LAST HURRAH!
Go on a final, fantastic adventure before summer ends
Labor Day is getting closer, and the sun is setting earlier and earlier. But there's still plenty of time to get your summer on and check things off that seasonal bucket list. Consider these fantastic summer experiences as a way to make August great.
Whales, even a wicked special one: Say what? You've never been on a whale watch? It's funny how locals often skip the amazing experiences visitors seek out. There's still plenty of time to jump aboard a whale watch vessel.
Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary is less than an hour's cruise from Long Wharf in Boston. There, whale watch naturalists can introduce you to Salt, the oldest identified humpback whale in the Gulf of Maine. Although Salt often calls that area her summer home, experts had not seen her off our shores this summer until recently. (Scientists have observed her at her winter home off the West Indies in the past.) She's had more than 30 confirmed calves, so you might even see her hanging with family members.
Whales are not all you'll spot, either. On recent trips, folks have seen leatherback turtles close up. The active feeding grounds always offer surprises. Learn more at bostonharborcruises.com.
Waterfront Festival fun: It's
enough that we have our beautiful coastline to enjoy. But when a festival comes, it amps things up. This weekend, the Plymouth Waterfront Festival brings 250 crafters and vendors, 30 food trucks, a beer garden, kids games, a rubber duck race and endless live music to Plymouth's scenic waterfront.
The annual event, in its 35th year, draws thousands, and while booths and more line the street, there are unobstructed views of the harbor and Long Beach in the distance.
The festival stretches along Water Street. At the south end of the street is the town's performance stage, where all kinds of entertainment will take place. Food trucks — and stands — offer classic state fair fare (fried Twinkie, anyone?) as well as local choices, such as lobster rolls.
The Ducky Dash race floats through beautiful
Brewster Gardens and serves as a fundraiser for local charities.
The entire day is familyfriendly and easy to access. Best parking bets are around the Main Street area, which, once you walk off all your food truck treats, is a great spot for a relaxing sit-down meal. (The event website has parking maps.) For excellent service and great food, try Martinis (the scallops carbonara is to die for). For a burger, KKatie’s Burger Bar is your best choice.
The festival runs Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Learn more at plymouth waterfrontfestival.com.
Wild in the trees: Remember when climbing trees was a natural part of summer? You can relive that at New Hampshire’s Loon Mountain, where its Aerial Forest Adventure Park puts you up in the trees.
Don’t worry, folks. It’s perfectly safe. The Swissdesigned Aerial Forest is built to the standards of the Association of Challenge Course Technology, consisting of platforms and elements that range from 9 feet to more than 40 feet off the ground. Once you’re outfitted with a harness and gloves, a safety orientation will teach you about the park’s Smart Safety Belay System, a permanently activated securing system in which you’re always hooked up to safety anchors, even when switching courses.
Safe indeed, but it sure feels wild.
There’s more there, too, with family-friendly activities for most ages. You can ride a classic steam train, try out the LogJam Maze, ride the gondola to the summit and more. Bunyan’s Bouncin’ Backyard is full of inflatable games and elements to help little kids go wild, too.
Loon is a quick shot from Greater Boston, about two hours up Route 93. Learn more at loonmtn.com.