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Old 09-06-2016, 09:37 AM
 
2,411 posts, read 1,961,649 times
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I have come to your party late so I don't know what it is that you actually like/look for in a destination. I was gathering from your narrative that you and I would not be looking for the same things at all but I loved the pictures so thank you for those. At any rate, I am glad you had a good summer 'tripping' around your area.
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Old 09-06-2016, 11:05 AM
 
1,586 posts, read 2,139,200 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aery11 View Post
I have come to your party late so I don't know what it is that you actually like/look for in a destination. I was gathering from your narrative that you and I would not be looking for the same things at all but I loved the pictures so thank you for those. At any rate, I am glad you had a good summer 'tripping' around your area.
Glad you liked the photos -- I lack confidence about my photographic talents, so I appreciate any validation that comes my way.

Anyway, different strokes for different folks. I think it's a nice thing that there are so many different destinations out there to appeal to different people. For example, America's national-parks system is internationally renowned; people come from all over the world to enjoy them. Me, that's not really my thing. I like nature and all, but I like it better when paired with exactly the kind of civilization the national parks were created to keep out. None of them are on my to-do list; I'll probably never see Yellowstone or Glacier, not because I wouldn't like to but because I have too many other travel priorities. But I understand why people flock to the national parks and I'm happy they exist.
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Old 09-06-2016, 11:23 AM
 
Location: Providence, RI
12,682 posts, read 21,838,955 times
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Thanks for posting! I've done almost all of the places you've visited (still haven't done Block Island and I haven't done Essex, CT), and feel similarly for the most part. Not that you asked, but I think we have similar tastes/interests and I'd like to add my $0.02.

Quote:
Originally Posted by boulevardofdef View Post

The destination: Falmouth, Massachusetts
4/10
Completely agree. Honestly, I think a lot of people would be in the same boat as you. A day trip to the Cape with no prior experience is tough. Falmouth gets rave reviews and it's a nice town, but it doesn't really stand out (Though I think Woods Hole is great). I'll go one further and say that I don't think that Chatham deserves the praise that's heaped upon it. P-Town, however, is THE Cape town worth daytripping too (even if it is a bit far). It's perfect. It's one of my favorite towns anywhere. From spotting whales from the beach (seriously, whales less than 100 yards off of Race Point Beach are a common sight) to the vibrant town center, charming harborfront and excellent food/drinking/arts (both visual and performing) scene, etc. P-Town is perfect.

Quote:
The destination: Boston, Massachusetts
Total score: 10/10
I work here (right next to Beacon Hill, actually), and being in town (I make sure I get out of the office and walk, year round) makes it worth it. I love this city.

Quote:
The destination: Concord, New Hampshire
Total score: 6/10
Agree with everything you wrote.

Quote:
The destination: Rockport, Massachusetts
Total score: 9/10
Ditto. Surprisingly touristy since I don't hear about it as much as I hear about Cape/Martha's Vineyard/Nantucket/Hampton Beach, etc. but when you get there it's a full-blown tourist haven. It's absolutely charming though. Trivia: Rockport is the stand-in for Sitka, Alaska in the Ryan Reynolds/ Sandra Bullock movie "The Proposal." Obviously mountains were added in the background shots, but it's clearly Rockport.

Quote:
The destination: Somerville, Massachusetts
Total score: 9/10
I've always loved Somerville and it seems to keep getting better. Assembly is awesome. I actually went for the first time this summer.

Quote:
The destination: Northampton, Massachusetts
Total score: 4/10
I might give it a 5 or 6/10 but I do think it's a bit overrated. I'm no Western, MA expert, but I'd head to Shelburne Falls or Lee for that Berkshire Beauty over NoHa.

Quote:
The destination: Provincetown, Massachusetts
Total score: 10/10
Yup.

Quote:
The destination: Plymouth, Massachusetts
Total score: 7/10
Definitely fair, I agree.

I've never been to Essex, but Stonington is my favorite village in CT. We usually combine it with a Mystic stop (we're members at the Aquarium- you know... kids).

Portsmouth, NH is a great day trip if you haven't done it. Same goes for Newburyport, MA (you can combine the two).

Keene, NH might be pushing it for a day trip, but it's also worth a visit.

A note on the Cape:
I think the "Cape Cod feel" is tough to get when visiting any of the towns (except maybe P-Town) on a day trip. For me, you can't experience the Cape Cod feeling until you've done a week or a weekend in a small cottage near the beach. It's much more than exploring the town centers (which, as you've noticed, are really just about on-par with other nice town centers in the region for the most part) or even the harbors. It's having spartan digs, ditching the shoes and walking/riding your bike down to the local beach which will most likely (unless you're on the National Seashore- in which case the appeal is sheer natural beauty) be soft, sandy, and have plenty of room to spread out. It's sand EVERYWHERE because you're living on a giant sandbar (seriously, there should be a water bin outside the door for kids to wash their feet before coming inside), it's low pines, sandy salty air, beach bonfires, ice cream at sunset, fish and chips/fried clams at a clam shack, etc. You don't get the experience unless you spend the night (again, my opinion). I grew up doing a week every summer in Brewster. It's not a particularly remarkable town, but the beach is perfect for families, ice cream at the General Store (or JT's) is a tradition, the bike trail is never ending (at least it feels that way when you're a kid), everyone's friendly, and fires and sunsets over the water can't be beat. Falmouth is similar (actually a nicer center than Brewster). The Center is OK, but the whole package (beach, cottages, family adventure) is much, much better. I know you can replicate that elsewhere, but that's what makes Cape Cod so special (in my opinion). You won't get the same feeling on day trips. I don't, anyway.
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Old 09-06-2016, 12:08 PM
 
190 posts, read 201,130 times
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Default A summer week long stay at a Cape Cod cottage

Quote:
Originally Posted by lrfox View Post
Thanks for posting! I've done almost all of the places you've visited (still haven't done Block Island and I haven't done Essex, CT), and feel similarly for the most part. Not that you asked, but I think we have similar tastes/interests and I'd like to add my $0.02.



Completely agree. Honestly, I think a lot of people would be in the same boat as you. A day trip to the Cape with no prior experience is tough. Falmouth gets rave reviews and it's a nice town, but it doesn't really stand out (Though I think Woods Hole is great). I'll go one further and say that I don't think that Chatham deserves the praise that's heaped upon it. P-Town, however, is THE Cape town worth daytripping too (even if it is a bit far). It's perfect. It's one of my favorite towns anywhere. From spotting whales from the beach (seriously, whales less than 100 yards off of Race Point Beach are a common sight) to the vibrant town center, charming harborfront and excellent food/drinking/arts (both visual and performing) scene, etc. P-Town is perfect.



I work here (right next to Beacon Hill, actually), and being in town (I make sure I get out of the office and walk, year round) makes it worth it. I love this city.



Agree with everything you wrote.



Ditto. Surprisingly touristy since I don't hear about it as much as I hear about Cape/Martha's Vineyard/Nantucket/Hampton Beach, etc. but when you get there it's a full-blown tourist haven. It's absolutely charming though. Trivia: Rockport is the stand-in for Sitka, Alaska in the Ryan Reynolds/ Sandra Bullock movie "The Proposal." Obviously mountains were added in the background shots, but it's clearly Rockport.



I've always loved Somerville and it seems to keep getting better. Assembly is awesome. I actually went for the first time this summer.


I might give it a 5 or 6/10 but I do think it's a bit overrated. I'm no Western, MA expert, but I'd head to Shelburne Falls or Lee for that Berkshire Beauty over NoHa.



Yup.



Definitely fair, I agree.

I've never been to Essex, but Stonington is my favorite village in CT. We usually combine it with a Mystic stop (we're members at the Aquarium- you know... kids).

Portsmouth, NH is a great day trip if you haven't done it. Same goes for Newburyport, MA (you can combine the two).

Keene, NH might be pushing it for a day trip, but it's also worth a visit.

A note on the Cape:
I think the "Cape Cod feel" is tough to get when visiting any of the towns (except maybe P-Town) on a day trip. For me, you can't experience the Cape Cod feeling until you've done a week or a weekend in a small cottage near the beach. It's much more than exploring the town centers (which, as you've noticed, are really just about on-par with other nice town centers in the region for the most part) or even the harbors. It's having spartan digs, ditching the shoes and walking/riding your bike down to the local beach which will most likely (unless you're on the National Seashore- in which case the appeal is sheer natural beauty) be soft, sandy, and have plenty of room to spread out. It's sand EVERYWHERE because you're living on a giant sandbar (seriously, there should be a water bin outside the door for kids to wash their feet before coming inside), it's low pines, sandy salty air, beach bonfires, ice cream at sunset, fish and chips/fried clams at a clam shack, etc. You don't get the experience unless you spend the night (again, my opinion). I grew up doing a week every summer in Brewster. It's not a particularly remarkable town, but the beach is perfect for families, ice cream at the General Store (or JT's) is a tradition, the bike trail is never ending (at least it feels that way when you're a kid), everyone's friendly, and fires and sunsets over the water can't be beat. Falmouth is similar (actually a nicer center than Brewster). The Center is OK, but the whole package (beach, cottages, family adventure) is much, much better. I know you can replicate that elsewhere, but that's what makes Cape Cod so special (in my opinion). You won't get the same feeling on day trips. I don't, anyway.
As a child we spent our whole summer in a Cape Cod cottage and I agree that is when you get that relaxed Cape Cod vibe. We stayed in Dennisport and eventually bought a cottage there. Sadly my Mom sold it in 1985 to buy property in Florida. We walked to the beach, my Mom packing lunch for the 5 kids.
My stepdad came up on weekends. Coming home, it was great to wash off in the enclosed outside shower. Lots of outdoor meals on the grill followed by toasted marshmallows on a stick. Ice cream at the parlor once in a while. Rambling red and pink roses on fences. The smell of pine and salt water in the air.
Long lazy days of summer at the beach. It was a wonderful time.
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Old 09-06-2016, 01:45 PM
 
1,296 posts, read 1,324,674 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hollytree View Post
Great post Boulevard!

Agree with your ratings of Falmouth and Northampton.

Somerville Ma though??? maybe I missed anything good about it, but from what I saw, it was one step up from Pawtucket.

I haven't really looked at Rockport- probably should go there.

Keep your reports coming!!!

Glad to see Somerville get a 9/10. Somerville has several of the hottest neighborhoods in the Boston area, as well as some of the top restaurants. It also just got picked as a top 10 destination by lonely planet.
Lonely Planet's best places in U.S. for 2016 - CNN.com

The city in general gets alot of press lately

http://www.thrillist.com/travel/nati...k-top-our-list

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/05/tr...cambridge.html

10 Ways Your Neighborhood Can Become The Next Somerville | Radio Boston

Boston-area communities vie to be the next Somerville - The Boston Globe

Somerville: The little city that could - The Boston Globe

Somerville Homes for Sale for $1 Million: Davis Square | BostInno

Somerville is top bike commuting city in Northeast, according to survey - The Boston Globe

Is Somerville Really the Next Cambridge? - News - Boston.com Real Estate

Will Cambridge or Somerville Have the Hotter Real Estate Market in 2015? - Buying, New Developments, News - Boston.com Real Estate

Last edited by semiurbanite; 09-06-2016 at 02:49 PM..
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Old 09-06-2016, 05:33 PM
 
190 posts, read 201,130 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boulevardofdef View Post
Simple: two different trips.

Thanks! How long has it been since you've been to Somerville? It's changing all the time. Among a certain type of young creative-class worker, it's becoming almost de rigueur to live there, from what I can tell. Some of the city is still Pawtucket-ish, but check out Davis Square and the aforementioned Assembly Row. The photo I posted above is Davis Square.
I left Somerville 8 years ago after living near Davis Sq for 15 years and before that in Cambridge and Arlington. I know the Rosebud diner in your photo but nothing else, much has changed not the least being the closing of long time music club Johnny ds. Is Assembly row the old Assembly sq., as I recall, that area of Somerville was definitely not hip and quite unappealing. Ah, much has changed. I enjoyed my time in the Somerville/ Cambridge area for some 25 years but relocated to the distant hinterlands of Burrillville 8 years ago. It is only 30 minutes to Providence, so it really is not that far away.


Boston is a wonderful city. This year we went to the rooftop view from the Custom House, beautiful clock tower and building. We also explored the North End where my grandparents and their children lived. The Rose Kennedy greenway was delightful as well. We ate dinner at Legal seafood Harborside and then saw a wonderful performance by Bonnie Raitt at the Bank of Boston pavilion, with 6th row seats.
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Old 09-06-2016, 06:31 PM
 
1,586 posts, read 2,139,200 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lrfox View Post
I've never been to Essex, but Stonington is my favorite village in CT. We usually combine it with a Mystic stop (we're members at the Aquarium- you know... kids).

Portsmouth, NH is a great day trip if you haven't done it. Same goes for Newburyport, MA (you can combine the two).

Keene, NH might be pushing it for a day trip, but it's also worth a visit.
Love both Stonington and Mystic. I've done Mystic a bunch of times, Stonington only once. I didn't include either in this list because they come in under the 45-minute threshold for me.

I did Portsmouth a couple of summers ago -- amazing. I'll definitely be back. It reminds me of (Old) England more than any American place I've ever visited. As for Newburyport, I'm pretty confident I'll get there next year. It was on this year's shortlist but got cut because I decided on Rockport instead, and they were just too close together to justify both.

Keene is an interesting idea! I'd written it off as too far, but I just mapped it and it's barely two hours from me.

Quote:
Originally Posted by lrfox View Post
I think the "Cape Cod feel" is tough to get when visiting any of the towns (except maybe P-Town) on a day trip.
I'm definitely getting that impression from multiple people. A lot of people get the same place on the Cape every year, either owned or rented -- some for generations -- but as I think I've demonstrated, doing the same thing every year isn't really my style. I never really wanted a vacation home. Not that I could afford one anyway.

Quote:
Originally Posted by semiurbanite View Post
Glad to see Somerville get a 9/10. Somerville has several of the hottest neighborhoods in the Boston area, as well as some of the top restaurants. It also just got picked as a top 10 destination by lonely planet.
Lonely Planet's best places in U.S. for 2016 - CNN.com

The city in general gets alot of press lately
That's why I wanted to go. I'd been reading a lot about it. I know a few people who live there, too, but that's just me -- it's gotta be getting press!

Quote:
Originally Posted by riblue View Post
I left Somerville 8 years ago after living near Davis Sq for 15 years and before that in Cambridge and Arlington. I know the Rosebud diner in your photo but nothing else, much has changed not the least being the closing of long time music club Johnny ds. Is Assembly row the old Assembly sq., as I recall, that area of Somerville was definitely not hip and quite unappealing. Ah, much has changed. I enjoyed my time in the Somerville/ Cambridge area for some 25 years but relocated to the distant hinterlands of Burrillville 8 years ago. It is only 30 minutes to Providence, so it really is not that far away.


Boston is a wonderful city. This year we went to the rooftop view from the Custom House, beautiful clock tower and building. We also explored the North End where my grandparents and their children lived. The Rose Kennedy greenway was delightful as well. We ate dinner at Legal seafood Harborside and then saw a wonderful performance by Bonnie Raitt at the Bank of Boston pavilion, with 6th row seats.
I doubt Assembly Square is any hipper now than it was back then -- in fact, it's probably less hip, because hipsters love grit -- but it's definitely nice. I bet the Rosebud Diner wasn't a hipster restaurant when you lived there, either. I had dinner there -- great cocktails.

I don't know why more people don't talk about the Rose Kennedy Greenway. To me it's nearly the equal of the High Line in New York, and yet the High Line gets loads of publicity and tourists flock to it, but you don't hear much about Greenway. I suppose the High Line was a lot more ambitious, but the Greenway is a tremendous accomplishment, if you ask me.
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Old 09-06-2016, 06:52 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boulevardofdef View Post
I bet the Rosebud Diner wasn't a hipster restaurant when you lived there, either. I had dinner there -- great cocktails.
I don't care what it is/was, the place is awesome and always has been!
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Old 09-06-2016, 06:58 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by QuilterChick View Post
You should really see Nauset Beach, on the Atlantic side. Breathtaking.
Yup. Eastham, Wellfleet and Truro I think is where you actually find the Cape at its best. Hyannis on the other hand.... maybe they could swap it with Plymouth. Or Marion and Mattapoisett.

IDK, I just think the upper Cape is losing it. Like it's a suburb of Boston now or something...

But I guess I still do get that sense of relaxation when I cross the bridge, similar to crossing the Piscataqua bridge back into Kittery, ME.
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Old 09-06-2016, 08:44 PM
 
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I moved from RI to near Assembly (Malden/Everret line) and tried JP Licks. Good, but prefer the thickness of Brickley's in South County
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