Boston · Day trips from Boston
Day Trips from Boston for Grown-Ups
Boston is small enough that a day out of town costs you very little, and the three best escapes could hardly be more different: the bridge where the Revolution began, a seaport with one of the country's great museums, and the Gilded Age mansions of Newport. Here is how to pick one and how to do it well.
- Closest
- Salem, about 17 miles; also by train or seasonal ferry
- Most history
- Concord and Lexington, about 20 miles
- Biggest day
- Newport, Rhode Island, about 71 miles
- Book ahead
- A timed Breakers ticket; Peabody Essex in October
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Concord and Lexington: where the Revolution began
Minute Man National Historical Park follows the road and the North Bridge where the fighting started in April 1775. It's about 20 miles northwest of downtown (roughly 35 minutes' drive without traffic). The grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset, with two visitor centers. Walk a stretch of the Battle Road Trail in the morning, then have lunch in Concord's village centre; in October the trail is one of the prettiest fall walks near the city.
Minute Man National Historical Park
Concord and Lexington, about 20 miles northwest
The road and North Bridge where the Revolutionary War began in April 1775. The park's grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset, with two visitor centers, Minute Man and North Bridge; park headquarters is at 174 Liberty St, Concord.
Tip: Walk a stretch of the Battle Road Trail, then lunch in Concord's village center.
Salem: a museum day by the sea
Salem is the easiest trip without a car: the Commuter Rail's Newburyport/Rockport line drops you a half-mile walk from the Peabody Essex Museum, and from mid-May through October the Salem Ferry runs from Long Wharf in about 50 minutes. By road it's about 17 miles (half an hour without traffic). The museum is open Thursday to Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. October is Salem's Halloween month and draws more than a million visitors, so go on a weekday if you can.
Salem and the Peabody Essex Museum
161 Essex St, Salem
Heads-up: The Salem Ferry runs mid-May through October only.
Salem's great museum of art and culture, open Thursday to Monday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (adults $25). Get there on the Commuter Rail (Newburyport/Rockport line) and walk half a mile, or take the 50-minute Salem Ferry from Long Wharf, which runs mid-May through October.
Tip: October is Salem's busiest month; go on a weekday, and book PEM's extras early (October Ropes Mansion tours sold out).
Newport: the Gilded Age mansions
Newport, Rhode Island, is the long day: about 71 miles south, or about an hour and three-quarters by car without traffic. The reward is the Vanderbilts' summer "cottages" on Bellevue Avenue. The Breakers needs a timed ticket ($32 for adults); a combination ticket adds Marble House or Rosecliff, and those don't need a time slot. The Breakers and Marble House are open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last admission at 4.
Newport mansions (The Breakers)
Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island (about 71 miles south)
The Gilded Age summer "cottages" of the Vanderbilts and their friends, run by the Preservation Society of Newport County. The Breakers and Marble House are open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last admission 4 p.m.), Rosecliff 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A timed Breakers ticket is $32 for adults; The Breakers plus one more house is $45, plus two is $57.
Tip: Pick your Breakers time first, then see the other houses at your own pace: multi-house tickets don't need a time for them.
Which one to choose
- No car: Salem, by Commuter Rail all year or by ferry until the end of October.
- History and a walk: Concord and the Battle Road Trail, back in time for dinner in the North End.
- A grand day out: Newport. Start early, book The Breakers for late morning and add one more house after lunch.
- Fall colour: Concord in October, when the Battle Road's woods and fields turn.
Our advice
- Leave Boston by 8:30 a.m. or after 9:30 a.m.; rush hour can add half an hour to any of these drives.
- Drive distances and times here are OpenStreetMap routes from downtown Boston without traffic.
- The Salem Ferry stops at the end of October; after that, take the train.
- Check current hours, prices and ferry schedules before you go.
Everything here was checked in September 2026. Museum hours, tour times and seasonal ferries change, so confirm before you go.
Questions people ask
What is the best day trip from Boston without a car?
Salem. The Commuter Rail's Newburyport/Rockport line stops a half-mile walk from the Peabody Essex Museum, and the Salem Ferry runs from Long Wharf in about 50 minutes from mid-May through October.
How far is Newport from Boston?
About 71 miles by road, or roughly an hour and three-quarters without traffic. It's a full day, so book a timed ticket for The Breakers before you go.
How far is Concord from Boston?
About 20 miles northwest, around 35 minutes by car without traffic. Minute Man National Historical Park's grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset.
Is Salem worth visiting in October?
Yes, but it is Salem's busiest month by far, with more than a million visitors. Go on a weekday, take the train, and book any Peabody Essex Museum extras early.