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Less than $50: The wheels on the bus go . . . to Newport, dahling
Experience the lifestyles of the rich and famous on a not-so-rich budget. For only $32, Bonanza Bus Lines will take you from South Station to Newport, Rhode Island, and back again. The mansions of Newport hark back to the glamorous days of Edith Wharton, when women spent months buying trunk-loads of clothing in Paris, and 
men spent their days working for one hour and drinking scotch for five. It follows logically that a city of such elegant history would be home to beautiful inns, restaurants, and shops. And if you go while there’s still a nip in the air, rates are generally lower.
In the other direction, we have Maine. Good old humble, quiet, charming Maine, with its natural splendor, quaint towns, and inscrutable accents. The Downeaster Amtrak train will bring you from South Station to Portland for only $22 each way. Take a weekend or just a day trip and explore all that Maine’s largest city has to offer. Sure, it’s teensy-weensy, but it’s got theater, great restaurants, good shopping, and lots and lots o’ lobstah for about as cheap as you’re ever going to find it.
Of course, one can’t forget the trusty Fung Wah bus, more commonly known as the Chinatown bus. For $15 each way, they’ll take you from Chinatown, Boston, to Chinatown, NYC. Buses leave hourly and run every day of the week. And Greyhound will get you there for only $40 round-trip if you buy your tickets online. Good deal.
Hop aboard at www.bonanzabus.com, www.amtrak.com, www.fungwahbus.com, and www.greyhound.com.
Less than $15: Ride the gravy train . . . er, commuter rail
You see them every day. They rush around downtown at 5 pm in their suits and sneakers, looking fretfully at their watches as they break into a slow, self-conscious trot followed by an all-out sprint toward South Station. They are commuters, and they are slaves to the commuter-rail schedule. You, lucky day-tripper, however, can enjoy the perks of the train without any of the stress. For a mere $3.75 each way you can take a scenic trip out to Salem, Massachusetts, home of the famous Puritan witch trials. Check out the Peabody Essex Museum and some spooky old houses (like Hawthorne’s House of Seven Gables), walk along the pier, visit New England’s oldest and largest brewery, and don’t forget to stop by Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie, America’s oldest sweets maker. They’ve even got a museum of “supernatural oddities,” and a pirate museum. Really, people; you can’t pass up a pirate museum. Arr.
If quirky old museums and supernatural bric-a-brac aren’t your thang, take the train just a little farther to quaint Rockport, Massachusetts. After shelling out a mere $6, you can stroll the beautiful coastline, walk through Halibut Point State Park, go on a whale-watching excursion, or visit one of the countless antique stores, independent art galleries, or artisan shops. Can you say charming? Charming.
