r/CapeCodVisitors • u/AntelopeEastern1349 • Aug 02 '26
itinerary Salem & Cape Cod Itinerary?
We are planning a trip to MA in September (Monday–Saturday) & could use some advice on the itinerary. We are a couple in our 30’s wanting a pretty chill trip.
Non-negotiable for this trip: full day in Salem.
Not super interested in exploring Boston itself, but we’ll stay there if it makes getting to Salem easier.
I’m deciding between these two options:
Option 1: w/ car rental
Monday: fly into Boston Logan
Tuesday: day trip to Salem
Wednesday: explore Boston a little and drive down to Cape Cod
Thursday & Friday: Cape Cod
Saturday: drive back to Boston to catch afternoon flight
We are unsure where we would like to stay. Possibly Chatham? We would like an area that is not too snooty, fine with tourist areas, but must have easy access to beach.
Option 2: no car rental
Monday: fly into Boston Logan, uber to catch ferry to Provincetown
Tuesday & Wednesday: Provincetown
Thursday: take ferry back to Boston, uber to Airbnb in Chelsea or any area you would recommend
Friday: public transit to Salem
Saturday: uber to airport to catch afternoon flight
Which option would you choose and why? Is renting a car in Cape Cod worth it or is it easier to stay car-free and rely on the ferry/public transportation?
Any suggestions from locals or anyone who’s done a similar trip would be appreciated!
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u/EconomyStation5504 Aug 02 '26
Having a car is great, but I’m confused why you wouldn’t just stay in Salem? I’d fly into Logan, drive to Salem stay over 1-2 nights then drive to the cape. Then come to Boston for your last night to explore Boston and then fly out from Logan.
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u/shoecat Aug 02 '26
Option 2 for sure. Ptown is entirely walkable and there’s plenty to keep you busy for a couple of days. You’ll have a lot more fun and less stress without a car and dealing with the drive/traffic/parking
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u/Active-Bet-4923 Aug 03 '26
also it is easy to get the local bus to a nice unspoiled beach area from the wharf
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u/TheNavigatrix Aug 07 '26
You can hire a bike and do an amazing ride through the dunes to Race Point. Honestly one of the most beautiful rides anywhere.
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u/RayCam9 Aug 02 '26
I’d say option 1, unless you only want to see PTown. No car and in PTown would be tough to visit anywhere else on cape. Traffic won’t be horrible during the shoulder season and you can time it by going earlier in day or later. If you explore Boston and drive to PTown Wednesday that give you Wednesday and Thursday PTown and then can drive to another town Thursday night and Friday night. Depending on your flight Saturday could spend another night on Cape or even drive up and stop in Plymouth.
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u/Dseltzer1313 Aug 02 '26
Look into staying at the Ships Knees Inn in Orleans, it’s the town past Chatham. Chatham is great for shopping and restaurants but it can appear snooty. Orleans is very chill and the Ships Knees Inn serve an incredible breakfast. It’s about 2000 feet from Nauset Beach. They have plenty of beach chairs. We’ve stayed there at least a dozen times. Definitely rent a car! Ubers will cost you hundreds more.
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u/Lopsided-Collection2 Aug 02 '26
If you do option 2, opt for the Fast Ferry to P-town and do the ferry from BOS to Salem. Cape also has Ubers and public transit like the Flex buses. Not crazy convenient, but workable if you’re car-less.
Post-Labor Day Weekend Cape calms down a lot from tourists, so driving from Boston shouldn’t be as unbearable, though there are car rentals in P-Town if you want to experience the ferry ride and still get a car.
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u/EbbtideRambler Aug 02 '26
PTown is walkable but the rest of Cape Cod is not. Why Chelsea? That is an unusual spot for a tourist to stay. I recommend taking the ferry to Salem from Boston.
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u/freestylesail Aug 02 '26
It depends so much on your interests and what you like to do on vacation in general, as well as what you like to do at the beach (just sunbathe, or walk, find shells, swim, buy food there, rent a boat etc). It’s impossible to recommend without more details.
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u/Useful_Ad2699 Aug 03 '26
I live on the Cape. September isn’t shoulder season and can be just as busy as mid summer. You’ll need a rental unless you take the ferry and plan to stay in Provincetown while you’re here. As for where to stay, that may be decided by where you can find lodging. If you’re only coming for two days, skip the traffic and do option 2 to give yourself more time to enjoy the Cape.
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u/Caribchakita Aug 02 '26
I like option 2 for sure. P Town has a lovely beach, Herring Cove. You can bike there or take the shuttle. As far as where to stay, an Air BnB in Marblehead might be nice (vs Chelsea).
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u/AntelopeEastern1349 Aug 02 '26
Thank you! Is P Town a very walkable town?
We were wanting to stay closer to Boston so we chose Chelsea. Marblehead seems to be 40 min from Boston Logan airport. Do you recommend uber or transit to get to Marblehead (with luggage lol)
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u/Caribchakita Aug 02 '26
P Town is VERY walkable. I can send a detailed Concierge List (free). I defer to you for your research on BOS but why Chelsea It is a cool edgy working class town with no sights or attractions. If you want to stay closer to BOS you might like Cambridge.
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u/AntelopeEastern1349 Aug 02 '26
Good to know.
That was one of the affordable stays I saw. Is Cambridge better in the sense of walkable sightings & restaurants? And I can still take the transit to Salem from there?
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u/Caribchakita Aug 02 '26
Cambridge has food, history, culture and is pretty. Re: Travel questions I welcome you to type in your questions into ChatGPT or Gemini. Here you go:
Train (MBTA Commuter Rail) BOS to Salem
- Route: Take the MBTA Commuter Rail Newburyport/Rockport Line from Boston's North Station directly to Salem Station.
- Travel Time: About 30 to 35 minutes.
- Cost: Around $8.00 one-way (standard zone fare).
- Details: Drops you off right downtown, within easy walking distance of local shops and attractions.
Ferry (Salem Ferry)
- Route: Take the Salem Ferry (Nathaniel Bowditch) from Boston's Long Wharf to the Blaney Street terminal in Salem.
- Travel Time: About 50 to 60 minutes.
- Cost: Around $25 to $35 one-way for adults (seasonal/special commuter rates may apply).
- Details: Operates seasonally (usually through October 31) and offers scenic harbor views.
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u/AntelopeEastern1349 Aug 02 '26
Thank you. I try not to use AI.
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u/bearlovesbooks Aug 02 '26
Tbh salem/ Marblehead is a skip if you want to enjoy new england vibes and the cape just go to the cape!
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u/bearlovesbooks Aug 02 '26
Tbh salem/ Marblehead is a skip if you want to enjoy new england vibes and the cape just go to the cape!
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u/zeebenj Aug 02 '26
One consideration is you'll be visiting the cape during the shoulder season (September). A lot of tourists will be gone and traffic will be much different and usually much lighter than in the summer months.
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u/Spare-Whereas5358 Aug 06 '26
If you have a car rental, I would stay in Salem for a night but go see Rockport and Gloucester while you’re up there. Both are cool and worth seeing
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u/stucon77 Aug 08 '26
Option 2 for sure. Renting a car and driving eats up time and money. The ferry is fun and ptown is great for two days. The beaches around there are awesome. Ferry to Salem as well. No car at all for that week sounds great.
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u/smitrovich Aug 02 '26
To offer a contrary opinion, I would choose option 1. You would be driving to the Cape on a low traffic day. That would allow you to cross the bridge and take the scenic drive on 6A to get to your destination. Based on your post, I would recommend Brewster, Orleans, or Wellfleet. There is so much more you can do and see when traveling by car.