By Brion O'Connor
Day One
Start your tour of the Greater Boston brewing scene at the Charles River Museum of Industry in Waltham ( 781.893.5410; www.crmi.org). This enormous red-brick building, built in 1814 by the Boston Manufacturing Company, highlights the inventions that powered the United States into the modern age — steam engines, generators, timepieces, machine tools, bicycles, automobiles — as well as the forward-thinking inventors who perfected them. Afterward, grab a light bite and ale at the Watch City Brewing Company , and then meander into downtown Boston for a tour of the Harpoon Brewery (617.574.9551; www.harpoonbrewery.com). Tastings are held Tuesday through Saturday at 3 p.m.
Day Two
Discover the historic charms of Boston's North Shore, starting in Salem, home to several witch museums and the incomparable Peabody Essex Museum at East India Square (866.745.1876; www.pem.org), which celebrates this country's earliest trade with the Far East. Upcoming attractions include The Art of Shopping in China (through May 22) and Island Thresholds: Contemporary Art from the Caribbean (February 19–June 5). For lunch, Salem Beer Works on Derby Street is a short walk from many historic spots, including Nathaniel Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables (978.744.0991; www.7gables.org) and the Salem Maritime National Historic Site ( 978.740.1650; www. nps.gov/sama). A drive along Route 127 through Beverly and around Cape Ann showcases a number of historic homes and sites, as well as the Cape Ann Brewing Company in Gloucester (978.281.4782; www.capeannbrewing.com). For dinner, consider the 1640 Hart House in Ipswich , one of the country's oldest homes and a superb example of early American architecture.
Day Three
Feeling restless? If there's still spring snowfall on the ground, swing westward to Wachusett Mountain ski resort ( 978.464.2300; www.wachusett.com ) in Princeton, where you can ski or ride morning, noon and early evening. There's also a dedicated tubing park, and numerous events take place through late winter and spring. When you get your fill of turns, enjoy a meticulously crafted ale from the Wachusett Brewing Company at either the resort's casual tavern, the CopperTop Lounge or the more formal Black Diamond Restaurant; another option is the nearby Wachusett Village Inn . Of course, if you're visiting in late spring, after the first pitch of the baseball season has been tossed, consider catching a Red Sox game at historic Fenway Park, followed by a visit to Boston Beer Works (617.536.2337). |
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