NY/Cape Cod/Boston

Old Jul 4th, 2003, 02:02 PM
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NY/Cape Cod/Boston

Hello.

I'm looking at going to Boston on a business trip and was interested in stopping at Cape Cod. Just trying to get an idea of how long it takes to drive from NYC to Cape Cod and then Cape Cod to Boston, or vice versa? Also, is it manageable to just visit Cape Cod for a day?

Also, any suggestions of non-touristy or side-trips from Boston? I've already visited Boston many times and done the typical tourist sights, but would be interested in any short trips perhaps an hour or so away that can be done after work/evenings.

Thanks in advance.
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Old Jul 4th, 2003, 02:09 PM
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In my opinion, P-Town=Provincetown is the most beautiful with it's sand dunes and incredible bike trail and wonderful gay/straight night life but traffic from here in Boston is horrendous.
I have gone in the morning by boat but it's only a few hours stop-over before it returns. Cape Ann is more realistic, that means Rockport, Gloucester.
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Old Jul 4th, 2003, 02:26 PM
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You can get from Boston to the very beginning of Cape Cod in about an hour (longer on Fridays, or any day 3-6PM). Provincetown is of course the very farthest tip and the longest drive, but becuaes the Cape bends areound it is actually not far from Boston by boat and does make an intersting day tirp (there's a fast boat that takes about 90 mnutes).
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Old Jul 4th, 2003, 02:38 PM
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Hello again.

A couple of years ago I drove along the Oregon Coast and they have a mile-by-mile guide with the sights labelled on it, and how long between destinations. Has anybody come across something similar for Cape Cod? As of now, I am thinking that I'd like to drive along the entire cape and stop at certain viewing points, and perhaps take a day and a half or so to do this. Wondering if this is feasible? I understand the cape is 70 miles long but am wondering how long the drive would take around it, and if there is a specific ocean view drive such as along the California or Oregon coast?? Please advise, and thanks for the previous posts. Cheers!
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Old Jul 4th, 2003, 03:58 PM
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Sorry, there's no scenic route along the coastline. First, the Cape is basically a sandbar, with a rather low profile, it just doesn't have the mountains and overlooks that characterize the West Coast. Second, it was heavily settled with villages connected by those old-fashioned infamous cow-path roads (Indian trails if they were lucky) so there just wasn't the opportunity to build such a road. In fact, the main drag from Plymouth to Provincetown is known as the Mid-Cape highway; it's as inland as you can get on the cape, mostly because that's where the land was available when highways were eventually built. (And that's the part that gets swept away by hurricanes the least.)

So the towns of the Cape are basically collections of old villages, many of them very quaint (quainter the farther down-Cape you get and the farther from the highway).

Many parts of the Cape, especially around Hyannis, become totally clogged with traffic during the summer.

Here's a list of web sites that might yield the guidance you seek:

http://masstraveljournal.com/cape/capeTravel.html
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Old Jul 4th, 2003, 04:33 PM
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Peabody Essex Museum in Salem just reopened after major renovation/upgrade. Major buzz in the papers/TV so you may want to check it out. Open late on Thurs til 8pm.
www.pem.org

K.
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Old Jul 4th, 2003, 04:57 PM
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Consider Cape Ann, about 45 minutes north of Boston, absolutely beautiful. Rockport is a simple train ride though it sounds as if you have a car -- art, rocky coast - beautiful sunsets!
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Old Jul 4th, 2003, 05:35 PM
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Regarding Cape Cod. Once you cross the Canal you could drive along the bayside on Route 6A which is a historic "trail". Sandwich is the oldest town on the Cape, quaint downtown with the oldest house on the Cape, Glass Museum, Grist Mill close together. You can easily drive off on some of the side roads and sightsee, returning to 6A. An overnight in Orleans (about the middle of the drive to Provincetown)or Chatham (very quaint with the only "main street" on the Cape with shops and restaurants. Wellfleet center and harbor are interesting and town is known for wonderful oysters and called the "gallery town" because of all the galleries. Provincetown is charming with lots of beaches, etc. Yarmouthport and Dennis have interesting sights as you drive along 6A. Do a bit of research to decide what interests you. Sunday and Friday traffic is a challenge during summer months, especially if the day is cloudy or rainy.
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Old Jul 5th, 2003, 05:24 AM
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The trip from NYC to Cape Cod will take about 4 1/2 to 5 hours. Cape Cod to Boston is about an hour, as Anonymous said. However, you don't want to try it on a Friday through Monday because of the weekend vacationers.
The Cape has a National Seashore and an informative visitors center run by the National Park Service and historical places, like Marconi Light. But I agree with the others, you might want to head north to Gloucester this trip and enjoy the scenery there. Fishing village and great seafood restaurants.
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Old Jul 5th, 2003, 11:52 AM
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I loved my drives from Boston to the Cape. I researched before doing so and avoided driving on Fridays after 3 pm. I take 6A (scenic "trail") each time. It is ESPECIALLy nicer in Oct. Anyway, you say it's a business trip, so as long as you go before 3 pm, if it's a Friday you should do well. There is the John F. Kennedy museum on the Cape (Hyannis). Anywhere you drive through the Cape it's quaint and enjoyable...depending on where you live and what structures you are used to. This is always a welcome change for me. Beach-wise, the Cape, for me, is dull. I'm in Palm Beach right now.
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Old Jul 6th, 2003, 11:33 AM
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Here is a Cape Cod trip plan that will allow you to travel through all fifteen Cape towns as well as provide magnificent views from all 4 Cape coasts: Cape Cod Bay; Atlantic Ocean; Nantucket Sound and Buzzards Bay.

Once over the Canal pick up route 6A in Sandwich (as Charli suggested) and drive to Orleans. Pick up route 6 in Orleans and drive all the way to it's end where you can stay at the Provincetown Inn, surrounded on three sides by water. From Sandwich to Provincetown will take you from 2 - 3 hours but a very pleasant ride with much to see.

The next day take route 6A from Provincetown thru Truro to route 6 back to Orleans. This will provide you with great views of Cape Cod Bay. In Orleans take route 28 which meanders along: Pleasant Bay and the Atlantic Ocean in Chatham; Through south Cape coastal towns along Nantucket Sound and through Buzzards Bay towns of Falmouth and Bourne. This trip could be 3 - 4 hours.

While the Cape does not provide a continuous shore route like California I can assure you that if you follow this trip plan there will be some sites that knock your socks off.

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