bus/train trips from Boston, Mass

We%26#39;re coming to Boston on Tuesday for 5 days and would love some suggestions as to where we should visit for a day trip.

We aren%26#39;t hiring a car so will have to rely on train/bus/coach. Have thought about Cape Cod but where abouts and where we can go without a car, we don%26#39;t know.

Also should we go on a whale watching trip and is the one from Boston Harbour worth going on?

Any more ideas about musn%26#39;t miss places in or near Boston, gratefully received!

Thanks and we%26#39;re looking forward to visiting your exciting country,

Phil

bus/train trips from Boston, Mass

You can take a ferry from Boston to Provincetown, which is on the very tip of Cape Cod. You can also take the ';T'; Commuter Rail to Rockport, Gloucester and/or Salem - all interesting places. See mbta.com, Rockport Line.

Whale watching is another great trip.

Make sure you walk the Freedom Trail when you come.

bus/train trips from Boston, Mass

I would recommend Rockport before Salem or Gloucester, but all are interesting depending on your interest.

The whale watch boats all head to the same place -- Stellwagen Banks. There are two that leave from Boston harbor, one of which is run by the Aquarium. If you are interested in going there as well, it may be worth it to buy the tickets together.

The ferry to Provincetown gets you there quickly. There is a bus that would bring you to the other side of the Cape. It leaves from South Station and takes about 3 hrs from Boston to Hyannis. Cape Cod has some public transportation (the Breeze: http://capecodtransit.org/), but I%26#39;m not sure how reliable it is. I%26#39;ve only used it while in Provincetown and to get from the Hyannis Bus station to the ferry terminal to Nantucket, not between towns, although they do so.

In addition to the Freedom Trail, take a walk down Newbury St or Commonwealth Avenue for Back Bay ambience, visit Harvard Square, and eat in the North End.

I strongly recommend the Rockport trip by train. It%26#39;s a gorgeous little town full of shops. There%26#39;s a little beach and it%26#39;s a very pleasant day trip.

Whale watching is fun, but if you want a shorter boat ride with a destination, you can check out George%26#39;s Island, one of the harbor islands. It%26#39;s a quick boat ride to this little island full of hiking paths and an old Civil-War era fort that you can explore.

If you go on any boat rides, be sure to bring a sweater or windbreaker, especially now. It%26#39;s still a bit chilly.

You might consider renting a car for a day or two: Plimouth Plantation may be of interest to you---that%26#39;s en route to the Cape. There are lovely little towns on the upper cape that you could visit aand return to Boston the same day. Just a thought.

You might also want to do the Duck Tour,i agree the Rockport trip you will really enjoy.

Phil, when you say %26#39;next Tuesday%26#39; do you mean May 8th?

Baystate Cruise Lines doesn%26#39;t start the high speed catamaran ferry from Boston to P-town until May 18th. There was a trimaran providing service for a while, but it was a different company and I don%26#39;t know if they%26#39;re still operating. Perhaps somebody else knows?

Rockport is pretty, and Salem has lots of history. In my opinion, both are good, but very different, options.

Enjoy your visit!

The other ferry service to Provincetown is run by Boston Harbor Cruises and it also does not start until later in May, and then only on weekends until sometime in June. The best places to go by public transportation in my opinion are Rockport, Salem, and Gloucester. All are easily accessible by train from North Station. Cape Cod is a bit far by public transport. There is good bus service to Hyannis (bus terminal at South Station), but it%26#39;s about a 90 minute trip, and it would be difficult to see much beyond downtown Hyannis once you get there. There is local bus service but it seems more geared to locals than to tourists.