Massachusetts Coastal Trip
 

Going to be doing the MA coast from Gloucester to Cape Cod area. Any and all suggestions welcomed....

Best place to eat seafood?
Best areas to stay while on the Cape?
Activities?

Right now, we plan to visit:
Any and all brewpubs/breweries
Plymouth Rock
Do a cranberry tour

Is taking the ferry tover to Martha's Vineyard or nantucket worth the time?

If you consider Plymouth Rock to be worth your time, then yes anything else you can think of will be!

Is Plymouth Rock a complete waste of time?

yes, afraid so. Plymouth Rock is just a rock.

However, some people do enjoy Plimouth Plantation (http://www.plimoth.org/) which is nearby. It's got costumed re-enactors, and exhibits. You know, kind of like Sturbridge Village. I've not been, but if you like that kind of thing its very good.

I love Martha's Vineyard, and think it can be worth it, just depends on what else you have planned, and where you are going to stay. Might be more relxing to just spend time on the Cape Cod national seashore.

No, not interested in the plantation. Since we will be making our way in between Gloiucester and Cape Cod, maybe we'll just stop pby Plymouth, take a picture and keep going. Of course...it'll be too far out of our plan.

We will only be on this trip for two full days.

Nothing specifically planned besides seeing/visiting places we've never been. We've been to Boston, so don't think we are going to do much there.

As you head down the coast through Swampscott, there's a good seafood spot RIGHT on the water Anthony's.
A a bit further down in Revere, a MUST stop is Kelly's Roast Beef also RIGHT on the water. Kelly's is a local legend/hangout/datenight spot and has THE BEST sandwiches/lobsterrolls/friedclams/onionrings.....you get the idea.

Hope this helps a little, and have a GREAT trip.

Would that be Anthony's Pier 4 (http://www.pier4.com/)?

Has anyone done any cranberry farm tours?

I've looked up a few but wondering if one is better than the other. These are four I'm looking at.

Willows Cranberries
Bettyann Tours
Flax Pond Farms
Cape Cod Bog Tour

See the dunes at the Cape Cod National Seashore

If you like to hike, we like the White Swamp Cedar Trail and the Beech Forest Trails on the National Seashore.

If you like to bike, the Cape Cod Rail Trail is a really wonderful place to do it.

The "Anthony's" in Swampscott is Hawthorne by the Sea, and like the rest of the restaurants under this flagship (and that includes Anthony's Pier 4 in Boston), it produces poor quality food at highly over-inflated prices with weak and often attitudinal service. One can do a whole lot better.

Arguably the best place to get fried seafood is The Clam Box in Ipswich. The line is long there, but for good reason. There are also places in Essex, particularly J.T. Farnham's for a fried food clam shack experience and The Village Restaurant for a sit-down experience. All these are on the North Shore. The Hingham Lobster Pound is one good clam shack style possibility on the South Shore. In Boston proper, Neptune Oyster is an especially good place for traditional seafood.

For the most part, it looks as though we will spend majority of our time in/around the Cape. The longest drive to go up around Gloucester.

Thinking of:
Cape Code Chips tour

If we had to choose one: Martha's or Nantucket?

What kind of restaurant are you looking for in Gloucester? For casual, a lot of people like The Causeway. They have fried seafood and Italian dishes. Also, Lobstaland has good food, although the service isn't great. Another local favorite is Charlie's Place.

You might like to see Hammond's Castle while in Gloucester. Even if you just see it from the outside, it has a gorgeous setting.

bachslunch has great ideas. Just about anything in Ipswich/Essex is great except maybe Woodmans which I think is overrated and I hate the atmosphere.

I wouldn't go to Kelly's...the Revere Beach environment is beyond seedy and it's super greasy. Go to Essex/Ipswich for much better seafood.

In Gloucester, there are a lot of restos that are excellent. The Gull has great seafood (my favorite baked stuffed shrimp anywhere). Latitude 43 has wonderful eclectic menu, wine list and sushi. The Azorean is a newer portugese restaurant that is fantastic. Also, Franklin Cafe, Passports, Alchemy. I haven't been disappointed anywhere in Gloucester the past few years.

Gloucester just seems like a nice port town to visit for a bit.

As far as places to try eating, we are looking for good local, maybe cheap seafood. Nothing fancy!

We've been to Boston and Salem but nothing in/around Gloucester or the Cape.

We'll take any suggestions as far as things to do, things not worth the time, cheap local eats, sights, etc.

I just had to chime in and support the recommendation to head on over to the Clam Box in Ipswich. The fried clams there are the stuff legends are made of! I don't know how they get their batter to be so perfect, but they do...

If you're on the fence about Gloucester and want to check out the north shore, you might want to take a peek into Newburyport. It's a beautiful town with a great downtown area. Lots to do and great food.

I'm not too familiar with The Cape, but I can say that I had some absolutely delicious ice cream at a place called The Sundae School. If it's a warm day and you need a cool treat- check it out!
www.sundaeschoolicecream.com

As for your trip over to the islands, I absolutely adore Nantucket. It's my favorite "close to home" destination for a long weekend or special occasion. The beaches are gorgeous, you can bike around the island, there's shopping and great food... something for everyone, I'd say.
Our tradition: get off the ferry and head directly to Provisions for a "Turkey Terrific" sandwich for lunch. Yum Yum!
I do believe there is a brewery there, too- Cisco, I think it is.

Enjoy!

With only two full days, are going to Martha's or Nantucket doable?

If we don't take the rental car over, how is transportation?

Can you rent bikes?

jedivader,
I would suggest taking BettyAnn's tour of Plymouth if you have time. One of the best "sights" in Plymouth is the National Monument to the Forefathers and I know she visits it. Yes, the Plymouth Rock is a rock, but it is part of our history and is worth looking at along with the replica of the Mayflower which is nearby. When you are looking at that small ship think how it would feel to be one of about 125 people on it for 66 days crossing the Atlantic Ocean in the fall of 1620! No small feat.
With a short trip time, do the Islands another time and enjoy Cape Cod. Stay mid-way so that you can easily travel in either direction (Dennis, Harwich, Chatham, Orleans).
Cranberry bogs are rather boring at this time of year - just little cranberries growing on 9 inch tall plants - the fall harvesting is the only "exciting" time for them. There are lots of seafood restaurants that are quite good.

Jedi: Mass Coast Trip suggestions:
Heading down route 3 from Boston to Cape Cod think about half-hour detour to stop in Plymouth, look at Rock, take pictures of Plymouth Harbor and move on.

At the Cape Cod Canal you could follow route 28 along the south shore of the Cape. This would take you through many towns with tons of dining options as well as many places to stay and things to do.

Following route 28 to Orleans you can continue on all the way to Provincetown or turn around and follow route 6A back to the Canal and home.

I would suggest you head down Rt 6A ... very quaint .. If possible I would try to stay in one of villages of Dennis .. I would go to Mayflower Beach in Dennis .. If you are heading to Nantucket .. you can take the high speed out of Saquatucket Harbor in Harwich .. right on Rt 28 ... Staying in Dennis affords you the opportunity to see both the 6A side .. quieter but quaint or the 28 side with lots of things to do .. lots of traffic as well ... depends what your interests are .. If you do stay in Dennis .. I would recommend Sesuit Harbor Cafe in East Dennis and also the Marshside in East Dennis .. Breakfast at Grumpy's .. and the Merchantile in Dennis .. great sandwiches .. Capt Frosty's .. a Dennis tradition .. wonderful fried Clams .. etc. Lots of restaurants on the 28 side .. Sundae School .. great ice cream and always crowded .. Kreme N Kone seems to be a favorite for lots of people .. I don't often go to the 28 side but there is much to do ... You can visit the National Seashore .. rent bikes in Dennis and take the Bike Trail ... Lavender Farm in Harwich ... Enjoy !

Sounds like a week could just be spent doing the Cape. We have our work cut out for us.

With your short timeframe I suggest you head to the outer cape to explore the National Seashore towns of Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown. If stay in Eastham you will also be only 20 minutes from Chatham and 5 minutes from Orleans, both with shopping and more commercial activity but not quite as "summer beachy" as the Dennis area. We stay at a B+B on Fort Hill in the National Park because it is lovely, historic and has a quiet, central location that makes it easy to get to several small towns, fine dining, theater, galleries and boutique shopping. The entertainment in Provincetown is not for everyone but we love it! Provincetown is just 30 minutes from Eastham.

The National Seashore is what makes Cape Cod so special so it would be a shame to miss it. If long sandy ocean beaches, bay beaches with sunsets over sand flats, natural surroundings with walking trails and scenic views, rich cultural history and lots of things to do appeal to you then the outer cape should be on your short list of places to go in September.

Really, no matter which part of Cape Cod you choose, you really can't go wrong.

Thanks for the help!

I'll post again when we narrow things down.

We might go into Boston for a bit. We've been before but took the train into the city from out near Walden Pond. We'll have a car this time. Is there a good place/area to drive into or just outside of the city, park and get downtown to walk around?

Do eat at the Gloucester House restaurant. Fabulous every single time, every thing I try, every time!!! I would not try to do Nantucket/MV with your timeframe, but I'd highly recommend Nantucket if you had more time. IT IS HEAVEN!

I don't understand the trip you are planning. Where are you coming from? Glouster and the cape are in different directions from Boston. With only two days you should concentrate on just one, most likely the cape. The National Seashore is quintessential cape. You can get there along 6a which is also charming and great cape stops along the way, the ice cream shops mentioned, Sandwich Glass, Sydenstricker Glass, Thorton Burgess Museum etc. Once you get out by the National Seashore take in a movie at the Wellfleet Drive-In or a night time bonfire on the beach arranged by the park rangers. The town of Chatham is also charming with fishing boats that unload, a lighthouse to visit and band concerts and the well-known Cape Cod baseball teams (hel in many capd cod towns). You can do Martha's Vineyard in one day but without a car (reservations on the ferry are tough) you can't see much unless you are an avid bicyclist. Glouster is nice but just doesn't compare.

Maybe we are trying to fit in too much. We are flying into Providence, RI. We will be on the road around 9am Friday and have the rest of that day and all day Saturday. We are flying back home Sunday morning.

Watching the fishing ships unload is something I would like to see as mentioned with Chatham. Any other areas where I'd get a good view?

jedivader,
Yes, you are trying to do way too much, cover too many miles on a weekend at that with lots of traffic to contend with and in different directions as well. Since you are flying into Providence, I think that Cape Cod would be the most efficient use of your time and energy of the places you mentioned. Roughly a 2 hour drive from airport to middle of the Cape, very much depending on traffic. Forget all the posts on Gloucester, Boston this time, they are too far away and you will spend all your time in the car. I live on Cape Cod all year and I can attest that this is one of the busiest summers we have had in years with visitors and traffic. Bring patience with you wherever you go.

Your time is very limited, but just letting you know there's currently a ferry between Gloucester and Provincetown. I'm not sure how many more weeks it will be running, but they do a whale watch during the trip.

We are going to be up there from 9/5 - 9/7.

Does that make any difference in traffic/vacationers?

OK......

As of right now, my wife and I have decided to just drive from Providence to the Cape area and only do the Cape.

If we just stick to the cape, would it work for us to visit or stay on either Martha or Nan?

If you go over to either island without your rental car, what is the best way to get around and see as much as possible.

The Cape is just beautiful when you are going so unfortunately you will encounter traffic, but getting on there early on Friday is a good thing. You can get to Martha's Vineyard from Wood's Hole (near Falmouth) and traveling around there by bicycle or taxi but it is trying to do alot in a short time. If you really want to do it, I would suggest doing it on Friday as soon as you get to the cape. Check the ferry rides for the last possible ferry home. If you have a choice, land at Edgartown. Then the next morning you can get up early (Saturday is turn around day, so if anyone is vacationing still they will be coming) and head to the outer cape for Chatham, Provincetown and National Seahore. Orcourse that means you are way out and it will take a little longer to get back on Sunday morning. If you want a more leisrely cape experience, skip Martha's Vineyard this trip.

I suggest, again, that you just stick to Cape Cod. Yes, we have weekend traffic all of Sept. and well into October. If you must go to Martha's Vineyard, you can take a ferry from either Wood's Hole or Hyannis and you can either take an island bus tour, or buy a day pass on their public bus system which is excellent (you really don't need a car). If you plan to do the public bus, do some research as to where and what you want to see. Nantucket has passenger ferry service from both Hyannis (MA Steamship Authority or Hy-Line cruises) or Harwich (Freedom Ferry). Take a tour of the island by bus or van rather than fuss around on your own. We have tons of bus tours here on Cape Cod in Sept/Oct, luckily for you most of them come on Sun or Mon and depart by Friday.

Thanks for all the help, it's given me a better idea of what we can fit in.

THANKS!!