0:00:00 > 0:00:01Hello and welcome to Getaways.
0:00:03 > 0:00:07This is the travel show where we go where you want us to go.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10On our website, we asked you for your top tips
0:00:10 > 0:00:12on what to do here and what to avoid.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15We've taken your recommendations and are going to rate and review them
0:00:15 > 0:00:17for ourselves and for you at home.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20This week we're visiting Boston and Cape Cod.
0:00:20 > 0:00:24We're combining an American city break with a trip to the coast.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26Based on your suggestions,
0:00:26 > 0:00:31we visit a museum dedicated to an iconic American...
0:00:31 > 0:00:35head to Boston's weekend resort, Cape Cod...
0:00:35 > 0:00:39and I'm taking a short getaway in the Glens of Antrim.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42Flights to Boston take around seven hours
0:00:42 > 0:00:46and the time difference is five hours, so expect a bit of jet lag.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49If you're flying to the States from Dublin Airport,
0:00:49 > 0:00:50then on most flights you can pre-clear
0:00:50 > 0:00:53US customs and immigration.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55This is a huge plus, because since 9/11
0:00:55 > 0:00:57the Americans really have ramped up security
0:00:57 > 0:01:00and it can take ages on the other end.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02Boston is on the eastern seaboard of the USA,
0:01:02 > 0:01:05just under 200 miles north of New York.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08It's the capital of Massachusetts and the gateway to New England.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10It's a small city, about the size of Dublin,
0:01:10 > 0:01:12and has a very European feel to it.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16- Joe, you've been to Boston before. - Indeed.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18What are you hoping to find out on this trip?
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Boston is often described, I think harshly,
0:01:20 > 0:01:21as a decaffeinated New York.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23But there's still a lot of fun to be had here.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27- I want to kind of see what's changed since last time I was here. You've been here as well?
0:01:27 > 0:01:30I was here seven years ago with the girls. But I didn't go to any museums on that trip.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33So that's what I want to do this time, have a look at the museums
0:01:33 > 0:01:37and see how good they are. Plus two of the top 10 universities in the world are here in this city
0:01:37 > 0:01:40and I want to see, does that college vibe permeate throughout the place?
0:01:40 > 0:01:43- Does it make it a good spot for a city break?- Yeah.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49So what's the best way to get your bearings?
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Many of you, including Natalie McDermott from Roscommon,
0:01:52 > 0:01:55suggested we hop on a duck tour,
0:01:55 > 0:01:58an amphibious vehicle that dips into the water from time to time.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02Although it might seem very touristy, it's a big thing to do
0:02:02 > 0:02:06in Boston and a fun way to check out the city.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09And another way to see the city is from the air.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13Adrian Finnegan from Belfast suggested the Skywalk,
0:02:13 > 0:02:1752 storeys high at the top of this monster, the Prudential Building.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20The day I went, it was foggy,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23but you could still see that Boston is surrounded by water.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25And unlike many American cities,
0:02:25 > 0:02:27it's not laid out in the grid style.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30At the top of the building,
0:02:30 > 0:02:34there's also a small exhibition about the city's roots.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36There's a huge focus on immigration up here,
0:02:36 > 0:02:40and for about 100 years, the Irish made up the majority of the immigrant population.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43They've depicted stories from all over the world,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46and here they've shown us some of the items people brought with them
0:02:46 > 0:02:48on their journey into the New World.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58A large number of you, including Lorraine O'Flynn from Kildare,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01said that if you go to Boston you really have to do a historical tour.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05In most cities, the historical tour would involve putting on headphones
0:03:05 > 0:03:07and being guided by a slightly robotic voice.
0:03:07 > 0:03:12Here in Boston, however, you can get this fine gentleman as a guide.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15- James Blake, everyone. Everyone, James Blake.- Hello.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18James Blake, a smither of tin and a smither of stories for you.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21Here, the Freedom Trail, you find it on a map.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24- It' marked by a red line.- I love it. So instead of the yellow brick,
0:03:24 > 0:03:27- we're going on the red.- Oh, yes.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30We can skip if you like as well, arm in arm.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32All right, then, come on.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34- All right, here we go.- Oh, Joe!
0:03:37 > 0:03:40We started our Freedom Trail in Boston Common,
0:03:40 > 0:03:4450 acres of green right in the heart of the city.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48So you're getting a total picture of the history of Boston doing the trail?
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Yes, yes.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54The whole colonial history from when the Puritans first landed here
0:03:54 > 0:03:58to when we threw off the tyranny of the British Empire,
0:03:58 > 0:04:00declared our independence.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04- This is the New State House, our 215-year-old New State House.- OK.
0:04:04 > 0:04:09- This was designed by the same gentleman who designed the White House.- Ah.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13The tour also stops off at the Old State House,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16built at the site of a massacre in 1770.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20The trail isn't all about the American Revolution.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23It also takes you past the Irish Famine Memorial.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26The sculpture depicts a family prospering in the New World
0:04:26 > 0:04:29in comparison to the despair they had in Ireland.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31It does have its critics,
0:04:31 > 0:04:33with a lot of people saying that it's too simplistic.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36But in a city where 20% of the population claim Irish ancestry,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39it's a good and poignant reminder of Boston's history.
0:04:40 > 0:04:45The trail takes you past dozens of key historical landmarks.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50And you might find one of my favourites rather surprising.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54I find graveyards pretty interesting places to visit,
0:04:54 > 0:04:57because you're trying to put together the stories.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59You see families there together and all of that.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01This one, however, is particularly unique.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03You forget that you're in the middle of a city.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06These are some of the oldest tombstones I've ever seen.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08They're going back to the middle of the 17th century.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10There are so many children here.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14There are people who are 89 years old. Back in the 17th century, that was some feet.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16And then you have characters from the Civil War,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19people like Sam Adams and Franklin's parents.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22So it's a pretty great spot to visit in Boston.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27The Freedom Trail, for us anyway, ends at Faneuil Hall,
0:05:27 > 0:05:29also known as Quincy Market.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31- And even JFK spoke here?- Yes.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35The last leg of his presidential campaign was here, right down here.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39Any heads of state we have, we entertain them right down here.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41This is the heart of politics.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43This is the heart of politics to this day.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46Quincy Market is also a popular shopping destination.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49The other place for great shopping in Boston is Newbury Street,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52where you'll find lots of cool boutiques.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01Now there's an assumption that city breaks are really just something
0:06:01 > 0:06:03that adults do, and there's not a lot for kids to do.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06But there's quite a few things for the nippers in Boston,
0:06:06 > 0:06:08including this, the Boston Children's Museum.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11It's not really so much a museum,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14more of an educational interactive centre,
0:06:14 > 0:06:16a bit like the W5 in Belfast.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18I love this.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20You can take the stairs, or the elevator,
0:06:20 > 0:06:21up to the different floors,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24where you can go up through this like a little maze,
0:06:24 > 0:06:26platform to platform to platform.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28But it's just for kids. I did ask.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Apparently I'm too big.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36While Joe was sizing up one museum,
0:06:36 > 0:06:38I was trying out an alternative.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41In the past few years, science museums all around the world
0:06:41 > 0:06:43have become far more creative and interactive.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Boston's Museum of Science is no exception.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49Loads of you, including Brian Graney from Green Island,
0:06:49 > 0:06:50recommended that we come here.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Apparently, this is the city's most popular cultural attraction.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59They try to cover just about every branch of science here.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02There's the physics of lightning,
0:07:02 > 0:07:06some zoology with a butterfly house on the roof,
0:07:06 > 0:07:08a special mathematics section
0:07:08 > 0:07:11and a tribute to the moon landings.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13This is a to-scale model of the Apollo command capsule.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16This is the only part of the craft to return to Earth.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20I'm feeling claustrophobic and I've only been in here for about 10 minutes.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23But there would've been three astronauts in here for a couple of days.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26But I suppose the view would've made up for that.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30There are around 700 exhibits here,
0:07:30 > 0:07:32and it's such a fun way to explore science.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35I've even learned a few things myself.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37I think this is a great way to spend a day in Boston,
0:07:37 > 0:07:39especially if you're bringing the kids.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Hey! Cool.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46Back at the Children's Museum,
0:07:46 > 0:07:50I've been finding out that the place has just celebrated
0:07:50 > 0:07:54its 100th birthday, and that there are plenty of opportunities to get wet.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04A great number of you all contacted our website
0:08:04 > 0:08:07all suggesting the same must-see.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Niamh McMahon from Fermoy was one of them,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12and she said, when you come to Boston, you must go and visit
0:08:12 > 0:08:14one of its most beloved residents,
0:08:14 > 0:08:16the USS Constitution,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19affectionately known as Old Ironsides.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26Now, you may be asking, why is she called Old Ironsides
0:08:26 > 0:08:29when she is clearly made of wood? Let me explain.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31I shall take you back to 1812,
0:08:31 > 0:08:34to the shortest recorded battle in naval history.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38The USS Constitution got into a bit of a tussle with the HMS Guerriere.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41It was bombarded at the sides by the Guerriere's cannon.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43When they examined it afterwards,
0:08:43 > 0:08:45they discovered that either the cannonballs
0:08:45 > 0:08:48had embedded in its side or merely bounced off and into the water.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Someone exclaimed, "Our sides are made of iron!"
0:08:58 > 0:09:01As you can see, back then,
0:09:01 > 0:09:05sailors were either a lot smaller or unconscious a lot.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10You find me in the captain's quarters. No hammock for him.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13A rather swish-looking bed, and look, a sun room.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Well, so you would think. Check this out.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20It's the khazi.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22A poo with a view.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26If you did decide on a career in the Navy,
0:09:26 > 0:09:29the captain is pretty much the man you'd want to be.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31You get your own bedroom, your rec room,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34and you had your own private chef who cooked exclusively for you.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36In fact, only two chefs on board.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38The captain's chef and the other one,
0:09:38 > 0:09:41who cooked for the 400-500 other men on board.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49Boston is probably one of the brainiest cities in the US,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52as it's home to some of the world's best-known universities,
0:09:52 > 0:09:54including Harvard and MIT.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01I met up with Irish PhD student Jennifer to find out
0:10:01 > 0:10:02more about studying and living in the city.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06Are there loads of people coming over to visit you since you've been studying?
0:10:06 > 0:10:08Definitely, everyone wants to come in the summer.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10They don't want to come in the winter to see the snow.
0:10:10 > 0:10:11Where do you bring them?
0:10:11 > 0:10:13I'd make sure we go to some of the museums.
0:10:13 > 0:10:14There's some nice art museums.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16There is also really great music,
0:10:16 > 0:10:18like, kind of a really great symphony orchestra.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22Then we'd probably get a car, go along Cape Cod, along the beaches,
0:10:22 > 0:10:26make sure we go see a baseball game if we can, see the Red Sox.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29You have to go on the duck tours around the city, things like that.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Then I give them the tour of Harvard, as well.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34There seems to be a real community feel to the city.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36Yeah, it's a small city. You can walk anywhere.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38There's residential places right in the middle,
0:10:38 > 0:10:41so you can actually live right at the heart of the city.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44There's a lot of parkland and everything. I was just walking round there today.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49Harvard prides itself on the fact that it favours local,
0:10:49 > 0:10:52privately-run shops rather than the big chain stores.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54And this one caught my attention.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Now, you may never have heard of Curious George,
0:10:56 > 0:11:01but, over here, the 72-year-old monkey is an institution.
0:11:01 > 0:11:02We are in the Curious George shop.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06Not only the only Curious George shop in Boston
0:11:06 > 0:11:10but also the world, and this is the manager. Adam, how are you doing?
0:11:10 > 0:11:11Very good. Thanks for coming on over.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15Curious George has been around for, like, 72 years. It's a TV series.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18It's been a film, with Jack Johnson doing the soundtrack
0:11:18 > 0:11:22and everything, a bestselling album. So why is there only one store?
0:11:22 > 0:11:24That's a great question.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27And it starts with the people who created Curious George, the Reys.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30They lived the last 25 years of their lives, respectively,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32- here in Harvard Square.- Oh, OK.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34And that's why the store is here.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37And is there a real kind of Bostonian pride about George
0:11:37 > 0:11:38because the creators lived here?
0:11:38 > 0:11:44Yeah, I think so. The Reys really cared deeply about their community.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46We view ourselves, my wife and myself,
0:11:46 > 0:11:49as caretakers of the Curious George brand.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52What we're hoping to do is do right by George.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56Yeah! If you want in on the ground floor on my idea, Spurious George,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59which is a monkey that just runs around making ill-founded,
0:11:59 > 0:12:00controversial claims.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02If you want in on the ground floor of that, we can...
0:12:02 > 0:12:05I think that's great. We should talk more about that.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07Yes, and there's like, Furious George, just a really angry monkey.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10That's in the shop next door!
0:12:10 > 0:12:12Ha-ha! With really rude staff!
0:12:12 > 0:12:13Yes!
0:12:17 > 0:12:19Over on our side of the Atlantic,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22we tend to sell most of our best seafood to the rest of Europe.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24Here, though, they keep the biggest
0:12:24 > 0:12:27and the ugliest for domestic consumption.
0:12:27 > 0:12:28Oh, my God.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33- Lord!- I'm never going to get through that.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35I've seen you take down some serious contenders,
0:12:35 > 0:12:37but I think this one's going to have you beat.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39I don't think I'll manage all this.
0:12:39 > 0:12:45The eastern seaboard of the United States is a massive producer of shellfish and crustaceans.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47So, you can't go very far in this town
0:12:47 > 0:12:50without coming across a seafood restaurant.
0:12:50 > 0:12:51Down in one, down in one!
0:12:53 > 0:12:57Be prepared to SHELL out for the best. Get it?
0:12:57 > 0:13:00A whole lobster is likely to set you back 40.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04It is high-maintenance food, it is delicious.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06- But it's definitely not first-date food.- No.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11If a long-haul flight seems a little bit too much,
0:13:11 > 0:13:13why not try a short break a bit closer to home?
0:13:18 > 0:13:21This week, I'm visiting the east coast of Northern Ireland
0:13:21 > 0:13:22and the Glens of Antrim.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28The Glens of Antrim are nine glens cutting through the landscape to
0:13:28 > 0:13:31the sea, and the area is a real dramatic mix
0:13:31 > 0:13:33of cliffs, moorland and beaches.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36On a clear day, you can see the Scottish islands
0:13:36 > 0:13:37and the Mull of Kintyre.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40The glens are located between Larne and Ballycastle,
0:13:40 > 0:13:43along a 40-mile stretch of the Antrim Coast Road.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46One of the best known glens is Glenariff, or Queen of the Glens,
0:13:46 > 0:13:49and the view here is supposed to have inspired
0:13:49 > 0:13:54Victorian novelist William Makepeace Thackeray to describe it as a miniature Switzerland.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Now, I don't think he'd ever actually been to Switzerland.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01Glenariff Forest Park is popular with walkers and cyclists,
0:14:01 > 0:14:05and best known for its spectacular waterfalls.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08This is Ess-an-Crub Waterfall, or the Horseshoe Waterfall.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11The Glens of Antrim have inspired many myths and legends and,
0:14:11 > 0:14:14when you come to a place like this, it's easy to understand why.
0:14:19 > 0:14:25The next stop on my tour of the glens brings me to the village of Cushendun.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27Cushendun means "edge of the Dun", which is this river here,
0:14:27 > 0:14:30and it's long been a landing place and ferry point
0:14:30 > 0:14:33between Scotland, behind me in the distance, and Ireland.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37This picture-postcard village is unique
0:14:37 > 0:14:39and protected by the National Trust.
0:14:40 > 0:14:45These cottages in particular were designed by Clough Williams-Ellis,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48the architect responsible for Portmeirion in Wales.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51The houses were commissioned by Lord Cushendun, who wanted
0:14:51 > 0:14:55to make his Cornish wife, Maud, feel at home in their Antrim estate.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01Cushendun has inspired many poets and painters over the years and,
0:15:01 > 0:15:03more recently, film-makers.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07This coastline was used as a location in Game of Thrones.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16I'm staying down the road at Ballygally Castle,
0:15:16 > 0:15:2025 miles from Belfast and situated right on the coast road.
0:15:20 > 0:15:25The hotel is built around a 17th-century baronial castle.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28Now, if you're into history, you're going to love this place.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31It was built by Scottish planters in 1625,
0:15:31 > 0:15:33and it's seen its fair share of conflict and drama,
0:15:33 > 0:15:35but it's actually its reputation
0:15:35 > 0:15:39as one of Ireland's most haunted places that really intrigues people.
0:15:39 > 0:15:40Now, I'm a scientist.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43I'm not really into all that, but I hope I get a good night's sleep.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49Fortunately, not all the rooms are haunted,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52and a double room will cost around £130.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58The Glens of Antrim have plenty to see, but there's also plenty to do.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02A favourite place for families is the Carnfunnock Country Park.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09There's a unique maze here in the shape of Northern Ireland.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14And a walled garden with exotic plants and wooden sculptures.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20There's also a children's activity centre
0:16:20 > 0:16:22with an outdoor adventure playground,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25putting green and a mini-Silverstone racetrack.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31What's been your favourite thing that you were doing here?
0:16:31 > 0:16:32Er, that go-kart.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35The go-karting, that was good?
0:16:35 > 0:16:38How many marks would you give it out of ten for an activity centre?
0:16:38 > 0:16:40- 100.- Ha-ha!
0:16:40 > 0:16:41100 marks out of ten?
0:16:42 > 0:16:43Very good.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50My final stop-off is the village of Glenarm,
0:16:50 > 0:16:53and the historic Glenarm Castle.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57For 400 years, the castle has been the home of the Earls of Antrim.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00It's still occupied by the Viscount and Viscountess Dunluce.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Afternoon tea has had a renaissance in recent years,
0:17:05 > 0:17:08and I've been recommended to try it out here.
0:17:16 > 0:17:17Well, this is lovely.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21What the Glenarm Estate is actually renowned for is its walled gardens.
0:17:24 > 0:17:29Jackie Wilson is a local whose father was head gardener here for 50 years.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31So, you must have grown up in these gardens.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33I was born in the house behind you.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35In 1934.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37But it was a lovely upbringing, you know,
0:17:37 > 0:17:42and fruit and veg, you name it, it was grown here.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45This is one of the oldest walled gardens in Ireland.
0:17:45 > 0:17:46You know, it would be over 200 years.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49And remember, the village is 800 years old.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52It is one of the oldest villages in Ulster.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55So there's a big connection between this part of Antrim
0:17:55 > 0:17:56and Scotland, then.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Oh, of course, aye, because most of the commerce in the 1800s,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01earlier than that, would have been carried on,
0:18:01 > 0:18:04because it's easier to move stuff by sea,
0:18:04 > 0:18:07as up and down these glens with a horse and cart.
0:18:07 > 0:18:13And it wasn't until what, 1832, 1842, that Mr Bald, a Scotsman,
0:18:13 > 0:18:17designed and built the Antrim Coast Road. It took ten years to do.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20And that opened up the nine glens, which are famous.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23Yes, they are, they are famous!
0:18:23 > 0:18:28Glenarm Castle itself is only open to the public for a few days a year,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31so check out its website if you want to see inside.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35The castle's Barbican Gatelodge has recently been restored
0:18:35 > 0:18:40by the Irish Landmark Trust, and it costs from £180 for a two-night stay.
0:18:43 > 0:18:44This week, we're in the States,
0:18:44 > 0:18:47and we're visiting the East Coast city of Boston.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Based on your recommendations, so far we've explored
0:18:50 > 0:18:52the Freedom Trail,
0:18:52 > 0:18:53taken a glimpse at the space race
0:18:53 > 0:18:55and seen a loo with a view.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03Lots of you on our website raved about the fact that there was
0:19:03 > 0:19:05so many parks in the centre of Boston.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Daniel Smith especially recommended the Boston Public Gardens.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11He said, "It's pretty spectacular in the evenings
0:19:11 > 0:19:13"and has a really pretty lagoon and bridge."
0:19:15 > 0:19:19This was the first public botanical garden in America.
0:19:19 > 0:19:20It was established in 1837,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23and when it was originally planted,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26it was criticised for being too showy and exotic.
0:19:26 > 0:19:27Well, we're not complaining now!
0:19:34 > 0:19:36And just across the road from the public gardens
0:19:36 > 0:19:39is another of your favourites.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42Now, a phenomenal amount of you recommended that we come here.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45I'm looking at you, particularly, Siobhan Cassidy of Donegal.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47This, of course, was the inspiration
0:19:47 > 0:19:49for the iconic American comedy series.
0:19:49 > 0:19:50Now, if you come here and go inside,
0:19:50 > 0:19:52you will not find Woody,
0:19:52 > 0:19:53you will not find Sam,
0:19:53 > 0:19:55you will not find Diane, Cliffy, or Norm.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57And absolutely nobody will know your name.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01And from one Boston institution to another.
0:20:01 > 0:20:02Welcome aboard!
0:20:02 > 0:20:04Welcome aboard the Eleanor!
0:20:07 > 0:20:11The Harbor area is vital to Boston's history, and any tourist
0:20:11 > 0:20:14coming here won't want to miss the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16Lots of you, including Janice Cawley,
0:20:16 > 0:20:21recommended this as a really fun way to find out about Boston's past.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23So, Dave, tell me what this museum's all about.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26This museum is not a traditional museum.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28This is an interactive adventure.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30You get to be part of the town meeting where Sam Adams
0:20:30 > 0:20:33- exhorts you to go and destroy the tea.- Hurrah!
0:20:34 > 0:20:35Come aboard a ship
0:20:35 > 0:20:39and get to explore the ship and destroy the tea.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42- Are we all still willing to take this risk? If you are, say aye!- Aye!
0:20:42 > 0:20:43Huzzah!
0:20:43 > 0:20:45We try to make it a story
0:20:45 > 0:20:49and an adventure that everybody can become immersed in.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52This is the very spot where, in 1773,
0:20:52 > 0:20:56angry patriots disguised as Mohawk Indians threw three shiploads
0:20:56 > 0:21:01of tea into the harbour in protest at King George's heavy taxation.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05This dumping of tea became known as the Boston Tea Party.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08It was one of the founding moments in American history
0:21:08 > 0:21:11and was one of the events that led up to the American War of Independence.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13And it all started right here.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25And the one place I really, really wanted to investigate
0:21:25 > 0:21:27while in Boston, is a few miles south of the city.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30I would strongly advise that you make the journey,
0:21:30 > 0:21:32because it is fascinating.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36They're sometimes referred to as America's royal family and,
0:21:36 > 0:21:39over the last century, they've certainly provided enough power,
0:21:39 > 0:21:43politics, riches, scandal, glamour and style to rival any dynasty.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Or to fill any museum.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the offspring of two families
0:21:58 > 0:22:01who migrated to America because of the Irish famine.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03The Fitzgerald family from County Limerick
0:22:03 > 0:22:06and the Kennedys from County Wexford.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11It only took a few generations for the Kennedy family to create
0:22:11 > 0:22:15enough money and political clout to make a bid for the White House.
0:22:15 > 0:22:20In 1960, JFK beat Richard Nixon in a closely-fought contest.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25At 43 years old, this Harvard graduate, war hero and Democrat
0:22:25 > 0:22:30became the youngest-ever president of the United States of America.
0:22:30 > 0:22:31The centrepiece of the museum
0:22:31 > 0:22:34is this beautiful recreation of the White House corridor.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38And off it are plenty of exhibits from JFK's time in the presidency.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40From the space race to the Cuban missile crisis
0:22:40 > 0:22:43and Jackie Kennedy's own oral histories.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47This part of the United States may sometimes seem obsessed with
0:22:47 > 0:22:49the Kennedys, but this magnificent building,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52which also houses the Kennedy archive,
0:22:52 > 0:22:54is a fitting tribute to its most famous son.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58The museum prefers to focus on the life and legacy
0:22:58 > 0:23:01of President John F Kennedy, and not on his assassination.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03That's depicted simply by this long,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06dark corridor showing the news reports of the time.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11As you leave the exhibition space,
0:23:11 > 0:23:14you step into a vast, empty cathedral of glass and steel
0:23:14 > 0:23:17with a huge American flag at its centre.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20It allows you a space to contemplate and reflect.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31A great number of you said that, if we're going to visit Boston,
0:23:31 > 0:23:33we have to take the time to visit Cape Cod.
0:23:33 > 0:23:37Sarah Ni Ghallachoir said it was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Cape Cod is around 60 miles south-east of Boston
0:23:42 > 0:23:45and there are lots of beaches and activities.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48It's where all the Bostonians take time out from the city.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51But you'll also find a lot of New Yorkers leave the Big Apple
0:23:51 > 0:23:52to chill out here, too.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58This is an America you'll all be very familiar with from the movies.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01Immaculate houses, cute little picket fences.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03It almost feels like a film set.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08They're very protective of the look and feel of this area.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11For example, local businesses are not allowed to have
0:24:11 > 0:24:13any neon signs or anything considered too gaudy.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16And if you're building a property here, there are building regulations
0:24:16 > 0:24:20that stipulate that the outside must have this wooden shingling.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23It gives that chocolate-boxy effect.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28OK, Joe. One of us gets to go on a cycling trip
0:24:28 > 0:24:32- and the other gets to go on a jeep ride across the sand dunes.- Indeed. - How do we decide?
0:24:32 > 0:24:35Well, I've looked at this, I've looked at the pros and cons.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38- I think we should do it in a scientific way.- Mm-hm!
0:24:38 > 0:24:41- I'll flip you a coin for it. Winner picks. Call.- Heads.- Oh!
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Lovely, I'm going to go cycling, then.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47All right, I'll go across the dunes in a buggy. Brilliant.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51There are dozens of miles of unspoiled beaches here on the Cape.
0:24:51 > 0:24:52Cars aren't allowed on the dunes.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56The exception being if you go with a recognised jeep safari company.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Woo-hoo-hoo!
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Oh, yes! That's it! Ha-ha!
0:25:01 > 0:25:02JOE LAUGHS
0:25:02 > 0:25:06See, it's like you get real job that's so much fun.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09- Yeah, I was just thinking, this is one of the coolest jobs ever.- Yeah.
0:25:09 > 0:25:10JOE LAUGHS
0:25:11 > 0:25:15My guide was Barbara, who advised that it maybe wasn't a great idea
0:25:15 > 0:25:18to go immediately after lunch.
0:25:18 > 0:25:19What is that house up there?
0:25:19 > 0:25:22- Are there are many of those round here?- They're called dune shacks.
0:25:22 > 0:25:27They started being built in the 1920s and '30s by squatters.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31And most of those people were artists and writers.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Eugene O'Neill, Jack Kerouac, Jackson Pollock was here,
0:25:34 > 0:25:36Homer Winslow.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39There were a lot of famous people that passed through.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41Wow. That's quite an impressive alumni.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43There's a great cycling tradition here,
0:25:43 > 0:25:47with dozens of places where you can pick up a bike for a few hours.
0:25:47 > 0:25:48It's great, flat terrain.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50The countryside's absolutely beautiful
0:25:50 > 0:25:53and there's miles and miles of trail to enjoy.
0:26:00 > 0:26:01This trail used to be a railroad
0:26:01 > 0:26:06but they've converted it into 40km of cycle track that goes right through the heart of Cape Cod.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11You can drive from Boston to Cape Cod,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14or there's a high-speed ferry which takes about 90 minutes.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20But here's a word of warning about the Cape.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23We visited Provincetown in May when it was quiet and calm.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25But we were advised that, in the height of summer,
0:26:25 > 0:26:27it can get very crowded.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37There are a huge range of places to stay in Boston and Cape Cod.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39And here are some of our choices.
0:26:39 > 0:26:44The Loews Boston Back Bay Hotel is a converted police headquarters,
0:26:44 > 0:26:48and has decent-sized rooms, which are hard to find sometimes in Boston.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54Four nights will cost from £779 per person.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56That's based on two people sharing
0:26:56 > 0:26:59and this price includes flights and airport transfers.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03There are cheaper options, though.
0:27:03 > 0:27:04The Boston Midtown Hotel,
0:27:04 > 0:27:08in the shadow of the giant Prudential Building in the Back Bay
0:27:08 > 0:27:12is not going to find itself in any of the glossy magazines for its design features.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16But it's in a great central location and the rooms are a good size.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23Four nights will cost from £605 per person, based on two sharing.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27In Cape Cod, they're forbidden to build high,
0:27:27 > 0:27:31so the bigger hotels tend to sprawl out across huge sites.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34This means that The Cape Codder, where we stayed,
0:27:34 > 0:27:36has multiple pools, both inside and out.
0:27:37 > 0:27:42Five nights will cost from £665 per person, based on two adults
0:27:42 > 0:27:43and two children sharing.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47This price also includes five days' car hire with insurance.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52We booked our holiday package, including hotels and flights,
0:27:52 > 0:27:55with American Holidays and Aer Lingus.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57There are 14 flights a week from Dublin to Boston.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01If you'd like any more information about our holidays,
0:28:01 > 0:28:06please visit our website.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11So, what do you make of Boston as a city break destination?
0:28:11 > 0:28:15I love it. It's so pretty. There's a real community feel, and the museums were brilliant.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17You'd expect that from a university town,
0:28:17 > 0:28:18but the Science Museum, I just loved it.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Absolutely. It's a great city, whether you're here as a couple
0:28:21 > 0:28:23or whether you're here as a family, it both works.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27And, if you have the time, get yourself out to Cape Cod, particularly Provincetown.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29We loved it. See you next time on Getaways.