No. of Recommendations: 3
We may be in Boston this year. Is it worth it to stay several days?
You're asking about my favorite geographic area in the United States, I'm compelled to chime in. I was raised in an urban city, Chicago, and have had the opportunity to live or spend months in the NorthEast, Mid Atlantic, the desert of the SouthWest, family on the Olympic Peninsula in the Northwest, and monthly vacations in the South. Hands down, New England is my favored area of our country.
In the summer of college I visited a college friend who lived on Boston's North Shore. We were driving from his town of Swampscott to pick up his girlfriend in the town over, Marblehead. We got stopped by a parade marching down the street so we got out to watch and ask the reason for the celebration. Marblehead was having an anniversary, it was turning 350 years old from its founding. This was 1979 and the town was founded in 1629. I moved to Swampscott right after college graduation, in 1982. Lived on the North Shore in my 20's, in Swampscott and then Salem.
As you mention advice on visiting Denver and recommending Boulder, possibly the best way to experience Boston, is outside of Boston. More accurately, experience New England. No argument, Boston is a wonderful city and the Freedom Trail, Public Garden, Beacon Hill and Back Bay, are all worth visiting. But it's an experience that captures the area.
Well, we're planning on spending a couple of days before we get on the boat. Time enough to do a little wandering,
That's great. That's retirement! Rent a car for 1 day in Boston, or even easier at Logan airport. Put in GPS the town of Gloucester. The drive from Boston to Gloucester may be done in 45 minutes. If you wander, it will take all day.
You'll want to take the scenic route, not the main highway, this is Route 1A. Stay on 1A for pretty much the whole way. From Boston you'll drive thru the Sumner tunnel exiting into East Boston. Revere is to your East and it hugs the ocean. The whole route hugs the ocean so you won't need to venture into Revere, although it has it unique charms. Also along your right will be Nahant, this is kind of an island with a causeway. No need to stop here, when I lived near there I'd visit for the beach, but it was also home to all the Wise Guys, I stayed out of the local pubs since I wasn't a local.
When you drive past Revere and Nahant you enter the city of Lynn. The locals call it "Lynn, Lynn, the city of Sin. You don't come out the way you went in." Keep driving. Exiting Lynn you enter the North Shore, you're in Swampscott. Route 1A offers beautiful views of the ocean. This is where you make a little detour off 1A to visit Marblehead. Plenty of little shacks turned into restaurants up on the cliffs overlooking the harbor. Enjoy the clam chowder or a lobster roll.
With the GPS set to Gloucester, on Cape Ann, you'll drive on 1A and pass thru Salem and Beverly. Salem has turned into a tourist trap with the witch museums and such, but I always loved their wharf area, and the town square is quintessential New England. Worth a visit if time allows. Heading North again you'll be near Newburyport. You got to stop, it's gorgeous. As Gloucester is intended as an endpoint but there is an exhibit near the wharf that hosts a monument. It lists all the fisherman who went out of Gloucester harbor to fish the sea, and never returned. Somewhat solemn, it will have you respecting the danger of fishing for your livelihood.
Enjoy your trip.
