Experience Ultimate Thanksgiving in Massachusetts

Looking for the ultimate Thanksgiving experience? Take a closer look at Massachusetts. Approximately halfway between Boston and the Cape Cod area, Plymouth, the site of the original Thanksgiving celebration, is an easy hour drive from your timeshare in either location.

If you want to immerse yourself in American history, stay at Marriott's Custom House timeshare in Boston (left). Dating from 1849, the Custom House wraps you in the grandeur of a by-gone era. An architectural gem and historic Boston landmark, the Custom House combines history with contemporary sophistication. Conveniently located in the heart of Boston on the harbor, the Custom House timeshare puts the delights of the city at your feet. Free valet parking and wireless internet add to the convenience of modern visitors.

You may prefer to get away from the city and head for the quiet and beauty of Cape Cod in the fall. The Cove at Yarmouth timeshare (below, right) provides a convenient central location from which to launch excursions. Spacious suite-style accommodations offer plenty of space and comfort for the whole family. You'll find lots to do at the resort too. Enjoy the beautiful indoor pool, soak in the sauna, exercise with a game of racquetball or indoor tennis. For information on more Cape Cod timeshares, click the post title.

From your Cape Cod timeshare you can roam deserted beaches, visit the cape's many picturesque lighthouses. Without the crowds around, I've had some pleasant chats and a nice cup of tea or two with lighthouse keepers on the cape. Many of the summer beach attractions and food stands will be closed, but you'll find wonderful restaurants and excellent seafood up and down the cape. And prices are cheaper and service even more attentive during the off season.

A visit to historic Plymouth makes a pleasant day trip from your timeshare in Boston or the Cape Cod area. In Plymouth, you can tread in the footsteps of the Pilgrims. The oldest street in North America, Leyden Street dates from their original settlement. To truly appreciate the bravery and perseverance of these early settlers, walk the decks of the Mayflower II (below, left) docked in downtown Plymouth harbor. An accurate recreation of the ship that brought 102 colonists to the shores of America in 1620, the ship is surprisingly small. In high seas and storms, the journey to America must have been a wild and terrifying ride.

Just 3 miles south of downtown Plymouth, at the site of the original colony, lies historic Plimoth Plantation, a can't-miss attraction. The fascinating living-history museum recreates an English settler colony circa 1627 and a Wampanoag Indian home site of the same era. In 1621, Plymouth settlers and Wampanoag Indians gathered for an impromptu, if uneasy, harvest celebration that became known as the first Thanksgiving. Costumed, role-playing actors dispense history and dispel myth as they show visitors what life was like for the hardy settlers who colonized America.

A visit to the plantation's craft center allows you to watch artisans demonstrating pottery-making and woodworking skills of the 17th century. Pieces made at the plantation make a nice souvenir of your visit. You'll want to drop by the visitor's center to take in the fascinating exhibit, Thanksgiving: Memory, Myth and Meaning, which explores the reality behind our first Thanksgiving stories. For the ultimate Thanksgiving experience, call ahead and reserve a spot at one of several traditional Thanksgiving dinners or buffets. The kids will especially like the eat like a Pilgrim dinner where you eat with your hands.

Plymoth Plantation is open from early spring through the weekend after Thanksgiving Day. Wood smoke mixing with the crisp autumn air makes November the perfect time of year to visit and get a true feeling for that early Thanksgiving celebration.

You'll find the town of Plymouth overflowing with historic sites and some very nice restaurants. Locals call the Colonial on Main Street which serves traditional American fare "the best restaurant in town." If you have a taste for fresh-caught lobster or fish, try Wood's on the docks. Wood's lobster rolls are a local legend. For a quick lunch with a great view of the harbor, stop by 14 Union Dockside Bar and Grill for traditional English fish and chips.