You don’t need airline miles and vacation days to explore new places. The MBTA Commuter Rail can take you from the ocean to the mountains and, unlike on the Green Line, you won’t have to get there squished between an oversize backpack and a wall of commuters. Check out these towns you can discover with your CharlieCard.

Gloucester

Photo: George Bekris/courtesy of Discover Gloucester

Set sail: One of the beautiful ships during Schooner Fest in Gloucester

Gloucester, the fishing capital of Cape Ann, has a lot more to offer than just a thriving seafood business. The town was one of the first settlements that would become the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and it pre-dates both Salem and Boston, so it’s rich with early New England history. Check out the Cape Ann Museum for insight into those early settlers’ lives or the Maritime Gloucester Museum for information about the still-active fishing trade in town. If you prefer a more interactive approach, go for a whale watch to experience the ocean firsthand.

If you’d rather not test your sea legs, Gloucester has a lot to keep you busy on dry land. Visit the Sargent House Museum (open through Columbus Day), a Georgian mansion built for Judith Sargent Murray. Murray was an early advocate for women’s equality and John Singer Sargent’s great-great aunt. For the artistically inclined, the Cape Ann Plein Air Festival (Oct. 7–15) features a painting competition, demonstrations, and an art sale of local works. After a day of touring, try one of the famous popovers at Passports, an American grille favored by locals. End things on a sweet note with a trip to the Italian bakery Caffe Sicilia, where you can enjoy traditional cookies, cakes, and cannoli.

Getting to Gloucester
Newburyport/Rockport Commuter line
$10.50/person one-way
Public transit available at destination

Lowell

Photo: NPS

No run-of-the-mill building: The Boott Cotton Mills Museum illustrates Lowell’s industrial architecture

Lowell has had a tumultuous history. In its heyday it was the 19th-century industrial center of Massachusetts. Things took a turn during the Great Depression and as manufacturing began to move elsewhere. Now the tough New England city is making a comeback. Abandoned mills are being repurposed as condos and commercial centers. A great example of Lowell’s rebirth is Mill No. 5, a newly developed marketplace. The collaboration of independent purveyors has revitalized the fifth floor of an old textile mill, creating a hip, indoor Main Street with vendors, restaurants, live music, and theater performances.

The food scene in Lowell is also taking a turn for the trendy. Navigation Brewing Co. and Merrimack Ales offer craft brews, tours, and events like Beer and Pizza Fridays. A diverse population has lead to varied cuisines—from fresh New England seafood cooked with a Cajun twist at Holly Crab to authentic Greek meals accented with live music and belly dancing performances at Athenian Corner. Once you’ve had your fill of local fare, stroll through Lowell’s series of parks tied to interesting bits of the city’s history, including Kerouac Park, named for Lowell-native poet and novelist Jack Kerouac.

Getting to Lowell
Lowell Commuter Line
$10/person one-way
Public transit available at destination

Providence, Rhode Island

Photo: waterfire.org

Don’t pass the torch: Stop and admire the flames that line the Providence River during WaterFire

It’s easy to forget that this vibrant city is just an hour away by Commuter Rail. Besides serving as the capital of Rhode Island and home to Brown University, Providence has an incredible art and performance scene. Start a day there at the RISD Museum to experience the collection of over 100,000 works of art and design. The Phantom of Liberty, on view through Dec. 29, examines different definitions of freedom and power.

After the museum, search for art of a different kind at one of Providence’s many vintage stores. Immerse yourself in 10,000 square feet of unique finds and oddities from decades past at POP Emporium of Popular Culture, or style yourself in what’s-old-is-new-again fashion from The Vault Collective. No trip to Providence is complete without checking out WaterFire, an award-winning art experience by Barnaby Evans wherein 80 sparkling bonfires light up Providence River and the surrounding park. If you can’t make WaterFire, try catching a dance performance or concert at the popular art space AS220.

Getting to Providence
Providence/Stoughton Commuter Line
$11.50/person one-way
Public transit available at destination

Salem

Photo: Teresa Nevic Stavner

Spook-tacular: It’s only appropriate to visit a cemetery while in Salem. The fall foliage makes it a little less creepy

As Halloween approaches, Salem comes alive to embrace its history as the home of the Salem witch trials. Get your Crucible on with a live reenactment of the trials at Salem’s Old Town Hall, where you stand as part of the jury. If you’re more interested in the current witch culture, visit Artemisia Botanicals to browse healing herbs and spell candles or have your tarot cards read at Crow Haven Corner.

If you’ve been there, done that with the witch side of Salem, enjoy the thriving cultural scene the city has to offer. The Peabody Essex Museum offers an extensive collection and rotating exhibits of art and history. You can explore an authentic Chinese house from the Qing dynasty (1644–1911) or attend one of the many after-hours or child-friendly events on its calendar. If you’d rather bask in the last of Boston’s nice weather, take to the streets to visit the Punto Urban Art Museum, an outdoor, social-justice-oriented museum of over 50 large-scale murals in The Point neighborhood. The murals are perfect for photographing and the museum is always expanding, so you might just catch an artist at work on a new wall.

Getting to Salem
Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Line
$8.25/person one-way
Public transit available at destination

Wachusett

Photo: Instagram

No snow, no problem: Hit Wachusett Mountain in the off-season to take in the turning leaves

Nature lovers can go exploring via the Commuter Rail by riding the Fitchburg Line out to Wachusett. Take a 10-minute Lyft or Uber from the station to Wachusett Mountain, where you can ski and snowboard come winter. In the meantime, go leaf peeping on the Wachusett Mountain State Reservation, which offers a number of different hikes through the scenic nature reservation. Dogs are allowed on non-rush hour MBTA trains, so you can bring your four-legged friend exploring with you.

Wachusett’s fall calendar is packed with events. Bring the little ones to KidsFest (Sept. 22–23) for a full day of music, entertainment (including dogs playing Frisbee), activities like moon bouncing and bungee jumping, and food from local vendors. Or come for the cultural fun of OktoberFest (Oct. 20–21) to experience German music and food, and buy handmade artworks from local makers. End your outing at Wachusett Brewery, where you can sip a blueberry ale and order off the menu of appetizers, salads, and sandwiches.

Getting to Wachusett
Fitchburg Commuter Line
$11.50/person one-way
Minimal public transit at destination