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Major city · United States

NewburyportNewburyport, Massachusetts

Give Newburyport one full day and one night: Market Square and the waterfront boardwalk on foot, then a half-day on Plum Island. Two nights only if you add a whale watch or a beach day.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
May–Jun, Sep–early Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (crowds, heat, refuge beach closures for nesting birds), Jan–Feb (many places shut or on short hours)
Airports
BOS · MHT
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Newburyport is a small Merrimack River port town of about 17,000 people, 55 km northeast of Boston, with a compact brick downtown you can walk in an hour and a much larger natural area — Plum Island, the Parker River refuge and Maudslay State Park — a short drive away. It works as a one-night stop on a North Shore loop or as a Boston day trip by commuter rail, not as a multi-day base.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Newburyport, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or espresso$3–6
  • Sit-down mealWaterfront dinner main course$24–40
  • BeerDraught beer at a brewery taproom$7–9
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–25
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum admission$7–12
  • Budget bedHostel or shared-room bed, a night, per personUS$55
  • Mid-range bedRoute 1 motel double room, a night, per roomUS$160
  • High-end bedRoute 1 motel double room, a night, per roomUS$220

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$90 · Mid US$160 · High US$280

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Market Square and the waterfront boardwalkCustom House Maritime MuseumPlum Island and Parker River National Wildlife RefugeMaudslay State ParkWhale watching from the Merrimack mouth
Airports
BOS Boston Logan International (About 55 km south; MBTA commuter rail from North Station is the car-free option (check timetables).) · MHT Manchester-Boston Regional (New Hampshire) (Smaller alternative north of the state line; you need a car from here.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Newburyport: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

2°C

−7°C

10 rd

Feb

3°C

−6°C

9 rd

Mar

7°C

−2°C

11 rd

Apr

13°C

3°C

11 rd

May

19°C

9°C

12 rd

Jun

24°C

14°C

11 rd

Jul

28°C

17°C

10 rd

Aug

27°C

17°C

9 rd

Sep

23°C

13°C

9 rd

Oct

17°C

7°C

10 rd

Nov

11°C

2°C

10 rd

Dec

5°C

−4°C

11 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Downtown is walkable in 15–20 minutes end to end. For Plum Island, Maudslay and the refuge you need a car, bike or taxi — there is no useful local bus to the island. The MBTA Newburyport/Rockport commuter line ends here, so Boston is reachable without a car (check timetables).

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Plum Island and Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

go

Door to door: 20–30 min by car

Drive Route 1A north, then Plum Island Turnpike; about 6 km from Market Square

Refuge road, beach and Hellcat boardwalk; bring water and insect repellent.

Maudslay State Park

go

Door to door: 15 min by car

Drive Curzon Mill Road, about 5 km west of downtown

480 acres of meadows and riverbank; parking fee in season.

Salem, Massachusettsgo

Door to door: 40–60 min by car

Drive I-95 and Route 128, or take the commuter rail and change at Beverly

Full-day trip; the train avoids Salem's summer parking problem, but there is no direct train from Newburyport.

Gloucester, Massachusettsgo

Door to door: 45–60 min by car

Drive Route 128 or Route 127 along the coast

Harbour town with whale-watch boats of its own.

Rockport, Massachusetts

go

Door to door: 1 h by car

Drive Route 127, or the commuter rail to Rockport

Best as a full day; combine with Gloucester.

Ipswich, Massachusettsgo

Door to door: 25–35 min by car

Drive Route 1A and Route 133

Half-day: Crane Beach and the Ipswich River walks.

Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusettscaution

Door to door: 45 min by car

Drive Route 127 south

Small and quiet; only worth the detour if you are already on the coast road.

Beverly, Massachusetts

caution

Door to door: 35–50 min

Commuter rail or Route 1A

Mostly a rail junction and a beach; skip unless you are changing trains.

Peabody, Massachusetts

skip

Door to door: 30 min by car

Drive Route 1 and I-95

Retail and business park; no reason to add it to a short trip.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Downtown / Market Square

Walk to dinner, the boardwalk and the museums; inns and small hotels, the priciest beds.

Water Street and the waterfront

River views and the Tannery Marketplace shops; still a short walk to the square.

Route 1 / Storey Avenue strip

Chain motels with free parking, a short drive from the centre (check); best value if you have a car.

Plum Island and Newbury

Beach and birding stays outside town; you need a car for everything, including dinner.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$90–140 excl. bed
Mid
$150–230 excl. bed
High
$250+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Downtown inn double room1 × 1 night × US$260US$260
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$160US$320
MBTA commuter rail, Boston North Station ↔ Newburyport, return2 × US$24 · checkUS$48
Maudslay State Park parking, one day1 × US$20 · lower for Massachusetts-registered carsUS$20
Whale watch from Newburyport, per person2 × US$70 · seasonal, book aheadUS$140
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$82
Trip total≈ US$450 per person per day, bed includedUS$900

2026 estimate in US dollars, before sales tax and tips; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or espresso$3–6
Burger and fries$14–20
Waterfront dinner main course$24–40
Draught beer at a brewery taproom$7–9
Museum admission$7–12
Rideshare, downtown to Plum Island$15–25
eSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–25

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Very safe for a US town of its size; the real risks are the Plum Island Turnpike at dusk (deer), cold water and rip currents on the refuge beaches, and unlit riverfront paths after dark.
  • Parker River refuge beach sections close in spring and summer for nesting piping plovers — check the refuge site before you drive out.
  • Maudslay State Park charges a parking fee in season; Massachusetts-registered cars pay less.
  • Summer weekends fill the downtown lots and Plum Island Turnpike; arrive before 10:00 or after 15:00.
  • Restaurant kitchens in town often stop serving by 21:00, earlier off-season.
  • Winter: some waterfront restaurants and tour boats close for the season.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

NewburyportNewburyport, Massachusetts

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in Newburyport; consulates-general are in Boston, embassies in Washington, DC. US visa and entry rules: see the country guide.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Commuter rail, Boston North Station → Newburyport: about $12 one way, roughly 1 h (check)
  • Rideshare, downtown → Plum Island: $15–25
  • Maudslay State Park parking: $20 per car in season, less for Massachusetts plates

Say or show

  • Where is the commuter rail station? — Where is the commuter rail station?
  • A table for two, please — A table for two, please
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Is the beach open today? — Is the beach open today?

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares. Sales tax is added at the till.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Newburyport. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Jun, Sep–early Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (crowds, heat, refuge beach closures for nesting birds), Jan–Feb (many places shut or on short hours) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 9 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for BOS: last MBTA commuter departures field-checked, rideshare fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Three walking clusters with rescue anchors: Market Square, the waterfront and boardwalk, the High Street museum row.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Custom House Maritime Museum, Cushing House, Joppa Flats, Parker River refuge) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Seasonal fixtures: plover closures on Plum Island, Maudslay parking fees, festival weekends.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources