Top Three New England Destinations
by Noemi Arellano-Summer
photography courtesy of Pexels
Spring is coming! Though it may not seem like it, when Boston weather swings back and forth between slightly warm and cold temperatures. Summer will be here before you know it, and when you think ‘summer,’ what word usually follows? Vacation! So, here is a list of fairly close New England vacation destinations for the warmer months.
Barnstable, Massachusetts is the largest community on Cape Cod. If you’re looking for some interesting historical sights, trawl down through historic Barnstable village. The Barnstable Superior Courthouse, which was built between 1763 and 1774, stands there as part of the Barnstable County Complex.
The Edward Gorey House is another place not to be missed, though this one is literary in significance, rather than historical. Then, of course, there are attractions you can only do near the Cape, such as fishing, boating and kayaking. Cotuit, a village on the south side of town, is your best bet for all three. The 1856 Country Store and the Centerville Pie Company, both in Centerville, are both renowned for the goodies they offer, and are definitely worth a stop.
Plymouth is best known for Plymouth Rock, but it’s also worth a spring vacation for plenty of other reasons. You can explore Plymouth Plantation, which is a re-creation of a 1627 Plymouth village that opened in 1947. This living museum is open March through November.
Another way to experience history in Plymouth is by visiting the National Monument to the Forefathers, which was dedicated in 1889. The lower end of Leyden Street, the original settlers’ main street, is now Brewster Gardens, through which the original Town Brook still flows, now with a nature trail to one side. Again, because the town is on the ocean, aquatic activities are also available, including whale watching, cruises and deep sea fishing.
Worcester, also in Massachusetts, is home to an art museum with over 35,000 works from antiquity to modern day. The EcoTarium is an indoor and outdoor science and nature museum that features wildlife, permanent and traveling exhibits and a narrow-gauge train pulled by a 1860s steam engine model. Worcester was once home to the Higgins Armory Museum, the only museum of arms and armor in the Western Hemisphere. Unfortunately, that museum has closed as of late 2013. However, you can still visit Bancroft Tower, a scaled-down castle reproduction built to honor George Bancroft, founder of the US Naval Academy.
A more modern site to visit is That’s Entertainment, a comic book and pop culture store. In 2011, they petitioned the city to rename the private road next to their store after Lois Lane, Superman’s girlfriend. In August of the next year, Worcester approved the name change.
What are you waiting for? Start planning your trips before it’s too late. As BU students, Boston is our home for most of the year. With this list, you can explore past Commonwealth Ave. and into the surrounding New England areas.