Wicked New England–Favorite Summertime Activities

In January, we chatted about our favorite winter activities. If anything, New England suffers from a glut of dizzying choices in the summertime: the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood in the Berkshires, camping by a lake in New Hampshire, toodling in and out of the shops on Nantucket, or spending time at the Cape Cod National Seashore.

Choices must be made. Wickeds, what is your favorite New England summer activity?

Edith: It’s a toss up between going to the beach at the start or end of the day, or going into
my garden to pick dinner – sun-warmed tomatoes, skinny eggplant, lettuce, garlic, carrots,and more! Both activities are so wonderful, and the period in which we can do them in the Northeast so fleeting. Here’s a shot of my early-morning spot at Jenness Beach in Rye, New Hampshire last July. Bliss. (I go home once the sun gets too high. And then I harvest my dinner…)

Liz: It’s not very original, but give me the beach any day. We love the beaches in Rhode Island – Second Beach is the best – and even though it’s a bit of a drive, it’s so worth it. My absolute favorite thing to do is sit by the water and read. I could stay there for the entire summer and be totally happy, as long as someone brought me water and potato chips.

Sherry: I love to go down to the North End (the Italian section) of Boston and walk around. Grab a piece of pizza and a beer. Stop by one of the Italian bakeries and have a cannoli. People watch. And, of course, visit some of the historic sites. One of my favorites is Christ Church or The Old North Church as it is more famously known. If we time it right there will be a feast and procession going on. Since I grew up in Iowa, I’d never seen anything like the processions that go on in the North End. Here’s a website with a list of them!

Jessie: I love walking the beach. As soon as it gets the least bit warm I head to the shore and unless there is still snow on the ground I usually take off my shoes for the pleasure of the sand between my toes. Being barefoot is decidedly more pleasant once summer rolls around!

Julie: In Boston there are a ton of things to do in the summer. Open markets, free Shakespeare thanks to companies like It’s A Fiasco and Commonwealth Shakespeare Company. The Highland Street Foundation supports Free Fun Fridays, offering free entry into 10 sites a week for 10 weeks throughout the summer. (This is Massachusetts wide, so check the site.) As Sherry pointed out, there are festivals every week in the North End. The arts are everywhere in the summer–I’m very much looking forward to Outside the Box on the Boston Common July 13-17 this summer. I enjoy the beach, reading on a hammock, eating seafood, ice cream at Christina’s or Somerset Creamery, an annual trip to Canobie Lake Park. But my favorite part about summer is not having to wear layers, eating outside, and being able to walk to great arts adventures.

Barb: At the risk of being boringly repetitious, my favorite summer activity is sitting on our front porch in Maine, in a rocker, with a book in my lap, looking at this view.

Readers, how about you? What’s your favorite summer activity?