Trip to Massachusetts

[theri]

My wife and I will be going to Massachusetts on vacation in mid September and would like to get some input from the "local Appleseeders" on what to see while we are there.  We will be staying on Cape Cod and want to see the Boston area and also Battle Road (Lexington/Concord).  This may be our only opportunity to see the places that I read about in Paul Revere's Ride and heard discussed during the Three Strikes and DOM.

Any recommendation that you can provide on local tours (both paid and self guided) of these areas would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Terry

[Lakevillian]

Best time of year to go there, I live 20 min. from the canal in Lakeville.  Most visitors like the Boston Duck boat tours, if you pay attention you will find that you wind up going very near where PR went past the Somerset.  Try the Freedom Trail walk, eat lunch at Durgin Park restaurant.  If you like seafood, try to find an out of the way local seafood shack on the cape.  Avoid Boston rush hour if possible, try not to drive in the city unless you don't mind getting really lost.  Of course Lexington and Concord will be there waiting for you, with probably very small crowds.  Visit the Cape Cod National seashore, it is very nice.  Just up the road, Provincetown is a fun day trip, with funky shops and interesting food, go to Race Point at the 'end' of the cape.  Woods hole Oceanographic in Falmouth may interest you.  A day trip to Nantucket or Martha's Vinyard is another possibility.

John Fitzgerald

[Sprocket]

Terry - don't forget to bump this up before your visit.  If I am around I can possibly be a tour guide for you - sometimes navigating Boston can be a chore.

Some things to do:
Freedom Trail - a self guided FREE tour of historical Boston - the North Church, grave yards featuring Mother Hubbard, Ben Franklin and the Quincy boys, etc.  South Church, Fanuel Hall, some place called the Green Dragon (one of my favorites) and many others are listed on the guide provided by the National Park Service - follow the red brick line, wear your walking shoes, don't worry about lunch - plenty of stops along the way.

USS Constitution - it may be on the trail but warrants specific mention

Salem MA - take the ferry from Boston up and visit Pickering Wharf - yes, that Pickering - Only do this after you've done the Battle Road and Freedom Trail as it is mostly shops and whatnots now - about 15% history, 85% tourism.  Peabody-Essex Museum is worth a look too time permitting.

Duck Tour - might want to do this first to get your bearings

Battle Road - Give this one whole day and start early like 8am or so.  End at the North Bridge and go up to the gift shop.  Crak sometimes moonlights as a tour guide but I may be able to guide you through it.  Pack a lunch

Get to Fenway Park if you're a ball fan, it's a great old room

Safe travels,
Sprocket

[theri]

Thank you for the suggestions.  We will be arriving late on Saturday September 17 and leaving early on Saturday, September 24.  My wife wants to go to Newport RI for one day and I am planning to do Battle road for a full day and Boston for a full day.  If anyone has any further suggestions please let me know. 

Thank you.

Terry

[Ratchett]

Theri,

If you can connect with Crak, AS instructor, and tour Battle Road with him it is very well worth!! He has a lot of information, we do not hardly touch and also gives a more accurate script of the events than some of our accounts. He is pretty amazing, wish our group could have spent more time with him in Lexington and Concord!!

Just a thought...

in His grip,
ratchett

[The Log]

IMHO, the best part of Battle Road is around the visitor's center on the Lincoln-Lexington line. They have a little museum there, which is a good place to spend an hour or so, and the multimedia exhibit is pretty good - a few historical liberties, but better than average.

But the best part is out behind the visitor's center. You'll find Battle Road there, now a walking/biking path in that area, and the ruins of several houses that were there on that day. Josiah Nelson's house was one of them, and I personally find it moving to stand in on the spot where he shed the first blood of the Revolutionary War.

A little to the west of that is the Revere capture site, and to the east is Parker's Revenge. I really like that spot too - scramble up onto those rocks, snuggle down into a semi-prone position with your imaginary musket and you can almost hear Parker's raspy voice telling you to wait until Col. Smith comes into view.

The Concord end is great too, if a bit busier in general, and Lexington Green is a must-see, but very bustling and noisy at most times. I prefer the solitude of the Lincoln area myself. Just my $0.02.

And remember - turn signals are a sign of weakness in Massachusetts...

</log>

[theri]

I want to thank everyone for your comments and advice.  I am looking forward to the visit and the chance to see some of the places that we discuss in the "Three Strikes of the Match."

Terry

[Kaylee]

So very cool!

Some random thoughts from the couple times I've had the good grace to visit -

Battle Road - absolutely it could take a whole day to do it right!! GET AN EARLY START!! Most sites close up by five and YOU WILL NOT have time to see more than a fraction of what there is on offer even in a whole day, much less if you leave at noon.

1. Read the relevant bits in Paul Revere's Rde over again on the way in to make sure it's fresh in your mind. Also check the schedules on the NPS site - maybe even call ahead - to make certain the buildings in Lexington Green will be open when you go. Bring change for parking around the Green.

2. There is nothing - nothing- like standing on the line between the monuments on Lexington Green, staring up the very same road that British column was marching up - and imagining that first line of regulars splitting off and marching straight toward you. It'll quiver your knees for certain sure.

3. I like the museum Log mentions - not many relic exhibits, but the video's nice. Don't forget to sign the guestbook in back where they ask your opinions on the 2A. Maybe have a crib sheet from Patrick Henry when you go.   

At some point, this is a good place to get yourself snuggled up behind one of those stone walls, kneel down, and take an imaginary aim. Go ahead and risk looking silly to do it once in your life.  It's worth it.





4. At Merriam's Corner, stop off and walk up the foot path. Look careful towards the road as you cross the foot bridge. More particular, look *under* the road. Think that could be the original bridge? You can look up from the corner there and see the ridge the flankers came down.

5. If you have time, take the stop near Hartwell Tavern. I've not been there when they were doing presentations (just missed 'em, see above about early starts) - but they look like a good group there. I believe there's also a sort-of restored loop of the original road back in there somewhere, closer to its original state - but we didn't have a chance to see it when I was there.

6. North Bridge - that's another "oh my God" place to stand, especially now that the bridge is rebuilt.
I think it would be good manners to also pay your respects to the British dead there. They had mommas to, and they were doing their duty best they knew.




7. Concord museum has some incredible exhibits - very much worth seeing! There's a fife that was at the battle that day, remains of the original North Bridge that residents salvaged after it washed out, one of the lanterns said to be of the "Two if by sea" message.... amazing stuff!

8. If you have time, go through downtown Menotomy (Arlington now) - there's a memorial to Samuel Whittemore downtown. Stop and say hi if you can.




Boston Proper
1. Parking is a royal pain anywhere. Find a place to drop your car, take the T in, and walk the Freedom Trail.

2. The Statehouse/Massacre site. Have to do it. Also, their museum has some amazing exhibits inside. They don't allow pictures, but you will know whereof I speak once you're there.

3. Green Dragon - honestly, if I had to do it over again, I'd go to the oyster place a hop down the street. That's original - the Green Dragon standing now doesn't have anything in common with the one we've read about but the name, it looks like.

4. Old South Meeting House - OMG. (Watch HBO's John Adams this week before you go for an extra punch in the gut)

5. Make sure to hit Bunker Hill, and the museum across the street from the base. They have an excellent diorama there that explains what happened very clearly. Also please be sure to pay your respects to the good Doctor Warren at the monument itself.


I've yet to make it to the Constitution (still want to!!), but for the Boston part of the trail Old South and the Statehouse are what really stand out in my memory.




*hop hop* Have fun! I'm jealous, I want to go back!
One of these days I'm gonna have to grab a knapsack and walk from North Bridge back to Charlestown just to feel it.

[dwarven1]

Thank you for the suggestions.  We will be arriving late on Saturday September 17 and leaving early on Saturday, September 24.  My wife wants to go to Newport RI for one day and I am planning to do Battle road for a full day and Boston for a full day.  If anyone has any further suggestions please let me know.

There's an Appleseed in Harvard at Harvard Sportsmen's Club on Sunday. Feel free to stop by.