Ellis-Haven Campground, Plymouth, MA – July 1-8, 2022

Friday, July 1

We left Branch Brook Campground, Thomaston, CT, around 9:30 and arrived at Ellis-Haven Campground, Plymouth, MA, at 1:30 pm.  We made one stop for gas along the way.  We stayed on I-495 and I-44 most of the way and had good weather so the drive was uneventful.

Ellis-Haven Campground

Ellis-Haven Campground is expansive, with over 400 campsites in a thick pine forest. Numerous narrow dirt roads crisscross the area, which includes many steep hills. Over 90% of the sites are seasonal or permanent, featuring carports and other structures like porches and storage areas. Some campers had even constructed fences around their sites using firewood. You’ll find the office, store, ice cream stand, and beach area near the entrance. Unsupervised children on bicycles were everywhere.

We checked in at a booth on the steep uphill road at the entrance, where we received a map and directions to our campsite located in the “Upper Safari” area. We got lost immediately. After backing out of a wrong turn, Lisa pulled over, and I walked around the campground to find our spot. After a lot of walking, I finally found it and guided Lisa down the roads and across an open field to our site, which was the recommended approach suggested by the front office. Reaching our site directly from the road would have been nearly impossible. It was clear that this area was intended for transient campers. Our site didn’t have any shade, but it did have full hookups. I had to share my 30/50 amp electrical box with another site, but this was fine since I only needed 30 amps. We were currently among the few campers in the area, but with the 4th of July weekend approaching, we expected it to get very crowded.

Visitor Information Center

Since we would be at this location over the Fourth of July, we decided to find a tourist information center after we finished setting up.

The first Information Center we tried was near MA-3.  This center was built into a truck stop, and the info window was closed.  They had posted hours that were supposed to be open, but …  They did have a bunch of brochures on the wall, so we took a couple, but we were more interested in activities happening in the area that weekend.  There was a McDonald’s in the center, but we were disappointed they did not sell $1 sodas like other McDonald’s.

We then decided to go to an Information Center closer to the downtown Plymouth area.  We called ahead and they were incredibly friendly.  They were near the beach, so we had to pay for parking.  When we walked in, they greeted us warmly and loaded us up with information.  They also gave us a key ring and a pin.  

Across the street, some temporary tables were set up on green space along with a beer vendor and a band.  We bought a couple of beers from the local Mayflower brewery and relaxed with views of Plymouth Bay while listening to the music.  The weather was perfect.

Dinner       

After we finished our beers, we decided to go across the street to one of the restaurants recommended by the visitor center.  We wanted to get a lobster roll, so we decided to try Wood’s Seafood.  They also had fascinating rocking chairs made from lobster traps on their deck.  We learned that the lobster rolls were quite a bit more expensive than the prices listed on the brochures we picked up at the visitor center,, so we split one.   We got toasted bread, a piece of lettuce, and some cold lobster meat.  I was not impressed with the $22 that we paid.  

Sunshine Sundaes

We then decided to get some ice cream and decided to drive up the coast to Kingston to Sunshine Sundaes.  This highly-rated ice cream shop was built into a nursery that sold flowers and garden supplies.  They had a really nice outdoor area to sit in while we ate our ice cream.

We were back at the camper around 6 pm.

Saturday, July 2

Today, we decided to head out to Cape Cod.  Though the weather was wet and overcast, we hoped that this would work in our favor to reduce the crowds heading to the beaches.

Cape Cod Visitor Center

Cross the Cape Cod Canal over one of the two bridges to get to Cape Cod.  The Bourne Bridge and its sibling, the Sagamore Bridge, were constructed in 1933 to accommodate a widening of the canal.  Each bridge carries four lanes of traffic over a 616-foot main span, with a 135-foot ship clearance.  They are notorious for being the choke points for traffic going up the Cape.    

Avoiding highways, Google Maps took us over the Bourne Bridge.  While we were going over the bridge,, we could see the vertical-lift Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge spires. We entered a large “rotary” on the Cape Cod side, where we saw some hedges cut to say “Cape Cod.”   We found it interesting that they called their traffic circles “rotaries”.  We followed the canal, trying to get a better view of it, but we could not find any access until we got to the Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center.  

The Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center was in a lovely park beside a Coast Guard station.  The US Corps of Engineers operated this visitor center and maintained both bridges and the canal.  We had to wait about 15 minutes for the Visitor Center to open, so we took the opportunity to walk along the canal.  When the Visitor Center opened, we were greeted by a nice Ranger who directed us to their small museum, which gave a good presentation of the canal’s history.  We also enjoyed crawling around the retired patrol boat.  There was also a monitor that showed us all the boats that were currently in the canal.  

MA-6A

From the Visitor Center, we took the historic MA-6A, which went through the busy but cute Cape Cod towns.   The road was very curvy and slow with frequent stops for pedestrians. 

We stopped at the Scargo Tower in Dennis, which is the highest point on Cape Cod.  Although only 28 feet tall, the tower stands on the 160-foot Scargo Hill and offers amazing views.       

  

Cape Cod National Seashore Salt Pond Visitor Center

We stopped at the Cape Cod National Seashore Salt Pond Visitor Center to use the bathroom and eat lunch.  It was very busy.   After lunch, we visited the museum.  The movie about the formation of the Cape was very interesting.  There were also nice displays on the Wampanoag culture, lifesaving and lighthouses, maritime industries, agricultural life, and everyday life.  The Salt Pond near the center was salty because it was connected to the ocean by multiple channels.  There were hundreds of salt and freshwater ponds throughout the Cape.

Three Sisters and Nauset Lighthouses

Three 15-foot high masonry towers were built. The lights soon gained the nickname “The Three Sisters” because, from the sea, they looked like women in white dresses with black hats.

As we continued northward, we stopped next at the Three Sisters Lighthouses.  Three brick lighthouses were built in 1837 to provide light halfway along the eastern coast of Cape Cod. Because there was one light in Truro and two lights in Chatham, it was decided that there should be three lights to distinguish between the other lights. The lights soon gained the nickname “The Three Sisters” because, from the sea, they looked like women in white dresses with black hats.

Because of erosion, they were replaced by three new wooden towers set back 30 feet in 1892.  Erosion forced the lighthouses to be moved back again in 1911, but only one of the three was lit.  The other two were purchased, moved in 1918, and turned into summer cottages.  In 1923, the third was decommissioned, joining the other two.  One of the two lighthouses at Chatham replaced it to become the Nauset Lighthouse.  All three sisters were purchased by the National Park Service in 1975 and moved to their current location in 1983.  They are arranged in their original configuration.  

After walking around the Three Sisters, we walked down to the beach to see the Nauset Lighthouse. 

 

Highland Light Station

We continued north and stopped at the Highland Lighthouse near Truro.  Highland Light Station, also known as Cape Cod Light, is on Outer Cape Cod.  The original 45-foot wooden was established in 1797 as the 20th light station in the United States.  A new brick lighthouse was erected near the original tower in 1831. The present 66-foot-tall brick light tower, keeper’s house, and generator shed replaced the previous structures in 1857. An enclosed walkway connects the tower and the one-and-one-half-story, L-shaped, Queen-Anne-style keeper’s dwelling. Highland Light Station was moved 450 feet back from an eroding cliff in 1996.  It is still an active aid to navigation.  We did not tour the keeper’s house, which features a gift shop and museum exhibits or climb the tower.  

We could see the Jenny Lind tower and the North Truro Air Force Station in the distance. The tower resembles a castle’s battlement and was once part of the 1845 Fitchburg Railroad depot in Boston.  When the depot was torn down, a lawyer bought the tower and had it assembled in its current location.  When we left the Highland Light Station, we tried to drive to the tower but the roads were blocked by a sign stating that the area was reserved for a Native Indian celebration.  

Cape Sand Dunes

As we approached Provincetown, or the end of the Cape, we passed several sand dunes.  We took a brief detour on High Cliff Drive that provided us with an overlook of the dunes.  

Province Lands Visitor Center

We tried to drive out to the tip of the cape and the Sand Point Light Station, but you must either hike the 3.5-mile roundtrip or have your off-road vehicle (with a permit) to drive through the sand.   To hike out to the Light Station, we had to pay to park at Race Point Beach, and the lot was full. 

Instead, we headed over to the National Park Service Province Lands Visitor Center.  This visitor center featured a small exhibit area and an orientation film, but the highlight was the observation deck where we were able to see whale water spouts from a pod just a short distance out in the water.  

Provincetown

For the visitor center, we drove through Provincetown, which is well known as a gay-friendly destination with a large number of LGBTQ+ nightlife opportunities.  It reminded me of Key West.  The Pilgrim Monument towered over the city.  It was built between 1907 and 1910 to commemorate the first landfall of the Pilgrims in 1620 and the signing of the Mayflower Compact in Provincetown Harbor.  We did not have time to stop and visit it or the accompanying museum.

MA-6

We took MA-6 back south, which was much faster than MA-6A as it avoided most small downtown areas.  

Highfield Gardens, Falmouth

Before we left the Cape, we drove down to Highland Gardens, which had beautiful plants and a fairy garden.  

We were back at the camper at 7:18 pm.

Sunday, July 3

Left at 8:45 am

Battleship Cove

We arrived in Fall River, MA, around 10:15 but not until I took a few wrong turns that took me on the Braga Bridge over the Tauton River bridge instead of under it.

Battleship Cove is a nonprofit maritime museum and war memorial that features eight historic naval ships making it the world’s largest and most diverse collection of historic naval ships.

We were able to board all but the Hiddenssee. Regular adult tickets were $25, but veteran tickets were only $16,

When we first entered the ground through the gift shop, we were able to watch a looped film about the ships while sitting on a grounded landing craft, though it was hard to see. We then walked over to the PT boat display building.

Hiddensee German Corvette

We could not board this ship, so we quickly walked past it. We were so excited to see the others.

Used by the East German Army, this Soviet-built missile corvette was built in 1984 and carried long-range STYX anti-ship missiles and an array of defensive weapons. Following the reunification of Germany, the Hiddensee served with the Federal German Navy until her decommissioning in April 1991, when it was transferred to the U.S. Navy for testing. The Hiddensee joined the Battleship Cove fleet on June 14, 1997.

PT Boat Gallery PT-617 and PT-796

We then entered a building where the PT-617 was displayed. You could climb some stairs to a platform that allowed us to look down on the beautifully restored boat.

Motor torpedo boat PT-617, also known as Dragon Lady, is the sole surviving 80′ Elco-type PT boat on display. It was the same type as the famous PT-109 commanded by future President John F. Kennedy. Built at the end of WWII, the ship was decommissioned in 1947, sold, and converted into a private yacht. It was bought by PT Boats, Inc. in 1979 and restored to its current WWII configuration.

DD-850 Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. 

We then walked across a platform to the DD-850 Joseph P Kennedy Jr. destroyer docked out on the river. This destroyer was built in 8 months in 1945, a testament to how fast ships were built at the war’s end. It was homeported in nearby Newport, RI, and spent the next 27 years performing countless wartime and peacetime duties. She was stricken from the Naval Register of Ships in 1973 and acquired by Battleship Cove in 1974. Due to renovations, we could only walk around the deck and one level below.

SS-298 USS Lionfish submarine

We then walked another platform over to the USS Lionfish submarine. This submarine was built late in WWII and completed just two patrols in the Pacific in 1945 before decommissioning in 1946. She was then used off and on as a training vessel until 1971 when she was stripped from the Navy Registry and unveiled for permanent display as a memorial at Battleship Cove in 1973.

We had been on several other submarines before, but it was still interesting to go below decks and see everything.

BB-59 USS Massachusetts battleship

We finally got to the USS Massachusetts,, the ship I was most excited to see. The battleship was built in Quincy, Massachusetts, and launched on September 23, 1941. Named “Big Mamie” by its crew, it fired the first American 16″ projectile in anger of World War II on November 8, 1942, during the invasion of North Africa and the last at Japanese steel works at Hamamatsu hours before the war ended. She was decommissioned right after the war, stricken from the Navy registry in 1962, and saved from the scrap yard in 1965 when she was brought to Fall River. It received eleven battle stars for World War II service, and no United States Navy personnel were killed in action while aboard Massachusetts.   She is one of eight United States battleships remaining.

We could climb up to the bridge down into the engine room, and below the gun turrets. Seeing how 2,500 officers and enlisted men lived and fought on this ship was amazing. It was easy to get lost below decks as you often had to climb up and down through the decks to go through the ship. There was some signage, but it was not very helpful. The highlight was seeing how large the 16″ guns were.

We had lunch at the small cafeteria on the ship called The Morse Code Galley, which was in the Wardroom. The food was prepared in the ship’s wardroom pantry, where the officers cooked their meals during WW2.

I especially enjoyed the collection of World War II PT boat artifacts and memorabilia that were displayed below the deck in several rooms.

Fall River Heritage State Park

After we left Battleship Row, we walked next door to the Fall River Heritage State Park visitor center. Inside was mostly an empty building; even the information desk was unoccupied. Outside, there was a nice boardwalk along the river.

New Bedford

After we left Fall River, we headed over to New Bedford. It was 3 pm when we arrived and headed over to the New Bedford Whaling Historical Park Visitor Center.  The visitor center was just an information center and gift shop for the historical park.  We got our passport stamp and then found out how to get over to the Seaman’s Bethel.

The Seamen’s Bethel was built in 1832 for those sailors who called New Bedford their home port (mostly whalers), who considered it a tradition that one visited the chapel before setting sail.   The prow-shaped pulpit that was made famous by the 1952 movie “Moby Dick” was located in the second-floor chapel. Though it didn’t exist during Melville’s time (it was his literary invention), it was added in 1961 because the tourist’s fantasy did not meet reality. Now everybody is happy.

Next door was the Mariners’ Home, operated by the Ladies Branch of the New Bedford Port Society for the Moral Improvement of Seamen (established in 1830). The Home served as a safe and moral boarding house for whalers, fishermen, and other Port of New Bedford mariners. Today, it is the home of several exhibits. Unfortunately, it closed at 4 pm.

As we headed back to our truck, we passed several murals.

We got back to the camper around 6 pm.

Monday, July 4

Plymouth Parade

Today is July 4!  When we drove around Plymouth on Friday, we saw lots of parking places being blocked off with orange barrels and “No Parking” signs. Since the parade in Plymouth started at 9 am, we headed out around 7:30 to get a good parking spot near the parade route.  The campsite is only over eight miles away from the parade route.  My first choice was a parking lot near the Grist Mill, but it was already full when we arrived.  Just outside the parking lot, Lisa saw an open parking spot on the street, so we quickly took it.  This put us about a half mile from the parade route.

We took our chairs down the parade route and found a nice spot on the street. We were near the end of the route, so I knew we would probably have to wait an additional hour for the parade to get to us, even though the parade route was only about 2.5 miles long.  While Lisa stayed behind with the chairs, I took a walkabout.  When I returned, Lisa mentioned that she had seen a lot of cars being towed away.  

Around 9 am, dozens of fire trucks came down the parade route, blowing their horns loudly.  I think every fire truck from every city within 100 miles was there.  The procession lasted about 10 minutes, and then nothing.  It wasn’t until around 10 a.m. that the rest of the parade came through.  The parade expectantly consisted of some business floats, dance class groups, one high school band, car and motorcycle groups, and many politicians.  I always love parades.

Grist Mill

We then walked our chairs back to the truck and then to the Plimouth Grist Mill.  This reconstructed the Plymouth Colonists’ original 1636 mill on Town Brook. After exploring the outside of the grist mill, we followed the brook down to Brewster Gardens.

Plymouth Rock

Across the street from Brewster Gardens is Pilgrim Memorial State Park on the shore of Plymouth Harbor. Nearby was a neoclassical structure covering a rock that had 1620 stamped on it. Plymouth Rock is the traditional site of disembarkation of William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims, who founded Plymouth Colony in December 1620. I noticed that the rock looked like it was mended, and I learned later that it had broken in half when it was hauled to Town Square in 1774. It was later rejoined in 1880 when the date “1620” was stamped. During the rock’s many journeys throughout Plymouth, numerous pieces were taken, bought, and sold. Today, approximately a third remains.

Though it is unlikely that this is the rock that the Pilgrims stepped on, the mythology associated with it made it worth seeing.

Mayflower II

We then walked farther down along the shore to see the Mayflower II, which is a full-scale reproduction of the tall ship that brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth in 1620.  It was originally built in England in 1957 and renovated between 2017 to 2020 for $11 million. 

We decided not to purchase a ticket to board the ship, but even though they had screens to block your views of the ship, we could find some places to get a close look. It was a beautiful ship.

Pillory Pub

We then walked over to a bar that faced the park. The outside patio was full but we found a couple of stools at the bar and had a couple of beers. I enjoyed another Mayflower New World IPA, and Lisa chose a refreshing Bud Light.

Cole’s Hill

We continued walking around until we got to the top of Cole’s Hill overlooking Pilgrim’s Park.  There, we saw several monuments, including the Pilgrim Mother’s Statue and the statue of the Wampanoag sachem Massasoit, whose support was critical to the Pilgrims’ survival. At the southern end of the hill stands a granite sarcophagus that contains skeletal remains accidentally disinterred from the hill in the 18th and 19th centuries.  They are believed to be those of Mayflower settlers buried here in the winter of 1620-21, when 52 out of 102 died.

The view of the bay from the hill was beautiful, and though we were unsure where the fireworks would be, we agreed that we needed to set up our chairs here for the evening.  It also looked like a great place to watch the concert that was going to take place in Pilgrim’s Park.

Leyden Street

We then walked up Leyden Street which was created in 1620 by the Pilgrims and claims to be the oldest continuously inhabited street in the thirteen colonies of British North America.  Several historical homes lined the street. 

KKatie Burger Bar

Around 2 pm we went to a nearby restaurant recommended by the tourist information center called KKaties Burger Bar.  We were able to get a patio table that overlooked Brewster Gardens and a busy intersection.  Our waitress was a lot of fun, and the burgers were good.

Burial Hill

After lunch, we retrieved and set up our chairs on Cole’s Hill and headed up to explore Burial Hill.  The main entrance to the cemetery was just north of the First Parish Church in Plymouth, where the congestion first met in 1621.  The 1899 church is the fifth to stand on the same site.

The hill was first used as the location for the first Pilgrim fort/meeting house. According to tradition, the first burial on the hill was in 1672.  The last burial was in 1957.  There are more than 2,000 marked graves in the five-acre cemetery,  The earliest grave markers were of carved wood, and do not survive today. Stone Markers were likely used starting in the mid-seventeenth century. Today, the oldest known stone on Burial Hill is Edward Gray, 1681. Some notable graves include Governor William Bradford and William & Mary Brewster.  

It was interesting to note that gravestones were much thinner than the ones we use today.  We were also interested in the gravestone decorations.  We learned that the skull and crossbones on the gravestone were a “memento more,” or a reminder that we cannot avoid death and that no matter what our status is in life, we are destined to share the same fate.  Another decoration was an angel. Angels with their wings outstretched or pointing upwards usually represent the departed person’s soul being escorted to heaven. If the angel is facing downwards or weeping, this is often an illustration of an untimely death.

Misc Plymouth

We got back to our chairs around 5 pm.  While waiting for the concert to start at 7:30, we took a few walks back down the hill to Pilgrim’s Park and through the downtown area on Court Street.   More people were arriving and I was glad that we had set up our chairs earlier.  We were amazed by the security we saw on the streets.  We saw K-9, foot, horse, and motorcycle patrols while we were there.

Concert

The Plymouth Philharmonic Concert started at 7:30.  We had a great spot to listen to them while they played.  It was very enjoyable looking out at the harbor while listening to the concert.  As it got dark and the fireworks were about to begin, they ended the concert playing the 1812 Overture. 

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Fireworks

Some of the trees blocked some of the low-altitude fireworks, but overall, we had a great view, and they had a great show.    

After the fireworks, we were able to walk with the crowds back to the truck, and because we were parked away from the downtown area, we were able to pull out in traffic and head toward the campground with little difficulty.   We were back at the camper by 10:30 pm.

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Tuesday, July 5

National Monument to the Forefathers

After getting gas, our first stop was to see the 81-foot-tall National Monument to the Forefathers.

Located on a hill well away from the other Plymouth attractions and screened from the road by trees, it seemed almost hidden despite its impressive size.  There was only one other car there when we arrived.  There were no storyboards or anything to describe what we saw, just a large statue in the middle of a field with a circular drive around it and a maintenance shed off to one side.    

The statue was completed in 1889 as the Pilgrim Monument but later changed to its present name.  It is considered the world’s largest solid granite monument and the third-largest statue in the United States.  On the main pedestal stands the heroic figure of “Faith,” with her right hand pointing toward heaven and her left hand clutching the Bible. The four buttresses are seated figures emblematic of the principles upon which the Pilgrims founded their Commonwealth: Morality, Law, Education, and Liberty. Under “Morality” are the engraved words  “Prophet” and “Evangelist”; under “Law” is “Justice” and “Mercy”; under “Education” is “Youth” and “Wisdom”; and under “Liberty” is “Tyranny Overthrown” and “Peace.” Beneath the figures are marble reliefs representing scenes from Pilgrim history. Under “Morality” is “Embarcation”; under “Law” is “Treaty”; under “Education” is “Compact”; and under “Freedom” is “Landing.”  On the main pedestal is a listing of the Pilgrims on the Mayflower, a quote from Governor Bradford, and a dedication.

  

Ye Olde Pilgrim Washing Well

We then took our laundry to “Ye Olde Pilgrim Washing Well.”  It was not a very large laundromat, and the parking lot was rather cramped, but we could quickly get our laundry done.  It was rather expensive, though, as we had to pay $4.50 for the front loaders (we used three) and $2.00 for the dryers (we used two).

We then returned to our trailer to drop off our laundry and eat lunch since it was 1200.

  

Scituate Lighthouse

After lunch, we headed out to Scituate Lighthouse, about an hour away.  During the drive there, we again were amazed about how heavily wooded the area was.  They also allowed the brush to go right to the edge of the road, making every turn an adventure.

Completed in 1811, it is the 11th lighthouse in the United States.  It was at the end of a thin point crowded with homes.  It was surrounded by large walls of boulders protecting the point and the bay.  It was connected to a lighthouse keeper’s house, now a private residence.  Several 1812-era American Flags were flying around it, alluding to its age and the story of the “Lighthouse Army of Two.”  The story goes that in September 1814, during the War of 1812, Rebecca and Abagail Bates warded off an attack by British soldiers by playing their fife and drum loudly. The British retreated since they thought the sound came from the Scituate town militia.

As we walked around the point and I climbed on the boulders, it started to drizzle, so we headed out.

The Legs of Myles Standish

Our next stop was Halifax to see another quirky find from Atlas Obscura. Next to an ivy-covered abandoned house and a couple of parked trucks on a side street is the bottom half of a statue of a man wearing fancy boots.  The sign in front stated that it was from a statue of Myles Standish,   

Myles Standish, one of the pilgrims, had retired 10 miles up the road near the town of Duxbury.  A 116-foot stone tower was built in his honor in 1872, and a 14-foot statue of Myles Standish was placed on it.  In 1922, poor Myles was struck by lightning, and his top half was destroyed.  The statue was recast in 1930, but only the arms were reused.  The lower half is being held by Halifax and will possibly be used in a new statue at a future time.  In the meantime, it will probably draw more tourists just the way they are.

Beer Can Museum

We then continued on our driving loop back toward the camper, hoping to stop at the Beer Can Museum.  Google said it opened at 3 pm.  We arrived at the location after 3 pm but found no museum.  We pulled over at a liquor store, and after searching Google, though we had very poor internet, we discovered it was in a private residence.  

Peter Olivers Mill Park

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Evening

Back to the camper by 4:30 pm

Wednesday, July 6

Happy Birthday, Lisa!

Today, we had trolley tour tickets for Newport, Rhode Island, scheduled for 10:00 AM. Since Newport was about an hour and fifteen minutes away from the campground, we decided to leave around 8:00 AM to ensure we arrived on time. To be extra sure we’d make it, I even turned off the “Avoid Highways” option on Google Maps!

Newport Trolley Tour

Today, we headed to Newport, Rhode Island, which was around an hour and fifteen minutes away.  Newport began as a summer destination for the wealthy in the mid-nineteenth century.  By the dawn of the 1900s, many of the nation’s wealthiest families regularly spent their summers in Newport, including the Vanderbilts, Astors, and Morgans. Here, they hosted lavish parties, hob-knobbed with other rich folks, played plenty of tennis, and enjoyed the stunning New England coastline.  Many of these opulent summer homes were  

We bought tickets online for the “Newport Gilded Age Mansions Trolley Tour with Breakers Admission” at 10 am.  The tour tickets cost us $92.50, but I had read that the traffic and especially parking could be terrible in Newport, and I just wanted to be able to enjoy touring the city rather than just worry about getting around.  The tour also included tickets to the Breakers Mansion, which would have cost $58 ($29/ea).  

We left around 8 am to get there on time, took the interstate most of the way, and then south on the Fall River Expressway into Rhode Island.  Newport is on the southern tip of Aquidneck Island. We arrived at the Transit Station in Newport around 9:30 so we had to wait at the trolley stop about 30 minutes before the trolley came.  

The tour included a 90-minute narrated trolley tour and a 90-minute tour ticket to the Vanderbilt Breaker’s Mansion.  The trolley seats were padded, unlike other trolley tours.  The guide was great at explaining the history and events of the area while driving us around Newport to various sites, including downtown Newport, King Park, Ocean Drive, Fort Adams State Park (where we stopped briefly), and the Bellevue Mansions.  

The Breakers

At the end of the trolley tour, we were dropped off at the gate of the Vanderbilt Breakers Mansion, where we were told to meet 90 minutes later to be driven back to the transient station.

The Breakers is the grandest of Newport’s summer “cottages” and a symbol of the Vanderbilt family’s social and financial pre-eminence in the Gilded Age.  Built by Cornelius Vanderbilt II from 1893-1895, The Breakers was everything a millionaire of the Gilded Age could want in a summer getaway. A classic Italian palazzo design, the finest American and European craftsmanship, views of the sea, and modern technology combined to make the ideal setting for luxurious living and entertaining.  In keeping with the Italian Renaissance style, classical Roman influences are seen in the exterior columns and arches. The central Great Hall had a 50-foot-high ceiling.  The Billiard Room had exquisite tile mosaics. The Music Room was constructed in France, then disassembled and shipped to the house for reassembly. The Breakers décor includes the finest materials in the world, including Baccarat crystal for the chandeliers in the Dining Room and platinum leaf in the Morning Room.  

The Breakers has 70 rooms over four floors, but we were only able to tour 15 of them over two floors.  We downloaded an audio tour that took us through the mansion as follows:

  • 1st Floor
    • Great Hall
    • Grand Staircase Alcove
    • Dining Room
    • The Billiard Room
    • The Great Hall
    • The Fireplace Alcove
    • Morning Room
    • Music Room
    • Library
  • 2nd Floor
    • Countess Szechenyi’s Room
    • Mr. Vanderbilts Room
    • Bath
    • Mrs. Vanderbuilts Room
    • Gertrude Vanderbilt’s Room
    • Upper Loggia
    • Guest Bedroom
    • Grand Staircase
    • Servants Staircase
  • 1st Floor
    • Kitchen
    • Butler’s Pantry  

While still amazed at the wealth we had just viewed, we then exited into the backyard where we were presented with the beautiful ocean view they had from their backyard.  

We spent some time enjoying the ocean view before walking over to their cafeteria and gift shop, where Lisa bought some expensive water. We then walked to the entrance to meet the trolley that arrived on time. The trolley then took us directly back to the transit station.  We felt that 90 minutes was more than enough time to appreciate the mansion.     

The Black Whale

We decided to celebrate Lisa’s birthday by having a fancy lunch on our way back to the camper. We picked a restaurant on the New Bedford waterfront called The Black Whale that had good ratings and an outdoor patio area. We arrived in New Bedford around 2:45, and though the weather was getting overcast in Newport, it was beautiful there.  

We sat at a table outside on their patio and ordered some beers overlooking the fishing trawlers docked at the pier.  Lisa had a Jack Abby House Lager while I ordered a Sam Adams Seasonal Draft.        

Since New Bedford is a historic fishing port, it seemed like the perfect place to enjoy seafood, so for lunch, I ordered the NBMA (New Bedford, Massachusetts) Bouillabaisse. At the same time, Lisa got a Lobster Roll with Hot Brown Butter. 

We had learned earlier that lobster rolls are made in two different ways.  The Connecticut or New England-style lobster roll is cooked in butter and served hot with butter, and the Maine lobster roll is steamed and then served cool with mayo on a toasted bun.  It also may include celery, bacon, corn, or other goodies, elevating the lobster salad’s flavor and texture.  Lisa’s lobster roll in Plymouth was more like the New England style but it was served cool, so I am not sure where it fell.  This restaurant served it both ways.

We both enjoyed our meal. After we ate, we went into the restaurant to look at their seafood display before heading home.  

We got back to the camper a little after 5 pm.

 

Thursday, July 7

MBTA Commuter Train

Today, we decided to take a train to Boston.  I bought some tickets online, and we caught the 7:30 MBTA commuter train at the Kingston train terminal, which was about 20 minutes away from the campground.   It had been many years since I had taken a train, so I enjoyed the trip.  We arrived at the South Station about an hour later.

Old Town Trolley Tours

I also bought some Old Town Trolley Tours tickets online to help us get around Boston.  We had to wait at the trolley stop outside the train station for about a half hour before the trolley picked us up.  Then, the trolley drove us around the South Boston Waterfront while picking up other passengers until we arrived at the main trolley station.  There, we all had to get out and stand in a long line for another trolley.  Though there were plenty of trolleys there, they wanted to disperse them at timed intervals, so we had to wait a long time until a trolley was allowed to pick up passengers and depart.

We finally left about a half hour later and rode the trolley around the circuit until we got back to the trolley station again.  Our guide was Papa Jim, and though we found his manners often rude, he did give us a pretty good guided tour.  The traffic was horrible so I was glad I was not driving.  The 18 stops of the tour took us past the following locations.  

  • Faneuil Hall
  • Historic North End
  • USS Constitution and Museum
  • North Station/ TD Garden
  • Old State House
  • Beacon Hill / Antique Row
  • Cheers Bar
  • Prudential Center
  • Christian Science Plaza / Symphony Hall 
  • Copley Place Mall
  • Copley Square / Back Bay
  • Old Town Trolley Welcome Center/ Theater District
  • New State House / Boston Common
  • Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
  • Boston Convention Center – until 12:30
  • Massport/Black Falcon Cruise Ship Terminal  – until 12:30
  • Boston Fish Pier – until 12:30
  • South Station – until 12:30

Freedom Trail

At the end of the trolley tour, we got out at Faneuil Hall Marketplace walked over to the Historic District, and started following the Freedom Trail south.  

When we got to the Granary Burying Ground, where many notable patriots such as Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Paul Revere were buried, we decided to stop at the Beantown Pub across the street and have a Samuel Adams beer in their honor.  Since it was 2:30, we also split a chicken tender plate with fries.  We continued down the Freedom Trail until we reached the Massachusetts State House, where we caught the trolley again. 

Trolley Tour – Part 2

We took the trolley back around back to the Fanuiel Hall (two stops) where we decided to board another trolley and go around the entire circuit again.  This time, we had Irish as our guide, and he had different stories to tell and often drove a slightly different route because of the traffic, though he did have to go to the same stops.    

Again we were overwhelmed with the history and culture of this very interesting city.  We got out of the trolley at a stop close to South Station and walked a couple of blocks to the station. 

Return Train Ride

While we were waiting for the 6:45 train to Kingston, we got a couple of ice cream shakes from the Carvel stand in the station.  The train got back to Kingston around 7:45 and we were back at the camper around 8:15 pm.

Friday, July 8

We packed the camper and headed north around 10:30 am to Seacoast Camping and RV Resort outside North Hampton, NH.