Best Day Trips from Boston in Under Three Hours

There’s plenty to occupy your time in Boston proper, but the Massachusetts city is also a great base for day trips from Boston. We’ve been lucky enough to visit Boston and its surrounding towns several times, so we know how good the day trip scene can be.

There is SO much within a short drive of the city.

In fact, Boston’s proximity to all kinds of excursions within a few hours makes it one of the most bang-for-your-buck destinations in the United States.

Let’s dive into making the best Boston day trips happen, and all of my favorites from my New England travels. I’ll keep things to well under three hours, as that’s typically my personal cutoff for day trips. That’s why you won’t see New York City on the list.

Salem

Distance: 25 miles
Drive Time: 45 minutes

At less than an hour’s drive, Salem’s spooky history was a no-brainer for our last trip to Boston. In fact, I’d call it one of the best fall day trips from Boston.

I highly recommend a visit in October when this New England town goes all in on its witchy history. I even put together a guide for you to make Boston day trips to Salem happen.

At the very least, visit the Salem Witch Museum for a recreation of the Salem witch trials. The impressive Peabody Essex Museum is also a must if you’re more into art galleries than all things spooktacular.

Fun fact: If you’re a movie buff, Salem also boasts quite a few filming locations for the original Hocus Pocus, a Halloween classic by any standard.

Plymouth

Distance: 41 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour

You have to see that big ol’ rock at least once in your life. Luckily, there’s more to do to fill up a day in Plymouth, an essential New England travel stop, outside of Plymouth Rock.

Gaze upon the 81-foot-tall National Monument to the Forefathers. Catch the views down below from Burial Hill. Stroll onto the Mayflower II for a round of Pilgrim cosplay.

See the Plimoth Patuxet Museums, a complex that details life in the Plymouth Colony, including the indigenous experience.

Note: At one time these were called the Plimoth Plantation. The name was changed as a nod to the indigenous populations. It really wasn’t as hunky-dory as your childhood Thanksgiving plays might suggest, folks.

Hampton, New Hampshire

Distance: 51 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

We were in Hampton in the off-season, so it definitely was quite a bit sleepier than usual. In the summer months, this place comes alive as one of the best beach towns in the region.

If you visit in the fall as we did, expect sunsets like the one above, but not a ton in the way of open eateries and bars that cater to that summertime crowd.

It’s still lovely and all kinds of peaceful if that’s what you’re after, though, especially when you realize it’s just a little over an hour’s drive from Boston.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Distance: 56 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

If you’re looking for fall day trips from Boston, this port town is a delight during the spooky season because that’s when all of the pumpkin people come out.

If you want to know what the heck that’s all about, check out my guide to Portsmouth.

Don’t miss the Strawbery Banke Museum — yes, it’s really spelled that way — and Portsmouth’s impressive historical homes.

Fun fact: Our favorite historical home was the Warner House, one of the oldest brick structures in New England.

Enjoy a taste of New England with popovers from the aptly named Popovers on the Square. Explore the town’s main street along Market Square. Walk the bridge to the town of Kittery, Maine, on the other side.

Kittery, Maine

Distance: 59 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Yes, you can walk from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to Kittery, Maine. This part of town is called Badger’s Island, and if you keep walking north you’ll reach the non-island portion of this scenic town.

Explore the southernmost town in Maine with a visit to Fort Foster. The old military fortifications boast some historical significance, but the park is also home to three of the town’s sandy beaches and a variety of trails.

If you’re not here to learn anything, trips to Kittery are also popular for shopping at The Kittery Outlets. That’s not my thing, but it may be yours.

If you’re still not here to learn anything but feeling thirsty, Tributary Brewing Company is a popular option among local beer fans. Nearby Woodland Farms Brewery has a variety of non-alcoholic options if you’re cutting back on the booze.

Providence, Rhode Island

Distance: 51 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

For whatever reason, Providence just isn’t as popular as other New England towns, even when it comes to peak fall foliage travel. That may be a bummer for Providence, but it’s good news for you.

Paths less traveled typically mean more budget-friendly travel and fewer crowds, even in the downtown area. 

With one day in Providence, don’t miss the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Thayer Street on the Brown University campus, and the city’s plethora of historic homes.

Note: If you’re seeking hot deals, the Wrentham Village Premium Outlets in Wrentham, Massachusetts, are just a half-hour from Providence.

Providence is also one of the best day trips from Boston by train. The train will actually get you there faster (most of the time) than driving!

READ MORE: Need more convincing? Check out my guide to Providence.

Cape Cod

Distance: 70 miles+
Drive Time: 1 hour 40 minutes+

Cape Cod can be a day trip from Boston, but the further up the cape you travel, the less time you’ll have for activities on the peninsula.

If you’re here for Provincetown and the Cape Cod National Seashore at the northern tip, expect that journey to take you closer to three hours.

That’s likely too far for a day trip, so you may want to save the town’s Race Point Beach and the Mayflower landing site for a trip when you have more time.

If you really want to make a day trip to Cape Cod happen, I’d recommend Hyannis, instead. It’s home to one of the best bowls of chowder I’ve ever had at the Black Cat Tavern and the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum, but also that chowder.

Seriously, it’s the best.

Be aware that travel times to Cape Cod can also vary widely depending on when you visit. 

Newport, Rhode Island

Distance: 73 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour 40

Newport, Rhode Island, is the perfect day trip to look at how the other half lives. I’m not really sure why that phrase is a thing, by the way, as us normal folk outnumber the “other half” by quite a bit. 

In any case, it’s known for its Gilded Age mansions. I have a Newport mansions guide if you’re interested.

If you’re not interested in Newport’s mansion scene, stroll the Newport Cliff Walk. You’ll still get mansions on the one side, but ocean panoramas await on the other. Newport is also home to the International Tennis Hall of Fame if that speaks to you.

Mystic, Connecticut

Distance: 100 miles
Drive Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

I came to Mystic because of Mystic Pizza, but I stayed because it’s friggin’ adorable. If you just have the day, don’t miss my detailed guide to all things Mystic.

The pizza joint made famous by the movie is fine. I mean, you should definitely visit if you love Julia Roberts and just want to take in those vibes. It’s even more fun to cruise around town and take in the seaport.

Visit the Mystic Seaport Museum if you’re here for all things maritime. It’s the largest maritime museum in the country.

Portland, Maine

Distance: 112 miles
Drive Time: 2 hours

Portland is the heart of Maine. It’s the state’s largest city with loads to do to fill up a full week. If you’re seeking day trips from Boston to Maine, this one should be at the top of your list.

If you only have the day, though, take the trip up to Portland Head Light on Cape Elizabeth and get another lighthouse fix at Bug Light. It’s not possible to get sick of these Maine lighthouses. I’ve tried!

Get your art fix at the Portland Museum of Art, the biggest and oldest art museum in the state.

If you’re here for that quintessential Portland beer, it has to come from Allagash Brewing Company. On a warm day, you can sit out on their large patio and enjoy the people-watching from folks being introduced to high-ABV beers.

Discuss when you’d like to return over a lobster roll from Portland Lobster Company. You WILL want to come back to this city. I’ve been plotting since I left.

Hartford, Connecticut

Distance: 117 miles
Drive Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Mark Twain fans will love a visit to the Mark Twain House & Museum. This was the actual home of Mark Twain (at that time known as Samuel Langhorne Clemens) and his family from 1874 to 1891.

If you time things right, you can visit the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, too. Unfortunately, it was closed during our own trip to Hartford.

As you’re in the capital of Connecticut, visit both The Connecticut State Capitol and Connecticut’s Old State House. The latter is now a history museum that offers up a primer on not only the state’s capitol building switch but a history of the state, as well.

New Haven, Connecticut

Distance: 139 miles
Drive Time: 2 hours 25 minutes

New Haven is known for Yale University and all the impressive things that come with its connection to the Ivy League institution.

That means it’s home to some of the best museums in the country and rare books libraries that you should really time your visit around. I have a guide to all of that and then some.

If you’re just on a pizza tour, I’ve got a guide for that, too. I even go so far as to name my personal favorite New Haven pizza. Have a look!

My opinions in that pizza post got me all kinds of attention, both positive and negative. Here’s the thing. I like what I like and you can like what you like, and we can all eat pizza in New Haven without limits. Xoxo, friends.

Woodstock, Vermont

Distance: 140 miles
Drive Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Interested in a Vermont day trip from Boston? This one is worth it for its charm alone. Yes, Woodstock’s covered bridges really are that cute. My pup seemed to think so, too.

Woodstock is one of the most popular stops on any leaf-peeping tour of New England for a reason. Well, maybe it’s a few reasons.

The covered bridges, like the Middle Covered Bridge, are certainly one, but the plentiful green spaces that turn bright colors of reds, golds, and oranges come fall are another.

Downtown Woodstock is a great place to start, thanks to The Green, the town’s central square and gathering place.

READ MORE: Stowe is a little too far for a day trip from Boston, but it’s a great weekend away!

More Day Trips From Boston

I’ve been to Boston a few times, but I still haven’t seen it all. Here are a few more ideas for things to do near Boston on your next trip to the Massachusetts city:

• Boston Whale Watching (varies): You don’t need to leave the city to see the humpbacks and right whales of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.
• Concord (40 minutes): This one is known for its American Revolutionary War sites. Visit the Ralph Waldo Emerson House and Walden Pond while you’re there.
• Lexington (45 minutes): The town is home to the Lexington Common, or Battle Green. This is where the first shot of the American Revolutionary War was fired.
• Marblehead (50 minutes): The storied fishing town, just a 50-minute drive from Boston, is known as the birthplace of marine aviation and the Continental Navy.
• Sturbridge (1 hour 5 minutes): See the Old Sturbridge Village, a living history museum, or go on a hike at Wells State Park in this scenic Worcester County town.
• Newburyport (1 hour 10 minutes): This coastal town near the New Hampshire border has an Old World charm, plentiful meaderies, and a historic port.
• Gloucester (1 hour 15 minutes): Come to this coastal city for its fresh seafood. You can actually see fishermen working the waterfront here as you stroll the harbor.
• Rockport (1 hour 15 minutes): This seaside town near Gloucester is known for Halibut Point State Park and Halibut Point Reservation, two recreational wonders.
• New Bedford (1 hour 20 minutes): This small town is known for its history as a whaling port. Don’t miss the New Bedford Whaling Museum if you’re curious.
• East Bay Bike Path (1 hour 25 minutes): This 14.3-mile bike trail connects the Rhode Island towns of Bristol and Providence. Enjoy coastal views and eight parks.
• Ogunquit, Maine (1 hour 35 minutes): This coastal city is on the southern tip of Maine, making it an easy trip over the border from Massachusetts.
• Springfield (1 hour 40 minutes): Springfield is a pilgrimage for basketball fans, as it’s home to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Where to Stay in Boston

If you’re taking day trips from Boston, you’ll need somewhere to stay. We stayed outside of the city during our visit as we waited too late to book, but I wouldn’t recommend that. We spent more time sitting in traffic than it was worth.

Use the map below to plan better and book accommodations in Boston proper:

Boston is an excellent base for day trips.

People vacation in Boston because it’s a world-class city and home to the Boston National Historical Park, but it’s also a great base for day trips. My favorite things to do outside of Boston explore the history, natural pursuits, and food scene in the region.

I’d love to return to Boston and tick off some of the one-day trips mentioned above that I haven’t gotten to yet.