North of Boston: Road Tips--The drive from Boston to Cape Ann on I-93 and Route 128 takes about an hour. A more leisurely excursion on Routes 1A, 129, 114, and 127 allows you to explore Marblehead and Salem. You can also follow Route 1 to I-95 and 128, but don't attempt it during rush hour. To go straight to Gloucester and Rockport -- or to start there and work back -- take I-93 north out of Boston. Where it turns into I-95 (signs point to New Hampshire and Maine), stay left and take Route 128 to the end. The last exit, no. 9, puts you in East Gloucester. To take Route 1A, leave downtown Boston through the Callahan Tunnel, which is in the middle of the Big Dig. If you miss the tunnel and wind up on I-93, follow signs to Route 1 and pick up Route 1A in Revere.

If you can, drive a car to explore north of the city. Public transportation in this area is good, but it doesn't go everywhere, and in many towns the train station is some distance from the attractions. For the full day-trip experience, try to visit on a spring, summer, or fall weekday; traffic is brutal on warm weekends. Many areas are practically ghost towns November through March, but all have enough of a year-round community to make an off-season excursion worthwhile.