For the intrepid, a two-hour ride on Amtrak from South Station brings you to Mystic, Conn. ($50 round trip), home of Mystic Seaport. The Seaport is an outdoor maritime museum, home to the last whaling ship in existence, the Morgan.

Mystic is also home to Mystic Aquarium, one of the largest in the country, and of Mystic Pizza, immortalized in a Julia Roberts movie of the same name.

Don't miss the opportunity to get out on the water yourself. Ferries ply the waters between Boston and numerous small islands in Massachusetts Bay. Several groups run whale-watch cruises from Rockport and Gloucester on Cape Ann, and other leave from Cape Cod. Expect to spend about $25 for the trip.

Branching Off

Don't feel constrained to visit the closest or most famous corners of the region. All of New England drips with history, and breathtaking scenery isn't confined to what you can find in the pages of a guide book.

Sometimes the most rewarding travel comes when you just resolve to escape the gravity of the Square and go wherever the T takes you.

So put down the book--your Summer School grades don't really matter--hop on the train and get out. You'll be glad you did.

--Gregory S. Krauss contributed to the reporting of this story