Summer tourist destinations

[Pear Martini]

White pond is surreal in the summer months

[konfetka]

Originally Posted by jojoboulette

Can anyone add to this thread but with the caveat that we'd be traveling with a 2.5 year old? She's still taking pretty long afternoon naps, so we're looking for an area that wouldn't require a lot of driving around to do things (so that we could get out and back by 2pm or so on any given day without having to spending more than an 1/2 hour or so driving, walking for everything would be best), and also close to the beach (with warmer water, if possible). We like outdoors, beautiful architecture, historic sites, good food and not so much tourists... :P Given all of that, does Cape Cod/MV sound like a good bet? We'd be coming from Westchester County in NY, so trying to find something that's not too far away by car.

Sounds like Newport has a lot of what you are looking for:

• Historic architecture - Newport mansions
• Not a lot of driving - it's all in one town, and downtown is very walkable
• Close to the beach - there is a beach right near the mansions and a few other nice ones nearby
• There are a lot of restaurants and resort-style hotels right in downtown

If you want something quieter, smaller and walkable with a beach, restaurants and a cozy inn on the ocean I would suggest Rockport on Cape Ann, but it might be a longer trip for you. For architecture you can see:

• Hammond castle - shipped stone by stone from Europe by the inventor of remote control (Gloucester)
• Beauport - the summer home of America's first interior designer (Gloucester)
• The Paper house - a house made from paper (Rockport)
• Crane Estate on Castle Hill - a Chicago industrialist's mansion on the ocean in Ipswich
• Also in Ipswich - more 17th century period homes than in any other town in the US

[Beantown_mama]

They don't always allow little kids in the mansions in Newport (I know my rowdy little 6 year old boy was kicked out of one of them!) and truthfully, mansion tours are not really that exciting for little kids. So I don't know about the Newport mansions as a thing to do with a family.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by jojoboulette

Can anyone add to this thread but with the caveat that we'd be traveling with a 2.5 year old? She's still taking pretty long afternoon naps, so we're looking for an area that wouldn't require a lot of driving around to do things (so that we could get out and back by 2pm or so on any given day without having to spending more than an 1/2 hour or so driving, walking for everything would be best), and also close to the beach (with warmer water, if possible). We like outdoors, beautiful architecture, historic sites, good food and not so much tourists... :P Given all of that, does Cape Cod/MV sound like a good bet? We'd be coming from Westchester County in NY, so trying to find something that's not too far away by car.

MV would be great, but you're going to have the tourists. Still, everything is fairly close together so it's hard to get a long ways from wherever you're staying.

If you do go to the Vineyard, I'd suggest taking the ferry out of New Bedford and spending the afternoon downtown. 13 blocks of downtown are a National Historic Park dedicated to preserving the city's heritage as the world's largest whaling port. Melville lived in NB and wrote Moby Dick about his experience on a New Bedford whaling ship. Many of the buildings in his book are still standing downtown and some, like the Seaman's Bethel, are open to the public. The centerpiece to the whaling district is the Whaling Museum which has a lot of interactive exhibits that your daughter may enjoy. The architecture of the neighborhood is gorgeous and the streets are all cobblestone and lined with gas lamps. The Whaling District, while well-preserved is still a functioning neighborhood and there are plenty of restaurants. NB is the highest grossing fishing port in the nation and the seafood is excellent (better and cheaper than what you'll find on Martha's Vineyard). It also has a major Portuguese influence so it's a great place to try a different type of cuisine if you're looking to branch out. Within walking distance of the Whaling District is the Ocean Explorium which is a nice, small interactive aquarium that's geared toward younger children. Definitely worth a visit.

The city is chalk full of great 18th and 19th century architecture even outside of the whaling district. The old captain's homes in the County Street Historic District are stunning as well (particularly the Rotch-Jones-Duff House which is open to the public). It's a great way to get your fill of history, food and architecture in a compact area and it's a perfect jumping off point for Martha's Vineyard. Better yet, it's growing in popularity with tourists but it's still fairly under the radar. Definitely worth a visit.

[vicvanexel]

Provincetown is the best. they have the best beaches and the dunes. its surrounded by water. the culture is very unique. restaurants , shops , etc...
the water activities are really superb, check out the Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch, and if you want an extra special treat look for SeaSalt Charters, www.seasaltcharters.com - Home they are a private Whale Watching and Fishing outfit, they should be right near the Dolphin. either way you have to go whale watching.

[LINative]

Originally Posted by Beantown_mama

They don't always allow little kids in the mansions in Newport (I know my rowdy little 6 year old boy was kicked out of one of them!) and truthfully, mansion tours are not really that exciting for little kids. So I don't know about the Newport mansions as a thing to do with a family.

Your definetely right about the short attention span of kids. But you could combine Konfetka's excellent ideas about Newport with a visit to Battleship Cove.

Lots of kids would love exploring a battleship! http://www.battleshipcove.org/ at the Battleship Cove - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There is also are a number of ferries out of Newport that goes either to Block Island, New London, Marthas or Long Island for a side trip to the beach. Some of the ferries are pricey but the water trips are nice.

You can also hit New Bedford like Irfox suggested. Plenty of small museums in that area.

[TAM88]

The great thing about the Boston area is that within a 1.5-2 hour drive you have so much to do throughout the year.

In the summer the Cape and Islands are the most popular area for people in Boston and most of Eastern Mass.

The lake region up in NH is also very popular and can get pretty crowded.

Maine can be very nice, especially Acadia National Park. Beaches in Maine are generally colder and rocky. Not as nice as those found on the Cape and South Shore Mass.

Southern Rhode Island, Newport, Bristol, Warren are all nice during the warmer months as well.

[SarasotaBound22]

I live in Nantucket and it is an enchanted island, but I do agree with the other posters. It is far to get to - best bet is to take the 1 hour or 2.5 hour ferry from Hyannis, Cape Cod (or fly - 20 mins) - and once you are here, you are pretty much stuck (you likely even have to rent a car, or at least bikes). A lot of people like that; it is the great escape. But, it is a very safe, uncrowded, no traffic place. The beaches are free, with easy parking, and kids love it. There is a beach called "Children's Beach" right in town that has super calm water, a lifeguard, a lot of space for sandcastles, and usually some free evening entertainment. The library runs a lot of kids' programs for free. If you are not overly concerned about money (and many here are not) you can find many, many activities for kids and yourselves. But nothing here is cheap. There is also a babysitting business on the island that is safe and secure for parents who want a night out.

I have been to MV a few times and it is much more crowded than Nantucket; my friends and I never did get into a single restaurant on MV in the summer because we didn't have reservations well in advance.

I have been to Newport many times and it is a gorgeous place with a lot to do. The beaches are not that great, though, and they coast about 20.00 per day to park there. The town is very crowded with a lot of traffic. But, again, it is a wonderful place.

[Eric H.]

All the aforementioned Massachusetts summer travel destinations are surely worthy of a visit, but I'd like to add Plymouth, Mass. In a way it's like Cape Cod without the pain of heading into traffic going over the Sagamore or Bourne Bridges. The waterfront is really nice, filled with several seafood restaurants with water views, locally-owned shops and the scenic 11-acre Pilgrim Memorial State Park along Plymouth Harbor. It's a great place for an evening walk. Of course, Plymouth is where the Pilgrims landed so attractions like Plimoth Plantation and the Mayflower II (a replica of the original ship) offer great entertaining and educational value. You'll also find Plymouth Rock here, which is about the size of a rock we have in our back yard, but the historical significance is far greater in Plymouth! There are several area ocean beaches, and the feeling is laid back, relaxing and generally a nice place to vacation. Here is more on Plymouth: Planning the Affordable Journey to Plymouth, Mass. | The Thrifty New England Traveler

[lrfox]

^Good Call.

I'm always surprised that Plymouth doesn't get mentioned more. The history is obvious, but the downtown area is pretty nice with great shops and restaurants (even fun nightlife) and the waterfront and beaches are great.