Single-day road trip ideas for history lovers near Boston
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Summer is the season for road trips in the Northeast. Check out three awesome itineraries for history lovers looking to get out of Boston for a day of exploration and education.
TO THE NORTH
The basic idea: Explore some of the North Shore’s most historic communities.
Morning: Head north to one of New England’s most famous early cities, Salem. Salem is about 35 to 45 minutes from Boston, depending on the route you choose to take.
Once you’re in Salem, there’s a lot to explore on your own. But for a more educational experience consider joining an organized tour about the witch trials of the late 17th century or of the House of Seven Gables, a colonial mansion made famous by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1851 novel of the same name.
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Lunch: There are several well-reviewed restaurants in Salem to grab lunch, including Bambolina Restaurant, the Red Line Café and New England Soup Factory.
Afternoon: If you haven’t had your fill of Salem’s spooky history consider an afternoon tour that covers more of Salem’s paranormal background, including vampires and ghosts. Or explore some of Salem’s smaller neighborhoods like Pickering Wharf or the Chestnut Street District.
If you’ve had enough of Salem, head southeast to Marblehead about 15 minutes away. Marblehead is a coastal town and the birthplace of the modern American Navy. Stop by the Jeremiah Lee Mansion, a colonial Georgian mansion built in 1768, and explore New England’s early colonial history.
Dinner: If you’ve decided to stay in Salem, stop by one of the city’s best-reviewed dinner restaurants including Turners Seafood, Passage to India or Georgia’s Pizza. If you opted to explore Marblehead, try Jack-Tar American Tavern or Maddie’s Sale Loft of Marblehead for dinner.
After dinner, get on the road and head south towards Boston. You’ll be home in about 45 minutes.
TO THE WEST
Old Sturbridge Village is located in southern Massachusetts, close to the Connecticut border. The 19th-century style living museum gives visitors a look at New England life during the early 1800s. The village is open daily from 9:30 to 5 p.m..
The basic idea: Take a time warp back to New England in the late 18th century.
Morning: Head west on the Mass. Pike and pull off at Exit 9, about an hour away from Boston. Head for Old Sturbridge Village, a “living history museum” that allows visitors to explore early New England life from the 1790s through the 1830s. The village has 40 antique buildings that were collected from various sites and have been furnished to show visitors what living in New England was like at the time.
Lunch: Sturbridge Village has several options for food including the Village Café, the Bullard Tavern Cafeteria or the Oliver Wight Tavern.
Afternoon: Continue to explore Old Sturbridge Village. The village has several exhibits to explore, including a collection of antique New England clocks, a historic look at beekeeping and a firearms and textiles exhibit.
Dinner: Grab dinner at one of the Village’s dining options. Or if you’re ready to get back to something more modern, there are plenty of well-reviewed restaurants nearby including Publick House, Sturbridge Seafood and Thai Place Restaurant.
TO THE SOUTH
The likeness of a whale adorns a door at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in New Bedford, Mass. The museum has compiled a digital archive of more than a hundred thousand names of men who embarked on whaling voyages out of the Massachusetts port before the final one in 1927.
The basics: Learn about a now-defunct industry that once dominated New England’s coastal towns.
Morning: Head south to New Bedford, about 90 minutes from Boston.
Stop at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, which features over 750,000 items, including historic documents, artifacts, photographs, paintings, maps and more.
Some of the most notable items on display include four large whale skeletons and the Lagoda, an 89-foot, half-scale model of a whaling ship by the same name and the largest ship model in the world.
Lunch: New Bedford has plenty of eating options, including DNB Burgers, Quahog Republic Whaler’s Tavern, No Problemo and Destination Soups.
Afternoon: Continue your history lesson on the New England whaling industry by touring the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. Guided tours are available around the park and the waterfront. The area also features several shops and art galleries in case you are in the mood for something different.
Dinner: There are plenty of well-reviewed establishments for dinner including Brick Pizzeria Napoletana, Elisabeth’s Restaurant, Ming Sushi and Antonio’s Restaurant.
Pay your bill and get back on the road back to Boston. The trip should take about an hour and a half.
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