Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Cooperstown, New York, resides 4 to 5 hours from Boston. The tiny village, which features just one traffic light, remains best known as the home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The landmark attraction honors some of the greatest athletes to ever play major-league baseball, and offers more than 38,000 historic artifacts. Ostego County also includes 11 golf courses, more than 50 antique shops and the Cooperstown Beverage Trail, which links the region's cider mill, winery and two breweries. For a small fee, the Cooperstown Trolley can transport visitors throughout the surrounding area. Cooperstown features close to 100 lodging accommodations, including bed and breakfast inns, chain hotels, chalets, motels and campsites.
Just south of Cape Cod, the island of Martha's Vineyard lies 85 miles south of Boston. The island features a host of recreational activities, including fishing, kayaking, bike riding, and scouring the various boutique shops. At least 10 companies offer transportation between the mainland and the island, with some ferries equipped to handle automobiles. Many ferries operate year-round, many stop for the winter months. Guests may choose from the island's approximately 65 lodging options, including beachside cottages, boarding houses, inns and even hostels. Seafood remains popular fare on the island.
Salem and Danvers, Massachusetts, sit, respectively, just 16 and 20 miles north of Boston. Although Salem gained the notoriety, both towns played a major role in the historic 1692 Salem Witch Trials, which saw 19 men and women unjustly sentenced to death for witchcraft. Today, Salem offers a host of witch-related attractions, including the Salem Witch Museum, the Witch Dungeon Museum and the Witch History Museum. Unrelated to witchcraft, guests may also visit the Peabody Essex Museum, the House of the Seven Gables, and the birthplace of author Nathaniel Hawthorne. While Salem offers more kitschy fare, the neighboring town of Danvers boasts some truly historic sites, including more than a dozen homes relating to the trials. Visitors can tour the homes of Rebecca Nurse and Samuel Holten, two major trial figures.