Airports (Boston, New Bedford, Plymouth: where to stay, rental, hotels) - Massachusetts (MA) - City-Data Forum

foxybabe13 · 02-16-2011, 02:04 PM

Im looking into making a trip to the Cape Cod area to look into job opportunities and housing. What airport would be the best to fly in and out of? Looking at the month of April or May. Thanks!

lrfox · 02-16-2011, 04:24 PM

Providence or Boston would be your best bets. You'll need to rent a car. Providence will probably be easier to drive in/out of. Both are almost the same exact distance from Cape Cod (just a little more than an hour). Cape Cod has some seasonal commercial traffic, but most of it is small airlines (Cape Air, Nantucket Air, etc). It's probably much more cost effective to rent a car at either PVD or BOS.

Just to make sure I was right about the distances being close, I quickly google mapped the distances from the beginning of the Cape (Bourne) to both Logan Airport (BOS) and TF Green Airport(PVD). Boston is 61 miles away (1hr and 7 minutes drive) and Providence is 63 miles away (1hr and 4 minute drive... I guess the road is more direct from PVD). So it really doesn't matter which one you fly into as they're really almost an identical distance from Cape Cod.

shiver · 02-17-2011, 08:59 AM

I agree with Irfox. Cape Air has connections to Cape Cod Airport from both Providence, RI and Boston. However, I'm assuming you'll need to rent a car to get around the Cape so it makes the most sense economically to fly into either Boston or Providence, rent a car at the airport and just drive to the Cape. I'd only suggest flying directly into the Cape if you were staying with friends/family and didn't need to rent a car.

Of course, cost and convenience would be my deciding factors in choosing between Boston and Providence, but all things being equal, I'd prefer to fly into Providence. Smaller airport, smaller metro area to navigate, less chaotic and less traffic.

foxybabe13 · 02-17-2011, 10:05 AM

Thank you very much for the insite! I will definitly be renting a car due to the reason I a going up there is to check out moving up there. Looking into job opportunities, housing and colleges. Which airport would take me to Cape Cod thru some of the smaller communities that have history and scenic views that I could check out?

capecodcathy · 02-17-2011, 10:13 AM

I've made the trip from the Cape to both Boston and Providence many times over the past 13 years. I absolutely refuse to fly out of or into Boston. T.F. Green is the way to go.

lrfox · 02-17-2011, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxybabe13

Thank you very much for the insite! I will definitly be renting a car due to the reason I a going up there is to check out moving up there. Looking into job opportunities, housing and colleges. Which airport would take me to Cape Cod thru some of the smaller communities that have history and scenic views that I could check out?

If you want to get off the highway, both areas have nice scenery.

From Boston you may want to check out Plymouth's historic sites and beautiful harbor, and the coast in some of the other South Shore communities like Duxbury, Hingham, and more. Also, the Cape Cod Canal is cool in its own right.

From Providence, you could get off the highway and check out Bristol, RI (beautiful). If you wanted a bigger detour, Newport would be worth it. The South Coast communities in MA like Westport (Horseneck Beach), Fairhaven, Marion and Mattapoisett. New Bedford has a national historic park downtown that's worth a visit. You'll also be near the canal from this direction too.

On Cape Cod there's a ton. I recommend Sandwich, Falmouth, Hyannisport, Chatham and Provincetown. The National Seashore is beautiful. There are others who know more about the Cape than I do.

I'd prefer flying into Providence too, for the record. Easier driving.

capecodcathy · 02-17-2011, 05:29 PM

Not sure what you're looking for as far as colleges go, but the Cape only offers Cape Cod Community College. A ride down 6A is very enjoyable.

foxybabe13 · 02-18-2011, 10:20 AM

Thanks again for the info....in reguards to colleges, I am working on finishing my masters degree in child psychology. Im at the point of needing to start my internship as well. Do any of the larger colleges offer online classes? How far of a drive from the start of the Cape to a good University? Any recommendations on where to stay when I come up to visit? Definitly going to be focused on the Cape and just off? All info is greatly appreciated!!

lrfox · 02-18-2011, 11:42 AM

^I don't know about your program, but UMass Dartmouth and Bridgewater State are probably the closest two universities to Cape Cod. I don't know about online classes either. You could always check their websites.

Capecodcathy will have much better insight on where to stay than I will.

QuilterChick · 02-22-2011, 08:26 AM

Quick question: I am a native New Englander. Wondering why you want to live on Cape Cod and not on the mainland if you are going to a University? The Cape is "wicked" expensive and if there are any jobs on the Cape, I'll be there in a heartbeat. Spent all my summers on the Cape and would love to retire there, as many friends live there year'round but have their own businesses. Food costs there are over the top.

The only jobs will be in restaurants, hotels, retail, lounges, maybe construction/home improvement, painting, landscaping, etc. and you will be lucky to find a rental for under $1400 a month that is liveable. Everyone rents to tourists at $1500 a week in season.

Why not Eastham, Middleboro, Plymouth, Dartmouth, New Bedford etc. ?

If you insist, definitely fly into PVD, rent a car and take Rt. 95 to Rt. 195 to Rt. 6 Mid Cape Highway. Rt. 6A runs along the bayside (beautiful small towns), Rt. 28 is a traffic nightmare in season, and runs along the ocean side. There are a few roads that cross such as Rt. 134.

Best to you!