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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Boston Day Trips

36 replies

Whycanineverever · 18/12/2022 08:47

Planning ahead we have 5 nights in Boston late October next year. We are planning a day trip to Salem but also wondering about another day.

Is it worth going to Martha's Vineyard / Cape Cod etc at that time of year (being so familiar with them from books etc would love to see them) . Or somewhere on the Maine Coast.

Are these worth it at this time of year and can you recommend anywhere. 2 teens so while I will like scenery them possible not so much.

OP posts:
ZenNudist · 18/12/2022 08:52

No advice as I only recently went for 3 days so no day trips. Had a fab time. Its a beautiful city.

Harvard. Not a day trip as its still within the city but worth a visit. You can do a mobile phone guided tour taken from their website/ download their app.

I'd also recommend the same for the freedom trail. Downloading an audio tour and going at your own pace. You need to bring headphones. I suppose the actual guides might be more entertaining for the kids.

If I'd gone for 5 days I'd definitely have gone to another new England coastal site.

I've heard Salem is a bit tacky. Kids might like the ghost witchy aspect of it.

ZenNudist · 18/12/2022 08:53

Have you considered getting tickets for the basketball (celtics) or icehockey (bruins)? Or to see the redsox (baseball).

Original poster
Whycanineverever · 18/12/2022 08:57

@ZenNudist

Yes definitely planning a Harvard tour. Oldest watches Gilmore girls all the time which is Yale so definitely wants to see a university. Planning the self guided tour for that and freedom trail.

We are going week before Halloween so they are desperate to go to Salem.

Also thinking of the Duck Tour - think they would love the novelty aspect of it.

Though about whale tour but we did that in Iceland and while we saw a whale it was just its back so don't fancy spending out loads again for that.

We are doing New York in same trip so would like to get outside city for a bit.

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Original poster
Whycanineverever · 18/12/2022 08:58

ZenNudist · 18/12/2022 08:53

Have you considered getting tickets for the basketball (celtics) or icehockey (bruins)? Or to see the redsox (baseball).

None of us are remotely interested in sport so not sure that will be worth it really although I assume it's probably an experience regardless.

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33goingon64 · 18/12/2022 09:00

Provincetown in Cape Cod is a fun place to spend a day - lots of little galleries, boutiques and cafés and you can go whale watching. There are also beaches nearby.

AvengingGerbil · 18/12/2022 09:03

If you/they enjoyed Little Women, Louisa Alcott’s Orchard House in Concord is worth a visit. (There are other things there too, eg Walden Pond, and American Revolution stuff.)

Itwasntevenblackpudding · 18/12/2022 09:04

Hammond Castle is great.

It has its own weather system and lots of curious artefacts.

Can't remember exactly where it is but I think we did it in conjunction with a visit to Salem (which is enjoyable in a tacky sort of way)

Very jealous - have fun!

Original poster
Whycanineverever · 18/12/2022 09:09

AvengingGerbil · 18/12/2022 09:03

If you/they enjoyed Little Women, Louisa Alcott’s Orchard House in Concord is worth a visit. (There are other things there too, eg Walden Pond, and American Revolution stuff.)

Ooh oldest loves that book. I'll have a look thanks.

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Original poster
Whycanineverever · 18/12/2022 09:41

33goingon64 · 18/12/2022 09:00

Provincetown in Cape Cod is a fun place to spend a day - lots of little galleries, boutiques and cafés and you can go whale watching. There are also beaches nearby.

Is it still worth it late October?

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Abraxan · 18/12/2022 09:44

We went to Cape Cod and Boston a few years back.

One thing I remember we really enjoyed was Plimouth Plantation. It was a 'living' museum with enactors. Was on the way from cape cod to Boston iirr. We also went to the Mayflower II at Plymouth - again it had enactors on the boat during the tours.

I had the best fresh lobster I've ever tasted in Martha's Vineyard, and amazing fish and chips at a place in Hyannis on Cape Cod. There was a really old fashioned carousel in Martha's Vineyard that dd loved. You had to catch gold rings as you went round iirr.

In Boston we went to the Boston Public Park with a huge paddling pool and a bronze sculpture of a mother duck and her ducklings, inspired by the book Make Way for the Ducklings.

Abraxan · 18/12/2022 09:45

We are doing New York in same trip so would like to get outside city for a bit.

We also went to New York in the same visit.
We spent a few days in NYC, a week in Cape Cod and then a few days in Boston. Was fabulous.

Original poster
Whycanineverever · 18/12/2022 09:48

@Abraxan

I actually had plimouth on my list but am wavering - £300 on an organised trip for us all, I don't fancy driving and having emailed them it's not really very accessible by public transport. Hence looking at other day trip options.

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gogohmm · 18/12/2022 09:49

A trip out to to see the fall colours is lovely but you may be a couple of weeks too early

Honeyroar · 18/12/2022 09:51

The duck tours are brilliant, they’ll love them.

I went to Salem on the 30th October, expecting wonderful Halloween vibes. It was grey and dull. We did a trolley tour, which was ok, but I wouldn’t rush back! They say it’s better if you’re there at a weekend around Halloween, they do parades etc at night.

Original poster
Whycanineverever · 18/12/2022 09:51

gogohmm · 18/12/2022 09:49

A trip out to to see the fall colours is lovely but you may be a couple of weeks too early

We are getting train to NY so hoping we will see some from there.

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Honeyroar · 18/12/2022 09:54

New York does a wonderful Halloween parade. It’s almost better being there for it if you can.

Original poster
Whycanineverever · 18/12/2022 09:59

@Honeyroar we are in NY for Halloween itself - arrive 28th. I assume that's the Greenwich village one? (I think that's right place anyway....?)

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ErrolTheDragon · 18/12/2022 10:00

I used to occasionally have a bit of free time in Boston when my company was headquartered near there - one thing I enjoyed which I don't think has been mentioned was a harbour tour.

Mumdiva99 · 18/12/2022 10:03

When I was in Boston we went to the supermarket for lobster. You choose the lobster, then they cook it while you shop and you take it home warm.

I also went here www.christianscience.com/find-us/visit-the-mother-church/visit-the-christian-science-plaza/how-do-you-see-the-world-experience/how-do-you-see-the-world-visitor-information
to walk through the Mapparium. But the rest of the exhibition was interesting too.

The freedom trail was great.....but it is quite long if you do all the stops. If teenagers don't like walking/sightseeing loads either pick your stops or split it up with lunch stops etc.

Waterfallstop · 18/12/2022 10:11

Salem is cheesy and tacky but fun for teens.
Deferenately an nba basketball game if at home - season will just be starting.

Depending on time of year whale watching can be fun - but check boat times as trip can be long and dull.

Do you have a car - the fall colours may be starting - west of Boston there are pretty college towns which look lovely in the fall. I like Cape Ann which is north of Rockport. Boston is quite staid - shopping isn't good so save all that for nyc. If no car I would try to stick to what you can do in and around Boston. It's a much quiter than nyc. I was over on the east coast this Oct and weather was mild.

Abraxan · 18/12/2022 10:22

Whycanineverever · 18/12/2022 09:48

@Abraxan

I actually had plimouth on my list but am wavering - £300 on an organised trip for us all, I don't fancy driving and having emailed them it's not really very accessible by public transport. Hence looking at other day trip options.

Ah, we had a car for that part of our journey so didn't have to use an organised tour or public transport, as drove.

Waterfallstop · 18/12/2022 10:35

One thing to be aware of is that a lot of the tours / trips are based around US history which may mean nothing to you or your teens. So places like Minuteman, Plymouth rock etc are interesting but not that interesting. I lived there for a bit so did it all anyway! I did a similar trip with teens and opted for DC over Boston with teens.

33goingon64 · 18/12/2022 11:31

Whycanineverever · 18/12/2022 09:41

Is it still worth it late October?

Show quote history

Hmm I don't know. We went in early May one year and although lots of things hadn't opened up yet (there's a magic date, possibly Labor Day? When the season begins) Provincetown was still quite buzzy.

Setfiretotherain1 · 18/12/2022 11:36

Whycanineverever · 18/12/2022 08:57

@ZenNudist

Yes definitely planning a Harvard tour. Oldest watches Gilmore girls all the time which is Yale so definitely wants to see a university. Planning the self guided tour for that and freedom trail.

We are going week before Halloween so they are desperate to go to Salem.

Also thinking of the Duck Tour - think they would love the novelty aspect of it.

Though about whale tour but we did that in Iceland and while we saw a whale it was just its back so don't fancy spending out loads again for that.

We are doing New York in same trip so would like to get outside city for a bit.

Yale isn’t far either if you’re particularly interested. Couple of hours at most - it’s a lovely place, though I liked Harvard too!

Chemenger · 18/12/2022 11:37

Plymouth Rock is by far the most disappointing landmark I have ever seen. Possibly because people were allowed to chip bits off it until, I think, the mid 60’s. The plantation is very good but teenagers find the people in costume that you talk to embarrassing.
You can do a day trip to Province Town by ferry from Boston, when we did it in October the trip back was very rough. Everyone on the boat was vomiting except the crew. Our whole family had inwardly decided at some point that it would be overall better if the boat sank rather than being on it for longer. Would not recommend. Province Town itself is great, plenty to do for a day.
I would recommend Concord, as a PP said. There is a museum, the Louisa Alcott house and the battlefield site, also good cafes etc. you can get the train from North Station in Boston.
The Harbour Tour is also worth doing, there is an island with a fort that’s fun to explore.
you can get to a few seaside towns like Rockport on the train, they are pretty but not always a lot to do except eat and browse in seaside type shops.
Newport Rhode Island is a good day trip in a car, lots to do there, you can visit the mansions or the fort. There’s a little ferry that does a harbour tour as well. I think the polo season is over in Newport by October, but that’s a great day out.
I love Portland Maine but it would have to be an overnight trip because the train is very slow ( as most US trains are).