DuckAbroad Day Trip Planner

Day trips from Boston

1. Salem

One of New England’s most storied port towns, Salem blends early colonial history, maritime trade, and the legacy of the 1692 witch trials with preserved streetscapes and waterfront sites.

• Salem Witch Trials sites (1692) and related museums
• The House of the Seven Gables (1668) and waterfront history
• Salem Maritime National Historic Site and historic wharves

By commuter rail (MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line), about 30 minutes from North Station, or by car, about 35–60 minutes depending on traffic.

2. Lexington & Concord

The landscapes where the American Revolution’s opening battles unfolded—ideal for walking historic routes, visiting battle sites, and exploring preserved town centers tied to 1775.

• Minute Man National Historical Park (Battle Road, North Bridge area)
• Lexington Battle Green and Revolutionary War memorials
• Concord’s colonial center and historic houses (e.g., Orchard House area)

By car, about 35–55 minutes; or by MBTA commuter rail to Concord (Fitchburg Line) about 35 minutes from North Station, then short rideshare/taxi to key sites.

3. Plymouth

A cornerstone destination for early colonial and Indigenous history in New England, Plymouth offers immersive museum experiences and waterfront landmarks tied to the 1620 settlement story.

• Plimoth Patuxet Museums (living history of 1620s Plymouth Colony and Wampanoag life)
• Mayflower II (historic ship replica experience)
• Plymouth waterfront and Pilgrim history sites (including Plymouth Rock area)

By car, about 50–75 minutes; or by bus (e.g., from South Station) roughly 60–90 minutes depending on service and traffic.

4. Lowell

A premier U.S. industrial-revolution city where you can explore textile-mill history, power canals, and the stories of workers and immigrant communities that shaped American manufacturing.

• Lowell National Historical Park (mills, canals, industrial exhibits)
• Boott Cotton Mills Museum and working looms demonstrations
• Historic downtown mill architecture and immigrant labor history

By commuter rail (MBTA Lowell Line), about 45 minutes from North Station, or by car, about 40–60 minutes.

5. Portsmouth

A beautifully preserved coastal city with deep colonial and maritime roots, Portsmouth is excellent for layered history—from early settlement life to naval and seaport heritage.

• Strawbery Banke Museum (outdoor history museum spanning centuries)
• Historic waterfront and early seaport architecture
• USS Albacore Museum (Cold War-era naval history)

By car, about 60–90 minutes; or by bus from Boston (varies by operator), typically about 1.5–2 hours.

6. Newport

Known for Gilded Age estates, Newport also offers rich colonial and military history, walkable historic streets, and significant early American cultural landmarks.

• Colonial-era downtown and the Newport Historic District
• Touro Synagogue (1763) and early American religious history
• Fort Adams State Park (19th-century coastal fortifications)

By car, about 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 55 minutes; or by train to Providence (about 35–45 minutes) then bus/car to Newport (about 45–60 minutes).

7. Gloucester & Cape Ann

A classic New England seaport where fishing-industry history, maritime culture, and coastal communities tell the story of life and labor on the Atlantic edge.

• Cape Ann Museum (maritime, fishing, and regional history)
• Historic harbor and America’s oldest working fishing port heritage
• Rocky Neck Art Colony and preserved coastal neighborhoods

By commuter rail (MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line), about 1 hour 10 minutes from North Station to Gloucester, or by car, about 50–75 minutes.

8. Worcester

A central Massachusetts city with major historical collections and museums, offering a strong lens on early American print culture and New England’s industrial and civic development.

• American Antiquarian Society (early American print and history collections)
• Worcester Historical Museum and local industrial/civic history
• Old Sturbridge Village nearby (living history; short additional drive)

By commuter rail (MBTA Worcester Line), about 1 hour 20 minutes from South Station, or by car, about 55–80 minutes.