New Bedford, along with Nantucket, which isaccessible by ferry from Woods Hole ($25 roundtrip on Bonanza), were the two largest whalingports in the United states before the decline ofthe industry in the second half of the 19thcentury.

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

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

Don't miss the opportunity to get out on thewater yourself. Ferries ply the water betweenBoston and numerous small islands in MassachusettsBay. Several groups run whale-watch cruises fromRockport and Gloucester on Cape Ann, and otherleave from Cape Cod. Expect to spend about $25 forthe trip.

Branching Off

Don't feel constrained to visit the closes ormost famous corners of the region. All of NewEngland drips with history, and breathtakingscenery isn't confined to what you can find in thepages of a guide book.

Sometime the most rewarding travel comes whenyou just resolve to escape the gravity of theSquare and go wherever the T takes you.

So put down the book--your Summer School gradesdon't really matter--hop on the train and get out.You'll be glad you did.-Gregory S. Krauss contributed the to thereporting of this story