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Hi.
Looking for advice please.
In Boston for 10 days in May with my friend. We're both Irish and have been to Boston before.
We're going to spend the weekends in the city but thinking of heading to cape cod, Nantucket or Martha's vineyard from mon - fri.
We're both in our 30's and looking to find out where the best places would be.
Looking for a fairly lively place to go to. Also should we went a car or would the ferry do?
Thanks
Likely you'd need a car to get to the ferry to either Island, and might want a car while you are there.
Don't know how "lively" it would be- some people don't consider the summer season to really begin until July! Once I went to Provincetown (Cape) at the end of May and it was really cold and empty (remember these places will be colder than inland). I remember one sad guy strutting down the empty street in Ptown, clearly uncomfortable in his new leather get-up, and no one around.
What do you mean by "lively?"
You could take the bus to New Bedford walk to the ferry terminal (10 minute walk) and then get on the ferry to Martha's Vineyard from there (from Boston, getting to New Bedford and taking the ferry is the fastest way to Martha's Vineyard aside from flying. Many people still believe you need to go to Woods Hole or Hyannis though). Still, a car would give you more flexibility and make it easier for you even if it's a bit more expensive.
P-Town is quieter in May. The ferry is a great way to get there. Instead of a car, rent bikes. Bicycles are a great way to get around the tip of the Cape. As brightdoglover said, the Cape and the Islands will be cooler and quieter in May. Even if you go at the very end of the month, the water will still keep those places cooler.
You could take the train or bus to Portland, Maine. It's a cool little city worth visiting. It's about 3-3.5 hours by train and 2.5 by bus. It's worth noting that neither the train or the bus drop you off downtown so you'll have to take a cab (under $10 from the station) or walk (about 1-1.5 miles). To be honest, renting a car and doing Portland is worth it. It's a small city and you'll have no trouble parking for cheap (or free) and walking around downtown. The Old Port area is where most of the shops and restaurants are, and you can easily cover that area in an afternoon. A car will give you the ability to see the gorgeous Maine coast and visit places like Portland Head Light. Portland will be a little livelier than P-town as it's larger and is a center for commerce/recreation year-round. A romantic dinner may not be what you're looking for, but sunset at the Black Point Inn in Scarborough (just south of Portland) is out of this world. It's on a rocky bit of coastline so you're overlooking the Ocean, but you can see Mt. Washington (New England's highest mountain at 1917 meters) in the distance with the sun setting behind it. The food's good too.
You can take the bus or rent a car and go to Portsmouth NH too. It's around an hour from Boston and is very walkable (so you won't need the car). It's lively and has lots of little pubs and restaurants.
Newport, Rhode Island is also a great day trip or overnight. take the bus from Boston. Newport is entirely walkable and has excellent nightlife (which is why it's worth spending the night). It's very busy in the summer, but it's still lively in May. Also, they have one of the top rated Irish Pubs in New England (Buskers Irish Pub). You can rent bikes and go see the Newport Mansions, the beaches, or the International Tennis Hall of Fame. I would recommend Newport above most of the others.
Providence, RI is a quick train ride away. It has great restaurants (ranked 3rd best for foodies in the US and ranked among the top for best pizza in the US), great nightlife and lots to see and do on foot. The Telegraph named it New England's coolest city. Take the MBTA commuter rail out of South Station or Back Bay Station, Amtrak (S. Station or Back Bay) or any of the buses that serve Providence. You will not need a car as everything is accessible on foot. I'd specifically recommend spending time on College Hill and Federal Hill.
Northampton in Western MA is a great place to visit. Not only is it charming and active, but it will give you a different look at Massachusetts as it's VERY different from coastal New England. You can get there by bus, but renting a car is probably the best way. If you have time, take the back roads. The rolling hills and farmland are beautiful.
My last suggestion is a bit of a stretch. If you have 3 days or so you're willing to spend away from Boston, I would highly recommend going north of the border into Quebec City, Canada. In my opinion, it's one of the greatest cities in North America. Architecturally it's stunning. The food is excellent (French influenced cuisine with local ingredients... lots of rabbit, potato, duck, etc) and the nightlife is outstanding. It is in Quebec, which means the language is primarily French, but everyone speaks English. It's a 6.5 hour drive and I would recommend renting a car. The drive is part of the fun as you'll get to see a lot of New Hampshire and Vermont which are incredibly scenic. The Old Walled City (Vieux Quebec) is the main attraction and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but some of Quebec City's best neighborhoods are located outside of the walls. I'm sure you have a lot you plan to see and do, but I can't emphasize enough how highly I recommend Quebec City.
I like the Cape in May because it's relatively quiet and people are fixing things up getting ready for summer so things are clean and pretty. It depends on what you want to do--I always liked driving along rte 28, looking in antique shops and enjoying the freshness of spring, especially the Wisteria which usually flowers just before Memorial Day.
You can walk on beaches (but not swim yet) and there are some shops open. Bike trails.
But if you are not seeking peace and quiet and are not a nature lover, just ignore this and go for some of the other suggestions. There could be some liveliness around Hyannis on the Cape, but don't know about it.
Gloucester and Rockport are fun too--lots of little shops and you are always near the water.
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lrfox
You could take the bus to New Bedford walk to the ferry terminal (10 minute walk) and then get on the ferry to Martha's Vineyard from there (from Boston, getting to New Bedford and taking the ferry is the fastest way to Martha's Vineyard aside from flying. Many people still believe you need to go to Woods Hole or Hyannis though). Still, a car would give you more flexibility and make it easier for you even if it's a bit more expensive.
P-Town is quieter in May. The ferry is a great way to get there. Instead of a car, rent bikes. Bicycles are a great way to get around the tip of the Cape. As brightdoglover said, the Cape and the Islands will be cooler and quieter in May. Even if you go at the very end of the month, the water will still keep those places cooler.
You could take the train or bus to Portland, Maine. It's a cool little city worth visiting. It's about 3-3.5 hours by train and 2.5 by bus. It's worth noting that neither the train or the bus drop you off downtown so you'll have to take a cab (under $10 from the station) or walk (about 1-1.5 miles). To be honest, renting a car and doing Portland is worth it. It's a small city and you'll have no trouble parking for cheap (or free) and walking around downtown. The Old Port area is where most of the shops and restaurants are, and you can easily cover that area in an afternoon. A car will give you the ability to see the gorgeous Maine coast and visit places like Portland Head Light. Portland will be a little livelier than P-town as it's larger and is a center for commerce/recreation year-round. A romantic dinner may not be what you're looking for, but sunset at the Black Point Inn in Scarborough (just south of Portland) is out of this world. It's on a rocky bit of coastline so you're overlooking the Ocean, but you can see Mt. Washington (New England's highest mountain at 1917 meters) in the distance with the sun setting behind it. The food's good too.
You can take the bus or rent a car and go to Portsmouth NH too. It's around an hour from Boston and is very walkable (so you won't need the car). It's lively and has lots of little pubs and restaurants.
Newport, Rhode Island is also a great day trip or overnight. take the bus from Boston. Newport is entirely walkable and has excellent nightlife (which is why it's worth spending the night). It's very busy in the summer, but it's still lively in May. Also, they have one of the top rated Irish Pubs in New England (Buskers Irish Pub). You can rent bikes and go see the Newport Mansions, the beaches, or the International Tennis Hall of Fame. I would recommend Newport above most of the others.
Providence, RI is a quick train ride away. It has great restaurants (ranked 3rd best for foodies in the US and ranked among the top for best pizza in the US), great nightlife and lots to see and do on foot. The Telegraph named it New England's coolest city. Take the MBTA commuter rail out of South Station or Back Bay Station, Amtrak (S. Station or Back Bay) or any of the buses that serve Providence. You will not need a car as everything is accessible on foot. I'd specifically recommend spending time on College Hill and Federal Hill.
Northampton in Western MA is a great place to visit. Not only is it charming and active, but it will give you a different look at Massachusetts as it's VERY different from coastal New England. You can get there by bus, but renting a car is probably the best way. If you have time, take the back roads. The rolling hills and farmland are beautiful.
My last suggestion is a bit of a stretch. If you have 3 days or so you're willing to spend away from Boston, I would highly recommend going north of the border into Quebec City, Canada. In my opinion, it's one of the greatest cities in North America. Architecturally it's stunning. The food is excellent (French influenced cuisine with local ingredients... lots of rabbit, potato, duck, etc) and the nightlife is outstanding. It is in Quebec, which means the language is primarily French, but everyone speaks English. It's a 6.5 hour drive and I would recommend renting a car. The drive is part of the fun as you'll get to see a lot of New Hampshire and Vermont which are incredibly scenic. The Old Walled City (Vieux Quebec) is the main attraction and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but some of Quebec City's best neighborhoods are located outside of the walls. I'm sure you have a lot you plan to see and do, but I can't emphasize enough how highly I recommend Quebec City.
I second the suggestion of Portsmouth, NH. What a terrific place! Go to The Friendly Toast for breakfast or lunch. YUM!
Also, because Quebec City is a long trip, you might consider my hometown of Montreal -- that's a 6-hour drive (Quebec City is even further), including crossing customs. You'll need your passport to cross the border, remember that.
Likely you'd need a car to get to the ferry to either Island, and might want a car while you are there.
Don't know how "lively" it would be- some people don't consider the summer season to really begin until July! Once I went to Provincetown (Cape) at the end of May and it was really cold and empty (remember these places will be colder than inland). I remember one sad guy strutting down the empty street in Ptown, clearly uncomfortable in his new leather get-up, and no one around.
What do you mean by "lively?"
Thanks for your reply. I think we'll get a car for the week.
By lively I mean cool places that have trendy busy bars.
Cheers.
Thank you all for your help. I think we will probably rent a car and go to Hyannis for a few days and perhaps take a ferry to Nantucket from there and then travel down to Newport for a night.
Thanks again.
HP
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