Boston's neighborhood: coastal towns, lobster rolls and golden beaches. Read the post and get ready to leave for the magnificent East Coast!
The East Coast isn't just New York. It's also interesting coastal towns, seafood restaurants, lobster rolls, endless boardwalks, and golden beaches.
Washington DC, Philadelphia and Boston. It was in this last city that I had the opportunity to touch American soil for the first time during a study trip and, fascinated by everything (starting from the yellow buses to the very high skyscrapers), I took it in my heart.
There are so many places to visit for one day trip from Boston or for a real on the road of the east coast. In this case, I highly recommend you leave in the fall and enjoy the foliage of the New England region which includes the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island.
There is so much to explore, so take my advice and get ready for an America away from the hustle and bustle of Times Square and full of history, beaches and good food.
1. Cape Cod
By car: about 1 hour; by bus: about 2 hours
It is a world-famous peninsula on the East Coast and easily accessible from Boston for a day trip. This strip of land that stretches over the Atlantic Ocean offers numerous activities, especially for lovers of fishing and sailing. Not only that, you can take tours to spot whales, relax on the beach (leave the bathroom to those who do not suffer from freezing water) or take a walk in the Cape Cod Lavender Farm in Harwich, one of the largest lavender farms on the east coast of the United States.
2. Martha's Vineyard
By car and ferry: from Boston - 2/3 hours; from Hyannis about 55 minutes
Always a top destination for wealthy Americans to spend weekends in total relaxation, Martha's Vineyard, together with Nantucket, recalls those typical settings of Nicholas Sparks films. Wooden houses, grass-covered beaches, wooden walkways and an inevitable lighthouse. Right in Edgartown there is one suggestive especially at sunset, the Edgartown Harbor Light, which you can also visit inside for the price of $ 5.
A curiosity: do you know that Stephen Spielberg's The Jaws film was shot in Martha's Vineyard?
And a tip: leave your car in Hyannis and take the ferry to explore it on foot, by bike or by taxi.
3. Nantucket
By car and ferry: from Boston 3 and a half hours; from Hyannis one hour
The population of this 80 square kilometer island increases from 10.000 in winter to 50.000 in summer. Needless to say, how popular it is as a vacation area for Americans. In fact, some of his houses are even more valuable than those in the Hamptons.
A focal point for the XNUMXth century whaling industry, Nantucket is now home to the Whaling Museum, some fascinating lighthouses (check out Brant Point, Sankaty Head and Great Point) and what makes it a little gem of the East Coast: beaches, American-style houses and romantic cobbled streets.
4. Hampton Beach
By car: about 1 hour
If you want to add another state to the list of those visited in the US, know that Hampton Beach is not in Massachusetts, but in New Hampshire, less than an hour from Boston.
I recommend that you visit in the evening, especially in the summer, when the lights of the shops and restaurants on the boardwalk come on and the air cools. Also take a trip toHampton Beach Casino Ballroom, opened since 1899.
In September, don't miss the Seafood Festival which showcases dishes from as many as 60 restaurants in the area, as well as fireworks to see on the beach.
When I visited in July, I remember very well the fireworks, the bonfires on the beach and the many people on the waterfront: a truly authentic American place.
5. Salem
By car: half an hour; by train: half an hour
Surely you have read or heard about Salem: the town is famous for its witch trials in 1692. And it is with this disturbing fame that it attracts visitors from all over the world.
Expect very touristy attractions, witchcraft shops and rather "magical" souvenirs. Americans are good at selling anything, so you'll feel like you're visiting a themed playground rather than a historic city. However, it is also an interesting stage to learn about a piece of history that we often don't study in depth in books in Europe.
Do not miss House of Seven Gables, site that includes a series of colonial houses, including one of the oldest wooden houses in New England built in 1668. Another noteworthy house is the so-called Witch House, where Judge Jonathan Corwin lived, one of the magistrates who took part in the trial of 1692.
For lunch, head north, half an hour from Salem, to eat a seafood platter at Rockport, a small village with wooden houses, restaurants and art galleries.
