The capital of Massachusetts isn’t someplace you essentially assume you’ll must take a day journey from, and it’s true – Boston has tons to do within the metropolis heart. There’s a wealthy historical past, artwork museums, and even the well-known Harvard College. However contemplating its prime location on the east coast, it could be an absolute crime to go to and never bask in some journeys from Boston. The broader Boston surrounds are properly related by trains and even higher related by highways and again roads. So guide a prepare ticket or hire a automobile and get occurring a day journey.
Prime Day Journeys from Boston
Whether or not you need recent seafood or to deal with the East Bay Bike Path, these top-day journeys from Boston are positive to maintain you ticking over all through your keep. On this information, we’ll cowl Boston’s greatest day journey choices – together with day journeys you possibly can attain by automobile and prepare to maintain issues accessible for everybody. Let’s get began.
Planning Your Journey To Boston Proper Now?
Beneath are among the high day journey excursions from Boston. Don’t neglect to plan forward when visiting Boston!
Prime Day Journey Actions and Excursions from Boston:
1. Plum Island
Plum Island is a beautiful day journey from Boston in the summertime months. The barrier island is simply over an hour’s drive on a nasty visitors day and will get its title from the wild plum shrubs that develop alongside its shores. It additionally earned the title ‘plum’ from the attribute purple sand that happens throughout low tide because of pinkish-tinted garnet crystals blended in with the sand.
As a day journey, it’s one of the pleasurable locations for a seashore day – though guests ought to keep in mind that there are not any on-duty lifeguards. It won’t be the Boston day journey for swimming if you happen to aren’t assured within the water and visiting with a gaggle of robust swimmers.
Plum Island is barely 11 miles lengthy, so you would stroll the entire island if you happen to actually wished to. In any other case, stick with organized mountaineering trails just like the Hellcat Marsh Loop Path, which cuts via the Parker River Nationwide Wildlife Reserve. Plum Island wormed its approach onto our information due to its quiet seashore vibe and plenty of nature-immersive experiences. It isn’t as busy because the seaside cities, so good if you happen to simply need to seashore bum for certainly one of your Boston day journeys.
2. Provincetown
Talking of seashore days, Provincetown is a kind of busier seaside cities we suggest. While you desire a day journey to someplace busy and entertainment-filled, Provincetown is the place to move. The New England city is correct on the tip of Cape Cod and is legendary for its arts, meals, and pilgrim historical past. In 1620, Provincetown was truly the positioning of the Mayflower’s touchdown, commemorated by the Pilgrim Monument in the present day.
Nevertheless, it’s not all historical past; its seashores are the cherry on high. Race Level Seashore is the preferred spot for sunbathing in Provincetown – so enable time to go to while you head on today journey from Boston.
Provincetown is pleasant, eclectic, and excellent for an impactful addition to our high Boston day journeys. You may drive to Provincetown in round 2 hours, passing little coastal city hotspots like Plymouth and Sandwich en route. Alternatively, use public transport to achieve the World Commerce Heart Pier and catch the ferry in roughly a 2-hour whole journey. This is a superb approach to sneakily glimpse Boston from the water.
3. Peabody Essex Museum
Artwork lovers, put together to be blown away by this one. Peabody Essex Museum is definitely one of many high artwork galleries you possibly can go to from or in Boston. And this museum is only a quick drive (45 minutes) from central Boston – so simply squeezed right into a busy itinerary. When you don’t have a automobile, you even have public transport choices with a number of bus traces connecting the 2.
The glitzy fashionable artwork museum is famend for its American and Asian artwork. It has a somewhat weird assortment of artifacts and shows. Be ready for full-room shows and loads of head-tilting artwork items. A substantial part is devoted to the Salem witches, a well-known story within the museum’s city of over 20 ladies who had been put to dying over baseless allegations of witchery.
When you go to the Peabody Essex Museum, you possibly can simply go to the Salem Witch Museum when you are there. Salem is small however mighty, with fairly a number of high-quality sights, so don’t hesitate to bulk your go to to this gallery right into a full-day affair. We had so as to add it to this itinerary due to the witch factor to its shows and the glitzy, complete showcasing of such an enormous show of high quality artwork. This museum additionally makes an excellent rainy-day journey from Boston. Day journeys aren’t only for sunny days.
4. Street Journey to Portland, Maine
Driving to Portland from Boston takes lower than a number of hours – roughly 2 hours and 1 minute. However as a substitute of dashing as much as Portland and again, make a day journey out of the drive and deal with it as a single-day highway journey. We propose driving via the gorgeous Middlesex Fells Reservation, detouring barely to cease by Salem and see all of the witch historical past, stopping for lunch at Portsmouth, after which spending a few hours absorbing Maine in scenic Portland.
In Portland, you would journey the Maine Slender Gauge Railroad, go to the Portland Museum of Artwork, or the Worldwide Cryptozoology Museum. The final one is pleasurable, with many fictional characters reveals like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster.
With all these stops on the primary a part of your journey, enable round 6 hours for the primary leg to completely take pleasure in every cease. Then, your return journey must be about 2 hours until you cease wherever fairly for sundown and dinner. The north shore residents are fortunate to have such historic cities and delightful views on their doorstep, so make sure you get an excellent style of this unbelievable stretch.
5. Salem Witch Museum
Salem Witch Museum is without doubt one of the most fascinating day journey concepts from Boston, and even higher, it is usually one of the possible. It’s simply an hour from Boston by automobile or a 45-minute direct prepare journey from North Station. The museum takes you again to 1692 when the Salem Witch Trials had been absolutely flowing. Over 200 ladies stood trial for false claims of witchery, and 19 had been convicted and given a death-by-hanging sentence.
The ordeal was catastrophic and regarded one of the tragic occasions in historical past. You may relive the expertise with life-size mannequins and trial scenes on the museum. You may flick thru informative reveals to study extra in regards to the ladies prosecuted and about attitudes and examples of witchcraft in the present day.
The Salem Witch Museum won’t be the very first thing that pops into your head while you consider a beautiful weekend getaway. Nevertheless, as a day journey from Boston, it highlights a massively essential part of historical past.
6. Woods Gap
Woods Gap is on the very finish of Cape Cod. In actual fact, it appears nearer to the islands than the mainland, regardless of being on the primary peninsula. The tiny village was as soon as a central whaling level, and you’ll nonetheless take pleasure in a extra moral model of coastal residing by strolling previous the marina and having fun with the waterfront promenade.
There may be a number of science-based leisure available on this village, too; simply cease by the Woods Gap Oceanographic Establishment Ocean Science Discovery Heart. This science museum even has Titanic restoration reveals. And you’ll benefit from the each day summer time of Woods Gap that departs from the Woods Gap Historic Museum.
Woods Gap is roughly a two-hour drive from Boston. For us, the primary draw is its whole science and marine focus. However keep in mind that the driving route all the way down to Woods Gap passes Plymouth or Blue Hills Reservation – relying in your route.
7. North Conway
North Conway is without doubt one of the furthest day journeys from Boston, taking 2 hours and 50 minutes to achieve by automobile. So why hassle? What grip does this little forest city maintain on so many guests? North Conway is a scorching spot for mountaineering, snowboarding, and waterfalls. The tiny village has extra mountaineering trails and out of doors adventures in a 10-mile radius than most cities do mixed. Head as much as North Conway early within the morning to have a full day having fun with its chic locale earlier than heading again after dinner. It’s a full day, however positively worthwhile.
Should-visits in North Conway embrace Diana’s Baths Cascade and Echo Lake State Park. The water sights listed below are beautiful and an excellent early morning exercise. Whether it is ski season, you would additionally spend a full day on the slopes. Whereas catching some lovely views on a time restrict, the Conway Scenic Railroad is your greatest shot.
The Nineteenth-century steam prepare whisks you round among the prettiest surroundings in North Conway in conventional eating automobiles. The out of doors journey in North Conway is unbeatable, so we had so as to add it to this information.
8. The Home of the Seven Gables
The Home of the Seven Gables might sound acquainted to any literature followers. The novel was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1851 and was a serious hit. And in Salem (we’re beginning to assume that the whole lot good is in Salem), you possibly can go to the precise home that impressed the novel.
The Home of the Seven Gables is now an up-and-running not-for-profit museum devoted to the writer, his life, and his novel. The home itself dates again to 1668 however was restored in 1910, saved in step with as many interval components and options as attainable. Positioned overlooking the water, it’s a lovely spot filled with historical past and price visiting.
The Home of the Seven Gables is an hour away from Boston by automobile or an hour by prepare from North Station. When you catch the prepare, be ready for a 25-minute stroll to the precise museum from the station.
9. Nantucket
Nantucket is an island extra remoted than Martha’s Winery and situated just a bit additional offshore. For an adventurous day journey, look no additional. The island has just a little city heart with these cobbled streets that you simply adore regardless of your self. The entire thing has that quaint attract and ruggedness from its geographical isolation. In brief, Nantucket is an island value day-tripping and an attractive instance of the Cape Cod area.
Nantucket’s important highlights are its waterfront cottages and conventional buildings in the primary city. You can too seashore hop and bounce between lighthouses, reveling within the fewer vacationers than you’d discover on the mainland or busier islands. It has a return ferry service that completely traces up with sufficient hours on the island to sightsee.
Moreover, it’s extra a spot to expertise than tick off a great deal of particular issues. The ferry is an hour lengthy, and it takes round 2 hours to achieve Hyannis Terminal by prepare from South Station, Boston. Carry an excellent guide and a few anti-motion illness tablets, simply in case.
10. New Bedford
New Bedford is without doubt one of the high day journeys from Boston. With restricted time, you possibly can take this journey certainly one of two methods: a possibility to find out about maritime historical past or style a great deal of scrumptious seafood. In a great world, we’d counsel staying a full day and ticking off each, but when that isn’t an choice, prepare to select one.
First issues first, although, New Bedford is situated on the south coast, simply outdoors of Windfall and Rhode Island. Town was based by English Quakers and, since then, has totally revolved across the fishing business, which must be simple to inform from all of the fishing boats in its harbor.
You may cease by (or bounce between) the primary wharf space and all of the seafood retailers simply south of the wharves, off MacArthur’s Drive. There are many high-brow seafood eating places, like The Black Whale and Merrill’s on the Waterfront.
So you possibly can at all times guide in for a sundown eating expertise there, as many tables additionally include waterfront views. In any other case, head to the New Bedford Whaling Museum to maintain issues academic. This considerably tragic museum tells the story of the worldwide whaling business. It offers wonderful perception into the toils of those lovely mammals.
New Bedford is simply 1.5 hours from Boston or 3 hours by public transport. It’s a straightforward day journey to prepare – whichever approach you propose it. And if you happen to drive, then you definately’ll minimize straight via Blue Hills Reservation which is a large plus.
11. Harmony
Harmony is excess of only a picturesque city. Out of all of the small cities in Massachusetts, this spot is without doubt one of the final day journey choices you would select from in Boston. Harmony is famed for its revolutionary warfare historical past, and you’ll go to the Previous North Bridge and Previous Hill Burial Floor.
Previous North Bridge is especially well-known and is the duplicate of the 1775 bridge the place the primary photographs of the American Revolution had been unleashed. Any historical past buffs ought to actually prioritize a visit to Harmony. Truthfully, there may be a lot historical past right here that it feels just like the world revolved round Harmony for a very long time.
As if all that American historical past wasn’t sufficient of a draw, Harmony additionally caters to a barely totally different crowd – literature followers. The city is house to Louisa Could Alcott’s Orchard Home, the place Little Ladies was written and set. Now you can take excursions round the home, a completely functioning museum commemorating the writer and her work.
Prepared for the actually thrilling half? Harmony is barely a 40-minute drive from Boston. And from North Station, it’s also possible to take a direct prepare in simply 40 minutes. So Harmony is without doubt one of the most public transport-friendly choices for Boston day journeys.
12. Polar Caves Park
Polar Caves Park doesn’t have polar bears. As an alternative, it cops its title from the glacial caves shaped within the park through the Ice Age – polar bears dwell close to glaciers, get it? There are 9 caves in whole, and also you scramble between them utilizing a mix of metallic ladders and step contraptions and a little bit of a squeeze right here and there.
Exploring caves that date again to the final Ice Age is admittedly thrilling. Polar Caves Park is the form of place that you could encourage youngsters to take pleasure in but additionally get worth out of as an grownup. The caves are additionally linked by little wood trails, which is a pleasant contact and offers beautiful forest views.
Polar Caves Park is roughly an hour and 50 minutes from Boston by automobile. Attending to Polar Caves Park is a complete breeze if you happen to hire a automobile. You can too cease at good locations en route, like Canobie Lake Park, a enjoyable theme park with rollercoasters and water rides. A day journey to Polar Caves Park is definitely mixed with different sights to interrupt up the journey time – so don’t let the drive time put you off. Polar Caves Park is without doubt one of the most unusual day journeys you possibly can take from Boston.
13. Previous Sturbridge Village
Previous Sturbridge Village is one other residing museum in your itinerary. The 1830s recreation is a settlement by design however an absolute time capsule by impact. The eye to element is elegant, and also you stroll via the ‘village’ to satisfy costumed actors who’ll cease and chat with you about what they’re doing.
The sawmill and blacksmith actors even give demonstrations. Prepare for an extremely immersive museum expertise. You may wander out and in of historic buildings, admiring all of the advantageous particulars – even all the way down to garments and desk cutlery. For us, Previous Sturbridge Village is definitely one of many high issues to do close to Boston. The eye to element, as we stated, is second to none.
The museum is simply an hour’s drive from Boston, so a possible addition to your journey. You would squeeze Previous Sturbridge Village right into a 5-6 hour slot. We propose permitting as a lot time as attainable to spend on the museum as a result of there are masses to get entangled with, like actions and rides. It’s one thing you need to take your time with. And, if you happen to wished, you would incorporate it with a cease in Worcester, the closest main metropolis to Boston.
14. White Mountain Nationwide Forest, New Hampshire
White Mountain Nationwide Forest spans over 800,000 acres of preserved forestland, which is sort of difficult to even start to image the size of. The forest has mountain views and historic websites scattered via its midst, so it combines mountaineering trails and sights to sightsee. If you’re fortunate, chances are you’ll even spot black bears and moose.
In summer time, White Mountain Nationwide Forest is an absolute haven for hikers; in winter, ski season takes over. On this sense, it is without doubt one of the most seasonally versatile day journeys from Boston. In summer time, we advise heading to the forest for its mountaineering trails for a day of strolling and picnicking. Whereas in winter, we suggest an exhilarating snowboarding day journey from Boston. Take your decide – or let your go to dates determine for you.
White Mountain Nationwide Forest is slightly below a 2-hour drive from Boston, so not an enormous distance to drive for a day journey. You’ll minimize via Harmony too, which makes the proper stopover level to have fun being midway.
15. Martha’s Winery
Fancy ingesting some wine? We hate to interrupt it to you, however Martha’s Winery will not be what you thought it could be. As an alternative of wine tastings, a Martha’s Winery day journey entails wildlife sanctuaries, marshlands, and loads of seashores. It’s a day trip for a rural, distant expertise of New England island residing.
The British explorer Bartholomew Gosnold named the island after his daughter, so you’ve got him to thank for the whacky title. You may attain Martha’s Winery by automobile from Boston after which a fast ferry crossing. It’s one of the adventurous locations to make a day journey due to the ferry factor and island standing.
Prime issues to do on Martha’s Winery embrace visiting the gingerbread cottages in Oak Bluffs, kicking again on the seashore, and admiring the views from Aquinnah Cliffs. The island has three important cities: Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, and Winery Haven, all extremely walkable.
However in any other case, if you happen to deliver your automobile on the ferry, you possibly can drive round all one of the best spots. The Flying Horses Carousel, Aquinnah Cliffs Overlook, and Polly Hill Arboretum are important sights. Put it this fashion, you’ll have lots to do while you aren’t having fun with probably the most distant sections of Martha’s Winery.
16. Jamestown
Jamestown is the form of New England attraction you hope to search out. The cobblestone streets give off that quintessential New England city attract and demand you to cease and take images if you’re social media-inclined. Relating to day journeys from Boston, Jamestown is a primary candidate if you happen to like aesthetic locations. And at only a 1.5-hour drive from Boston or a 2 hours 20-minute public transport journey from South Station, you might be onto a winner logistically.
In fact, it isn’t all quintessential aesthetics and cutesy cobblestones. Jamestown has a darkish historical past. Jamestown was the primary everlasting English settlement and a web site of a well-known 1622 bloodbath during which practically a 3rd of the English inhabitants was killed. The systematic seizure of Powhatan lands prompted the killings, and Opechancanough led a lethal collection of assaults on the settlement.
While you go to Jamestown, you possibly can go to quite a few historic buildings and landmarks that tribute English and Powhatan historical past. Powhatan Indian Village and James Fort are the 2 most visited. The truth that there may be a lot historical past simply over an hour from Boston actually stands out, and Jamestown’s shut hyperlinks to early American historical past and the tragedies of New England are the primary causes we’re that includes it.
17. Cycle the East Bay Bike Path
The East Bay Bike Path is one of the best day journey you possibly can take from Boston if you wish to go biking. The 14.5-mile bike path may shadow the rocky shoreline between Windfall and Bristol. Nevertheless, the route itself is paved and tremendous simple to navigate. Whereas the space requires a little bit of psychological grit, the East Bay Bike Path is technically simple and beginner-friendly. So whether or not you might be a longtime highway biker or simply fancy the problem, this bike path can swing each methods.
The bike path passes via 8 totally different parks, a bridge, and numerous waterfronts. It’s a actually thrilling and various approach to embrace coastal residing, and actually eco-friendly as properly. Not solely does it have quickly altering surroundings, nevertheless it additionally has tons of consuming and ingesting choices en route – to the purpose the place individuals have began to prepare meals excursions.
You would cease at Narragansett Brewery, the Field East Bay, or the Sowams Cider Works Firm, simply to call a number of. Enable round 3 hours for a return journey with a brief, 15-minute break or a full day if you happen to plan to cease heaps alongside the best way.
18. Wrentham Village Premium Shops
Wrentham Village Premium Shops is the biggest outlet purchasing spot in New England, and one of the best half is that it’s set open air, so you possibly can benefit from the solar when you store. The outlet retailer has over 160 manufacturers and competitively traces as much as 65% reductions. It’s the proper place to snag a discount and solely a 50-minute drive from Boston – what extra might you need? Of the over 160 manufacturers it options, you’ll discover Gucci, Adidas, Versace, Burberry, and extra. It has a luxurious spin, however you’ll discover some high-street manufacturers, so don’t let that put you off.
Wrentham Village Premium Shops made our record due to its large reductions and thrilling purchasing experiences. Procuring in Boston is enjoyable, however saving cash and having all one of the best manufacturers in a single handy area is tons extra enjoyable. You may deal with your self to new attire, sneakers, and even jewellery.
19. Newport, New Hampshire
Newport is without doubt one of the high day journeys from Boston. In simply 1.5 hours by automobile of some hours by public transportation, you possibly can simply skip over to Newport as a day journey from Boston. Newport is a metropolis set proper on the sting of Aquidneck Island on Rhode Island. It’s well-known for the America’s Cup, a worldwide well-known annual crusing regatta, that was as soon as held repeatedly within the metropolis.
Newport is the proper place to embrace coastal residing in a trendier approach than you’ll discover within the seaside city options. Image luxe yachts in a shiny harbor and a clifftop path (straightforwardly named the Cliff Stroll) that passes Gilded Age mansion after mansion. If you’d like a stylish place to benefit from the ocean or have an affinity for crusing, then Newport is the day journey for you.
Newport, Rhode Island, has loads of native historical past, and you’ll cease by its museums, which embrace The Breakers – a summer time house of the Vanderbilts and an attractive instance of the Gilded Age structure. True to its sporting core, there’s additionally the Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame, which was the house of the first-ever US Open Championship in 1881 and is an absolute memorabilia fest. Newport provides off ‘previous cash’ vibes, and since it’s such a brief drive from Boston, there’s no cause why you shouldn’t add it to your record.
20. Blue Hills Reservation
Blue Hills Reservation is a 7,000-acre park only a 30-minute drive or hour public transport scramble from central Boston. It’s the haven of inexperienced area that everybody flocks to, particularly on a busy day, and we’d suggest visiting for its mountaineering trails and wonderful picnic prospects. There are over 125 miles of mountaineering trails to get caught into, together with Burma Path and the Blue Hills Skyline Path. There’s a designated swimming space, too, that opens seasonally, so preserve that in thoughts on a scorching day.
Blue Hills Reservation is a shocking state park excellent for a day journey. It’s someplace to sprint to and escape the inner-city chaos, with many alternatives to chill out amongst nature. As a fast further suggestion, we advise heading to the 635ft Nice Blue Hill – the place you possibly can take pleasure in views of the Boston cityscape skyline on the horizon.
And it’s additionally value mentioning that Blue Hills Reservation is simply as lovely within the fall; the truth is, a fall day journey to Blue Hills is without doubt one of the greatest issues to do in Boston. Particularly when strolling across the state park’s lakes and seeing the orange and burnt-red reflections within the water. For us, Blue Hills Reservation is so lovely that it simply needed to make our record.
21. Josiah Keith Home Residing Historical past Museum and Homestead
- 50 minute drive from Boston
Josiah Keith Home Residing Historical past Museum and Homestead is the oldest home in Easton, Massachusetts. And this is without doubt one of the most uncommon day journeys from Boston. Excursions can be found by appointment solely, so you could ring or e mail beforehand. Self-guided excursions usually are not an choice. Josiah Keith Home is a residing historical past museum situated only a 50-minute drive from central Boston.
The property dates again to 1717 and has all the unique furnishings intact, so you possibly can wander via its rooms, getting a sensible impression of earlier lives in Massachusetts. As a ‘residing museum,’ it’s nonetheless a completely functioning homestead and runs a B&B service. Josiah Keith Home is lived in and acts as a functioning time capsule to provide guests a glimpse of 18th-century residing.
Visiting Josiah Keith Home Museum and Homestead is an absolute breeze by automobile, so be sure that to hire a automobile if today journey has caught your eye. It has made our record as a result of it affords an off-the-beaten-track expertise (not many individuals have Josiah Keith Home on their Boston itineraries) and a way of immersive historical past.
FAQs: Day Journeys From Boston
So, the place are you heading first in your day journeys from Boston? As now you can clearly see, Boston’s the proper launchpad for exploring Massachusetts and past. However don’t get carried away; maintain fireplace for a second. Earlier than you decide on at some point journey concept, although, try these important snippets of information.
What cities are 1 hour from Boston?
Bedford, Plymouth, and Bridgewater are all beneath an hour away from Boston. These cities all make implausible day journeys from Boston.
What cities are half-hour from Boston?
No cities are inside half-hour of Boston, however the closest, Worcester, is round 50 minutes away. And Windfall is an hour and 10 minutes away by automobile.
What cities are 4 hours from Boston?
New York Metropolis is round 4 hours from Boston by automobile – so positively record that as certainly one of your most bold choices for a day journey from Boston. Montreal is just a little additional at 5 hours by automobile and can contain crossing the Canadian border.
Is Boston value visiting for a day?
Sure, Boston is totally value visiting for a day due to its thriving arts scene, Boston Tea Social gathering historical past, and delightful Charles River Esplanade. With only a day, you must concentrate on 2-3 sights in Boston and keep within the Downtown, Waterfront, and Beacon Hill areas.
What are the Greatest Day Journeys from Boston?
Day journeys from Boston vary from healthful visits to a seaside city to indulgent journeys to take pleasure in recent seafood and whacky historic sights just like the Salem Witch Museum. You’ll love these day journey concepts. Take a break from the artwork galleries and inner-city sights in Boston and unfold your wings just a little.
Obtained just a little bit longer? You would attempt certainly one of our extra bold day journey concepts from Boston or perhaps a two-day getaway. There are a lot of issues to do in New York, which is only a 4-hour drive from Boston. Inside two days, you would additionally enterprise into Canada to go to Montreal or try Niagara Falls (we’ve received a information on the place to remain in Niagara Falls right here). As we stated, Boston has a great location on the east coast – so plan a day journey or an in a single day journey wherever attainable.
