Side Trips

In addition to being, in Oliver Wendell Holmes's words, "the hub of the solar system," Boston is the hub of a network of delightful excursions. The destinations in this chapter -- Lexington and Concord, the North Shore and Cape Ann, and Plymouth -- make fascinating, manageable day trips and offer enough diversions to fill several days.

Like Boston, the suburbs are home to many attractions that rely heavily on aid from outside sources. Admission fees in this chapter are current at press time, but the domino effect of corporate mergers and government budget cuts may have nudged prices higher by the time you visit. If you're on a tight budget, call ahead.

You Do the Math -- The MBTA (tel. 800/392-6100 or 617/222-3200; www.mbta.com) serves most of the destinations outside of Boston, but public transit isn't necessarily cheaper than renting a car for a day. For example, suppose you're visiting Gloucester with three other adults, each paying a total of $15 to ride the commuter rail. Even allowing for gas prices, a good deal on a rental car will be cheaper than $60 in train fares. What's more, having a car allows you to make your own schedule instead of being tethered to the train's timetable -- and you don't have to leave from North Station. Just make sure that the car-rental company accepts returns at the time you anticipate returning to Boston, so that you don't get stuck with the car and pricey overnight parking.

Lexington & Concord

The shooting stage of the Revolutionary War began here, and parts of the towns still look much as they did in April 1775, when the fight for independence began. Start your visit in Lexington, where colonists and British troops first clashed. Spend some time at Minute Man National Historical Park, on the border with Concord, investigating the battle that raged there. Decide for yourself where the "shot heard round the world" rang out -- bearing in mind that Ralph Waldo Emerson, who wrote those words, lived in Concord. Emerson's house and Louisa May Alcott's nearby family home are just two of the fascinating destinations in this area.

Some attractions close from late fall to March or mid-April, opening after Patriots Day, the third Monday in April. Information about both towns is available from the Greater Merrimack Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau, 9 Central St., Suite 201, Lowell, MA 01852 (tel. 800/443-3332 or 978/459-6150; www.merrimackvalley.org).

Poetry in Motion -- Before you visit Lexington and Concord, you might want to read "Paul Revere's Ride," Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's classic but historically questionable poem that dramatically chronicles the events of April 18 and 19, 1775.

The North Shore & Cape Ann

The areas north of Boston abound with historic sights and gorgeous ocean vistas. Cape Ann is a rocky peninsula so enchantingly beautiful that when you hear the slogan "Massachusetts's Other Cape," you might forget what the first one was. Cape Ann and Cape Cod do share some attributes -- scenery, shopping, seafood, and traffic. Its proximity to Boston and manageable scale make Cape Ann a wonderful day trip as well as a good choice for a longer stay.

If possible, explore the North Shore by car. Public transportation in this area is good, but it doesn't go everywhere, and in some towns the train station is some distance from the attractions. For the full day-trip experience, try to visit on a spring, summer, or fall weekday; traffic is brutal on warm weekends. Many areas are practically ghost towns from November through March, but all of the destinations in this chapter have enough of a year-round community to make an off-season excursion worthwhile.

The Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce information center is a good resource. The North of Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, 17 Peabody Sq., Peabody, MA 01960 (tel. 800/742-5306 or 978/977-7760; www.northofboston.org), publishes a map and a visitor guide that covers 34 municipalities, including Salem, Marblehead, and all of Cape Ann. It also coordinates Escapes North (www.escapesnorth.com), a clearinghouse for arts-oriented travel throughout the area.

North Shore Beaches

North of Boston, sandy beaches complement the predominantly rocky coastline. Things to know: The water is cold (optimistic locals say "refreshing"). Parking can be scarce, especially on weekends, and pricey -- as much as $20 per car. If you can't set out early, wait until midafternoon and hope that the people who arrived in the morning have had their fill. During the summer, lifeguards are on duty from 9am to 5pm at larger public beaches. Surfing is generally permitted outside of those hours. The beaches listed here all have bathhouses and snack bars. Swimming or not, watch out for greenhead flies in July and August. They don't sting -- they take little bites of flesh. Bring or buy insect repellent.

The best-known North Shore beach is Singing Beach, off Masconomo Street in Manchester-by-the-Sea. Because it's accessible by public transportation, it attracts the most diverse crowd -- carless singles, local families, and other beach bunnies of all ages. They walk 1/2 mile on Beach Street from the train station to find sparkling sand and lively surf. Take the commuter rail (tel. 617/222-3200; www.mbta.com) from Boston's North Station.

Nearly as famous and popular is Crane Beach, off Argilla Road in Ipswich, part of a 1,400-acre barrier beach reservation. Fragile dunes and a white sand beach lead down to Ipswich Bay. The surf is calmer than that at less sheltered Singing Beach, but it's still quite chilly. Pick up Argilla Road south of Ipswich Center near the intersection of Routes 1A and 133 or take the Cape Ann Transportation Authority's summer-only, weekend-only Ipswich Essex Explorer bus service (www.ipswich-essexexplorer.com) from the Ipswich train station. Also on Ipswich Bay is Gloucester's Wingaersheek Beach, on Atlantic Street off Route 133. It has its own exit (no. 13) off Route 128, about 15 minutes away on winding roads with low speed limits. When you finally arrive, you'll find beautiful white sand, a glorious view, and more dunes. Because these beaches are harder to get to, they attract more locals -- but also lots of day-tripping families. At the east end of Route 133, the beaches and snack bar in Gloucester's easily accessible Stage Fort Park are popular local hangouts.

A Vacation in the Islands

Majestic ocean views, hiking trails, historic sites, rocky beaches, nature walks, campsites, and picnic areas abound in New England. To find them all together, head east (yes, east) of Boston to the Boston Harbor Islands (tel. 617/223-8666; www.bostonislands.com). The national park area's unspoiled beauty is a welcome break from the urban landscape, and the islands are not well known, even to many longtime Bostonians. Thirty-four islands dot the Outer Harbor, and at least a half dozen are open for exploring, camping, swimming, and more. Bring a sweater or jacket. Plan a day trip or even an overnight trip, but note that only Georges Island has fresh water, and management strongly suggests bringing your own.

Ferries run to Georges Island, home of Fort Warren (1833), which held Confederate prisoners during the Civil War. You can investigate on your own or take a ranger-led tour. The island has a visitor center, refreshment area, fishing pier, picnic area, and wonderful view of Boston's skyline. Allow at least half a day, longer if you plan to take the free water taxi to Lovell, Peddocks, Bumpkin, or Grape Island, all of which have picnic areas and campsites. Lovell Island also has the remains of a fort (Fort Standish). Spectacle Island, which opened to the public in 2006, holds more than 3 million cubic yards of material dug up during the Big Dig -- then sealed, covered with topsoil, and landscaped to allow recreational use.

Harbor Express (tel. 617/222-6999; www.harborexpress.com) serves Georges Island (30 min. or less) and Spectacle Island (15 min.) from Long Wharf. Round-trip tickets cost $12 for adults Thursday through Sunday, $10 Monday to Wednesday; senior rates are $9 and $7, respectively; children 3 to 11 pay $7 all week. Cruises depart daily on the hour from 10am to 5pm in the summer, more often on weekends, less frequently in the spring and fall. In the off season, check ahead for winter wildlife excursions (scheduled occasionally). Water taxis and admission to the islands are free.

A public-private National Park Partnership administers the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area (www.nps.gov/boha). For more information, visit the website, consult the staff at the kiosk on Long Wharf, or contact the Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands (tel. 617/740-4290; www.fbhi.org). The Friends coordinate a variety of cruises on and around the harbor throughout the summer and fall; check ahead for details.