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Notes from Lands End - May 20

Getting Here from There: Traveling to Provincetown

“Man plans and God laughs.” An Old Yiddish Saying

Getting here is half the fun with all these ways to do it.

I have found my way back to Provincetown from a vast number of places with wildly different amounts of money. As an art student, it was the bus or a tagalong in someone’s car. Later, running a gallery, the taxi to the plane was the obvious choice. Some trips were flawless. Then, there were those trips where everything went wrong. It is those gut wrenching experiences that inspire me to impart the following advice:

Always have a back up plan when traveling.

Enterprise Car Rental

The straight line from Boston to Provincetown is over the water. Catamarans with Bay State Cruises or Boston Harbor Cruises make the trip in ninety minutes, compared to the Old World Provincetown II, taking three hours. Be mindful that the two competing fast ferries leave from two different docks in Boston, The World Trade Center or Long Wharf. But, Mother Ocean may be having a bad day and the ferries will cancel due to high seas. Here are sure fire solutions:

1. Rent a car from the customer friendly Enterprise with other stranded people. An airport shuttle will take you to their office and you can drop off the vehicle right at the Provincetown Municipal Airport. How easy is that!
2. Get on the Plymouth Brockton Bus. You’ll see lots of cute towns for three hours and get to read. Please take note that the last bus to Provincetown leaves the airport at 1:45pm and South Station at 2:15pm.
3. Take the Plane.

Cape Air extends from here to the Caribbean where I have taken the same exact jet in St. Croix that will whisk you from Boston to the Province Lands. These Cessna planes are meticulously maintained and while exceedingly cozy (go fragrance free), the view of Cape Cod Bay is magnificent. It’s fog that can foil your plans. This is where the ferry, bus and rental car are right in your back pocket.

One best kept secret is the WATER TAXI from the airport to the two ferry companies rather that the cab or T. It is a stress saver. Take the shuttle to the water taxi to the ferry for ten bucks. Nice! Another great idea is to fly into Providence and rent a car or take the bus. Providence’s airport is a genteel experience compared to the frenzied pace of Logan.

Route 6, the only way into town by car goes from here to California. It is magical to drive on a sunny day winding toward Lands End. If you go against traffic and get AAA, the drive here will be delightful!

Getting here is half the fun with all these ways to do it.

Bay State Cruises http://www.baystatecruises.com
Boston Harbor Cruises http://www.bostonharborcruises.com
Plymouth & Brockton Street Railway Company http://www.p-b.com
Cape Air http://www.flycapeair.com
Enterprise http://www.enterprise.com 617-561-4488 (at Logan)