February 2025

Day Trip Ideas

On February 14th, Galentine's Day! we enjoyed festive meal together and shared dat trip ideas with each other. Thanks Contributor EE for the "Rose Colored Glasses"!

Contributor EE

Enjoy a day trip or weekend in Boston/Cambridge, MA.

Be inspired by this article featured in Veranda Magazine!

https://www.veranda.com/travel/weekend-guides/g62248319/things-to-do-in-boston/

Some highlights are:
• The Newbury Hotel: book a room with a fireplace.
• Enjoy pizza in Cambridge at Pinnochio's
• Dine at The Mad Monkfish, Frank's Steak House, SNS Deli and Contessa
• Visit Harvard's museums, Fogg Art Museum, and more.
•Visit Beacon Hill Bookstore.

Contributor CG

Plan a day touring The Trustees protected spaces.

https://thetrustees.org

Contributor MM

Plan a day trip to Providence RI!
Below is a detailed list from this contributor.

Day Trip to Providence, RI

• Travel time from Manchester to Providence, after rush-hour, is usually 1.5 hours. Easy, direct route down 95 South.

• On arrival, refresh with a tea from Ceremony https://www.ceremonypvd.com https://www.ceremonypvd.com/

• Or try a vegan refreshment from Plant City https://www.plantcitypvd.com https://www.plantcitypvd.com/ down by the river. Another option is to get a quick espresso amongst the trendy students at Bolt Coffee https://www.boltcoffeeco.com/risd in the RISD Museum https://www.risdmuseum.org

• If it’s close to lunch time, head to Aleppo Sweets https://www.alepposweets.com where you’ll have the most delicious tea to wash down your Syrian fare, both sweet and savoury.

• Then find parking on Benefit Street. As with most places, this city’s neighbourhoods are best explored and enjoyed on foot.

• Plan on visiting the RISD Museum. Great old photographs of a children’s school trip to the museum in the 1920’s. Oh how dressed they looked! Should you have a Bank of America card, free entry! There’s always an interesting little exhibition on. Like the history of silk wall-paper block printing.

• After the Museum, walk to the Providence Atheneum https://providenceathenaeum.org/visit/plan-your-visit/.

and browse this beautiful library and all its little nooks and crannies.

• The Old State House is also on Benefit St. https://preservation.ri.gov/about-rihphc/building-history

• Meander down Thomas Street where you’ll see some of the most historic houses of Providence.

• If you’re up for toning your calves, (an uphill walk) turn on Benevolent Street and you’ll arrive at one of Brown University’s https://www.brown.edu (https://www.brown.edu/ quads. Wander around the greens and quads of Brown.

• Walk to Prospect Terrace Park for a panoramic view of downtown Providence and the RI State House.

• Drive downtown and if you’re in need for another coffee or tea, pop into Ellie’s Café http://www.elliesprov.com.

• There’s not a lot to explore downtown unfortunately. The neighbourhoods like Federal Hill (Italian), Wayland, South Elmwood, Blackstone Blvd. and College Hill, are more eclectic and feel safer.

• A drive to Swan Point, a 200-hundred-acre Cemetery, is worth your while https://swanpointcemetery.com Here you can park and have a guided walking tour around the magnificent garden and monuments to the once living souls. It’s a restorative, peaceful place in the Blackstone neighbourhood.

And now dinner time is approaching...and Providence has much to offer in the food scene. Here are some worthy, delicious recommendations:

• The almost historic iconic Italian, Al Forno

https://alforno.com

• Persimmon

http://www.persimmonri.com

• New Rivers https://www.newriversrestaurant.com

• Gracie’s https://graciesprov.com

• Bayberry Gardens https://www.bayberrygarden.com

• Oberlin https://oberlinrestaurant.com

• Gift Horse (seafood bar) https://gifthorsepvd.com

• Bacaro’s

https://bacarorestaurant.net

• Hemenway’s

https://www.hemenwaysrestaurant.com

• Mare rooftop restaurant

https://marerooftop.com

• Den Den (more casual but yum noodles)

https://www.dendenhospitality.com/dendencafe

• Bellini’s has an elegant bar, food is good (good for a nice brunch)

https://www.bellinirestaurant.com

Check the calendar to see if you are in PVD for a waterfire night – evenings where fires are set up along the river with music adding to the atmosphere and there are all sorts of street vendors out and about

https://waterfire.org

Contributor KA

Enjoy day trips driving along Massachusett's coastline.

North Shore ideas
• Rocky Neck

• Bearskin Neck

• The Hide Away

• Annisquam

Great Barrington tour
• Red Lion Inn
• Tanglewood
• Mass Moca
• The Clark Art Institute

Providence
• Roger Williams Park
• Botanical Center
• Zoo
• Newport
• Wickford RI

Additional ideas
• Mystic CT
• Essex CT
• Portland ME
• Portsmouth NH
(Enjoy Charles Dickens folks during Xmas!)

Contributor CM

Enjoy a day trip in York, Maine.

• York Maine Museum
• Lunch- begins with an A (More info to come. Place on the water.)
• Eliot ME - light show during holiday season
• Kittery ME
• Anjou - good noodle bar

Contributor KH

Visit Salem MA
Avoid visiting in October though–Halloween mayhem!

• Federal St

• Great dining

AJ King Bakery
Finz, Sealevel
Winter Ledger
Turners Seafood
Settler
Bernadette

• Visit the Peabody Essex Museum

• Shopping

Lots of witchy shops!

• Enjoy the Salem Ferry to Boston

Enjoy a day trip in Warner NH

• Great hike

Mount Kearsage

• Blue moon bakery

• Telephone museum

Watch MA's Chronicle show

7:30 every night

One idea featured on this show; Valentines day state box adventures!

Contributor BC

Day trip idea; Midtown Mondays in NYC

• Have a Y membership? Work out the Y midtown
https://ymcanyc.org/locations/vanderbilt-ymca

• Get a bagel with schmear at Ess a Bagel

https://www.ess-a-bagel.com

• Walk along 5th ave, on your way to the Museum of Arts and Design at Columbus Circle.
https://madmuseum.org

• After enjoying exhibits, have lunch at the museums restaurant, Robert–overlooking Columbus Circle and Central Park.

https://robertnyc.com

• Walk off lunch, make your way to the MoMA late afternoon.
https://www.moma.org

• After MoMA, walk to One Vanderbilt, enjoy a cocktail, early meal at Centurion Club. Book a table with a view of the Chrysler Building spire. (Enjoy your AMEX perks.)
https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/centurion-new-york-amex-club-review/

• End your evening with a nighttime, "floating" experience over midtown. Enjoy the city lights. Book the last timed spot at Summit.
https://summitov.com/experience/ascent/

Day trip idea; Cabot Street Beverly MA

• Enjoy lunch at Delphine's.
https://delphineskitchen.com

• Shop at WKND and Copper Dog Books
https://wkndgoods.com
https://www.copperdogbooks.com

• Grab a coffee at Atomic Cafe
http://www.atomicafe.com

• Make or paint ceramics at Clay Dreaming.
https://claydreaming.com

• Enjoy a pizza, cocktails and more at Soma
https://www.somabeverly.com

• See a comedy show at Off Cabot or a movie or muical event at Cabot St. Theater.
https://offcabot.org

https://thecabot.org

Contributor LK

Day trip idea; Boston, Cambridge, Allston, Somerville MA!

So many great suggestions from LK–notes below :)

Before you begin this day trip, watch the 1968 version of the Thomas Crown Affair. See the locals in person on your day trip!

Day trip Idea -some suggestions not open Sundays.

Preliminary:

Look over links, see if there is interest to inspire scheduling your day around classes held at Sofra, Formaggio, or Grey Mist..Call Sarma or Oleana for early dinner reservation

Review middle eastern foods, recipes, interests...

Watch the original Thomas Crowne Affair before walking here.- with scences of Myopia polo, wingarsheek dunes, old Boston... The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers... It is a 1968 movie.. anyone born after 1985 will think this movie is waaay tooo slow..but it is so good in style, Boston scenes, Northshore scenes, and coolness not really seen these days..

Focus Area for field trip: Watertown and West Cambridge are right off Rte 2.

Watertown has an incredible Armenian culture and excellent bakeries and markets. There are many markets I have shared Sevan to keep this simple. Disclaimer: I have added a trip to the Armenian Museum. I have heard amazing reviews for this small museum but have never been myself.

Sevan, Sofra, Formaggio, Oleana, and Sarma are in your foodie category.

Armenian Museum and Mount Auburn Cemetery offer history, perspectives...

Sofra, Formaggio, Grey Mist offer classes

Cambridge Mercantile is a much smaller Copper Shed with more Cambridge vibes.

Locations/ West to East

Watertown

Armenian Museum

Sevan

Sofra

West Cambridge

Mount Auburn Cemetery

Huron Village - free street parking for 2 hours.

Grey Mist

Cambridge Mercantile

Formaggio

Between Central & Inman Square

Oleana

Sarma

About - Sevan Bakery

The Best Food For Over 36 Years INTERNATIONAL, ETHICALLY SOURCED INGREDIENTS Family owned and operated Seva...

Sofra Bakery & Cafe

Armenian Museum of America — in Watertown MA

The largest Armenian Museum in the Diaspora with collections of more than 25K artifacts including ancient and me...

Mount Auburn Cemetery – Mount Auburn Cemetery

Get a great walk in to break up shopping/driving.

** free parking** No dogs** restrooms* walk many routes.

But try to get to the lookout tower and go to the top of the tower for great views.

Prework: watch the Original Thomas Crowne Affair before walking here.- with scences of Myopia polo, wingarsheek dunes, old Boston... The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers