I'm visiting New England (staying in Boston) in a couple of weeks. What should I see?

things to do in Boston

Museums, lots of Museums: The MFA (art) Isabella Stuart Gardner (art) ICA (art) The Aquarium, The Science Museum, Harvard and MIT museums, not to mention all the Historical sites; sites along the Freedom Trail, John Adams House

Check listings for concerts, plays and other events

Red Sox Game,or other sports event

Visit the Harbor Islands, Whale watch, Blue Hills State reservation

shopping, lots of shopping in Quincy Market, Newbury Street or Harvard Square in Cambridge, also visit the insanely overpriced Copley Place Mall

Duck tours

Go to the top of the Prudential Tower for a great view

Things to do nearby

head to Salem, visit the witch museum, Essex Peabody Museum, Salem Historic National Park

lots of shopping and restaurants

Minute Man National Park in Concord and Lexington

Roger Williams Zoo in Providence

Hike up Mount Wachusset in Princeton MA

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/central/wach.htm

Being from Texas are you going to be able to take the politics, same sex marriage and other things of liberal New England, lols?

Seriously: unfortunately even at the end of September the leaves will only be partially turned. Hardly at all in Boston. About 3/4 peak in northern Maine but that is a 7 hour trip, and it is more potato fields and pine forest than the brilliant deciduous forests and hills and mountains of the New England calendars. Your best bet would be northern Vermont - about 3 1/2 - 4 hours from Boston depending on whether you go to the west (Burlington - St. Albans) or to the east (St. Johnsbury - Newport). Probably color will be about 2/3 peak on - say - September 27 but some areas are so full of earlier turning trees you might not notice anything lacking..

A suggestion: stay an overnight in St. Albans. There is a nice Comfort Inn there and 3 good restaurants in town (more good restaurants at regional country inns within a half hour's drive and many, many more in the Burlington area, including the restaurants of The New England Culinary Institute, a famed chef's school. This way you can leaf-peep without feeling rushed. It already gets dark at 7PM - we are on the eastern side of the time zone, remember. Unfortunately only a couple of small museums around Burlington but you can do that in Boston (and Providence, Manchester NH, and other cities nearby). Or spend even another day and trek an hour (from St. Albans) to Montreal and you can get museumed to smithereens (plus another great dinner). If you take this suggestion to linger a short bit in northern Vermont make your reservation NOW -- tourists come from all over the world to see the New England autumn, although as I noted late September ia about 10 days short of peak color. Also, just in case you do think there will be a chance you will Montreal museum-hop bring your passport. You do not need it for Canada but the tougher Americans will demand it and will detain you if you do not have it.

Have a great trip.

l

I am sorry to tell you that in 2 weeks - end of September - it will be too early to see the beautiful foliage...UNLESS, that is, you wish to take a couple of days and drive to Montreal. WHICH I HEARTILY URGE YOU TO CONSIDER. Not only will the foliage be at peak in the Laurentians just north of Montreal (and approaching peak in the near south and far northern Vermont) but Montreal is a much more museumed city than Boston (although as Geology Rock Star lists Boston is certainly not berefit by far, Boston's museums in toto are just a fraction of Montreal's!!!). Like Boston Montreal is also a great international city and a student city (coincidentally 2nd after Boston for its numbers of university students). And Montreal is somewhat cheaper for lodgings, So consider doing it while you are (relatively) close!!!!! You will not regret it as strange as the idea might first seem. And, yes, it is within a day's drive - 5 1/2 hours - and you can slower-life meander through the New England and Eastern Townships (that part of Quebec between Montreal and Vermont) countryside on your way to or returning. The Burlington, Vermont area also worth a few hours.

Just be aware that you will be politically in the blueist part of North America (Quebec being even considerably more leftist than New England) in case you are of a Texas Tea Party persuasion.

NANTUCKET!!!! Its Beautiful