Day trips: What to do with a Day
 

When you’ve got a day off from home runs and fly balls, you’ll want to venture out beyond the ballfield. We’ve picked some local destinations and planned a perfect day trip for you and your all-star to enjoy.

Beach bums
Nantasket Beach, Hull (www.hullchamber.com)

They don’t call our neck of Massachusetts the South Shore for nothing.  The smell of the salty ocean and feel of warm sand between your toes will entice you from many points in the area, but for a day-long beach experience, we recommend Nantasket Beach. Less than a 30-minute scenic drive will bring you to Hull, a classic coastal  town with 1.3 miles of beach. Park in their large public lot for $3, and then find the perfect spot of sand to stick your umbrella. After building a few sand castles, take a spin on the antique Paragon Carousel, located nearby. A ride costs $1.75.

Grab a casual lunch at Ricky’s Nantasket Beach, Joseph’s Pizzeria or Ally’s At the Beach.

Tour the shops on the boardwalk and stop in at the Dream Machine arcade for a video game or two. While you’re on a winning streak, challenge the family to a game of miniature golf at the Nantasket Landing Miniature Golf course.

For dinner, grab classic fare and an ocean view at The Red Parrot (www.theredparrot.com) or Schooner’s (www.schoonersdining.com), both located within walking distance of the beach.

Or take the extra minute or two to head over to Jake’s Seafoods Restaurant and Market at Steamboat Wharf. (www.jakesseafoods.com.) The award-winning restaurant also has waterfront dining and plenty of oceanic delights.
 
Fair fun
Marshfield Fair (www.marshfieldfair.org) 

There’s something for everyone here, and the fair is a great way to spend a summer day.  For $10 admission plus the cost of ride tickets, you’ll get the best of what this 141-year-old New England fair has to offer.

Wander through the huge variety of exhibits, including arts and crafts, farm animals and horticulture. Gaze in awe at the giant pumpkins and pick out locally made souvenirs to bring home.

Stop and watch Granny’s Racing Pigs try to squeal their way to victory. Then squeal yourself as you check out a chainsaw artist carve a log into a dolphin.

Each day at the fair features different musical shows, including blues, zydeco and oldies, so you’ll get a chance to hear something familiar or new to your ears.

Any day you attend will include a motor show, like motocross or truck pulling. But you could plan ahead to see the demolition derby, the good old-fashioned car smash-up event.

Of course, the fair features dozens of fantastic - and fast - rides. From the classic ferris wheel to the water-splashing flume, you could easily spend a good portion of the day spinning.

As for what to eat, it should only take a few whiffs from any vendor to get hungry, and fair food is legendary, so pace yourself. Some vendors offer salads, wraps and veggies, and we suggest starting with those for lunch. Then you’ll have room for the fudge, fried dough, fried Twinkie, and ice cream for dinner.

Waterfront wandering
Downtown Plymouth & waterfront (www.visit-plymouth.com)

There are plenty of activities to fill up a day’s worth of fun in ‘America’s Hometown.’ Your only problem might be choosing which ones.

If you are feeling adventurous and can plan ahead by a day or two, reserve a spot on one of a number of boat excursions, like a whale watch, lobster tale or pirate cruise. For $37 ages 13 and up, Capt. John Boats (www.captjohn.com/index.html) guarantees a sighting on its whale watch trips. Lobster Tales (www.lobstertalesinc.com) offers a lobster excursion, where you can learn how lobsters are harvested in their natural environment, for $15. But if you’d prefer to see a mammal with an eye patch instead of a fin, they also have pirate-themed rides for $18 (www.piratefun.com/pirate.html).

You don’t want to miss out on the heritage of Plymouth, its rich history that greets you at every turn. Head just outside the downtown to Plimoth Plantation (www.plimoth.org), where you can step all the way back into the 1620s to see how the Native Wampanoag and Colonial English men and women lived.

When you’re done walking through time, tour the Mayflower II and peer down at the ubiquitous Plymouth Rock. Even though the Rock’s home is undergoing renovations, you can still see one of the most talked-about rocks in the USA.

By now you’ll be starving, so hit up one of the dozens of restaurants in the area, all within walking distance. Feast on Mexican at Sam Diego’s (www.samdiegos.com) or a calzone at Bella Piazza. Both restaurants are on Main Street.

Walk off your lunch and wander in and out of the dozens of shops you’ll find on Main Street. Do what comes naturally at the Common Sense Wholesome Foods Market (www.commonsensemarket.com) or at Lily’s Apothecary (www.lilysapothecary.com).

Shop your way into an appetite for dinner, where you can gaze off into the harbor while dining at the Weathervane (www.weathervaneseafoods.com/) or Isaac’s Restaurant (www.isaacsdining.com).

For dessert, take your pick from a handful of ice cream shops facing the harbor, including Peaceful Meadows (www.peacefulmeadowsicecream.com), which makes their own rich version of the sweet creamy stuff. Don’t be ashamed to let the ice cream drip down your chin. The Pilgrims would have wanted it that way.
   
Closeby Quincy
Quincy (www.discoverquincy.com/)

Of course, there’s plenty to do and see right here in Quincy. You don’t even need to leave the city to find a little bit of everything.

Former resident and president John Adams and his family - wife Abigail and son John Quincy - have gotten a lot of publicity lately, including their very own HBO miniseries. So why not visit the home of local celebrities? At the Adams National Historical Park (www.nps.gov/adam), you can do just that, touring 4 generations of the Adams family in Quincy.

Grab a tasty lunch and get some great pictures of the Boston skyline at Wollaston Beach. The busy boardwalk along the 2.5 mile beach is a great walk and has wonderful views. Cross the street to eat at Tony’s Clam Shop (www.tonysclamshop.com) or The Clam Box. 

After lunch, tour the USS Salem, (www.uss-salem.org/) the world’s only preserved Naval heavy cruiser, and the Naval Shipbuilding Museum. Conveniently, you can get your golf game on right next door. Kilroy’s Mini-Golf (www.uss-salem.org/kilroy_minigolf/index.html) features local historic landmarks throughout its 18 holes. To do both will only cost $8 a person.

End your day at Marina Bay (www.discoverquincy.com/marinaBay.htm), a waterfront, Nantucket-style destination community with a boardwalk full of shops and restaurants with yet another great view of the Boston skyline. Enjoy the sunset at any one of their restaurants, including Captain Fishbones (www.captainfishbones.com) for seafood and more, or Skyline (www.skylinemarinabay.com), which features a raw bar menu as well as classic dishes.