Boston Getaways

Commonwealth Avenue under snow.

Article by: Lonely Planet authors, May 2008

Famous village greens, national parks and historic harbours, rich in the evocation of New England's past, lie within an hour's excursion from Boston. But history is not the only draw. Generations of artists have been inspired by the soft light at sunset and the surf crashing on the sand along the coast. Hiking, wildlife-watching, canoeing, kayaking, biking and beaching tempt the wild at heart. Fried clams, grilled striper and boiled lobster will delight seafood lovers. And miles of secluded sandy beaches lure sunbathers and picnickers.

So get on the bus, catch a train, rent a car or saddle up your bike and get out of town.

Salem

This town's very name conjures up images of diabolical witchcraft and women being burned at the stake. The famous Salem witch trials of 1692 are engrained in the national memory. Indeed, Salem goes all out at Halloween, when the whole town dresses up for parades and parties and shops sell all manner of Wiccan accessories.

Of more than a score of witchy sites, the most authentic is the Witch House (tel: 978 744 8815; 310 Essex St; adult/senior/child $8/6/4; 10am-5pm May-Nov, extended hours in Oct). This was the home of Jonathan Corwin, a local magistrate who investigated witchcraft claims. He examined several accused witches, possibly in the first-floor rooms of this house. The Salem Witch Museum holds dioramas, exhibits, audiovisual shows and costumed staff who explain the witchcraft scare.

The witch phenomena obscure Salem's true claim to fame: its glory days as a center for clipper-ship trade with China, started by Elias Hasket Derby. The Salem Maritime National Historic Site (tel: 978 740 1650; 174 Derby St; adult/child $5/3) contains the custom house, the wharves and the other buildings along Derby St that are remnants of the shipping industry once thriving along this stretch of Salem.

The House of the Seven Gables (tel: 978 744 0991; 115 Derby St; adult/senior & student/child $12/11/7.25; 10am-5pm Nov-Jun, 10am-7pm July-Oct) was made famous in Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1851 novel of the same name. The novel brings to life the gloomy Puritan atmosphere of early New England and its effects on the people's psyches; the house does the same.

Provincetown

This is it: as far as you can go on Cape Cod (and not just geographically). ‘P-town' is the region's most lively resort town and New England's gay mecca. On any given day on Commercial St, you'll see dressed-up drag queens, dressed-down beach-goers, leather-clad motorcyclists, barely-clad in-line skaters, same-sex couples strolling hand-in-hand and heterosexual couples, perhaps wondering what they've stumbled into on their way to whale-watching.

Commercial St - a one-way street that functions as a boardwalk - is lined with restaurants and bars, kitschy souvenir shops, art galleries and everything in between. The east end is the hub of the art scene, with dozens of galleries packed into a few blocks. The Provincetown Art Association & Museum Provincetown Art Association & Museum (tel: 508 487 1750; 460 Commercial St; admission free; 11am-8pm Mon-Thu, 11am-10pm Fri, 11am-5pm Sat & Sun Jun-Aug, noon-5pm Thu-Sun Sep-May) is one of the country's foremost small museums, showcasing work by Lower Cape artists.

The Expedition Whydah (tel: 508 487 8899; 16 MacMillan Wharf; adult/senior/child $8/6/6) is one of more than 3000 shipwrecks that occurred off the coast of the Cape, but it is the only authentic pirate ship ever raised. Visit the museum on MacMillan Wharf to see the booty, as well as the crew's weapons, supplies and clothing. Though pirate ships no longer ply these waters, whale-watching cruises leave from MacMillan Wharf.

The Pilgrims first set foot on American soil in 1620 at Provincetown, at the western end of Commercial St. The bas-relief at the corner of Freeman and Gosnold Sts commemorates the Mayflower Compact. Up the street, the Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum (tel: 508 487 1310, 800 247 1620; High Pole Hill Rd; adult/senior/student/child $7/5/5/3; 9am-5pm Apr-Nov, to 7pm Jul & Aug) remembers their struggle with a 252ft tower, offering fantastic views, and a old-fashioned museum of Provincetown history.

Even with all this art and history, the main draw to Provincetown is the Cape Cod National Seashore, which includes seven miles of bike trails leading through sand dunes and coastal forest. Two spurs lead to the pounding surf at Race Point Beach and the calmer waters of Herring Cove. Pick up information at Province Lands Visitor Center (tel: 508 487 1256; Race Point Rd; 9am-5pm early May–late Oct); rent bicycles at Ptown Bikes (tel: 508 487 8735; 42 Bradford St; $8-10 per 2hrs, $18-20 per 24hrs).

Nantucket

One need not be a millionaire to visit Nantucket, but it doesn't hurt. This compact island, 30 miles south of Cape Cod, grew rich from whaling in the 19th century and recent decades have seen its rebirth as a summer playground for CEOs and society types.

It's easy to see why. Nantucket is New England at its most rose-covered, cobble-stoned, cedar-shake, picture-postcard perfect. Even in the peak of summer, there's always a stretch of sandy beach to be found; and outdoor activities abound on the waterways, grassy moors, salt marshes and bike paths.

Nantucket Town is the island's only real population center. You can catch up on its history at the Nantucket Historical Association, which operates nine different museums covering everything from Nantucket's agricultural roots to its whaling heyday.

Small Children's Beach is closest to town, but it's worth hopping on a bicycle to travel to the island's prime swim and surf spots. Call Easy Riders (tel: 508 325 2722; bike rentals adult/child daily $20/15, weekly $90/65; includes delivery and helmets) to rent a bike. Five different cycling routes are marked with colour-coded signs.