8 Great Daytrips from Boston
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
5. Blue Hills Reservation
- Distance: 10 miles
- Highlight: The largest park near Boston
- Best for: Hikers and leaf peepers
Top Attractions:
- Skyline Trail
- Blue Hills Observatory – One of the oldest active weather stations (est. 1885)
- Fall foliage chairlift rides
- Great winter snowshoeing destination
- Closest downhill skiing to the city (Blue Hills Ski Area)
I love to hike and fortunately the city of Boston is surrounding by gorgeous nature. Blue Hills is located just 15 minutes out of the hustle and bustle of Boston but feels a world’s away. This is the place to go to get lost in nature and enjoy a workout or simply some quiet time minus technology, traffic, and crowds. Here you can enjoy getting back to nature on over 125 miles of rustic hiking trails. From spring kayaking, to summer hiking and mountain biking, to fall leap peeping, to winter snowshoeing, Blue Hills is a fantastic year-round recreation destination.
The best trail here is also one of the more challenging routes. The Skyline Trail is a moderately intense 3 mile loop adventure where you will enjoy gorgeous views throughout. There are a number of summits to take in the beauty of the Blue Hills including the challenging, but rewarding climb up to Blue Hill (the tallest peak) where you will enjoy a prime vista of Boston’s incredible skyline.
Overall, Blue Hills is the best daytrip pick for avid fitness enthusiasts. There are so many trails here that you will never get bored. Definitely visit during the peak of fall to enjoy the vivid colors!
6. Salem, MA
- Distance: 21 miles
- Highlight: Halloween capital of America
- Best for: Autumn and Halloween lovers
Top Attractions:
- Salem witch memorial
- House of Seven Gables – Tour the 1668 Colonial mansion
- Witch House – Tour the home of Judge Corwin
- Mahi Mahi cruises
- Essex Street (shopping & dining)
- Old Burying Point cemetery – Resting place of judges of the Witch trials
- Hocus Pocus filming sites
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and I make it a point to seek out special events and celebrations no matter where I love or travel. Salem is often referred to as the Halloween Capital of the World. There’s much to do here for anyone interested in everything spooky & supernatural including a 4D haunted house, ghost tours, historic cemetery tours, ghost tours, and even a horror wax museum featuring all your favorite villains. Haunted Happenings is a month long celebration dedicated to the otherworldly with special shows, pub crawls, carnivals, and more on the calendar. And for all the Hocus Pocus fans out there, several filming sites from the movie can be explored via self-guided tour.
Salem offers much more than just spooky fun. While fall is the best season to visit thanks to the gorgeous foliage and plentiful Halloween activities, anytime of the year really is a great time to visit this enchanting coastal community. First off, there are scenic boat tours to enjoy (Mahi Mahi cruises) and also Essex St. offers endless opportunities for dining and shopping. This historic cobblestone street is lined with local cafes, coffeehouses, museums, and attractions. Events are ongoing. One of my favorite local places to eat is Life Alive, an organic cafe serving healthy wraps and salads.
Salem is the perfect daytrip pick for anyone into Halloween, the paranormal, and/or history. You will find that the small community offers plenty in the way of history and the supernatural all year-round.
7. Newport, RI
- Distance: 72 miles
- Highlight: Home to the famous Newport Mansions
- Best for: Luxury travelers
Top Attractions:
- Cliffwalk – Gorgeous coastal walk alongside the Mansions
- Newport Mansions – The 19th century summer homes of wealthy NY’ers.
- Thames St. (shopping & dining)
- Harbor cruises
- Jane Pickens historic theater
- Sachuest Point Wildlife Refuge – Birdwatching oasis
- Second Beach
Newport is the perfect day trip destination for anyone seeking a quiet, refined escape. There’s much culture and history here and the views are breathtaking. Most famously, Newport is known for the opulent Newport Mansions, the summer “cottages” of the wealthy during the Gilded Age. Today, you can tour many of these homes including the extravagant 125,000 square feet Breakers Mansion – once the summer cottage of the Vanderbilts. For those who don’t want to pay a hefty price tag to see how “the other half” lives you can opt to view the mansions from afar on the lovely Cliffwalk. This 3.5 mile long trail runs alongside the mansions and also offers extraordinary views of the coast. It’s one of the best things to do in the state in my opinion!
A Newport harbor cruise is another must-do, especially if you are new to the area. You will learn more about the seaside community’s rich history and take in some outstanding views. Also, be sure to check out all the local restaurants and shops on historic Thames Street – one of the oldest streets in the state. Plenty of great waterfront restaurants and fresh seafood to enjoy (The Lobster Bar is a popular tourist choice for seafood lovers and Mamma Luisa is a wonderful Italian gem). For those looking to escape the crowds, Sachuest Point Wildlife Refuge (a birdwatching oasis) and Gooseberry Beach are perfect options.
Definitely pick Newport as your daytrip destination if you are seeking a charming coastal town. This small picturesque city is the definition of New England charm.
8. Mohegan Sun
- Distance: 105 miles
- Highlight: One of the largest casinos in the world
- Best for: Entertainment
Top Attractions:
- Tuscany – Great Italian food & a lovely waterfall setting
- The Original Soup Man – The NYC location inspired “the Soup Nazi” on Seinfeld
- The Poker Room – Best poker room!
- Mandara Spa
- The Old Farmer’s Almanac General Store
- The Lansdowne Irish Pub & Music House – Live music & authentic Irish fare
Not only is it one of the world’s largest casino, it is also home to one of the largest and nicest poker rooms. Gaming aside, there is much more to do here including dining at over 30 restaurants, shopping, relaxing at the top rated Mandara Spa, and seeing an event at the Mohegan Sun Arena. It is rated one of the top venues in the world and has hosted icons like Billy Joel, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, and The Eagles.
If you do decide to stay overnight, the rooms are beautiful and modern and many feature views of the gorgeous Thames river. The pools are gorgeous and there are plenty of great on-site restaurants to enjoy. Entertainment includes free music in The Wolf Den, Avalon Nightclub featuring world-class DJs, and Comix Roadhouse. For those not staying overnight, there are plenty of great dining options (Tuscany is a great Italian choice and Lansdowne is an amazing authentic Irish Pub), a great spa, and plenty of shopping to keep you occupied.
Mohegan is the perfect entertainment destination for those tired of the city commotion. I love how everything is conveniently located right on site here – great restaurants, great entertainment, and a great spa! Any vacation where I do not have to drive around seeking out restaurants and entertainment is a big plus in my book!
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