Mass summer plans! (Boston, New Bedford, Plymouth: houses, theatre, camping)

[twiggy]

So, I live in Phoenix AZ, as many of you know. We get a lot of winter visitors from MA. I can totally understand it! lol Now that summer is here you all go back home and some of us leave AZ. I was wondering what you do during your summers? Beach, mountains? What are your plans. I will be coming out to your neck of the woods for a vacation on the Cape. lol Do you all get as excited for summer and we get for winter? I might have a little trouble actually leaving the Cape, would love to move there, maybe I'll just stay. ha ha

[brightdoglover]

I'm alone on this, but I find it way too humid here in the summer. I try to get out to high mountain country for my vacation (Colorado) or lately, some time in Utah. I cannot stand humidity, it makes me sick.

[twiggy]

Oh, thats too bad, I didn't realize it got so humid in Mass. I know its a lot more humid than AZ but I thought the southern states got the bad humidity. Something to think about! I notice it being moister on the Cape but it's so windy most of the time I guess It didn't feel that humid to me. Maybe it's different down there than inland? I of course am not use to your cold winters either so it doesn't feel as hot to me in the summer, that might be why I don't get bothered. If I lived there a year or so I might start to notice huh?

[theh]

It is not that humid on the Cape, especially compared to the South. The humidity is a little grosser as you go further inland, but still nothing compared to the South. And you're right, the ocean breeze keeps things pretty mild on the Cape. Despite the humidity, summer weather anywhere in Massachusetts is SO much more tolerable than in Arizona! I went to Arizona in the middle of August one year...brutal! Summer in Massachusetts will feel like a piece of cake to you.

Going to the beach is definitely a favorite summer activity around here, and the Cape is full of beautiful beaches. But Massachusetts is very diverse. You can do pretty much any outdoor activity in the summer (besides skiing of course), so if you want to go hiking in the mountains, you can easily take a road trip out to the other side of the state and do that in a day. The weather is unpredictable and it does rain here a lot, so I recommend you find some alternative things to do indoors in case of any rainy days--perhaps going to Boston for the day and checking out some museums.

[clevedark]

Beach! Much less humid up here than in NJ, where I'm from. But if you want the least humidity, head to the mountains.

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by clevedark

Beach! Much less humid up here than in NJ, where I'm from. But if you want the least humidity, head to the mountains.

Really? Wow, I have a lot to learn about the east! lol In Az it's more moist up in the mountains. Probably because if you're not in the mountains you're in the desert. lol

[LeavingMA]

Actually when it gets humid in New England, it is more humid than in Carolinas. The only thing is that the Carolinas are in the 90's for more days during the summer.

Many people in MA head to beaches and go to Rhode Island, the Cape, New Hampshire, and even Maine. Although with the economy the way it is, it was less last year and will be less this summer.

I'll take the heat and summer over the cold and long winters anyday.

[Coolhand68]

I get down to the Cape a few times each summer, but it's a 90 minute drive. It's worth it to me because the beaches down there are very nice. I also go camping each year up to Maine near the White Mountains of NH. Hike Mt. Washington, Kayak the rivers, fishing etc. New England is great from April - Oct.

[lrfox]

Hey, it's good to see that you're still working on a trip to MA!

If you're still heading to the Cape, I would suggest looking in Provincetown. I wouldn't be too concerned about heat/humidity here. There are maybe 2-4 days per summer where it's miserably hot/humid and that's about it. The Cape, as others have mentioned, is a bit better in this regard. Evenings on the Cape are gorgeous. It usually stays between 70 and 80 and there's always a breeze.

In Provincetown, you should do obviously walk around the center of town (along Commercial Street) and the wharves. I would also check out the P-Town Tower/ Pilgrim Monument. This is a cool climb (a 200+ foot tall granite tower) which gives you stunning views of P-Town, Cape Cod, Cape Cod Bay, The Atlantic and even Boston on a clear day. There's also a museum at the base which is interesting as well.

A trip to Provincetown isn't complete without a Whale Watch. This is a must and there's nowhere better in New England to do a whale watch from than P-Town. Before you get on your whale boat, grab a pastry from the little Portuguese bakery adjacent the wharf.

Since Provincetown is the tip of the Cape, an excellent place to relax on the beach is Race Point Beach (the actual "tip" of the Cape). Not only is this a cool beach to relax and enjoy the water at, but there are a number of old lighthouses that dot this area that are fun to explore. It's a great area. In fact, near P-Town you have the whole Cape Cod National Seashore which is fun to explore.

If you want to take a day trip to Boston from P-Town, it's over a 2 hour drive. There is, however, a better way to do it. Bay State Cruises offers a 90 minute fast ferry from P-Town to Downtown Boston which is wonderful. Boston is so walkable that you don't need a car. The ferry allows you to avoid parking (which is a pain and upwards of $30+ a day) in Boston and take a much more scenic route. You can spend the day exploring Boston and then return to P-Town at night.

If you have a car (and for the Cape, you'll need it), you may want to leave the Cape for a bit. Plymouth is a cool town with a lot of history. You can explore Plimoth Plantation or the Mayflower replica and explore the town center and waterfront.

New Bedford is also a cool day trip. Not only are 16 blocks of the downtown area part of a beautiful National Park, but there are a ton of art galleries, shops, and restaurants. There's a ton of history in New Bedford. Herman Melville wrote his book, Moby Dick while he lived and worked for a New Bedford Whaling company and many of the landmarks described in his book are open to the public in town. The Whaling Museum is a must see while in town. There's a brand new Ocean Explorium which is still only partially complete but it's worth a visit anyway. You may want to head across the street from the Whaling District and check out the Waterfront. It's home to the nation's highest grossing fishing fleet and it's fun to watch the fishermen work. Also on the waterfront is the Waterfront Grille, some of the best seafood in New England outside of Boston. A show at the Zeiterion Theatre or a visit to the small, but fun zoo may be interesting too.

New Bedford is ripe with cultural diversity. It's mostly known for it's thriving Portuguese heritage. A trip to the area without exploring this would be a big miss. New Bedford has TONS of Portuguese restaurants and I would suggest visiting at least one. Antonio's, Adega, Cafe Funchal, or the MandC Cafe are some favorites of mine. The Feast of the Madeira in New Bedford is an awesome time to go. It's Old World Portugal at its finest. There are over 300,000 visitors to this feast each year (the largest in the world of its kind) and there are concerts, wine vendors, artists, etc all in the streets. if your trip coincides with this, check it out.

Anyway, there's plenty to keep you occupied. Enjoy your trip!

[twiggy]

Thanks so much for all the info! It sounds like we will have a great time! Can't wait!