Massachusetts

Overview
Map
Hotels
Fly Drives
Escorted Tours

Massachusetts – The Bay State, is an ideal base or starting point for a New England holiday. The city is compact enough to discover mainly on foot or public transport; it’s a mecca for shopping and a centre of historic importance.

Ever since the Pilgrims arrived in New England, Massachusetts and its capital city of Boston have been at the heart of the action. The first university (Harvard) and the start of both the political and industrial revolutions…even the Cultural Revolution started here, led by writers such as Thoreau and Emerson.

To the east the land rolls down to the sea, embracing the state capital, Boston and the beaches of Cape Cod and the rocky North Shore. To the west and past the broad Connecticut River are the rolling Berkshire Hills which cut across the states western corner. Full of history and diversity, Massachusetts offers everything from cobblestone streets and village greens to space-age technology centres.

You can explore the nation’s early history in this Eastern Seaboard state; walk in the steps of the early pilgrims, tour battleships and lighthouses, catch the excitement of a Boston Red Sox baseball game or be awed by whales drifting along the coastline. Massachusetts has been named by the WWF as one of the world’s Top 10 whale-watching spots, with a variety of species of whales found just 40km (25 miles) off the coast. Whale-watching cruises operate from April to October and are a must for all visitors.

Massachusetts image

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Explore Massachusetts

Cape Cod, The Islands
& Newport

8 Days/7 Nights

Begins and ends in Boston, Massachusetts.

Departures
June, July, August, September & October

Your Tauck Itinerary includes:
• Round trip scheduled flights
• Accommodation as stated
• 7 breakfasts, 1 lunch & 5 dinners
• Air-conditioned motorcoach transportation
• Services of a Tauck Tour Director

DAY 1 ARRIVE BOSTON

Depart the UK on your chosen scheduled flight to Boston. Upon arrival at Logan International Airport you will be transferred to your hotel for this evening. A welcome reception and dinner tonight allows you to become aquainted with your new travelling companions.
Hotel: The Lenox Hotel
Dinner included

DAY 2 PLIMOTH HERITAGE & MARTHA'S VINEYARD

Step back in time as you explore Plimoth Plantation, a re-created 17th century village filled with costumed actors who bring the locations history to life. You'll see Plymouth Rock, marking the Pilgrims' 1620 landing site and enjoy some free time for lunch in Falmouth. In the afternoon you take the ferry to Martha's Vineyard, one of New Englands hottest vacation destinations. Here you spend the next two nights in the former whaling town of Edgartown.
Hotel: Harbor View Hotel & Resort
Breakfast and dinner included

DAY 3 MARTHA'S VINEYARD

Your day starts admiring the stately homes in Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven whilst being surrounded by the islands salt marshes, long beaches and picturesque harbors. The remainder of the afternoon and evening are yours to discover more of the island or perhaps relax on the beach!
Hotel: Harbor View Hotel & Resort
Breakfast included

DAY 4 NANTUCKET

Its time to explore a different New England island today! Hop onboard and take a scenic 15 minute flight to Nantucket, which was one of the country's most important whaling towns two centuries ago. Admire the colonial architecture, winding cobbled streets, and historic taverns in the quaint harbourside town. See the coastal hearthlands and long barrier beaches; approximately 40 percent of the island is preserved as conservation land, before taking the ferry back to mainland and on to the quaint seaside village of Chatham. Here you spend the next two nights overlooking Cape Cod Bay. A traditional lobster and clam dinner is planned to welcome you.
Hotel: Chatham Wayside Inn
Breakfast and dinner included

DAY 5 WHALE WATCHING CRUISE

Today starts with a quaint drive along the Cape's scenic and remote landscapes and includes a visit to Cape Cod National Seashore on the outer Atlantic side of the Cape, where massive sand dunes towers above crested seas. Later visit Provincetown, situated on the northern tip of the Cape. This is another whaling town due to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary offshore, which is the summering ground for a number of whale species. Weather permitiing you'll enjoy a whale-watching cruise, a true highlight of the itinerary.
Hotel: Chatham Wayside Inn
Breakfast and dinner included

DAY 6 NEW BEDFORD & NEWPORT

Your New England vacation continues in New Bedford, a historic seaport on the Atlantic coast, where you will visit the New Bedford Whaling Museum, the nations largest dedicated museum. Newport, located in the smallest of the New England states Rhode Island, has been a long time haven for yachting enthusiasts. You'll see some of the ostentatious mansions that served as summer houses for the affluent socialites during the Gilded Age as you take the Ten-Mile Drive en route to your hotel.
Hotel: The Newport Marriott
Breakfast and lunch included

DAY 7 NEWPORT

You may choose this morning to take a stroll with your Tour Director along the Cliff Walk, set between the sea and the mansions. Your morning also includes a guided tour through The Breakers, a 70 room Italian Renaissance mansion inspired by the 16th century palaces of Genoa and Turin. With so many boats on the shores, it's no wonder that today's highlight is a cruise through Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay. This evening enjoy a cocktail reception and farewell dinner overlooking Cliff Walk and The Atlantic.
Hotel: The Newport Marriott
Breakfast and dinner included

DAY 8 JOURNEY HOME

After breakfast it's just a short drive back to Boston. Your journey ends at Boston Airport, where you board you flight back to the UK. Alternatively, you may choose to extend your stay with a few additional nights in the wonderful city of Boston before returning home.
Breakfast included