travelogue: visiting the beautiful north shore - part 3: what to do

the beautiful route 1 corridor in saugus and peabody, mass. is a stunning stretch of roadway filled with charming places to stay and wonderful dining establishments. in this third and final installment of "travelogue," we explore the many, many entertainment options available to you during your stay.

enjoy.

overview: you don't have to fork over a lot of money to have a good time along route 1. with a little imagination, you can find all kinds of things to keep you and your family busy for several, action-packed days. as always, we have reviewed some of the best options for so all you have to do is show up.

so, here are our picks:

1) route 1 miniature golf

thrifty travelers could spend an entire vacation's worth of activity time at this landmark sports and entertainment complex near the route 1/route 99 interchange. miniature golf. batting cages. a dairy castle...the options really are endless.

but, it is the golf course's famous resident, the big orange dinosaur, that the masses flood to for the ultimate thrill. the iconic sentinel (he stoically overlooks route 1) has been the target of vandals and adoring fans for generations. but he is not alone. humpty-dumpty and other storybook friends also keep visitors entertained on the links.


2) hockey town, usa

some say that the hockey at hockey town, usa is just a bunch of kids on skates having fun. to that, we say "pish." what the locals don't want you to know is that when you are in saugus and are looking for a good fight, this is the place to go. don't let the youth league atmosphere fool you...these hocksters are vicious.

non-traditional thrill seekers, you're welcome.



3) db's golden banana

with all due respect to the "continuous entertainment" at nearby cabaret, there is only ONE place to go when you are looking for a more sophisticated place to spend your entertainment dollar along route 1. located among some of the nicer trailer parks in the peabody highlands, the banana is the perfect place to kick back and enjoy the show. and, just as the exterior suggests...this place is all class.

just don't ask to see db's actual golden banana. apparently, that's a touchy subject.



4) car wash

in the event that you are lucky enough that your trip falls in the middle of the week, make sure you check out wacky wednesday at car wash. you will NOT regret it. we promise.

and, while you're there, you could always check out amateur night at nearby cabaret...just don't tell db.



5) fountain of life church/spice closet

we have received many requests for suggestions for other miscellaneous activities along route 1 that are important to some travelers. places of worship. adult novelty shops. those sort of things. well, we are happy to give you suggestions for not only each of these...but for BOTH of them.

the fountain of life apostolic church is located conveniently smack next door to the very popular spice closet boutique. bring the family. make a day of it.

saugus is nothing if not accommodating.




we wish you luck on your trip and look forward to hearing all about the wonderful experiences you will have when you visit one of the most charmed and lovely areas our nation has to offer. bon voyage.

part 1: where to stay
part 2: where to eat