Taking A Staycation in Boston

By Rhiannon D'Angelo

Choosing to spend your vacation in the comfort of your home instead of jetting off to some exotic locale may not exactly be on your bucket list. But, sometimes travel hassle and budget realities make taking your hard-earned time off at home a much more appealing option. If you happen to call Greater Boston home, you're in luck. This town is crowded with fanny-pack wearing tourists year round; there has to be a few things to do around here. Leave the Dramamine at home, you won't have to hop on a whale watch or follow the red brick road to the Bunker Hill Monument to be a tourist in your own town. Below, some of my top tips to enjoying a staycation in the Hub:

Fashion & Film

Stuart Street Playhouse
200 Stuart St (Radisson Hotel)
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 426-4499
Hours: Daily 4pm-12am
Reviews & Website

Celebrate Hollywood East and head over to the Stuart Street Playhouse, Boston's new indie cinema, for the 27th annual Boston Film Festival, which runs through September 22.  This year, Keith Dorrington, Academy Award nominated writer and Executive Producer of "The Fighter," will lead a panel discussion for attendees.  Check the BFF's site for a complete schedule of events.  Boston Fashion Week follows up the film festival; with runway shows kicking off under The Tent on September 23.  For the first time in BFW history, headlining designers, fresh faces, and retailers will meet under The TENT for a week of centrally located fashion events.

Get On A Boat

Boston Harbor Cruises
Long Wharf
Boston, MA 02110
(617) 227-4321
Website & Reviews

Boston's Best Cruises
Long Wharf
Boston, MA 02110
(617) 770-0040

Pack some snacks and a swimsuit and get yourself over to Long Wharf.  With ferries heading out multiple times a day to places like Provincetown, Salem, the Boston Harbor Islands, or the Codzilla thrill ride, you can choose your own ocean adventure.  In under an hour, you could be beating the tourist traffic up to Salem for a little waterfront witch history, or enjoying a picnic under the shadow of the oldest lighthouse station in the United States on Boston's Little Brewster Island. If your mission entails sand and solace, take the ninety-minute Fast Ferry to the tip of Cape Cod, ferries leave for Provincetown from Boston three times a day, seven days a week. Keep it simple; on Boston's Sunset Cruises it's the journey, not the destination that matters. Imbibe on board while watching the day disappear behind Boston's skyline.

Pick Your Own Produce

Parlee Farms
95 Farwell Rd
Tyngsboro, MA 01879
(978) 649-3854
Reviews & Website

Tis' the season to pick your own apples and pumpkins all over the Bay Stat. Head to Parlee Farms in Tyngsboro for over fourteen acres of apple orchards, producing over 24 varieties of apples, including: MacInstosh, Gala, Honeycrisp, Early Fuji, Macoun, Courtland, Royal Empire, Doecoster Jonagold, Cameo and Golden Delicous. Call the farm's 24-hour picking line at (897) 649-3854.  On weekends, enjoy a hayride to the orchards as part of your purchase of an apple bag. Or, hop on route 9 and head to the Belkin Family Lookout Farm for daily activities including: Pick your own fruit, train rides, moon bounce, caterpillar rides, burlap maze and hay pyramids! On weekends, the farm adds live kids' entertainment and face painting.

Shop Savvy

SoWa Open Market
460 Harrison Ave
Boston, MA 02118
Hours: Sundays, May-October, 10am-4pm
www.sowaopenmarket.com

Hobnob with Boston's hip crowd and spend a Sunday at the SoWa Open Market, running Sundays from 10pm to 4pm through October 30 in the South End. Here, hip artisans, farmers and designers peddle unique art, clothing, photography, jewelry, house wares and baked goods.  Skip you weekly supermarket run and instead stock up on locally grown produce at SOWA's own farmer's market.