10 Best Day Trips from Boston

Thanks to its location on the coast of Massachusetts, Boston is the ideal starting point for a number of excursions. The most popular is the one to the Big Apple, but it is not the only one. Rhode Island and Maine are just a few miles away and can be easily reached by car, public transport or an organised tour.

There are thousands of things to see and do in and around Boston. This article details the best cities and towns worth seeing.

The Big Apple needs no introduction. Its fame goes far beyond American borders and even those who have never been there know its monuments. If you have booked a flight to the Massachusetts metropolis, you can take the opportunity to visit Manhattan, Brooklyn and Ellis Island.

Although they are on the same coast, they are separated by more than 300 kilometres but, if you wake up very early, you can make a day trip and return to Boston in the evening.

However, in my opinion, it is preferable to stay at least one night. If this is your case, I recommend you read the post that explains what to see in New York in two days.

Practical information

• How to get there: the most convenient option is the Acela high-speed train, which takes about 4 hours to get to Manhattan Penn Station. Alternatively, you can take a Greyhound bus which can take between 4.5 and 6 hours.
• Price: A train ticket costs about $60. The bus is slightly more expensive, averaging around $70 (round trip for both options).

This Rhode Island town is known for its splendid mansions. Between the 1920s and 1930s, wealthy Americans fled the cities for this stretch of coastline. Several tours depart daily from Boston for a tour of these historic homes.

Among the most beautiful are The Breakers (a splendid Italian Renaissance-style villa), Rosecliff (inspired by the Palace of Versailles) and Marble House, a jewel of Beaux Arts architecture.

Practical information

• How to get there: I recommend booking a tour from Boston. It usually takes about 10 hours and is guided by an expert guide.
• Transport: usually by bus
• Price: about €100

The Cape Cod Peninsula juts out into the Atlantic and boasts endless sandy beaches adorned with lighthouses and seaside villages. The first English settlers landed here in 1620 and built Provincetown. Interestingly, what was once the city of the Pilgrim Fathers is now a popular destination for the LGBT community.

If you're travelling to Boston in summer and want to escape the heat of the metropolis, I recommend booking a hotel or tourist accommodation well in advance. Cape Cod is a popular holiday destination, especially for nature lovers and bike tourers.

The peninsula is criss-crossed by 114 miles of trails, the best known of which is the Cape Cod Rail Trail which follows the route of an old disused railway. You'll find dozens of agencies on site that rent out both mountain bikes and road bikes.

Practical info

• How to get there: the cheapest option is the Peter Pan bus, which takes just over an hour to reach the peninsula. Alternatively, you can take the Boston Harbor Cruises ferry to Provincetown in 90 minutes or the Cape Flyer train, which takes about two hours. You can also opt for an organised tour. These usually take about 11 hours and cost about €140.
• Price: the cheapest is the train which can cost around $35/$40. The bus is usually around $60 while the ferry can cost up to $100.

A few kilometres south of Boston, just a few miles off the coast of Rhode Island, lies America's most exclusive island. It's home to Obama's summer residence and is known for its lush nature. Perhaps its most famous postcard is the great sandy beaches and cliffs of Aquinnah.

It can be visited all year round, although the best seasons are spring and summer. The best way to visit is by choosing an organised tour from Boston.

You'll have plenty of time to explore the island and its six towns: Aquinnah, Tisbury, Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, West Tisbury and Chilmark. If you're travelling with children, I recommend taking them to Island Alpaca, a farm where they can interact with these cute animals.

Useful information

• How to get there: If you want to get the most out of your trip, I recommend booking a tour from Boston. They usually include a bus and ferry. However, if you want to get there on your own, I recommend reading the post about transfers to Martha's Vineyard from Boston.
• Price: the cost of the tours is usually around 100 €.

In northern New Hampshire, bordering Maine and Vermont, rises a mountain range of extraordinary beauty. It's a year-round destination for waterfalls, glacier-carved gorges, pristine wilderness, zip lines and ski resorts.

In my opinion, if you visit Boston in autumn, I'd recommend making your way to the White Mountains. The chromatic scale of the forests is simply marvellous and there are dozens of viewpoints. To guide you, I recommend using Foliage Tracker, a website that indicates the best viewpoints according to the month of the year.

Practical information

• How to get there: The most convenient way is by organised tour. Spend just over €120 and you'll travel to New Hampshire in an air-conditioned van. You'll see breathtaking scenery and eat in a charming mountain village. An expert guide is on hand at all times. You can also hire a car. From Boston, just follow Interstate 93. The drive takes about 2.5 hours. If you don't feel like renting a car, you can take a Concord Coach Lines bus to Conway, Berlin or Plymouth.
• Price: A round-trip bus ride ranges from $45 to $70.

Travelling to Boston with children? Then I recommend you take them to an original and interactive museum. Old Sturbridge Village is a village spread over 200 acres and hosts craft workshops, farm animals to interact with and other activities.

The unique feature is that all the staff wear the costumes worn in the 1830s. You can enter a school, the blacksmith's cellar, discover how cloth is made, produce candles and much more. As an open-air museum, it is not open all year round. It is usually open from April to October.

Practical information

• How to get there: the interactive museum is located in Sturbridge, a town of 10,000 souls in the county of Worcester. To visit, you'll need to rent a car and drive along Interstate 90. The drive takes just over an hour.
• Price: A standard ticket costs $28. Children under 3 are free, children up to 17 pay $14 and those over 55 pay $26.

Between April and October, the whales head towards the North Pole to escape the heat. On their journey, they cross the stretch of ocean off Boston, making the city the ideal starting point to enjoy the spectacle of the pods.

Also, just a few miles off the coast is the Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary, a protected area that is home to whales, cod, tuna and large schools of herring.

If you're visiting Boston in summer, I recommend booking a whale-watching tour. One popular option is on the Boston Aquarium's whale-watching vessel. The boats are designed for the task and depart from Central Wharf, the city's financial district.

Departures are usually daily and are divided into two shifts: one in the morning and the second in the early afternoon. Cruises last between 3 and 4 hours and usually involve groups of around 20 people.

Practical information

• How to get there: the pier is located near the aquarium. To get there, just take the metro (blue line, Aquarium stop).
• Price: between $60 and $70

Are you a fan of Stephen King's novels? Then this city will ring a bell. The famous writer was born here and most of his stories are set in the state of Maine. Portland is the most important city both economically and culturally and is definitely worth a visit.

Any tour of Portland should start in the Old Port area, which is characterised by the typical red brick buildings. Here you'll find lobster restaurants (a Maine speciality), bars and trendy boutiques such as Rough & Tumble (famous for handmade handbags) and Aristelle (a must for underwear).

From here, Casco Bay Lines ferries connect the mainland with nearby Peaks Island. In just over 20 minutes you'll arrive at a dreamy island dotted with charming cottages and World War II bunkers. To enjoy its charms, I recommend renting a bike or golf cart.

Practical info

• How to get there: there are guided tours that allow you to visit Portland in one day. You will leave Boston in the morning and return before dinner. You can also opt for a route that includes Portland and other nearby towns(Acadia National Park, York, etc.). If you have a rental car, you can reach Portland in just under two hours via Interstate 95. Alternatively, you can take the train ( Amtrak Downeaster provides connections between the two cities) or bus ( Concord Coach Lines).
• Cost: The train costs about $48 while the bus costs about $40.

This Essex county town is world famous for the witch trials that took place in the 17th century. The Witch Dungeon Museum (a dramatisation of the famous trial) and the Witch House (the house of the judge who conducted the investigations) are proof of this.

If you visit Boston in October, Salem should be a must-see. On Halloween the town is filled with pumpkins, ghosts, witch parades and other scary characters. For a taste of the local fare, I recommend booking a table at Turner's Seafood (43 Church Street).

Useful information

• How to get there: the most scenic option is a ferry. Boston Harbor Cruises ' boats connect the two locations and the trip takes less than an hour. Unfortunately, the ferry only operates in spring and summer. In the other months you'll have to take a Boston Express bus. In this case, the journey takes just over 30 minutes.
• Price: If you choose the train, you'll have to pay about $45. The bus is cheaper, costing just over $20.

Travelling to Boston in November? Then you can take advantage of the Black Friday deals and get a head start on your Christmas shopping at the Wrentham Village Premium Outlets.

The United States is an ideal shopping destination: there are many outlets where the big brands have considerably lower prices. You'll find almost exclusively clothes and accessories from the "wrong" season, but I assure you it's worth it.

Practical information

• How to get there: if you don't have a rental car, you can get there by a combination of train and taxi. You can take the train from Back Bay Station, Boston and get off at Mansfield (Providence/Stoughton line). Once there, you can simply take a taxi to the outlet. The journey takes about 45 minutes.
• Price: You'll need to spend about $40 to do this route.

It depends on the option you choose. There are half-day tours and tours that could be extended by one or two nights. For example, if you like green landscapes and the view of the ocean, I recommend you to book a hotel room. For more information I recommend reading the post on how to get to New Hampshire and the article on how to get to Cape Cod from Boston.