nancyah

My husband and I are considering a trip to Massachusetts in mid-July. We would probably be staying in Cape Cod and doing day trips to Boston and surrounding areas from there. My biggest concerns are the heat and the crowds. We are not big fans of laying on the beach, high humidity and/or crazy traffic, so this seems to be the wrong time of year to be going (from what I've read so far). We love history and nature, just not really laying all day on the beach. Please let me know what the weather is like in mid-July and what the crowds are like getting around on the Cape during that timeframe. We would probably take the subway into Boston from Quincy (I think) and use public transportation there. Just concerned about it being too uncomfortable for walking around the city. We'd really love to go to that area. Just not sure it's the best time of year for us. Thanks for any help you can give.

emalloy

If you stayed near the Provincetown area on Cape Cod, you could take the ferry to Boston for a day trip and use the T to get around. The traffic can be bad at any time, but the Cape is crowded in the summer. Given your interests why are you not planning the trip in the spring or fall when the cape is lovely and crowds are much less troublesome?

It is New England, so as they say if you don't like the weather, wait a minute. It usually is warm in July, however you could get a rainy spell too.

tomfuller

Where are you coming from? Are you flying into Boston or taking a train or driving your own vehicle? Its been a very long time since we were in Boston. I do remember riding the T into the city from Quincy or farther out.
With the new tunnels I'm sure that I would not want to drive in the city.
If it is too hot or too crowded you could always get on the Amtrak Downeaster from Boston North Station and go up to Maine.

nancyah

We live near Virginia Beach, so we would be driving to the place we stay. Right now we're committed to vacation time in July and trying to find something on the East Coast that's not too hot and/or humid to be outside for sightseeing. We were thinking about Maine, if Massachusetts doesn't make sense.

Interesting about the ferry. I wasn't aware of that. Do you know how long it takes to get there?

We're definitely planning to avoid driving if in Boston.

emalloy

Here is the ferry information. Sometimes you see whales when you go.

Provincetown Fast Ferry - Schedule & Fares - Bay State Cruise Co.

HappyTrvlr

You also need to be very aware of traffic when crossing the bridges to the Cape around weekends. Cape cod is separated feom themainland by tne Cape Cod Canal. If you do day trips, do them on weekdays. The Bay State Cruise Company is a wonderful way to get to Boston, highly recommended, pleasant.

marvelousmouse

I love Boston, but last time I was there in July, it was a heat wave. Way, way too hot. I spent afternoons inside, which was a bummer because Boston is great in the summer. Glorious in the evenings though.

Cape Cod was a relief after that, and it was great beach weather. Traffic depends on your opinion- the only place the crowds were unbearable was Nantucket. I’d taken relative’s advice to not rent a car, and I’m sorry I did so. Other than in Provincetown, I wanted a car.

i think I’d probably pick Maine.

dfrostnh

I looked quickly and see the ferry is 1 1/2 hours one way. That might be fine for a single day trip to Boston but I wouldn't want to do several days. You could take a bus from as far away as Concord NH and take slightly less time. Portland ME to Boston is a little more than 2 hours. Portsmouth NH to Boston is about 1 1/2 hours.

Since you mentioned history, I think Portsmouth NH and Boston would be a great combination. Portsmouth has Strawbery Banke and great boat trips. It's an easy drive up to Portland and any place in between. You would also be able to visit south of Portsmouth to places like Salem MA. The different bus companies deliver you to South Station in Boston which is walking distance to China Town but is also on the subway system so you can get around easily. No experience with the coastal route for buses but the one in NH has free parking at most if not all the bus stations.

Birdie

You're coming from Virginia Beach so you'll laugh when the Massachusetts locals complain about the heat and humidity. I wouldn't worry about the weather, I'd worry about the traffic. It sounds like you'll want to drive around looking at different sights and the traffic can be a bear, in season, on the Cape. I love the Cape but I think I would spend this vacation inland if I were you.

zootsi

I'm not sure why you would want to base yourself on the Cape if you are not beach people. Yes, there are some very nice towns on the Cape, but basically the Cape is all about beaches. Sure Boston gets hot in the summer, but I don't think it's as hot as Virginia. There are plenty of beautiful places to see and explore in New England - Vermont's villages and farms, New Hampshires majestic White Mountains, Maine's rockbound coast, Massachussets Berkshire hills, etc. Of course these places would be cooler and much less crowded than the Boston area. Have you been to the newengland.com web site?

BigRuss

"I'm not sure why you would want to base yourself on the Cape if you are not beach people."

Agreed. Go to Maine - tons of water activities without getting sandy all the time. Plus you can go through Boston en route home.

Inakauaidavidababy

You've already answered your own question. Hot humid traffic crowds, and depending on where you're staying a 3 hour commute r/t to Boston. I would never use the Cape as a base camp for Boston unless it was free. Nothing is ever free. Also, it could be very mild and chilly at night. Roll of the dice, where as the commute really isn't unless you travel in the middle of the night with no road work. Maine can be a crap shoot to but better odds. I once abandoned a beach house in southern Maine when the temp was 85 degrees at 5am and climbing to 105, to return to central air. Two weeks later it was 60 degrees at night with rolling fog.

KarenWoo

I would not base myself on the Cape to do day trips to Boston. Much too far away & you waste a lot of time driving. why not stay in Boston or just outside of Boston, such as Newton or Quincy. And I agree with the poster who said you will laugh at our humidity since you live in Virginia. Virginia is much hotter than Boston or the Cape. Sure, we can have hot spells, a few days in the 90’s, but it is not so unbearable that you have to stay inside. We are outdoors all the time. BTW, I live in Masssachusetts.

We go to the Cape in the summer all the time. The traffic is worse on weekends. Weekdays it is tolerable. Route 28 is the worse. If you go to the lower Cape, such as Wellfleet, Truro, or Provincetown, the traffic is not as bad. P’town is very crowded on a rainy day.

Other than beach activities, you can rent bikes. There are many great bike paths on the Cape. There are hiking trails, so plenty to do besides going to the beach. Heritage Museum and Gardens in Sandwich is beautiful. You can take a whale watch cruise.

We do not have AC in our house, BTW. We rely on fans. I have never felt the need to have AC.

isabel

July is usually beautiful weather - high 70s low 80s and sunny. But we get heat waves (upper 90s) which can last for one day or two weeks (or the whole month). We also get rainy periods which can last from one day to two weeks (or the whole month). But if you are ever going to come to New England, July is a good month. I live in Western Massachusetts and also do not have AC and don't feel the need for it.

But I would NOT go to the cape in July unless I wanted to be on the beach much of the time. While the cape is very historic (that's where the Pilgrims first landed) there isn't much to see in the way of historical sites now. There are some old mills, a few beautiful houses, etc. But most people go to the cape in July for the beaches.

Plimouth Plantation is a living history museum in Plymouth that is very interesting. You could stay around there for a few days and do that and day trip into Boston.

I'm not clear exactly how much time you have total. But other areas in New England that might be of interest are Old Sturbridge Village in central Massachusetts, Historic Deerfield in the Pioneer Valley (Connecticut River valley), Mystic Connecticut.