and then hiring a car and driving down to cape cod for the final 7 nights.

Questions are - where would you recommend staying in cape cod ? and are there some nice places where we can drive out of cape cod for a few nice drives !!!

Many, many thanks in advance !

Anonymous

Your plan sounds good to me; September is a lovely time to visit the Cape, since the crowds have left but the weather is often still OK for the beach. Since the weather does cool off quite quickly as September progresses, you might consider visiting Cape Cod first, then Boston -- or going to the Cape for the middle of your trip; an additional advantage there would be a shorter trek when it comes time to get to the airport (traffic driving up from the Cape can get crowded even in Sept, especially on workday mornings).

Cape Cod is a long, narrow peninsula, so it's not good to use as a base for other "places where we can drive out of cape cod"; not quite sure what you meant there.

Sorry, can't help with places to stay but try a search of the boards, there have been plenty of recent discussions.

crosbie

Well- i live in Mass and there is alot to see close by. I dont know if I would like a week in each place. I like to explore a bit- I'm not much of a lay about type ( I guess I dont know how to relax!)
But- I think I would do about 5 days in Boston- and move on. From the cape you can go see Nantucket and the Vineyard. Day trips or take the car over and stay the night.
Nightlife at the cape can be a little tricky- nothing is too central- a little spread out. Fun beach club with live music is the beachcomber in Wellfleet (they have a web site with their schedule).
I know you made you plan BUT - have you considered Newport RI?? Just as close as the Cape and easy to do because EVERYthing is basically in one area. Great nightlife and wll, it really has it all.
Well- depending on budget a great place to stay at the cape is Chatham Bars Inn. Upscale but great. Let us know budget etc and I'll try to think of a few places.

mikeyk07

Thanks Crosbie, input is a great help. No definate plans yet so still flexible !!

Newport sounds good if it's a bit livelier and all on 'ones doorstep' and if still able to visit cape cod. If you can recommend anywhere in Newport, please do - 2/3 star accomadtions !!

cheers !

Gene

Mikey, i think you should stick with your original plans. If you try to add Newport you will be doing "too much driving".

The Hyannis area of Cape Cod has plenty of nightlife in a compact area.

Provincetown on the tip of the Cape has even more nightlife all within walking distance of the center of town.

There are plenty of scenic drives on the Cape within its 15 towns.

Many first-timers choose to stay in the mid-Cape towns (Hyannis, Yarmouth, Dennis) so they can explore the other parts of the Cape from a central area. These towns have plenty of choices for accommodations.

crosbie

Gene- I guess it Newport is just so much closer and I think the quality of the night life is much better (is it snotty to say it's a bit more sophisticated crowd for the most part?). I was in Hyannis for a week in June and I do hate the whole get in the car to go eat/drink. I will not have a couple of glasses of wine and drive so I prefer the walkabilty of Newport. There may have been places I missed (It's been years since I lived on the cape) but i could only find a couple places I liked to go out at night in Hyannis. In Newport there just seeems to be such a variety so close. And in Provicetown I seem to find very little for fun nightlife. Alot of the towns have one or town nice places I like to go but the driving/parking thing foe me is a pain. I'm certainly not "anti-cape" but the driving can be such a nightmare and going town to town on Rt 6 can take longer than the just over an hour ride from Boston to Newport-- BUT the Cape has many more places to stay cheaply and is so much easier to find availabilty.
But this all said we Do love our nightlife and I am probably more focused on it than Mikey K even would be! I also prefer the quaint villages of RI to most of the towns on the cape. To me the 3 hour + ride to Provincetown is in no way worth it compared to the ride to Newport.

MikeyK -
A few things to do- day drives etc-

like history? plimouth plantation. I recreation of some of the first settlers to the US. They have portrayers of the people that came and they are incredible. As a child I had been but as an adult is fascinating. I went and talked for hours with the acots/historians never stepping out of character. For $2 more you can visit a replica of the mayflower and they have great guides as well.
www.plimoth.org/

At the Cape there is a great rail trail that is 25 miles from end to end. You can rent bikes and spend the day on it. Here's one of many sites about it on the web ...
http://www.ccrailtrail.com/trail.html

In wellfleet there is a drive ins
http://www.driveintheatre.net/index.htm

and the beachcomber..
http://www.thebeachcomber.com/

In Providence, RI which is a great little city there are restuarants that rival Bostons best and in a great area. There is a canal with parks along side it and a walkway. They light 100 bonfires in the canal tended to by folks in gondaliers (spelling?). It's called Waterfire and there is one on Sept 11th.
http://www.waterfire.com/schedule/index.html

In Bostons North End there are festivals all summer. Depending the date you arrive you may be able to catch one. Very fun.

Well- that all said (sorry I am passionate about my New England and do weekend trips almost every weekend).

If you do consider traveling to Newport there are some great Bed and breakfast/Inns but "the Viking" is a pretty hotel- a tad pricey but here goes -> http://www.hotelviking.com/

The main drag is Thames St. (We pronounce the "th" as in the word "this" withs a long "a") and here is a link to the many inns. http://www.gonewport.com/wheretostay/inns_newport.htm
I lived there and never stayed at any inn/hotel because any time I've been back I've only stayed with friends.

So sorry it's so long. I hope it helps.

Gene

Crosbie: I don't have anything against Newport, and yes it is more sophisticated than the Cape (which is a more family-oriented vacation area) and is therefore probably more suited to Mikey & his girlfriend who are a single couple.

My point for Mikey was that if he does both Newport and the Cape he will pretty much lose one day of his vacation: checking out of one hotel, driving to the other destination (2+ hours), checking in to the new motel then getting acquainted with the new surroundings.

Mikey: If you think you can handle the drive, which even under worse conditions should not exceed 3 hours then go ahead and visit both Newport/RI and Cape Cod.

hleesa

I agree with Newport too. I live in Boston and have lived in Rhode Island too. I would spend 4 or 5 nights in Boston, then drive down to Newport (around 1.5 hours if even) and spend only one or maybe two nights. Second Beach in Newport is considered one of the best around. If you stay near Thames street in Newport there are lots of restaurants, bars, shops, etc. You canhave your night life, see the mansions, and then drive to the Cape for the remainder. It's not too much driving - just make sure your drive from Newport to the Cape is a weekday drive.

gyppielou

Ummm, have you considered going north? Visiting Salem/Gloucester/Rockport/Essex?
or
York/Ogunquit/Kennebunkport?
If you have already ruled them out than I'm with the Cape/Island adventure. That time of year I'd consider Nantucket over Martha's Vineyard, since the town is easy without your car, and the expense of bringing it over... and Chatham and exploring towards Provincetown, which is historically a very artistic community which has in the past 1/2 century become a very gay community, which is a cool thing, but something one should know going in. Have I confused you even more?!

Larry1

Add Newport. It is not much more driving or time into your itinerary. The 2-3 hours of vacation time you will lose by checking in and out of motels (as Gene descibes) will be more than made up for by the amount of stuff to do, all packed into one small area.

bennnie

Here's another recommendation for Newport. I spent some time there 20 years ago and again last summer. Its great - so many restaurants, rocky shores, nice beaches, beautiful harbor, lovely grand mansions to tour, cliff walk, sailboat excursions. All of this in one town.

Now I spent all my summers on the Cape as a kid and young adult. Parts are lovely - RT 6a is a very nice drive but you won't see any waterfront mostly old homes and antique shops - but for the most part the Cape is spreadout and tough to get around. I prefer Nantucket, again everything right there for you.

I would recommend 6 nights in Boston, 2 nights in Nantucket and the remainder in Newport.

sam

I'd also opt for Newport as a side trip. I'd stayed at the Viking 2-3 times, and would recommend it. You could definitely do 2 or 3 days there. It's gorgeous! My favorite spot there is Brenton Point State Park on Ocean Drive. It's a very popular spot for kite-flying (I've seen some pretty elaborate kites)! The mansions are fabulous to tour, the restaurants are great, the shopping is plentiful, I can't speak for the nightlife, but I hear it's great. There is also a ferry now that runs to Block Island from Fort Adams in Newport I believe. Have a magnificent time!

lvk

Mikey,

Two weeks is plenty of time to hit Boston, Newport and the Cape. You've gotten a lot of great advice, but here are some confirmations, suggestions and additional information.

1. Head for the coast (either the Cape or Newport) as soon as you get into town. This will increase your chances of great beach weather.

2. Be aware that, since there are at least 40 colleges and universities in the Boston Metropolitan area, early Sept. in Boston is full of families escorting their kids back to school. The crowds should taper off toward the 2nd week of Sept. (another reason to do the coastal areas first)

3. Provincetown (tip of the Cape) is a beautiful area, both for scenery and shopping. Whale watching from here is great too. However, as gyppielou has noted, it is a very popular gay vacation spot. The nightlife reflects that. Since the recent court decisions, it is also becoming the gay wedding capital. Not a negative, IMHO, but something you and your girlfriend should be aware of.

4. In Newport, I would definitely stay down on Thames or the Wharf areas so you can walk to all the restaurants & nightlife.

5. The islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket are also great in September after the crowds have mostly cleared. Either one can easily be done as a day trip. Take an early ferry in the am and you'll get alot of sight-seeing in. On the Vineyard, I suggest renting a moped or scooter to ride around the island, stopping when you see places that appeal to you (and many will!)

You're smart to not have a car in Boston. Parking is exorbitant and the public transportation -- the "T"-- is generally very user-friendly.

Have fun.

Larry1

The flip side to lvk's plan of doing the coast first and Boston last is that puts you in Newport and/or the Cape over Labor Day weekend, which for the benefit of Mikey is the final 3-day weekend of the summer, and is a mob scene in Newport and the Cape. Frankly, I would rather put up with parents and kids checking into colleges in Boston rather than dealing with Newport (or the Cape)on a holiday weekend.

lvk

Yikes! Larry's right. How did I not factor that in?

Mikeyk, if you haven't already bought your plane tickets, I would suggest waiting until September 7 to arrive. Labor day weekend and the week leading up to it will be a very busy time in all of the places you are choosing.

If you have already bought your tickets, then you should decide on an itinerary and book your hotels (for the 1st week of Sept., at least) immediately.