> we hardly tip in the UK for anything

Yeah, it's a different approach. Tip for waiter service and bartenders. No tipping expectation for counter service (like Starbucks) or takeout.

Tipping a tour guide is pretty good practice anywhere, I'd think.

One thing you'll notice is that the US has comparatively liberal pours of liquor and wine. You'll pretty much never see measured liquor dispensers which are common in much of Europe. Especially at dive bars, you'll get a glass of alcohol and it's like.. 3 shots worth when you're paying for one. A lot of those places want to see you happy, so a tip can stretch far.

Measured pours are only common in fancy cocktail bars (since the drink requires balance) and places that attract tourists (cause the owners are cheap).

One other thing to remember is that a US Pint is slightly smaller than a UK Pint when ordering beer.

> Salem definitely interests me

I forgot to mentio, in lieu of the commuter rail - you should consider the Salem Ferry. It's $45 round trip and really lovely.

Another historic town is Plymouth, which is also commuter rail accessible. There's a lovely little walkable downtown area with some boutique shops and ocean views. And of course, Plymouth Rock. But don't go for the rock. The rock is bullshit. And it's not even the original rock. But it's free, I guess?

However, if you're looking to dive into American history, I would highly recommend the Plimouth Patuxet Musuems (formally Plimouth Plantation). It's a 17th Century 'living village', filled with period actors to interact with.
There is also a small area with some 17th century Native American (Wampanoag) structures and tribal ambassadors you can chat with. Also, just some good nature out there. It's a good way to spend a day.

If you need any other recommendations or anything, don't hesitate to message me. I clearly get bored a lot.