Question about transportation in Boston

[Elbygina]

Hello all,

 

We are a family of five traveling to Boston, staying a few days, then boarding the Veendam for a cruise to Maine and Canada. If we do not rent a car in Boston, what are the best ways to get to Plimouth Plantation for the day? Thank you for your advice.

 

Colleen

[1025cruise]

If you want to go to Plimouth Plantation, I would rent a car, just for the day.

Too bad the you picked a time that the Mayflower is gone for repairs.

[Tom O.]

I agree, a rented car would work best for that trip to Plymouth. But don't try to use that car in Boston,parking is a real problem there and it is expensive. Besides, Boston has an excellent subway and bus system. Normally I would also recommend taxis, but I don't think 5 people can fit into one.

[Elbygina]

Hmmm...okay. Should we go to Plimouth Plantation? Have you been? Sounds easier just to stay in Boston. No trains or shuttles go south?

[Tom O.]

I have been to Plymouth and stayed a few days there, but we didn't go to the plantation. I have always found places like the Plimouth Plantation to be kind of hoaky. A fabricated village full of reenactors, is not my cup of tea.

However Boston is my favorite city in the US to visit. You can spend several days there with all there is to see.

Here are some of my favorite things to see in Boston:

1. Walk the freedom trail, the highlight which is North Church.

2. The Haymarket and Fannuil Hall.

3.The Italian District in the North End.

4.The USS Constitution.

5. Having a Guinness beer in an Irish Pub

 

I would choose any of the above activities over Plimouth Plantation.

Also, you might want to buy passes for the Bean Town Trolley. It is a get on or off anywhere trolley that goes to all the major places of interest.

In my opinion, Boston is much more interesting than Plymouth.

[Tom O.]

I forgot to mention there is the Amtrak train that goes south from Boston. But I don't think it goes through Plymouth. You will need to check Amtrak's schedule.

The city of Plymouth isn't really a major destination, it is a modern suburban town. But a lot of people do visit Plimouth Plantation.

[sammiedawg]

There is an Amtrack commuter train serving the Plymouth area but you still need a cab, I just checked and it is a ten minute cab ride from the train station to PP, not worth the bother.

Rent a car for the day at your hotel. Spend a couple days in the city then choose a driving trip.

I'm not crazy about Plymouth plantation, instead drive a little further out to Cape Cod for a day trip. Don't go on a Friday or Sunday when traffic is heavier.

[Elbygina]

Thanks for the info. It will be a Friday since we are arriving Thursday afternoon and that day, we are going to the Aquarium and riding the Duck. We board the ship Saturday morning, so the only time for a day trip is Friday. I think we will just stay in the city.

 

What do you think of the Duck? We have teens with us.

[Mr. Boston]

There is an Amtrack commuter train serving the Plymouth area but you still need a cab, I just checked and it is a ten minute cab ride from the train station to PP, not worth the bother.

 

Rent a car for the day at your hotel. Spend a couple days in the city then choose a driving trip.

 

I'm not crazy about Plymouth plantation, instead drive a little further out to Cape Cod for a day trip. Don't go on a Friday or Sunday when traffic is heavier.

 

 

It's actually an MBTA commuter train. Amtrak hasn't operated the commuter trains in years. The website is mbta.com if you wish to check schedules. I'm guessing that you should allow an entire day to visit the plantation.

 

You could also take the high speed ferry from Boston to Provincetown and visit where the pilgrims first landed. Some of them are buried in a cemetery there and the town library has a plethora of information on their stay.

 

 

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[Krazy Kruizers]

JMO -- I would stay in Boston -- so much to see and do.

Don't know where you are staying but I would look into an excursion offered by the hotel if you are not close to any of the attractions that Tom O mentioned.

[RuthC]

If you only have one full day in Boston, then stay in town and enjoy a little of what it has to offer. There is so much American history from colonial/Revolution days here that one day is not going to be anywhere near enough.

 

See Old Ironsides. Walk the Freedom Trail. Go for a ride on the swan boats. Spend a day eating your way from one end of Quincy Marketplace to the other---then back down the other side, then straight down the middle! If it's raining, get inside at the Museum of Fine Arts. Then between the raindrops, head over to the Isabella Stewart Gardiner Museum across the street. Take the trolley tour around and see Harvard Square and Bunker Hill. Or, take the T out to the Kennedy Library. Fascinating. Go to a Bosox game.

[Bostonjetset]

Thanks for the info. It will be a Friday since we are arriving Thursday afternoon and that day, we are going to the Aquarium and riding the Duck. We board the ship Saturday morning, so the only time for a day trip is Friday. I think we will just stay in the city.

 

What do you think of the Duck? We have teens with us.

 

As others have said, skipping Plimouth Plantation will not be a huge loss. It's out of the way for such a short trip, especially when Boston has some many great things to do in the city.

 

I always recommend the duck boat tours to visitors. I'm a local and even I found it interesting to hear about some of the history [a fair amount of which I did not know] of my hometown. It will be an enjoyable experience for you and your family.

 

The Museum of Fine Arts is another wonderful place to visit. A world-class museum with a lot of interesting exhibits. They have one of the largest collections of Japanese art outside of Japan and whilst the collection rotates, there are usually some great things on display. As Ruth mentioned, the I.S.Gardiner museum is also wonderful; you are basically stepping into the great estate of a wealthy local where everything is left exactly how she arranged it.

 

Since you already have the Aquarium planned, it would be very easy to hit the Freedom Trail afterwards [along with the North End which is Boston's "Little Italy".

 

Have a fantastic trip! The Veendam is a great little lady!

[DaveOKC]

We were in Boston about 6 months ago and my advice is to NOT drive if at all possible, if you are not from the area. IMO it is one of the worst areas for driving in the US (I have driven in almost every US city during my business days).

 

Further, there are so many interesting things to see/do/explore right in Boston itself (we did the Freedom Trail and loved it), plus there is a pretty good subway system to get you around the city area. A MUST is to dine at least once in the North End Italian area (the Freedom Trail goes right though it, so at a minimum stop for lunch).

[RuthC]

We were in Boston about 6 months ago and my advice is to NOT drive if at all possible, if you are not from the area.

Agreed.

I had to drive in Boston during the mid-70s, and vowed I would never drive there again. A vow I have kept.

I am certain that in the last 40 years the traffic there has not gotten any easier to navigate. It has only gotten worse.

 

To get around, take the T (subway system), busses, or sometimes a cab.

[navybankerteacher]

One more "Do not drive in Boston" -- I regularly drive in New York, and occasionally in Houston and Los Angeles: both awful - but not as bad as Boston - where there is so much to see and do which you would miss by driving there - a truly great walking city.

[Tom O.]

One more "Do not drive in Boston" -- I regularly drive in New York, and occasionally in Houston and Los Angeles: both awful - but not as bad as Boston - where there is so much to see and do which you would miss by driving there - a truly great walking city.

 

Good advice. And what makes this city a great walking city is that the main attractions are all in a rather small area. The last time I was there, it was a port stop on a New England cruise. The cruise port is not located in a convenient location, so we took a cab to Faneuil Hall ($10). We spent several hours shopping there. Then we walked to the North End, visited the North Church, and then had lunch at an Italian restaurant. Then we took a cab back to the ship.

I was able to do this walk, even though I don't get around as well as I used to (since I had a knee replacement).

[cruiseapril]

We also would stay in Boston- Plymouth is over an hour away.

[sail7seas]

t has been years, but I used to live a and work in Boston. I am now in the ' burbs', but only because I grew up going to Boston often I manageed driving fine buthe there are a great many one way streest and the layout off the city's streets makes little sense as they evolved from old cow paths. . [ ]Parking is not onlh very difictult but very costly. Some hotels have parking for their guests but the p;ricing c an be awful.

[1of4]

We will be in Boston in July. I feel very at home in Boston since I grew up in Montreal which is a similar age and layout. We take the "T" to get around and will not drive ourselves. Such a beautiful city with so much to see. I don't say that about cities but this is one worth visiting. We will take a taxi from our hotel in the Back Bay Area to the port on Saturday morning.

 

DD has asked to go to the aquarium. I want her to see some of the freedom trail and Boston Commons...that will be a good start!

[Toad]

We also would stay in Boston- Plymouth is over an hour away.

 

 

And can be a lot longer on a Friday with traffic going to the cape.

 

 

 

 

 

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[Stpatsirish]

We were in Boston Thurs to Sat. the year we did that cruise. We bought tickets in advance for the OldTyme Trolley. It is a hop on hop off trolley that passed by every 15 minutes. We did not take the Duck but had a 1 hour harbour cruise included for free with the purchase of the trolley tickets. Our trolley driver was great and gave a great narrative while we drove. We just got off at the harbour, had lunch and took our harbour cruise and caught another trolley to complete the journey. We had a wonderful, educational, entertaining day!