CAPE COD CANAL CRUISE

For most Cape visitors, the canal is simply the dividing line between the real world and the vacation ahead. Hy-Line Cruises, however, brings this iconic and manmade stretch of water to life with a range of sightseeing tours.

For starters, try one of the traditional three-hour (travels all the way through the canal and back) or two-hour (covers two-thirds of the distance) sightseeing cruises, with live commentary about history and points of interest. Spend some quality time with your little ones on Hy-Line’s twohour family cruises, available Monday through Saturday at 4 p.m. (bonus, kids cruise for free on these!). Or carve out a little adult time on a sunset cocktail cruise, held Tuesday through Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

Among the most popular options are the live music cruises that run through the canal over the weekends, says Hy-Line Marketing Manager Betsy Rich. On Fridays and Saturdays from 8 to 10:30 p.m., adults 21 and older can enjoy live performances by a variety of bands (see full schedule online). New this year is the Friends & Family Music Cruise on Sunday afternoons from 1:30 to 4 p.m. With musical styles like Dixieland jazz, traditional Irish songs and classic rock, the tunes are chosen to please all ages.

“This is something that parents and kids can both enjoy,” says Rich. “The adults can relax, the kids can all hang out and everyone can just have that Cape Cod on-the-water experience.”

If a musical voyage doesn’t hit the right note, Hy-Line has plenty of additional options. Head out into open waters for a deep-sea fishing expedition or circle Hyannis Harbor while enjoying a make-your-own Ben & Jerry’s sundae. hylinecruises.com

Mystic Seaport

This maritime museum in southeastern Connecticut is a New England cultural legend, and for good reason. It boasts a rich collection of artifacts, a recreated 1800s village and historic whaling ships. Enduring favorites to observe include craftsmen using traditional techniques to restore historic ships in the preservation shipyard, and the intricately carved figureheads that once adorned the majestic vessels of days gone by.

There is, however, more to this classic destination than you might remember. Throughout the summer, a robust calendar of events means the seaport always has something new to offer: ferry trips to Block Island, a marathon 24-hour reading of Moby Dick, a model yacht regatta and more. In September, the Thompson Exhibition Building, complete with flexible new gallery space and striking views of the Mystic River, is slated to open. Designed to bring a modern touch to the museum’s traditional New England architecture, this new building features a contemporary design with a sweeping, curvaceous roof inspired by nautilus shells and swelling waves. mysticseaport.org

Whale Watching

New England Aquarium Schooner Aurora Sail

Perhaps the most awe-inspiring experience possible along the New England coastline is the sight of a powerful whale leaping from the waves just a few yards away from where you’re standing. This is precisely what a Provincetown Dolphin Fleet whale watch delivers.

The widely acclaimed whale watching line prides itself on its educational, environmentally friendly philosophy: its goal is not merely to show off the region’s sea life but to help nurture connections between passengers and the natural world. Trained naturalists, who discuss whale biology and behavior, staff the three- to fourhour round-trip expeditions between Provincetown and the Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary. Humpback whales are a common sight, and if you’re lucky there might even be some playful and curious newborn calves.

Trips run from April through October, with as many as 10 departures per day during the peak summer season. The fleet’s four ships are in constant communication, helping each other find the best whale sightings. whalewatch.com

Sightseeing sails and cruises might get you out on the water, but a visit to the New England Aquarium gets you deep down inside of it (figuratively speaking). In April, the aquarium launched Tentacles Take Hold, a program featuring two new giant Pacific octopi. “This octopus exhibit is really pretty spectacular,” says aquarium spokesman Tony LaCasse, who adds that their giant suckers and eerie gift for camouflage are not to be missed.

These intriguing eight-legged creatures are joined by colorful sea anemones, alien-looking cuttlefish and ethereal sea jellies (the proper name for what most of us call “jellyfish”). An interactive sea turtle rescue exhibit, opened last summer, lets visitors check out a replica sea turtle hospital and learn about diagnosing, treating and rehabilitating the endangered animals.

And, of course, the aquarium offers activity favorites that never stop delighting: watch dozens of penguins frolic, feed and swim; pet a shark in the touch tank; or peer deep into an underwater ecosystem as you circle the Giant Ocean Tank. “The aquarium is designed to give you the feeling that you’re entering an underwater world,” LaCasse says. “Appealing yet unfamiliar.” neaq.org

With towering red sails and a wooden hull stretching more than 100 feet, the schooner Aurora is an elegant and distinctive way to explore Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay beyond.

“It’s a really unique activity and a great way to get your out-of-town guests on the water,” describes spokeswoman Kristen West.

Modeled after the graceful ships of the 1700s, the Aurora was originally built in 1947 to transport herring before being remodeled into a 68-passenger excursion vessel. Today, it is owned and operated by Newport Experience, a hospitality company that manages several of Rhode Island’s top wedding and event venues. The ship is available for private parties and rehearsal dinners.

You don’t need a special event, however, to climb aboard the Aurora Every Wednesday evening, the company offers a dockside lobster boil followed by a 90-minute sunset cruise. newportexperience.com