FALL NE TRIP BOSTON 2022
The fall in the northeast was supposed to be spectacular, however planning this trip trying to hit the leaves at their peak was tricky. We consulted many weather and fall predictions and decided the end of October was the best time for our locations. We based ourselves in two cities - Boston, Massachusetts and Portland Maine. We planned approximately 4 days at each location which ended up to be just about right. This is our Boston Section.
Day 1 We landed in Boston and checked into our hotel - The Envoy by Marriott. This was a great boutique hotel with a perfect location for getting around Boston on foot. The first day we walked around and got our bearings. Headed to the North End which is the Italian section filled with lots of restaurants, bakeries, stores, etc. There are many places to choose from. We then walked towards the downtown area and had a drink at the Bell-In-Hand Bar which is the oldest continuously run tavern in the US - established in 1795. Great place to have a drink or eat.
We took a harbor boat ride to see the sites from the water. Lots of great historical information, and also a great view of the SS Constitution which was constructed in 1794 and was instrumental in the war of 1912 defending Boston. We then had dinner at The Barking Crab
Day 2 We ate breakfast at Scali Cafe, a small hidden deli/breakfast place and then took the self guided Freedom Tour. We chose this option because we could go at our own pace, listen through our phones and headphones and could choose what stops to make. This is a very well guided tour which follows a brick path all around the city and gives lots of information at each stop. We started at the Boston Commons Park near the capitol building and ended at Bunker Hill. There is a lot of walking on this full tour and it is one way, so you have to either backtrack or take something like an Uber to get you back. The tour took us approximately 3 hours. Our recommendation is if you cannot walk that far, either take the Trolley or the Duck Tours.
We had dinner at Panza that evening in the North End and also purchased some danishes from Bova’s 24 hour Bakery. It was a full day.
Day 3 We took a tour to Martha’s Vineyard. This was an all day tour trip. The tour picked us up at a hotel, drove us to the ferry and then a tour guide took us around all of the Vineyard. We stopped at Eggerton, the cliffs, lighthouse and ended up at Oak Bluffs where we ate, walked around and took the ferry back and then the bus ride back to Boston. All in all it was a 12 hour day. Martha’s Vineyard is much larger than we had anticipated and the only way to really see it all is through some type of tour. We were at the end of season so some of the shops were closed, however it also made for less crowds at the sites and restaurants which was nice. The history of the vineyard is very interesting, especially the part of how the Elites, African Americans and Indians live in harmony with little crime or corruption. For us this was a bucket list check off but probably would not do again.
Day 4 After breakfast at Tate - a gourmet coffee/pastry shop, we decided to take the subway and head over to see Harvard and MIT. The two universities are completely different - Harvard with its beautiful campus, stately buildings and beautiful architecture; MIT kind of large buildings of research and medical labs that look fairly new and modern. We had lunch at Life Alive at MIT. MIT did give a beautiful view of Boston from their lawn where graduations take place. Our final dinner was at The Black Rose - one of many Irish Pubs in Boston but this one was very authentic with even a bartender from Dublin. We had a great time talking to her and the other patrons there.
That concluded the Boston portion of the trip. We enjoyed the cleaness of the city, the ease of getting around, and all the history. There are many other things to see and do, including Fenway Park and the Theater District, etc,however, we headed out towards our next stop - Portland. This is when we rented a car so we could drive the coast and stop at towns along the way. One of our stops was in Ogunquit which is a small harbor town with a beautiful walking trail and shops. We had our first lobster roll at the Footbridge Lobster Perkins Cove. We then headed to Kenney Bunkport where there are many streets of shops, restaurants and of course the Bush Family compound. This is a beautiful area and definitely worth the stop. We then continued onto Portland.
Check out our Portland page to see where we visited there, and also our dining pages to see where we ate in both Portland, Boston and other small towns on the way. Feel free to send us any questions, ideas or information you would like. We would love to hear from you.
