Boston’s Top 10 : Day Trips – The Seaside

by



For more information on Cape Cod contact the Chamber of Commerce at 1 508 362 3225 or go to www.capecodchamber.org


Bay State Cruise Co. operates a ferry to Provincetown (mid-May–mid- Oct) from the World Trade Center, Boston, 617 748 1428



  1. Cape Ann

    Thirty
    miles (48 km) north of Boston, the granite brow of Cape Ann juts
    defiantly into the Atlantic – a rugged landscape of precipitous cliffs
    and deeply cleft harbors. In Gloucester, the cape’s main harbor, a
    waterfront plaque memorializes the 10,000 local fishermen who have
    perished at sea since 1623, and the Cape Ann Historical Association
    Museum (27 Pleasant St) displays some superb maritime paintings. The
    picturesque harborfront of adjacent Rockport is an artists’ enclave and
    is lined with galleries.

    Visitor information

    • Routes I-95 & 127

    • 33 Commercial St, Gloucester

    • 1 978 283 1601

  2. Upper Cape Cod

    The
    Upper Cape is tranquil and low-key. Watch the boats glide through Cape
    Cod Canal or take the Shining Sea bikeway from Falmouth village to Woods
    Hole. If it’s beaches you’re after, Sandwich’s Sandy Neck has huge
    dunes and excellent bird-watching, but Falmouth’s Surf Drive is best for
    swimmers and Old Silver Beach is tops for sunset views.

    • Routes 3, 6, & 28

  3. Mid Cape Cod

    The
    Mid Cape tends to be congested, especially in the town of Hyannis. But
    the north shore can be peaceful, with amazing wildlife and stunning
    views, especially from Gray’s Beach in Yarmouth. Warmer water and sandy
    strands line the south side of Mid Cape, with especially good swimming
    in Harwich and Dennisport. There’s also excellent canoeing and kayaking
    on the Bass River.

    • Route 3, 6, & 28

  4. Outer Cape Cod

    Here
    you’ll find some of the area’s best beaches. The 40-mile (64-km)
    National Seashore offers great surfing at Coast Guard and Nauset Light,
    and the beaches of Marconi, Head of the Meadow, and Race Point all have
    dramatic dunes and great ocean swimming. The artist colonies of
    Wellfleet and Truro are worth a visit as is Provincetown, a fishing
    village turned gay resort.

  5. Martha’s Vineyard

    Ferries
    to the 100 sq mile- (160 sq km-) island stop at Vineyard Haven. From
    here it’s a short drive to old-fashioned Oak Bluffs with its gingerbread
    cottages and historic carousel. Venture south to Edgartown and the
    magnificent 19th-century homes of the rich whaling captains. The nearby
    3-mile (4.8-km) Katama Beach is also a magnet for sun worshipers. On the
    southwest of the island, Menemsha remains a picturesque fishing village
    and Aquinnah’s cliffs offer dramatic hiking.

    • Routes 3 & 28 to Woods Hole

    ferry to Vineyard Haven

    • 1 508 477 8600

    Visitor information




    Martha’s Vineyard

  6. Nantucket Island

    Nantucket’s
    Whaling Museum tells the tale of the Quaker whalers who made Nantucket
    prosperous in the 19th century. The island has shed its Quaker past and
    now boasts trophy beach houses and million-dollar yachts. For sports,
    there’s kayaking, casting for striped bass from Surfside Beach, or
    cycling to the former fishing village of Sconset with its rose-covered
    clifftop cottages.

    • Routes 3 & 6 to Hyannis

    Ferry to Nantucket

    • 1 508 477 8600

    Visitor information

    • 48 Main St, Nantucket

    • 1 508 228 1700

  7. Ipswich

    Crane
    Beach in Ipswich is one of New England’s most scenic beaches, with more
    than 4 miles (6.5 km) of white sand, warm water, and outstanding
    bird-watching. Also on the Crane Estate, you can visit Castle Hill
    mansion and its lovely Italianate gardens.

    • Routes 95, 128, & 133, or 1A

    Visitor information:

  8. Newburyport

    In
    the 19th century, Newburyport was a prosperous seaport. The grand
    three-story mansions along the High Street present a virtual case study
    in Federal architecture, while boutiques and antiques shops line
    downtown Merrimac, Water, and State streets. The Parker River National
    Wildlife Refuge on the adjacent Plum Island is one of the US’s top
    bird-watching sanctuaries.

    • Route I-95 & 1

    Visitor information

    • 38R Merrimac St

    • 1 978 462 6680

  9. Revere Beach

    Established
    in 1896, Revere Beach was the first public beach in the US. Thanks to a
    centennial restoration, it’s also one of the best, with nearly 3 miles
    (4.5 km) of clean white sand and clear blue water.

    • Routes 1 & 1A

    • “T” station: Revere Beach/Wonderland

  10. Hampton & Rye Beaches

    The
    New Hampshire coast just south of Portsmouth has extensive sandy
    beaches. Wallis Sands State Park is ideal for swimming but the best of
    the rocky overlooks is Rye’s Ragged Point picnic area. The honky-tonk
    social scene, however, is at Hampton Beach. Odiorne Point State Park in
    Rye has picnic areas and walking trails.

    • Routes I-95, NH 101, & 1A

    Visitor information