This neighborhood guide is curated by one of our New York City-based editors who calls it home.

Erin Florio

Erin Florio is the Global Features Director at Conde Nast Traveler, working across print, digital social and video on features, hotel news, major tentpole moments, and more. Her work has brought her to Zimbabwe to explore its nascent safari scene, the wild Kimberley Coast in Australia, the surf scene of Rio de Janeiro and plenty of spots in between. She has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, CNBC, CNN, and The Today Show as well as in Forbes, Luxury Daily, Lonny, and on various podcasts. A happy New Yorker, Erin is lucky enough to count a lot of places around the world that also feel like home.

Travelers looking for a version of New York that is free of the tourist rush, built on community and local business, and reflective of the city’s true grit and diversity should catch the L train to Ridgewood. This leafy Queens neighborhood across the Brooklyn border from Bushwick has historically been a melting pot of Hispanic and Eastern European families; in recent years, they’ve been joined by creatives and others swapping the ever-increasing rents of Williamsburg and Greenpoint for more space at a lower cost. Of course, this group brings with them the inevitable stream of indie coffee shops, cocktail bars and vintage shopping that has come to define hipster-fying neighborhoods of the past two decades. Ridgewood shows signs of gentrification for sure, but—but!—it’s not about to become the next Williamsburg. To me, Ridgewood feels like a place that prioritizes community: the old makes space for the new, and the new respects—rather than seeks to replace—those there before.

You see it when the owners of what would be the competition are the first customers through the door to support a new business. Or when a recent restaurant makes a point to source from the local butchers and bakeries that have been here for close to a century. I know this first-hand; my partner and I moved here recently after he launched the Italian restaurant Il Gigante with a couple others on Woodward Avenue. It opened in January and graciously has been busy ever since. We know we are part of this new wave and that means supporting what came first. I do not yet have a go-to empanada shop on Seneca, or a favorite Polish deli near Fresh Pond (though I see you Hetman!). But being part of Ridgewood means it’s important for me to have defensible options for both and much more. The below reflects my personal favorites of a neighborhood as I continue to get to know it.

8 a.m. Pastry, coffee and inevitable good banter

I’m an early riser and love how quiet the early mornings are in Ridgewood, when it’s just me and a few walkers with strollers or dogs on the wide, leafy avenues. At Rudy’s Pastry Shop, you’re greeted with a scent that smells like baker’s heaven and a neighborly hello from Toni, the longtime owner who is as much an icon of the neighborhood as her 92 year old bakery. For my son I’ll get a donut the size of his face while I debate if it’s too early to fill a cannoli shell with ricotta cream for myself (regrettably, the answer is always yes). If I’m after anything savory, I’ll walk a couple blocks to Bakeri, the Greenpoint import that hums with families grabbing cookies and friends catching up over coffee all morning long in the hopes that this morning, they’ve put out their utterly (utterly!) irresistible kale and cheese pinwheels. But this comes with a detour to Cholita, a new-wave, minimalist Ecuadorian coffee house whose flat whites compete with those I was raised on back in Wellington New Zealand, birthplace of the famous espresso drink.

Saint Seneca is a gorgeously-curated space where you can find household items like hand-carved wood platters and throws.

Christopher Setter

The Raspberry Lemonade Layer Cake from Salty Lunch Lady’s Little Luncheonette, a retro-fitted lunch counter.

StarChefs

12p.m. Walk Woodward

Woodward Avenue in central Ridgewood is quietly growing a tidy row of indie boutiques. Start at the light-flooded Saint Seneca, where the lovely Yuka curates the gorgeous space with her exceptional taste, meaning beautiful throws, hand-carved wood platters, plants, candles, and other household items to turn your home into a page out of Domino. Each time I pop in I’m convinced that I do, indeed, need another hand-shaped ceramic ladle holder. Stay Forever has quirky gifts and fun buys—I drink my coffee from their oversized Ridgewood-branded mug each morning—but I really love their kids shop across the way, Forever Young, which has a smart selection of kids dress-up, books, toys and clothes. And it always comes through with a last-minute gift as you dash to the bday party. Left Field is an homage to quality, handmade denim and more, that has been operating under the radar for years. Close by, Fringe Records is small and unassuming behind an easy-to-miss door, but jam-packed with excellent vinyl.

2 p.m Grab a sandwich

The humble sandwich is having a show-stealing revival around the neighborhood and I am here for it. At Arrigo’s, a pocket-sized Italian diner and deli on Fresh Pond, the Italian sub is a masterpiece of fresh sliced prosciutto and mortadella with the right amount of tangy oils and fillings. It has pleased even the most persnickety of judges —my very Italian-American father. I love the classic ham and cheese at the Salty Lunch Lady, a retro-fitted lunch counter with a delicious menu of made-to-order sandos and a nice amount of seating for a solid destination lunch when working from home. But I have to say, nothing compares to the utter perfection that is the deli-counter sandwiches at Pierogi Boys, a new arrival to Ridgewood which combines a restaurant and market place and is worth a visit for its sheer delightful selection of high end provisions alone. Their turkey with dill mayo, served on ciabatta fluffier than cotton, was one of the single most delightful dishes I have had all year. Honestly.

The scene outside Other People’s Clothes.

Jordan Figueroa

Inside Other People’s clothes, which is well-stocked and requires energy for rifling through.

Jordan Figueroa

3 p.m. Vintage shopping

The second-hand shopping is so good in Ridgewood that out of towners could make a day of bopping around for rare denim and estate jewels. The most known spot may be Other People’s Clothes, the Ridgewood outlet of the famed Williamsburg spot started by Beacon’s Closet alums. It’s well stocked, the kind of place that takes energy to rifle through, so you gotta be in the mood. A few blocks up, Etta Vintage is a charming boutique where the owner hits up estate sales across the tristate and brings the best of it back with her. The jewelry and funky wall hangings are some of my favorites of her finds. Lichen, over on Woodward, is a high-style furniture showroom run by a collective of carpenters and designers who repurpose signature pieces. I aspire to one day have one of the Rei Kawakubo coffee tables in my own home but for now I am a dedicated window shopper. Grace Land, just down a ways, sells unique pieces like sturdy jackets and asymmetrical blouses fashioned from vintage finds with master tailoring

5 p.m. Cocktail hour

Get to Peg’s Cavalier, a neighborhood favorite, right as it opens to snag space at the bar or one of the cozy tables. It gets busier later on but I like when you can banter with the bartender, easily order another round and maybe bump into your neighbor at a nearby table. The Seneca has a nice big space and a perfectly acceptable bar food menu if you get peckish, while Aunt Ginny’s is a little more laid back but still does a mean martini.

Calamari on the table at trattoria il Gigante.

Studio Moggi/Eugenia Maffei

Inside il Gigante, the opening of which brought the writer to the neighborhood.

Studio Moggi/Eugenia Maffei

7 p.m. Reservations essential

Rolo’s put Ridgewood on the culinary map when it was opened by a bunch of Gramercy Tavern alums who wanted a neighborhood bistro where they lived. The irony is that their polenta bread and burger are so phenomenal, locals compete with straphangers for a spot (if there is a two hour wait for a table, try the bar). I am partial, of course, to the gramigna at Il Gigante and don’t mind committing Italian sacrilege by pairing it with one of their perfect Negronis instead of a wine, but I also love the prosciutto and salads at nearby pizzeria Panina, and the delicious Palmetto pie and chopped salad at Decades, a funky pizzeria across from Rosemary’s Playground. During warmer months, the aptly named Ice Cream Window just down the block serves scoops of inventive flavors like pumpkin-inflected Styrian and Rose well into dessert time. I haven’t made it into Pierogi Boys yet for dinner but definitely have my eye on their tomahawk-sized schnitzel and dill pickle martinis.

Downstairs at Cassette, which is just right for a post-dinner negroni or martini.

Natalie Field

Decades is a funky pizzeria that makes a mean chopped salad.

Reggie McCafferty

10 p.m. There is life at night

I am no longer cool enough nor young enough to have boogied till dawn at Nowadays, one of the many fine nightclubs to have spilled over from the scene in nearby Bushwick, but eavesdropping on the hungover 20-somethings every weekend confirms it’s great. Cassette is more my speed these days. I will do a post-dinner negroni or martini; they have a small downstairs club that opens late, too. Gottscheer Hall, a nostalgia-riddled beer hall and vestige to the neighborhood’s Germanic roots does Honky Tonk night once a month which is always wild (and often sells out, so plan ahead!). I am yet to check out Low Cinema, the neighborhood’s first indie moviehouse in decades, but plan to do so once I’m craving something quiet that isn’t my couch.

12 a.m. One for the road

As much as I love the fancier spots for a pricier cocktail, all roads will eventually lead me back to a good ol’ dive bar. Here, that’s Jones Bar, a proper divey watering hole with cheap draught beer, shot specials, and grungy locals who often don’t mind if you, say, want to bring your toddler in during happy hours (thanks again!). Of course the best time to be here is later at night. It’s on a quieter stretch of the neighborhood and just a few blocks from my front door, so it’s easy to justify stopping in for just the one whenever I head home.

Nearly a year after Hurricane Helene rocked the southeastern U.S., the famed Blue Ridge Parkway — and many stops along its 469-mile route — is almost fully open again.

This serpentine, two-lane ribbon of blacktop follows the twisting spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains (a subrange of the Appalachians) from Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. With a speed limit of 45 mph, the Blue Ridge Parkway sacrifices directness for mile after mile of untamed alpine beauty.

You can hop on and off at countless junctions along the route, including two attractive midsize cities: Asheville, North Carolina (also open and welcoming tourists) and Roanoke, Virginia. But if you’re up for a grand adventure and can spare a few days, it’s well worth driving the entire parkway. You’ll encounter remarkable diversions along the way: hundreds of scenic viewpoints and picnic spots, miles of hiking trails for every skill level and a bounty of engaging historic sites that shed light on Appalachian heritage and folkways.

From south to north, here’s a look at some of the most memorable stops along this magical road and helpful planning tips to get you started.

Related: Not just for flights: Using points and miles to save on road trips

Planning your Blue Ridge Parkway road trip

Best start and end points for the Blue Ridge Parkway

The nearest airport to the parkway’s southern tip, in the Great Smoky Mountains, is Knoxville, Tennessee’s McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), a two-hour drive.

Of major airports, Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is a good option if you are planning a round-trip car rental. It’s just 3 1/2 hours from the parkway’s southern end point and a 4 1/2-hour drive (by the faster interstate highways) from the northern end point, at the entrance of Shenandoah.

Atlanta is also 3 1/2 hours from the south end of the parkway, and the drive up through Georgia’s Appalachian Mountains is quite beautiful. It’s a great way to extend your adventure. From the north end of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, D.C., is a 2 1/2-hour drive.

Although there’s no fee to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway, you’ll need to pay $30 per private vehicle to enter Shenandoah National Park (unless you have a park pass), and Great Smoky Mountains National Park charges parking fees.

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When is the best time to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway?

The scenery along the parkway really sings anytime from spring through fall, but May through mid-June stands out especially for viewing wildflowers and rhododendrons in bloom, and mid-September through mid-October is best for admiring brilliant fall foliage.

Temperatures along the parkway tend to be five to 10 degrees lower than in the region’s lower elevations, making this drive a potentially cool escape from summer heat. On the other hand, this means snow and ice are possible in winter, the one season when many facilities along the road are closed.

Keep in mind that this curving and relatively narrow road is prone to fog and wild animal crossings at any time of year. It’s best to drive it only during daylight hours, both for safety and the best views, and to exercise caution during heavy rain.

How long does this road trip take? It’s theoretically possible to drive the entire route in three days, but you’ll have a far more enjoyable experience if you allow five days at a leisurely pace. With a full week, you’ll have more than enough time to explore Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah national parks, too.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Asheville

The Blue Ridge Parkway begins close to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

This rugged 522,419-acre swath of pristine forests, open meadows and meandering streams is the largest national park east of the Mississippi. In a single day, you can ascend to the observation tower atop 6,643-foot Clingmans Dome and explore the open-air Mountain Farm Museum — or head to the Tennessee section of the park to drive the enchanting Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and hop out for a short trek to Grotto Falls.

Where to stop

Once you enter the parkway, you have about 90 miles ahead of you to Asheville.

This section has some of the most dramatic scenic pullouts along the entire route, with Waterrock Knob (milepost 451) a particular highlight. There are a small visitor center and a picnic area, and the views are incredible at sunset.

The other stop worth noting is Mount Pisgah (milepost 408). Allow a couple of hours for the steep but well-trodden 2.6-mile round-trip hike to this 5,721-foot peak that offers a vast panorama of nearby Asheville.

Exploring Asheville

After being ravaged by Hurricane Helene, the small city of Asheville is back and better than ever.

With a fantastic culinary and craft beer scene and a thriving artist community, Asheville has enough to keep you busy for several days, including two notable stops along the parkway: the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center, with its engrossing exhibits on the road’s natural and human history, and the superb Folk Art Center (particularly Allanstand Craft Shop).

In Asheville itself, set aside time to explore the greenery of The North Carolina Arboretum, peruse the galleries of the hip River Arts District (or even try your hand at an art class) and eat your way through buzzy food-and-drink neighborhoods like South Slope and West Asheville.

With its chateauesque, 250-room mansion, splendid gardens and numerous other diversions, Biltmore Estate is another must — but you really need a full day to make the most of visiting this 8,000-acre property (admission starts at $70 per person).

Where to stay

Although there are no accommodations within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you’ll find a good selection in the gateway towns of Cherokee, North Carolina (just 4 miles from the start of the Blue Ridge Parkway) and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. These mostly include no-frills options like Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Cherokee (rates start at $96 or 29,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night this fall) and Econo Lodge Inn & Suites Gatlinburg at the Convention Center (starting from $52 or 20,000 Choice Privileges points per night).

Asheville offers the greatest range of points hotels along the Blue Ridge Parkway. For instance, Blind Tiger Asheville, a charming bed-and-breakfast establishment in a 19th-century Queen Anne house that’s part of World of Hyatt‘s Mr & Mrs Smith collection, has nightly rates starting at $202 or 27,000 points this fall. Or, you could book The Radical Asheville, a hip, art-inspired Hilton Honors property in the heart of the River Arts District, starting from $141 or 45,000 points per night.

Related: Best road trips for visiting national parks

Asheville to Blowing Rock, North Carolina

Where to stop

Just northeast of Asheville, Craggy Gardens Picnic Area (milepost 364) is a shaded tract of outdoor tables with trails leading to magnificent stands of azaleas and mountain laurels.

About 10 miles later, you can briefly detour up a side road to the summit of the highest point in the eastern U.S.: Mount Mitchell. A short, paved path leads to the observation deck, and there are a small museum and a casual restaurant, too.

At milepost 305, you’ll approach Grandfather Mountain, which offers rocky peaks you can explore by walking across a dramatic mile-high swinging bridge. Here, you’ll also drive along the parkway’s greatest engineering marvel, the Linn Cove Viaduct, a curving, 1,243-foot-long concrete bridge that hugs Grandfather Mountain’s precipitous face.

Nearby at Julian Price Memorial Park, you can rent a kayak or canoe for a refreshing paddle around Price Lake. Also check out the quaint village center of Blowing Rock, with its gift and crafts shops, as well as the interesting Blowing Rock Art & History Museum.

Where to stay

The charming town of Blowing Rock currently has one points hotel: Holiday Inn Express Blowing Rock South, where rates this fall start from $83 or 18,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

Other notable options include the woodsy-chic Mountainaire Inn & Log Cabins (starting around $134 per night), bookable through Chase Travel℠, and the alpine chalet-inspired Switzerland Inn (starting around $109 per night), available on Capital One Travel.

Related: How the Capital One Venture X travel credit can save you $300 on your next trip

Blowing Rock to Roanoke

Where to stop

As you approach Virginia, stop for lunch at the parkway’s oldest eatery, The Bluffs (milepost 238), a restored 1940s rustic-style diner known for fried chicken lunches. Then, take a walk around nearby Brinegar Cabin, a small late-19th-century homestead that’s typical of those that once proliferated in these mountains.

Highlights after crossing the state line include the easy 2-mile-loop waterfall hike at Cumberland Knob (milepost 218) and the nearby outdoor Blue Ridge Music Center, which stages folk and country concerts throughout the summer. At historic Mabry Mill (milepost 176), you can watch docents working in the historic sawmill and blacksmith shop and dine in the colorful restaurant (known for its freshly baked blackberry cobbler).

You’ll encounter the turnoff for picturesque Mill Mountain Greenway, which leads into Roanoke, at milepost 120. Stop at Mill Mountain Park for a grand view of the city, save time for a walk through the small zoo and garden, if possible, on your way into town.

Exploring Roanoke

Give yourself at least a half day to get to know this bustling hill city with several first-rate attractions, including the Taubman Museum of Art, which is focused on regional American works, and the O. Winston Link Museum, with its railway photography housed inside a vintage train station. Pick up locally sourced food at Historic Roanoke City Market, and hunt for Appalachian antiques and architectural wares at famed Black Dog Salvage.

Where to stay

Roanoke makes for a convenient overnight base, and it offers a few lodging options bookable with points.

The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center stands out for its 1880s Tudor-style design and its refined restaurant serving French cuisine with a Southern twist. You can book it for as low as $194 or 58,000 Hilton Honors points per night this fall. And you can get solid value for your World of Hyatt points at the Category 1 Hyatt Place Roanoke Airport/Valley View Mall (from $94 or 3,500 points per night).

Roanoke to Shenandoah National Park

Where to stop

From Roanoke, you have about 115 miles left to go. Make time for a detour into the cute hamlet of Buchanan, Virginia, where you can venture across a vintage swinging bridge over the James River, and stop for a hike along one of the easy but rewarding trails at the Peaks of the Otter area (milepost 86).

Skyline Drive

At milepost 0, the Blue Ridge Parkway ends on an overpass above Interstate Highway 64. Or, to be more precise, it transitions into Skyline Drive, the 105-mile scenic route through Shenandoah National Park.

This curvaceous and lofty thoroughfare feels quite similar to the Blue Ridge Parkway. The main difference is that the speed limit is lower (35 mph), and you’ll pay a $30-per-vehicle fee to enter the park (unless you hold an America the Beautiful Pass or visit on a fee-free day).

Related: 10 of the best national parks to visit in the fall

Where to stay

If you’re ending your trip at the parkway’s northern terminus, it’s an easy drive on I-64 to Staunton, Virginia (20 minutes west) or Charlottesville, Virginia (30 minutes east), which offer a few points hotels. For example, the Avid Hotel Staunton is available from $92 or 19,000 IHG One Rewards points per night this fall, and Hyatt Place Charlottesville starts at $110 or 8,000 World of Hyatt points per night.

If continuing along Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park, consider staying in one of its handful of hotels. Some of these are available on various credit card travel portals, but they fill up fast, so book ahead. There’s something special about waking up in a room high atop the park’s 3,500-foot-elevation spine, with panoramic views west toward the Allegheny Mountains.

Ruin bars are all the rage in Budapest and have been around since the founding of Szimpla Kert, the mecca of all ruin bars, in 2002. These bars are built in Budapest’s old District VII neighborhood (the old Jewish quarter) in the ruins of abandoned buildings, stores, or lots. This neighborhood was left to decay after World War II, so it was a perfect place to develop an underground bar scene. These places were very off the beaten path, rough around the edges, and catered to artists, students, and alternative people.

But they became very popular and well known by 2010 and have nice gone mainstream, though their setting has not changed.

From the outside, these bars look like normal buildings. They don’t have large signs pointing the way, you don’t hear any loud noise, and there’s no line of people waiting to get in. But once you walk in and enter the inner courtyard, you find yourself in the middle of a hip, artsy, and funky bar bustling with crowds talking, dancing, and enjoying the laid-back atmosphere. Large bouncers, along with posted signs, ensure that people are quiet on their way out so as to not disturb the neighbors.

Each of these ruin bars has its own personality, but they all follow a few basic principles: find an old, abandoned place, rent it out, set up a bar, fill it with flea market furniture, have a few artists come in to leave their mark on the walls and ceiling, add in some weird antiques, serve alcohol, and watch people flock in.

When you’re in these bars, you feel like you’re drinking at your local thrift store. None of the furniture matches. It’s all old. It’s eclectic. It feels like they just ransacked your grandmother’s house. The ceilings are all designed differently and the places haven’t been repaired or fixed up, and there are still holes in the walls and visible pipes everywhere.

Though the Ruin Bar movement has become mainstream, many of the bars have done a good job of keeping their character and staying true to their roots — even as they fill up with more tourists.

Here is a list of the best ruin bars of Budapest:
 

Szimpla Kert

This was the original ruin bar. It opened in 2001, starting this trend. It’s one of the biggest ruin bars and still one of the most popular. Once an abandoned factory, now there’s a large open courtyard, a top floor filled with eclectic furniture, cocktail bars, music, and even an old, stripped-down Trabant (a communist car) to have a drink in. All the rooms have a different theme. They also sell pizza, which, after a few drinks, makes for the perfect walking-home snack. Everyone I take here says it’s one of the coolest bars they’ve ever been to. If you just visit one bar, make it this one.

Grandio

Grandio is a ruin bar and hostel in one. It’s famous for its outdoor, tree-filled courtyard but is mostly filled with travelers and people on bar crawls since it’s also a hostel. This is a good place to start your night and meet other travelers. During the day you can find locals relaxing here with a drink in the garden. It’s not quite as rowdy as the other bars and, since it’s smaller, it has a bit more of a laid-back and intimate vibe.

Dürer Kert

A former university building, this ruin bar and music venue lets you tap into your inner college student as you drink a few beers while playing foosball, Ping-Pong, darts, and a French game called pétanque (it’s fun). The courtyard garden is a good spot to enjoy all the live music that happens in this bar. The space is really big and there’s a lot of activity here. Plus, I love how the art and paintings on the wall.

Instant-Fogas Complex

The Instant-Fogas Complex is located in an entire apartment building and the biggest ruin bar in the city. There are over 20 rooms, 18 different bars, multiple dance floors, and 2 gardens. It’s one of the more club-like ruin bars. In Instant, you can sit in what were once individual apartments and relax on furniture that looks like it was found on the street. They’ve knocked down many of the walls to connect the apartments and make space for the DJs and dancing. Given its popularity and the fact that it’s more “clubby,” drinks here are a little more expensive than in other ruin bars. If you want to dance away the night, this is the bar for you.

Doboz

I’m not entirely sure if this place fits into the ruin bar culture. It was much fancier and trendier than the other bars I visited. It was like being in a “real” bar. However, I was taken there as part of a ruin bar tour, and, regardless, I loved this place. You walk into the courtyard and are greeted by a tree with a red-eyed robot attached to it. It looks like a Transformer is about to attack you. There are two main rooms: one red, the other blue. They play a lot of dance music, and this place fills up toward the end of the night. The only downside is that it has more limited opening hours than other bars.

Mazel Tov

This is one of Budapest’s newest ruin bars. Mazel Tov (located in the old Jewish quarter) is a community center and restaurant serving traditional Jewish cuisine by day. At night, the courtyard is a party with DJs and live entertainment entertaining guests. There’s also a restaurant here. I wouldn’t call this a “ruin bar” in the traditional sense but it’s a nice atmosphere, the decor is nice, and it’s got great drinks. It’s fancier than all the others so don’t expect something so “rough and tumble.”

Csendes Letterem Café & Bar

If you’re looking for a more laid-back vibe to balance out the party atmosphere of some of the other ruin bars but don’t want to sacrifice the cool vintage aesthetic, this is the bar for you. It’s located right in the heart of Budapest and is the perfect place to relax and share drinks with friends or settle in for an evening of conversation. The bar also serves food and has Wi-Fi, so you’ll often find digital nomads mingling here.

Budapest may sell itself on history and thermal baths, but the ruin bars are by far the most unique thing about this city. Even if you don’t drink, come spend time at these ruin bars because they are such a funky way to see a popular and totally unique aspect of life in Budapest (you can even take a self-guided tour of a few bars that includes skip-the-line entry). You’ll meet a lot of locals when you visit too! So, don’t miss them.
 

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Whether you’re a local, a “washashore” (the term locals use for those not originally from here), or just a curious day-tripper, Provincetown—at the outermost point of Cape Cod—has long beckoned visitors. This hub for the whaler, the fisherman, the eclectic, and the LGBTQIA+ community is ever-evolving, ever-inviting, and a guaranteed backdrop for a great time regardless of the length of your stay.

While you can easily fill a weeklong itinerary of things to do, tan, eat, and sip in Ptown, this slice of New England paradise can also be enjoyed in a single day by those looking for a more efficient experience. From linguiça breakfast sandwiches (a nod to the local Portuguese community) to afternoon “tea dance,” we have you covered for the perfect day in Ptown—plus a few suggestions in case you decide to take your time and conveniently “miss” the last ferry to Boston. (I’d totally understand if you did.)

How to Get There

There are two fast ferry lines running from Boston to Provincetown, with Bay State Cruise Company offering a slightly earlier (8:30 a.m.) departure from Boston’s Seaport neighborhood, while Boston Harbor City Cruise offers a 9 a.m. departure from Long Wharf in downtown. On the return, BHCC offers a later 9 p.m. sailing back to Boston on summer weekends, while Bay State operates daily 7:30 p.m. returns.

Arrival

The earliest fast ferry from Boston arrives shortly after 10 a.m. If you’re visiting during the peak summer season, there’s a good chance half the town is still asleep from the night before, while the other half have been up since dawn, strolling the shoreline or powering through cardio regimens on Commercial Street—Ptown’s main thoroughfare of galleries, shops, bars and restaurants.

Thanks to the ambitious early risers, it’s wise to make a beeline for Liz’s Café Anybody’s Bar, the town’s go-to spot for the first meal of the day, where you’re almost certain to be privy to the tea du jour (and I don’t mean of the Earl Grey varietal) rustling the town’s lace curtains that week. Linguiça breakfast sandwiches served on a Portuguese muffin, as well as flippers (a Portuguese fried dough), share space on a menu of breakfast classics, lobster eggs benedict, and morning cocktails.

Bike to the Beach

Once you’re filled up with gossip and eggs, the town is truly your oyster. (Pro-tip: maybe hold off on imbibing on those until a late lunch.) Two blocks east of Liz’s is Ptown Bikes, where you can rent cycles and enjoy a scenic couple hours pedaling though the Provincetown stretch of Cape Cod National Seashore, working off breakfast as you go.

Herring Cove Beach and Race Point Beach are two of Provincetown’s most beloved sandy stretches, connected via a bike and walking path through the dunes of the National Sea Shore. Herring Cove is closer to town and known for calmer waters, while Race Point directly faces the Atlantic Ocean and offers more crashing waves and taller dune backdrops to your beachside photo session.

Once you’re done basking in the sun and sand, coast through the West End for a self-guided tour of fabulous homes and historic architecture on your way back into town.

Lunch, Culture, and Shopping

Those feeling hungry after all the pedaling might want to stop into Pop+Dutch for sandwiches that are as delicious as their names are creative. The Celine Dijon (French ham, Swiss cheese, Dijon mustard, cornichons, and brown butter on French baguette) is a fan favorite—and often sells out early to those who can hit the high note of “All By Myself” … or at least try their hardest each time it comes on Spotify.

If you’re in more of a sit-down mood, Pepe’s Wharf, toward the East End, is a slightly more upscale venue to enjoy frozen cocktails, oysters, and fried seafood with a harbor view. Meanwhile, The Canteen is the town’s (dog-friendly) haven for lobster rolls, frozen rosé, and crispy Brussels sprouts, best enjoyed in the backyard that spills right onto the beach.

But also be sure to save a little time for post-lunch culture and a bit of splurging. Dive into Provincetown’s history (and its bragging rights of being the first landing spot for the Pilgrims, who signed the Mayflower Compact here before continuing to what became Plymouth) at the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum. It’s accessible via an inclined elevator tucked behind Town Hall on Bradford Street.

For those whose idea of culture is more of the shop-‘til-you-drop variety, Provincetown delivers. Art galleries, boutiques, and quirky gift shops abound up and down Commercial Street. More than 40 art galleries cater to collectors of every taste, while shops like Marine Specialties (where you can score anything from a Provincetown T-shirt to a decommissioned airline seat) offer a uniquely Outer Cape experience. Gift shops like Womencrafts highlight work by women artists, while Tim-Scapes puts a more modern spin on vintage travel posters and sells Ptown-themed apparel.

Late Afternoon Revelry

As the afternoon winds down, those looking for a refined cocktail or early dinner before the ferry should head to The Red Inn, a crimson-hued waterfront favorite on Ptown’s western edge. Known for its “teatini” (a bold and flavorful Earl Grey tea-infused gin cocktail) and glowing golden hour views, it’s an ideal pre-departure stop.

Those looking to sip and savor closer to the town center and MacMillan Pier are in for a marquee dining moment. Ceraldi, long one of the toughest reservations on the Outer Cape, made its triumphant return to Ptown this summer after years in Wellfleet, where it began life here as a pop-up. The new location still serves chef Michael Ceraldi’s signature seven-course tasting menu of hyper-seasonal, hyper-local ingredients from both land and sea. Now, diners can also opt for a more casual bite, thanks to an abridged menu of soup, salad, and pasta or the Artist’s Special: “one course in time and place.” If you’re gauging what you have time for before it’s all aboard on the last ferry back to Boston: the restaurant recommends allotting 2.5 hours for the tasting menu and 1 hour and 15 minutes for the three-course offering.

Also, closer to the center of town, the Pop + Dutch team debuted Ladyslipper, an “elegant … for Provincetown” (their words, not mine) cocktail bar this summer. It’s already a hit among those jonesing for elevated yet low-commitment bar bites. (The “Rotating Caesar Something” adds intrigue to the savory side of things, while you can’t go wrong with the mysterious “A Fruit Something,” “A Custard Situation,” or “A Chocolate Requirement” on the sweets lineup.) Be strategic with the curated cocktail list, as the vodka, cold brew, espresso, and vanilla-laced “Disco Nap” is perfect fuel for the dance floor.

Speaking of: the see-and-be-seen (and sometimes costumed) moment begins each afternoon closer to the center of town at Boatslip Resort & Beach Club, home to Ptown’s legendary afternoon “tea dance.” Kicking off daily at 4 p.m., it’s part dance party, part social hour, and the perfect place to debrief the day and plot the night ahead.

Farewells … or Just Getting Started?

Speaking of which, tea wraps at 7 p.m.—just in time to catch the last ferry back to Boston. If you’re power-walking down Commercial Street, you might be able to squeeze in one last lobster roll to go from The Canteen before boarding at MacMillan Pier. But if you just happen to miss that final departure? Well, consider it fate.

The Red Inn, the Brass Key Guesthouse and AWOL are all luxe options for an overnight stay before the morning ferries depart. Besides, missing the ferry might just be the best thing that happens all day. As any local—or washashore like yours truly—will tell you: Provincetown truly comes alive after dark. But that’s a whole other story …

With over 2,500 listed buildings, Cheltenham’s eye-catching architectural heritage, provides an immaculately preserved tribute to Regency elegance, drawing visitors from afar. 

King George lll’s interest in Cheltenham’s warm spa waters alleged medicinal benefits prompted a rush of visitors to Cheltenham, raising the town’s status and making it a haven for the affluent. 

Neo-classical splendour, fluted columns and grand porticos, lived on beyond The Regency years, and through the early years of Queen Victoria’s reign. With proud Cheltenham patrons adding spacious green parks to the town’s welcoming appearance.

1. Pittville Pump Room

Pittville, a mile from the centre of Cheltenham, was imagined as a grand Pittville Pump Room, by Joseph Pitt, to rival the town’s spa. 

Today no waters are drawn but Pittville Park with its aviaries, children’s playground, fishing, ornamental lakes, lawn and tennis club is a favourite leisure destination for Cheltenham people and visitors to the town. 

2. Montpellier

Begun in the Regency period, Montpellier was named to emulate the grandeur of the French town on the French Riviera.  Over recent decades Montpellier had become increasingly grand with its exclusive boutiques, hairdressers, galleries and restaurants. Begun in the Regency period, Montpellier was named to emulate the grandeur of the French town on the French Riviera. 

Between the famous white caryatids, Ancient Athenian style draped female sculptures, cafes spill onto the pavement. 

3. Prithvi restaurant

Cheltenham is renowned for its variety of excellent restaurants. At Prithvi, meaning “Earth” or “Mother Earth” in Sanskrit, east meets west in a fine dining venue that has picked up countless awards. 

Privthi is far from a conventional Indian restaurant. Classically trained Chef Tom Law works with owner Jay Rahman to bring European techniques to delicately refined sub-continent tastes. No raging vindaloo heat here, just subtle, sophisticated flavours. 

Artichoke velouté, on the seven-course taster-menu, epitomises Privthi’s cross-cultural creativity. “Try to get a taste of every layer on to your spoon,” encourages our waitress, as we scoop up thinly sliced pickled artichoke and creamy velouté sprinkled with crunchy crushed pistachio.

4. Kibou restaurant

Centrally located in Regent Arcade, Kibou’s decor, with its bold murals, cherry blossom canopies, vibrant neon signs and open kitchens, takes diners on a culinary journey to Japan. 

A vast menu encourages diners to sample sashimi and sushi whilst also going tapas-style to explore Japanese favourites through small plates investigation. Looking around the buzzing restaurant, every table was taking a different route through exciting Far Eastern tastes. 

The spectacular colours and symmetry of the Volcano Roll, sealing in avocado and salmon flavours, is as much art as its mouth-watering.

Dynamite Pawns may sound incendiary, but their taste quotient certainly outweighs their heat on the Scoville chilli heat chart. Whatever your choices, make sure you save room for the matcha cake with ice cream.

5. Sudeley Castle 

A mere six miles from Cheltenham, in Winchcombe, sits Sudeley Castle.  Historian David Starkey’s film blunt commentary explains why the castle changed hands so frequently and dramatically in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries: the monarchs rewarded men who were doing well with a castle as a gift.  If they made a mistake they lost both the castle and their head. 

In 1649, after the Civil War, the castle was “slighted”; made unfit for defence by the victorious Roundheads. Since the 19th century the crenelated castle and its many gardens have been impressively restored. 

Sudeley’s chapel houses the grave of Henry Vlll’s sixth and final wife, Katherine Parr. Freed of her duty on Henry’s death, with indecent haste she married Thomas Seymour, the love of her love, a mere two months after she was widowed. There was no happy ending. At the age of 36, Katherine died of purple fever, just five days after giving birth to a daughter. She became the only English Queen buried on private land.

6. Ian Coley Sporting’s Shooting School

On the south eastern fringes of Cheltenham, Ian Coley Sporting’s Shooting School introduces clay pigeon shooting. 

Offering a “Have a go 25”, instructors equip beginners with appropriate weight guns, eye-protectors, shoulder padding for the recoil, cartridges and an essential safety briefing. Such is the quality of the friendly instruction, quickly identifying dominant eyes and tendencies to raise the chin from the gun, that we are soon surprisingly hitting clays. 

Alongside the country clothing store, sits the gun shop. There aficionados can buy a gun off the shelf or be measured up for a bespoke model. “Even an eighth of an inch can make a difference,” says Alex who does the measuring. Some customers, who’ve ordered from Beretta travel to Italy’s Gardone Valley to watch their gun being made. 

7. Civic splendour

Back in 1716, the discovery of a warm spring of water transformed Cheltenham from a quiet small town into the place to be seen in Regency England. 

Cheltenham grew rich from the affluent visitors who came to take the waters, funding extensive civic construction and the creation of green public parks.

An extravagant sculpture of Neptune, pulled by four sea horses, has a look of Rome’s Trevi Fountain, illustrating the town’s grand aspirations. 

8. Cotswold Grange

Between town centre and Pittville Park, Cotswold Grange, a 20-room boutique hotel is just a short stroll from the best of Cheltenham’s attractions. 

Located in a quiet conservation area, the house was originally built in 1856 for a wealthy merchant, the grand house provides historical elegance throughout rooms that have been individually styled.

With ample parking, guests can park-up and then walk to all that the Festival Town has to offer. Currently, the Visit Cheltenham website has 36 festivals listed for 2025: including cricket, food and drink, horse-racing, jazz, literature, music, poetry, pride and science.

Disclosure: Our stay was sponsored by Visit Cheltenham and Cotswold Grange.

Michael Edwards

Michael Edwards is a travel writer from Oxfordshire, UK. Although Michael had his first travel pieces published nearly four decades ago, he is still finding new luxury destinations to visit and write on.