New England

A Karen Brown Recommended Itinerary

Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha’s
Vineyard & Seaside Newport

Recommended Itinerary Length: 7 to 8 days

Highlights: Plymouth: Plymouth Rock and Plantation, Mayflower II; Duxbury; Cape Cod towns: Barnstable, Yarmouth, Port, Dennis, Brewster, Orleans, Eastham, Provincetown, Chatham, Hyannis; Cape Cod National Seashore; Nantucket Island: Whaling Museum; Martha’s Vineyard: Vineyard Haven, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Gay Head;  Rhode Island: Newport: Newport Mansions; Providence: Brown University, Waterfire

Summary: Travel south from Boston—to the coastal villages and fishing harbors of Cape Cod, out to the enticing islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, on to the gracious mansions of Newport—and back to Boston. Along the way, you have ample opportunities for antiquing, and you’ll come to love the weathered architecture that gave its name to the “Cape” style of building. The north shore of the Cape along Route 6A is my favorite. It’s much quieter, less populated, and much less commercial than the towns along Route 28 to the south, and there is a real sense of community here. In the warm months, flower gardens thrive on Cape Cod, especially roses, which seem almost to engulf the houses in early June.