Are you looking for ideas for weekend getaways from Boston? You are in luck because I grew up in Boston and lived there for 22+ years… as a frequent traveler, I’ve certainly been on my fair share of weekend getaways out of the city. Choose your own adventure from the below categories:
- Weekend Getaways from Boston – Driving Distance
- Weekend Getaways from Boston – Domestic
- Weekend Getaways from Boston – International
Weekend Getaways from Boston: Driving Distance
(above photo: Jeff Gunn/Flickr)
Here are some of my favorite places for a road trip weekend getaway from Boston:
Portland, Maine – It’s about a two-hour drive. Portland is one of the cutest cities and my favorite in New England. Love the historic streets of the Old Port, and there are tons of nice independent boutiques, beer-focused bars and delicious restaurants to visit. The beach and mountains are both a short drive away.
Newport, Rhode Island – Newport, about 1.5 hours away from Boston, is my favorite New England beach town. Why’s that? Well, because it has so much more to do than the beach! Plus it’s very walkable, appealing to us city folk who don’t want to have to drive. I love sitting by the waterfront and having cocktails while watching all the boats. Don’t forget to check out the famous Newport mansions, and walk the scenic Cliff Walk.
Provincetown, Cape Cod, Massachusetts – Known for its popularity amongst gay travelers, Provincetown is straight up fun. You can drive there in a little over two hours, or take a ferry from Boston. It has great shops and a fun nightlife scene!
Burlington, Vermont – This city about 3.5 hours’ drive from Boston is very quirky, and you’re likely to see hippies hanging out protesting things in the main part of town while smoking something possibly illicit. I love the city’s alternative vibe, and it has so many good restaurants touting organic, locally-sourced menu items. Plus the surrounding scenery is simply stunning.
New York, NY – I lived in New York City for five years and spent many a weekend there! It’s about a 4.5 hour drive from Boston and easily accessible via bus and train as well. I think this one explains itself, but a weekend in New York is always a good (albeit, expensive) idea.
The Hudson Valley, New York – Just outside New York City are the adorable towns of the Hudson Valley. Great for a relaxing, scenic weekend getaway with great food, hiking and fun local activities like apple picking. My favorite time to go is in the fall.
Providence, RI – Providence is a beautiful city to roam around on a nice day. Explore the historic neighborhoods, indulge in the city’s up-and-coming cocktail culture and check out the WaterFire on summer weekends. Best of all, it’s less than an hour’s drive from Boston. You can also take the T there.
Weekend Getaways from Boston: Domestic
Some of the domestic destinations I’ve traveled to for a weekend getaway from Boston include:
Dallas, Texas – Read my post to see what’s possibly the world’s largest Bloody Mary, and some of my favorite spots in Dallas!
Fort Lauderdale, Florida – A quick flight and you’re on the beach. But there’s more to do in FLL than bask in the sun! Read my post to find out what.
San Juan, Puerto Rico – Exotic island, no passport required. There’s so much to do and see in Puerto Rico, from El Yunque Rainforest to the beaches of Condado.
San Antonio, Texas – Amazing Mexican food, quite a few historic sights and a fun river walk make San Antonio a great city to spend one of your weekend getaways from Boston in.
Denver & Boulder, Colorado – This flight’s a little longer (around 4 hours each way) but the beauty of Colorado is worth it! Both cities are really fun, but Boulder is my favorite.
Weekend Getaways from Boston: International
Don’t call me crazy! Thanks to the advent of affordable airlines, it’s now worth it to travel internationally from Boston even just for the weekend.
Reykjavik, Iceland – Did you know that Reykjavik is less than a five hour flight from Boston? Iceland Air has great fare prices sometimes, and with the introduction of new budget airline WOW, it’s more affordable than ever to get to Iceland. From Reykjavik, it’s easy to book day tours like the famous Golden Circle, or go to see the Northern Lights.
Paris, France – Thanks to WOW Air, it’s affordable to fly from Boston to Paris. My round trip flight was around $300! In a four-day weekend I squeezed in so much – read the post to find out.
Bologna, Italy – Take a direct flight from Boston to Milan, then easily connect to the train to Bologna. I managed to eat my way through the city in just three days.
Oslo, Norway – Norwegian Air just recently launched some very affordable direct flights from Boston to Oslo! Read my post to learn how I spent 36 hours in the city.
Aruba – It’s easy to get to this paradise island with a JetBlue Getaways vacation package – or just book the flights and DIY, like I did to save some money.
Fort-de-France, Martinique – Norwegian now flies directly to the French Caribbean island of Martinique from Boston. However, flights are limited so you’ll have to go from a Wednesday to a Sunday during the high season.
Tulum, Mexico – It’s about an hour’s drive from Cancun, which is about 3.5 hours flight from Boston. Trust me, you’ll want to drive the extra hour to escape the all inclusive crowd in Cancun for the laid back, hippie-filled beaches of Tulum. Just don’t go during the week of New Year’s when the town becomes overcrowded with well-to-do vacationers from NYC.
Copenhagen, Denmark – Another great destination you can travel to from Boston on Norwegian Air!
Did I miss any great ideas for weekend getaways from Boston? I’ll be updating this page with more destinations as I travel more, but definitely let me know of any recommendations via email. Happy travels!