Seven breaks from Beantown just a short drive away
by Sarah Brickley
It’s a source of pride for Bostonians that everything in our city is conveniently located within walking distance. But after a while, all that closeness can get a bit confining. Fortunately, if you do decide to escape the city for the day, there are points of interest to visit in every direction.
Lenox
Located in the peaceful, wooded Berkshire
Mountains, Lenox is best known to Bostonians
as the home of Tanglewood, the scenic al
fresco concert venue that hosts the Boston
Symphony Orchestra during the summer months.
As if the promise of classical music isn’t
enough to draw you west, the 4th annual
Tanglewood Wine and Food Classic from
August
3–5 gives you a chance to indulge more than
just your ears. Lenox is also home to The
Mount, the expansive estate and gardens of
author Edith Wharton, as well as the Frelighuyen Morris House and Studio, a
hidden gem of a museum filled with Cubist
art by painters including Miró and Picasso.
Lowell
Although it’s no longer a textile-production
hub filled with mill girls, Lowell still
draws young people from miles around due to
its hip art and music scene. Each weekend,
the Lowell Summer Music Series offers
outdoor concerts, with upcoming performers
including Leon Russell (August 4) and La Bottine Souriante (August 12). In a nod to
the city’s textile industry roots, the city
hosts the Lowell Quilt Festival (August 3–6,
visit
www.lowellquiltfestival.org for more
information). And many are surprised to
learn of Lowell’s position as a mini-museum
mecca—home to the Boott Cotton Mills Museum,
the American Textile Museum and the
culturally diverse Revolving Museum.
Martha’s Vineyard
With its vast stretches of beach and
charming small-town atmosphere, it’s easy to
see why this little island is a favorite
summer getaway for countless celebrities,
including the Clintons, Bill Gates and Carly
Simon. “The Vineyard” is also home to
several historic lighthouses, as well as the
Flying Horses Carousel, the oldest operating
carousel in America. Come dusk, make your
way to the Menemsha fishing village—the
seaside area where Stephen Spielberg shot
most of Jaws—for the best sunset viewing on
the island. Meanwhile, from August 10–13,
aspiring Spielbergs can enjoy screenings and
workshops as the 4th annual African-American
Film Festival takes place.
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If you go…
Lenox: Approximate driving time: 2.5 hours. Driving directions: Take Mass Pike West to Exit 2, take a right off exit ramp to Rte. 20 West. Other options: Bonanza/Peter Pan bus lines (617-526-1801, departing from South Station). Amtrak (multiple departure points in Boston, 800-USA-RAIL) service to Pittsfield, just 10 minutes from Lenox. On Aug 5, the Tanglewood Wine and Food Classic offers $30 round-trip bus service between Boston’s Symphony Hall (departing at 9:30 a.m.) and Tanglewood. Call 888-266-1200 for more information. Lowell: Approximate driving time: 40 minutes. Driving directions: Take Mass Pike West to Rte. 495 North to Exit 35C, or Rte.3 North to 30B. Other options: MBTA Commuter Rail trains from Boston’s North Station. Martha’s Vineyard: Approximate driving time: 1 hour, 40 minutes to ferry. Island Queen ferry service (from Falmouth, 508-548-4800) takes 35 minutes. The Steamship Authority (from Woods Hole, 508-477-8600) takes 45 minutes. Numerous other ferry services are available. Plymouth & Brockton (508-746-0378, departing from Logan Airport and South Station) and Bonanza/Peter Pan bus lines travel from Boston to ferry departure points, as do Amtrak trains. Newport, RI: Approximate driving time: 1.5 hours. Driving directions: Take Rte. 95 South to Rte. 24 South to Rte. 114 South. Other options: Bonanza/Peter Pan bus lines serve Newport. Amtrak trains go to Kingston, which is 15 miles west of Newport. Plymouth: Approximate driving time: 50 minutes. Driving directions: Rte. 3 South. Other options: Bus service from Plymouth & Brockton bus lines, MBTA Commuter Rail from South Station. Southern Maine: Approximate driving time: 1–2 hours. Driving directions: Take Rte. 1 North to 95 North. Other options: Greyhound buses (800-231-2222, departing from South Station) to Portland; Amtrak’s Downeaster, offering rail service from North Station to Portland and beyond (visit www.thedowneaster.com for more information). Provincetown: Approximate driving time: 2.5 hours. Driving directions: Take Rte. 3 South to Rte. 6 East. Other options: Bay State Cruise Company (617-748-1428) runs ferry service between Boston’s World Trade Center and Provincetown, with rides as short as 90 minutes. |
Newport, RI
Although it may be the smallest state in the
union, Rhode Island is home to some of the
most expansive estates you’ll ever see. Many
of Newport’s mansions even invite visitors
to tour their grounds, including the Italian
villa-style Chepstow, the High Victorian
Chateau-sur-Mer and Belcourt Castle, which
is filled with an impressive collection of
art and antiques. When it comes to culture,
people who live in mansions don’t fool
around. Summer in Newport means two huge
music festivals of great renown. From August
4–6, diverse artists from Irish tenor Ronan Tynan to the harmonious duo the Indigo Girls
come to town for the Newport Folk Festival.
For music lovers of a different stripe,
check out the JVC Jazz Festival, which
features performances by George Benson, Dave Brubeck, Jane Monheit and more from
August
11–13.
Plymouth
From history buffs to beach bums, Plymouth
has a little something for everyone. The
city is chockfull of historical museums that
commemorate the Pilgrims’ 1620 landing on
Plymouth’s shores. (And yes, Plymouth Rock
is still there to mark the spot.) Don’t miss
Plimoth Plantation, where you can immerse
yourself in a Pilgrim community from 1627
and explore the Mayflower II, a replica of
the ship that brought colonists to America.
When you’ve had your fill of history, try
soaking up the sun at one of the area’s many
beaches, including White Horse Beach,
Nelson
Beach and Plymouth Beach.
Southern Maine
Once thought of as a distant territory
populated chiefly by moose and trees, Maine
is now hipper and more accessible than many
realize. The waterfront community of
Portland is home to the Sea Dogs—the Red
Sox’ AA affiliate—as well as a burgeoning
nightlife scene and a trendy and artsy
shopping district. With more than 120 outlet
stores, Kittery is a bargain hunter’s
fantasy, especially with back-to-school
sales starting in mid-August. And after all
that partying and shopping, the gorgeous
coastal village of Kennebunkport (where the
Bush clan chills in the summer) is the
perfect place to unwind, whether you choose
the secluded Goose Rocks Beach or the
expansive Kennebunk Beach.
Provincetown
Like all Cape Cod locales, Provincetown is
home to its share of picturesque coastline,
including the Herring Cove Beach and
Race
Point Beach, both of which are stops on the
town’s $1 shuttle service. But what sets
P-Town apart from other beach towns is its
residents—a diverse mosaic that includes a
large gay community. In celebration of gay,
lesbian, bisexual, and transgender parents
and their families, July 29–August 5 is
Family Week. All P-Town visitors tend to
flock to Commercial Street—the town’s main
drag—which is lined with a myriad of
eclectic shops, including the Portuguese
Bakery, a mainstay of the neighborhood’s
ethnic fishing roots. For a sweet treat that
hardly makes a dent in your wallet, try the pasteis de nata (lemon custard) or the fried
dough-like malassadas. For more traditional
American fare, venture into the town’s
quaint West End and pay a visit to Relish, a
café complete with breakfast, lunch, and
tempting dessert options.
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