Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Follow Route 127 north along the peninsula past Halibut Point State Park and
you'll soon see the
Lobster Pool,
329 Granite St. (
&
978/546-7808;
www.lobster
poolrestaurant.com). The family-run self-service restaurant is a classic clam shack,
with picnic tables, spectacular water views, and huge weekend crowds. It serves
seafood “in the rough” as well as soup, salads, sandwiches, and homemade desserts. It's
open only from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, daily from
11:30am to 8:30pm, and extremely crowded on weekends. No credit cards. Off
Bearskin Neck, the
Portside Chowder House,
7 Tuna Wharf (
&
978/546-7045
),
serves a variety of chowders, fresh seafood, salads, and sandwiches in its harbor-view
dining room.
The Greenery
SEAFOOD/AMERICAN In a great location at the head of
Bearskin Neck, the Greenery is a tad pricey, but you're paying for the great view. The
cafe at the front serves light fare to stay or to go; the dining rooms, at the back, over-
look the harbor. The food ranges from tasty quiche at lunch to lobster at dinner to
steamers and fresh-caught fish anytime. As in any town with a fishing fleet, check out
the daily specials. All baking is done in-house, which explains the lines at the front
counter for muffins and pastries. When the restaurant is busy, the usually cheerful
service tends to drag. This is a good place to launch a picnic lunch on the beach, and
an equally good spot for lingering over coffee and dessert and watching the action
around the harbor.
15 Dock Sq.
&
978/546-9593.
www.greenery-restaurant.com. Reservations recommended at dinner. Main courses
$6-$23 at lunch, $10-$25 at dinner; breakfast items $2-$14. Fresh seafood market price. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V.
Spring-fall daily 8am-9:30pm; call for winter hours.
3 Plymouth
™
40 miles SE of Boston
Everyone educated in the United States knows at least a little about Plymouth—about
how the Pilgrims, fleeing religious persecution, left Europe on the
Mayflower
and
landed at Plymouth Rock in December 1620. Many also know that the Pilgrims
endured disease and privation, and that just 51 people from the original group of 102
celebrated the first Thanksgiving in 1621 with Squanto, a Pawtuxet Indian associated
with the Wampanoags, and his cohorts.
What you won't know until you visit is how small everything was. The
Mayflower
(a replica) seems perilously tiny, and when you contemplate how dangerous life was at
the time, it's hard not to marvel at the settlers' accomplishments. One of their descen-
dants' accomplishments is this: Plymouth is in many ways a model destination, where
the 17th century coexists with the 21st, and most historic attractions are both educa-
tional and fun. Tourists jam the downtown area in the summer, but the year-round
population is so large that Plymouth feels more like the working community it is than
like a warm-weather day-trip destination. It's a manageable 1-day excursion from
Boston, particularly enjoyable if you're traveling with children. It also makes a good
stop between Boston and Cape Cod.
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE
By car, follow the Southeast Expressway (I-93) south from
Boston to Route 3. Take Exit 6A and then Route 44 east and follow signs to the his-
toric attractions. The trip from Boston takes 45 to 60 minutes if it's not rush hour.
