Trip to Massachusetts from 10/11 to 10/17? Best places to go?
I posted a question yesterday but wasn't specific as to the dates I was going. I do want to see the fall foliage and was told that a day trip up the coast to Maine would be a waste of time, so I am adjusting my trip. This is my itinerary so far: Day 1: Scenic drive from Boston to Rockport (stay overnight). Day 2: Whale Watching in the morning in Cape Ann, Salem in the late afternoon. Day 3: Salem all day. Day 4: Guided bus tour to Boston, Lexington, Cambridge; Day 5: Plymouth Rock, then to Nantucket Island from 9:00 to 8:00 p.m. Day 6: Ballooning in the morning in the Berkshires (Lenox, MA), golfing in the afternoon, and staying overnight. Day 7: Crane Estate in the morning, Marblehead in the afternoon. Flight leaves at 7:15. Am I missing anything or are there better areas for fall foliage or better tours than Boston. I am flexible as far as the Boston day trip and staying in Rockport. I heard it is really pretty and would like to spend a day there, but not sure if I need a whole day to see the town.
Boston - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
That is pretty good except when I went to Salem I was there for only the afternoon and I saw everything I needed to see there isn't that much to do there. And when on Cape Ann I recommend you go to Wingaersheek Beach it is really nice there but in October it might be a little cold. And you need a little more time in Boston to see some museums and walk the freedom trail. Besides that you are good have a fun trip.
2 :
Rockport isn't that big and you could probably see everything in a few hours. The only thing there, besides the ocean, is small stores and restaurants. All day in Salem is also probably too much time depending on how much you want to see and how leisurely you want to sightsee. I would think an afternoon and evening would be plenty of time to see most everything really worth seeing. If you're going to Lexington you should probably see Concord too. It's very close to Lexington and is a great place to visit AND to view foliage: http://www.concordma.gov/Pages/visitors While there you could rent a canoe and paddle the Concord River, which is a great way to see the foliage and you could also visit The North Bridge (the shot heard around the World, Revolutionary War) which the river travels under: http://www.canoeconcord.com/ The Berkshires will be great for the foliage! Boston is a great place to visit and I'd rather spend more time there than Salem or Rockport. Unless you really want to see Plymouth Rock I'd skip that and spend more time in Nantucket which is great to visit, especially that time of year! Plymouth Rock is just a boulder you look at that is down in a hole surrounded by a box, nothing exciting. Not much else to do there except visit a few shops and look at the harbor, which isn't the greatest. That's a long drive from Lenox to the Crane Estate (2-3 hours), but the Estate is beautiful. Marblehead is nice but there's not much to do there except shopping and looking at the ocean. You won't see much foliage along the ocean or near the cities! I would stay in Masachusetts too because those dates are USUALLY peak for foliage in Massachusetts but past peak foliage in NH, VT. or Maine.
3 :
wow who told you that a daytrip to maine would be a waste of time?? i live in portland maine and its definitely not a waste...BUT you might want to consider a daytrip to the White Mountains of New Hampshire for amazing foliage..it would only be about 2- 21/2 hours roughly to get to ...a fun thing to do would be to take the Cog railroad up mt washington or drive your own car up the mt washington toll road http://www.mountwashingtonautoroad.com/ you also might want to take a train up to portland maine (or drive yourself)..its a fun sceneic ride and you'll see plenty of foliage..plus the old port of portland is amazing to visithttp://www.amtrakdowneaster.com/
4 :
Hello, again... I DID NOT tell you that a day trip on the Maine coast would be a waste of time!!! I said that (1) a BUS trip would be a waste as it probably would cling to the coast south of Portland, which is not that spectacular, and you will be seeing similar picturesque towns - actually a bit more so - as York, Kennebunkport, etc. when you trek around Cape Ann and go to the Crane Estate, and (2) Portland is WELL worth seeing (as one of today's Answerers also tells you). The real beautiful Maine coast begins with the several peninsulas that stretch from Rte 1 down into the sea north of Portland. So you may well wish to take your car, visit Portland, and if you have the time (allow at least another 1 1/2 hours one way) go north of there. As for the foliage, well if you simply MUST go ballooning in the Berkshires so be it but you are definitely going to miss a lot compared to the Monadnock area as I recommended yesterday. I do not know where you are from but it seems far away. One has ballooning options within 150 miles of any tourist destination almost anywhere and golfing EVERYWHERE (and I assure you finding your ball amidst fallen autumn leaves on a fairway can be trying!!) but the most spectacular venues for New England Fall foliage not!! As I told you yesterday and other answerers have seconded trying to go to Nantucket for a day and to see anything is absurd. Especially from Danvers, because you must suffer going through Boston traffic. Your idea to do this is almost madness - please believe me/us. If you simply MUST go to an island consider Block Island, RI, and rent a bike there -- you will be able to have double or triple the time as you would be able on Nantucket. Finally, as I told you yesterday; additionally suggested by ConCon and Beatlemaina today, you can EASILY do Salem, Cape Ann/Rockport and the Crane Estate in a single day (drive between Salem and Rockport via Rte 127; there are actually some ocean cliffs along the way reminiscent of California though far lower). I am really trying to help you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will sent my personal email address to you via your profile;'s link to yours in case you wish to ask me questions directly...
5 :
Go to Plymouth Rock. It's very laid back there, and if your in Boston it's great to get away from the hustle and bustle there for a few hours.
