![15 Summer or Fall Day Trips from Boston [within 2 hours]](https://we3travel.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/salem-village.jpg "15 Summer or Fall Day Trips from Boston [within 2 hours]")
Whether you reside in Boston or you’re visiting and wish to see extra of Southern New England, there are a lot of scenic cities and enjoyable points of interest which can be inside a brief drive of the Boston Metro space and make for excellent day journeys from Boston.
Best Day Trips from Boston
Since I imagine a day journey ought to really be simply performed in a day — with out spending all day within the automobile, these day journey choices are all inside a two-hour drive or ferry trip from Boston. Many may very well be performed year-round, however they’re particularly fairly or preferrred in the summertime or fall.
1. Boston Harbor Islands
The best strategy to escape town is to leap on a ferry to the Boston Harbor Islands. Made up of 34 islands and peninsulas, Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park provide up choices for recreation and leisure.
You can e-book ferry tickets upfront (or stroll as much as the ticket workplace on Long Wharf North and see what is on the market) for the ferry to Spectacle Island. Spectacle Island is a 114-acre island providing mountain climbing, swimming, boating, and studying.
2. Provincetown
A 90-minute quick ferry from Boston will take you to colourful and quaint Provincetown on the tip of Cape Cod. Here you possibly can store, eat, and drink to your coronary heart’s delight. For one thing totally different, spend a day exploring the sand dunes with Art’s Dune Tours.
If you possibly can stick round for low tide, comb the seaside for sea creatures within the shallow tide swimming pools left behind by the receding ocean tide. See a few of my favourite issues to do on Cape Cod within the low season.
3. Plymouth
Plymouth Rock could underwhelm, however fortunately it isn’t the one factor to see and do in Plymouth. Those fascinated with Colonial historical past and Native American tradition ought to go to the close by Plimouth Patuxet Museums. You can even go whale watching, sea kayaking, go to a cranberry bathroom, and even take a ghost tour on the town.
4. Somerville
If you’re within the temper for purchasing and leisure, head as much as Somerville. Assembly Row gives eating, outlet purchasing, and leisure choices like Lucky Strike bowling and the LEGOLAND Discovery Center for youthful youngsters (simply test to see what’s open earlier than you go.)
You can even take a meals tour, go to a brewery, go mountaineering at Brooklyn Boulders, or decide up some chocolate at Somerville Chocolate.
5. Salem
Just 45 minutes north of Boston, Salem makes an important day journey vacation spot. Of course, there’s loads of historical past to discover, together with the well-known Salem Witch Trials. But past that macabre previous, Salem is a captivating seaside city with pretty museums just like the Peabody Essex and historic websites just like the Salem Maritime National Historic Site.
You can even go to the House of the Seven Gables, a historic dwelling and gardens made well-known by American creator Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel of the identical identify. If you’re into the spooky, there’s the Salem Witch Museum and ghost excursions.
6. Newburyport
Located 45 minutes north of Boston, a day journey to Newburyport on the North Shore will convey you thru farmland to this scenic seaport city. Perfect for these looking for a spot for purchasing and eating alongside the waterfront, Newburyport is a bustling city for locals and guests.
Stroll alongside the Harbor Walk, picnic in Waterfront Park, go to the Maritime Museum and dine on native seafood. If you’re looking for extra of the outside, go to one of many close by parks, seashores, or nature preserves.
7. Gloucester
Also 45 minutes north of Boston on Cape Ann, the historic fishing village of Gloucester is a welcome respite in the summertime warmth. While seaside parking is reserved for in-town residents, even now you possibly can take pleasure in a whale watch or sightseeing cruise on a historic Schooner. For a less expensive strategy to get out on the water, purchase a $10 ticket for the water shuttle and keep on for a full harbor tour or hop-on and hop-off all through the day.
The downtown additionally gives some nice eating selections, together with informal eating at Blue Collar Lobster, fashionable eating at Minglewood, or waterfront eating at The Studio on the Rocky Point artists’ colony. Afterward, take the scenic route alongside the water as much as the quaint and touristic city of Rockport in case you have some further time. See extra issues to do in Gloucester, MA.
8. Blue Hills
The Blue Hills Reservation, simply half-hour south of Boston off Route 93, is a good spot for mountain climbing when you should get out of town. Covering 7,000 acres, the Blue Hills gives 125 miles of mountain climbing trails. You can climb hills, cross marshes, or stroll alongside the water relying in your pursuits and health stage.
9. Horseneck Beach
An hour-and-a-half south of Boston, Horseback Beach State Reservation gives an exquisite two-mile-long seaside on the western finish of Buzzard’s Bay. Be positive to go out early and double-check parking restrictions to take pleasure in a day on the seaside. You may even flip it into an in a single day with a tenting reservation on-site.
10. Nashoba
Nashoba could also be identified for its ski space, however in the summertime and fall, the Nashoba Valley Winery makes a pleasant day journey. Just 45 minutes exterior of Boston in Bolton, the vineyard gives picnic grounds, an on-site restaurant, and curbside pickup. Just observe that reservations are required for the picnic grounds and restaurant right now and they’re solely open from Thursday by way of Sunday.
11. Springfield
An hour-and-a-half from Boston, Springfield gives loads to do on a day journey from the Dr. Seuss Museum and Gardens and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame are each highlights downtown and common for households.
Six Flags New England is at the moment nonetheless closed however hopefully will reopen sooner or later with enjoyable occasions and loads of thrills.
12. Sturbridge
An hour southwest of Boston close to the Connecticut border, Sturbridge is a good day journey for households. Old Sturbridge Village is the most important dwelling historical past museum in New England. Covering 200 acres, Old Sturbridge Village recreates life in rural New England in the course of the 1790s by way of 1830s.
You can spend the day exploring the varied buildings and reveals, with hands-on studying alternatives together with candle making and metalworking. Just understand that ticket reservations are required right now.
13. Providence, Rhode Island
The “Creative Capital” in neighboring Rhode Island makes an important day journey getaway. Take a ship trip with Providence River Boat Company or a gondola trip by way of downtown with La Gondola. Foodies can take pleasure in a meals tour and discover Providence’s notable meals scene.
Families can spend the day at Roger Williams Park & Zoo or stroll round Providence’s East Side and College Hill. The RISD Museum is a good spot for artwork lovers and bibliophiles will wish to discover the Providence Athenaeum. See extra issues to do in Providence, Rhode Island.
14. Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Just throughout the border in New Hampshire, the seacoast city of Portsmouth gives historic allure to discover. Spend the day strolling alongside the cobblestone streets, poking into native boutiques, and having fun with some contemporary seafood at a waterfront patio.
15. Kittery, Maine
An hour and 1 / 4 north of Boston and simply throughout the border with Maine, Kittery is ideal for a day journey of purchasing and nice meals. Just ensure you test present quarantine necessities as Maine nonetheless requires a 14-day quarantine for MA residents or a damaging take a look at end result.
You can spend the day purchasing on the Kittery Premium Outlets or discover a little bit of the Maine coast. Just depart your self loads of time to attend in line at Bob’s Clam Shack for one of the best lobster rolls and fried clam strips round.
Bonus: King Richard’s Faire
If you’re in search of a enjoyable fall day journey from Boston, head all the way down to King Richard’s Faire in Carver, Massachusetts. This is the most important Renaissance Festival in New England, with rides, video games, and leisure together with minstrels, acrobats, fireplace eaters, aerialists, and larger-than-life-size puppets. The honest runs from early September by way of the third weekend in October.
Save this on Pinterest
