Last year I had a fantastic northern tour planned with Jake and Peggy for early July. A few days before they were to fly in from Austin, the weather forecast went down the old crapper and after a few phone calls, we canceled the trip and their entire visit.
I told Jake to never buy refundable airline tickets again!
But it was my fault. I had created a dream tour of Maine, hinged on a 125-mile day-one run from Boston to Boothbay.
Fast Forward to 2026
I did like the idea of meeting Jake and Peggy in Boston and heading north (following the prevailing southwest wind), but I needed to make it impervious to bad weather.
Mrs. Horne doesn’t like to linger in one port too long, so I needed to patch together a string of short leg ports on Massachusetts Bay and the Gulf of Maine.
We have accumulated several great options, so picking five wasn’t easy:
- Gloucester
- Manchester=By=The-Sea
- Salem
- Marblehead
- Plymouth
One of the best advantages of being a Safe Harbor member is the ability to book slips for free (space available – three-night maximum), so I also booked Safe Harbor Sunset Bay and Marina Bay as a short-haul backup haven in the event of heavy seas.
Plan B Before We Shove Off!
We planned to bring the boat from Onset to Boston on Friday, but five days out, Friday looked like the end of a pesky northeaster.
Thus we had Plan B before Plan A even began!
Jake and Peggy would Uber to Onset for dinner and then we’d all head to Plymouth on Saturday morning.
Consistent with the Americana Tour, we dined at the 1883 Lounge at the historic Glen Cove Hotel.
The Glen Cove Hotel was built in 1883 and the basement bar was added in 1920. Unfortunately, the hotel failed in 2010 and went bankrupt.
In 2012, the Salerno brothers (owners of Marc Anthony’s) bought. They spent years renovating it and finally reopened it in 2019 (Cape Cod Life).
herbed croutons, freshly grated parmesan, romaine hearts,
roasted garlic caesar dressing – tomatoes added
8 oz burger, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, hand-cut fries
pan-seared lump crabmeat cakes, charred
pineapple mango salsa, chipotle aioli
oven-roasted cod, sauced lobster, hollandaise.
mashed potatoes, green beans
flash-fried, served with hand-cut fries,
coleslaw, and tartar sauce
As always, the food was perfectly prepared, hot, and tasty.
When we left the hotel it was raining amid bright sunshine.
Much to our delight, we enjoyed a gorgeous rainbow…
First Stop Plymouth
With an eye to showing Jake and Peggy the best of Massachusetts Bay Americana, we set off for Plymouth amid blue skies and perfectly calm seas.
We pulled into Plymouth just before noon…
And we headed over to the Surfside Smokehouse. Jake is a bit of a Texas Pit-master and I wanted him to try the BBQ.
Hard-boiled egg, bacon, avocado, tomato, roasted corn, pickled red onion, blue cheese crumbles, and blue cheese dressing
onion rings
Grilled salmon, mango salsa, chipotle ancho aioli, and flour tortilla.
onion rings
Everything was perfect except Jake’s ribs, which were a tad dry. Plymouth missed its chance to impress the Austin Pitmaster!
Plymouth Rock
As we were coming up from Onset, we messed with our guests telling them “they were in for a big treat,” seeing Plymouth Rock!
At some point we gave in an told them it was consistently voted the Most Disappointing Landmark in America,
Plymouth has added a guide who stands by the rock and tells stories. Good move!
1620 – The Mayflower
Unlike the Rock, the tour of the Mayflower II is well worth the price ($20). This was my second tour and I found myself studying questions that popped up after the last visit.
The guides do a great job telling the stories about the incredible spaces. They don’t just give canned lectures, they take questions and carry on deep conversations with visitors.
It’s worth the price of admission to stand in the main hold and imagine 110 people and a half a dozen animals living there with all the hatches closed for three months!
Ride With Circuit
After the Mayflower, we grabbed a Circuit Ride hoping to get a tour of Plymouth.
Circuit has been in Plymouth for several years. They are little electric vans that are actually more comfortable for four than an SUV. They are free, but tips are very welcome. They also have an app to call a ride, but it doesn’t work very well.
We lucked out big time!
Our driver turned out to be Donna Fenton from my hometown of Acton. I was good friends with her brother Jimmy. My father was friends with her father Bucky – retired Police Chief, and she was friends with my brother Barry.
Small world…
Donna gave us an excellent 20 minute tour. I’d suggest this to anyone visiting Plymouth for the first time.
With just one night in Plymouth, it was tough to pick a single restaurant. The best spot for the Americana Tour would have been the Rye Tavern, but we decided we didn’t want to spend thirty minutes in an Uber.
Salt
Jake and Peggy are foodies, so the obvious choice was Salt…
Salt has three things going for it…
- Eclectic Menu
- Perfectly Prepared and Presented
- Surprisingly Affordable
Vinegar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, chili crisp
Gochujang marinated chicken thigh, sushi rice,
pickled cucumber, scallion
Baby kale, brioche crouton crumble, Caesar dressing, parmesan cheese
Soy braised duck, hoisin sauce, yuzu aioli, pickled cucumber, cilantro
Egg, Chinese chives, Napa cabbage, carrots, sesame,
fresh herbs, aji Amarillo aioli
The wok of rice is immense and the four of us probably left a third.
By 8:00, it had cooled enough to walk the waterfront home…
Next Up: Marblehead and Salem
3 Responses
Hi Dave, I happened to see Amazing Grace in Marina Bay about a week ago. I curious to know if you noticed a Belize 54 called “Amazing Grace” near your slip. We actually met in P-Town about two years ago and we also have a Belize 54 called Mirth. Anyway, I think your blog remains both informative and entertaining and for those of us who ply the seas of New England, a must read.
Yes, hi Jim!