Boston/Cape Cod (and Dartmouth) Review
Boston/Cape Cod (and Dartmouth) Review
Beantown and The Athens of America
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Hey everyone! I hope y’all had a great 4th of July! Independence Day is always one of my favorite holidays every year because it gives me two days (everyone celebrates the eve) to just be proud of how kick-ass America is as a country. I always go on a nostalgia trip looking up the greatest US Olympic Moments (like Jason Lezak and Jessie Diggins’ comebacks) or the best renditions of American songs such as The Star Spangled Banner (Whitney Houston by a mile) or America the Beautiful (Ray Charles also by a mile).
I could go on for way too long on this topic, and I am already late publishing this week’s piece, so let’s jump straight into it!
Overview
Just like every city review, I asked Chat GPT to give me quick synopses of Boston & Cape Cod to get everyone up to speed:
Boston, the capital city of Massachusetts, is a historical and cultural powerhouse, known for its key role in the American Revolution, symbolized by landmarks like the Freedom Trail. This vibrant city is also home to world-class universities, including Harvard and MIT, along with revered sports teams such as the Red Sox and Celtics. The city offers diverse neighborhoods, a thriving arts scene, and exceptional seafood, all amidst urban parks like Boston Common. However, high living costs and challenging winters come as part of the package.
Just a drive away, Cape Cod presents a stark contrast to Boston's urban bustle. Known for its stunning beaches, iconic lighthouses, and charming small-town feel, Cape Cod is a quintessential New England retreat. This scenic peninsula offers a laid-back atmosphere, rich maritime history, and famed seafood shacks serving local delicacies like clam chowder and lobster rolls. Visitors can explore the Cape Cod National Seashore, take a ferry to the idyllic islands of Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket, or simply enjoy the quaint, historic towns sprinkled across the Cape.
Activities: 8.5/10
Favorite Activity: Red Sox Game at Fenway Park
As a big sports fan (too big probably), I have a bucket list of venues, events, etc. in my mind that I am slowly but surely checking off my list (I really need to write it down). Fenway Park was one of the top spots, giving me high expectations before going to a Yankees vs Red Sox game. Let me tell you, Fenway is one of the most incredible stadiums (if not the coolest) I’ve ever been to. You can see and feel the history around you, enjoy incredible Italian sausages, and see Boston sports fans in their true nature
Going along with that, Boston has a huge sports culture backing plenty of teams in the NBA (Celtics), NFL (Patriots) NHL (Bruins), and MLS (Revolution). So…if you’re a sports fan, this is a fantastic city to visit. Aside from sports, one of the must-do things in Boston is the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile walk that takes visitors by all the historic sites in one of the most historic cities in America (more on that later).
As for Cape Cod, one of the most popular things to do (which I didn’t have the pleasure of doing, unfortunately) is surfing, which a buddy of mine from Tulane teaches over the summer (shoutout RS). It was also enjoyable simply hopping to different areas of the cape and checking out unique things they had to offer, such as a drive-in movie theatre in Wellfleet.
Landmarks/Neighborhoods/Areas: 8.5/10
Most Iconic Landmarks: Fenway Park (def biased on this one, lol)
In terms of landmarks, the skyline was incredible (especially looking over the river), Fenway always looked incredible, and there are tons of historical landmarks to explore (again…more on that later). However, one thing that kinda shocked me about Boston was that Boston proper was much smaller than I originally thought. However, besides all the cool neighborhoods in the city like Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Fenway, and North & South End, there were also lots of areas right on the outskirts like Cambridge and Newton that were equally cool to explore.
The different Cape Cod regions (Chatham, Wellfleet, etc.) were incredibly fun to visit, and, to my surprise, had many different vibes from one another, with some areas being more chill and others being as one friend of mine described it “a little too bougie.” My favorite place to visit though was Martha’s Vineyard (sorry Nantucket stans, I had to choose one), which had tons of cool shops and eateries and was just flat-out gorgeous.
Food: 7/10
Favorite Restaurants: Sonsie (Boston), Bookstore & Restaurant (Cape Cod), Jessie’s Steaks, Seafood, & Tavern (Hanover, NH)
Local Delicacy: Seafood (Cod & Lobster)
Like always, I tend to critique food more than any other section on this list due to my upbringing in New Orleans (which is a 10/10 IMO). Thus, when I saw that Boston was known for its seafood (which is New Orleans’ specialty), I knew I would have some bias. However, the only big overlap in main seafood dishes between the two cities was Oysters, which I still preferred NOLA for. However, I enjoyed trying the fish & chips, lobster rolls, and clams which are more native to the area. I also frequently picked up Dunkin Doughnuts with the adorable pupper I was watching while in Boston
I also had some delicious food in Hannover, New Hampshire (aka Dartmouth), where I surprisingly had some good Turkish food and solid ribs. However, overall, I was not super impressed by the food in the New England area. Although I enjoyed every dish I had, the majority of them were just “fine” and nothing more than that.
Nightlife/Social Scene: 8.5/10
Favorite Venues: Cisco
Ok…I have to be honest here…I didn’t go out too many times over the past month. Partly because I wanted to chill out a little bit after NYC since I not only went out late, but also stayed out late, and because I had an adorable dog to watch who I didn’t want to keep stranded by herself for more than four hours.
However, the times I did go out were tons of fun, the most notable place being Cisco in the Seaport neighborhood with blue grass similar to that of the Boise State field. Boston also had a really fun music event called Porchfest where a bunch of local artists would set up shop and play music at a bunch of different locations across the Somerville area (it was pouring rain the whole time though)
Although I don’t have as good a grasp as I could on this topic, I think with the big sports culture (which typically goes hand-in-hand with party culture, especially when you win as much as Boston teams do), and overall young crowd given all the universities in the area, I can fairly say that Boston is a fun place to hit the town.
History & Culture: 9/10
I’ve mentioned this topic twice already, but we can finally dive into one of the most historic cities in the US, particularly in terms of the colonial states and the nation’s independence. Along the Freedom Trail, which is a stretch of only 2.5 miles, one can walk past a vast amount of historic sites, such as:
Boston Common - America’s oldest public park
Massachusetts State House
Paul Revere’s House (“The British are coming!” guy)
Boston Massacre Site
Faneuil Hall
Besides the sports culture that I’ve already referenced a few times, Boston has a huge academic culture and focus on the city. This makes given some of the famous and esteemed institutions like Harvard and MIT, but more broadly, Boston is the most academically concentrated city in the entire US, boasting more than 100 colleges and universities in the Greater Boston area.
Natural Beauty/Outdoor Spaces: 8/10
I want to start with Cape Cod for this section because it was definitely the beautiful outdoorsy place that I wanted after living in the concrete jungle for a month. Simply driving around the cape and stopping by the beach was gorgeous, and made the hour-long drive it took to get to the Martha’s Vineyard ferry worth it. I imagine it gets a lot less beautiful and fun in the wintertime, but thankfully I don’t have to experience that.
As for Boston, there was tons of green space in and around the city, with the largest park being Boston Common smack in the middle of Downtown. The more west you go in the city, the greener it gets as well, with a plentiful amount of parks to walk or through. I, unfortunately, didn’t get a great picture, but you can see in the background just how far the green areas reach, especially when looking from up top.
Transportation: 5.5/10
By far and away, my least favorite part of Boston was transportation. I’ve had my fair share of issues in the past few months with transportation (getting ticketed into oblivion in DC and having to move my car all the time in NYC), but Boston has been the worst out of all of them (I even had a free parking spot). For context, I lived in East Boston, which requires you to take the Ted Williams Tunnel under the Boston Harbor to get into the city. I think there were only three times during my entire stay in Boston when I was not met by bumper-to-bumper traffic trying to get through the tunnel.
Even once I got into the city, parking was near impossible to find if you didn’t have a permit or wanted to cough up some dough for a garage. Thankfully, I lived relatively close to a “T'“ stop (their public train system) which I was able to take in and out of the city, without much hassle besides the fact that it typically took a while. The system was solid and easy to use, but not as good as DC or NYC in my opinion.
People: 9/10
Although Northeastern people are frequently considered to be often cold or more reserved, the people in the New England area were incredibly warm and friendly. At the Red Sox game, one of the attendants put up with me while I was confused about where to go for 5 minutes; an elderly couple had a lovely conversation with me while waiting for burgers; and the ferry workers were super helpful in helping me get my Martha’s Vineyard purchases back:
While it is easy to be a big fan of sports teams that are constantly winning, the commitment that Bostonians have to their sports franchises may be second to none in the entire US (although I will die on the hill that the Saints mean more to NOLA than any other team means to a city). Every single day, I could not go outside without seeing locals wearing a Red Sox hat or jersey, a Patriots-themed T-shirt, and more, and as an avid sports fan, I love seeing people showing their commitment to their teams. Also, partially due to recency bias, I think the Boston accent has to be one of, if not my favorite accents in the world.
Overall: 8/10
Boston and Cape Cod, two contrasting jewels of New England, offer uniquely enriching experiences. The bustling city of Boston brims with historic intrigue, academic prowess, and a fervent sports culture. Its diverse neighborhoods and rich seafood cuisine enhance its vibrant urban appeal, despite minor transportation hiccups. In contrast, Cape Cod, with its scenic beaches, iconic lighthouses, and laid-back atmosphere, is a refreshing retreat.
In short, whether you're a history enthusiast, sports fanatic, nature lover, or foodie, these two destinations promise varied and memorable experiences. Their distinctive charm provides a deep dive into American history, culture, and lifestyle. Despite my transportation critique (which severely hurt the score), these iconic New England locations have left an indelible mark on my memory, and I look forward to coming back at some point in the future.
Thanks for reading! I’m finally getting settled into a small apartment in Wrigleyville in Chicago (and trust me, it’s small), and am looking forward to indulging myself in what I believe might be the best place in America in the summertime. Not sure what I will be writing about next week yet, but have a bunch of ideas in the pipeline, so stay tuned!
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