Places to Enjoy a Weekend Respite From Boston

Residents looking for a getaway from Boston don't have to travel far to find some rest and leisure. A Travel Noire report highlighted several destinations ideal for a weekend getaway from Boston.

Martha's Vineyard emerged as an attractive destination featuring beaches, bike paths, lighthouses, laid-back luxury, and a vibrant Black-owned business and cultural scene in towns such as Oak Bluffs.

Newport, Rhode Island, about two hours from Boston, combines coastal charm with Gilded Age mansions, cliffside walks, seafood, sailing culture, and a growing scene of Black- and women-owned shops.

Getaways to Northampton and Great Barrington are only within a two-hour drive of the city. During your visit, you'll discover bookstores, galleries, and a farm-to-table scene, with Northampton noted for its LGBTQ+-friendly atmosphere and Pioneer Valley arts.

Old Lyme, Connecticut, offers coastal scenery, marsh trails, and cultural highlights like the Florence Griswold Museum. An approximately two-hour drive will take you to a place where coastal beauty meets art-focused attractions.

The Western Massachusetts hilltowns of Ashfield, Chesterfield, and Williamsburg offer tranquil, winding-road escapes with woods, river trails, and artisanal inns, all about a two-hour drive from Boston.

The White Mountains in New Hampshire provide a year-round nature escape less than three hours from the city. Lincoln and North Conway serve as settings for Mount Washington excursions, scenic drives, hiking, skiing, and fall foliage tours.

In addition to the settings listed above, Travel Noire also highlighted wellness retreats and digital-detox options, such as the Insight Meditation Society in Barre and the Kripalu Center in Stockbridge, which offer nature-centered experiences focused on rest and healing.