My husband and I are planning our first trip to the Boston and Cape Cod areas at the end of June/beginning of July. We'll be driving from Ontario and travelling with our baby son, Adam (13 months). We have motel rooms reserved in Concord (4 nights) and Orleans (5 nights). We'd appreciate any comments on our itinerary:

Day 1: Drive to Concord
Day 2: Concord and Lexington (historical sights)
Day 3: Salem, Marblehead, Cape Ann
Day 4: Boston
Day 5: More Boston? Plymouth, drive to Orleans
Day 6: Towns and villages of Cape Cod
Day 7: Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard
Day 8: Provincetown
Day 9: ??? (July 4th)
Day 10: Home

Also, a few specific questions:
1. We'd love to take a whale-watching tour from Provincetown, but are wondering whether this is suitable for a baby?
2. How much time should we spend in Plymouth? What else is worth seeing other than the Plantation and Mayflower replica?
3. We can't decide between Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. With a baby, we won't be doing any hiking, biking, etc., but would like to stroll around and admire the architecture.
4. What is the best way to experience July 4th on the Cape?

Thank you! This is a great web site!

Minor thing -- the Ocean Spray Cranberry Visitor Center in Plymouth has interesting info on these fruits.

If you've never been to Boston before, you'll kick yourself for giving only one day to visiting this wonderful place.

hmmm... I think Salem, Marblehead and Cape Ann seems aggressive for 1 day, although I'm not sure what all you hope to see there.

IF you decide on Martha's Vineyard you might take the ferry to Oak Bluffs. You can see the tiny houses in the Camp, have a nice lunch, and maybe take your son on the old carousel. I believe the ferry ride to MV is shorter than Nantucket, and so it might make a better day trip.

Remember that things will be VERY busy and crowded on the 4th of July weekend on the Cape. Make dinner reservations, and leave extra time for driving around (like getting from Orleans to the Hyannis ferry to the islands).

Tania, your arrangements sound as though they're cast in stone, but it is a shame that you'll be on the Cape on July 4. That evening, roughly half a million people gather on the banks of the Charles for the annual 4th of July concert by the Boston Pops. The evening is a pleasure for both the eyes and the ears.

If you're stuck on the Cape, every town will have fireworks, and several will have parades. I'd keep an eye on boston.com for the Boston Globe's listing of events for that weekend.

As Paul notes, trying to see Boston in a day will be giving short shrift to a very picturesque city. It's also a city that cries out to be seen on foot, so I hope a sturdy stroller is part of your travel kit.

To the unaided eye, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket look alike; so I'd suggest Martha's Vineyard just because it is a much shorter ferry ride. Arrive as early as possible in Woods Hole, because even the remote parking fills up by mid-morning.

A whale-watch trip is a delightful way to spend a day, but it gets choppy out there, and if your son isn't acclimated to either boating or the occasional dash of spray, you may want to re-think that event. By contrast, the Marthas Vineyard ferries are large enough and fast enough that an infant shouldn't notice the trip.

Enjoy the vacation; you're packing a lot into nine days!

Your trip sounds great, but do keep in mind that everything will take longer than you expect! While doing the Lexingtong/Concord day, try to drop in at the Museum of Our National Heritage in Lexington. It's free and there are always fastenating exhibits you don't expect. I can't remember what the summer exhibit is (they recently had one on the history of summer camps, and have had everything from the history of smoking, diners, quilts, the Irish experience to Moxie) but they also have permanant exhibits on life in colonial Lexington, etc. Well worth an hour or so.

I agree with Paul that one day in Boston may not be enough. I would shy away from the 4th in Boston with a young child. The city gets so crowded you would not believe it, and you have to spend hours guarding your turf along the river. I've been doing it on and off for 23 years, but wait until your child is a little older. It's also the very best July 4th experience in the country (in my opinion).

Be sure to drop into Tree's Place gallery at the circle in Orleans. It's a wonderfull art gallery owned by a former professor of mine. Much of the work is museum quality and worth a look (most is out of my price range, but looking is free).

Have a wonderfull visit to this area. Please e-mail me if I can be of further help.

Be aware of traffic, traffic, traffic during that weekend on the Cape. Both Orleans and Provincetown have wonderful firwork displays. Drive to Chatham - visit Bonepartes for some melt-a-ways (pastries). Go to the vineyard not Nantucket not that the island is not beautiful, just with the baby you would have move fun - shorter ferry ride. And if you have not made reservations make them now for the ferry.