Whether you like the beach or the mountains, historic sites or great art, shopping or sailing, Massachusetts has something for everyone.
Massachusetts is a small state with a diverse array of geography, from the Berkshires to the coast to the thriving metropolis of Boston and historic sites from Salem to Lexington and Concord to the Cape and Martha's Vineyard.
Boston, of course, is the place most people think of when they think of traveling to Massachusetts. The metropolitan area is full of beautiful parks, great shopping, historic sites and places to take in culture or a sporting event. Most visitors to Boston check out at least part of the city's Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile trail connecting 16 historic sites from Boston Common to several churches and cemeteries, the home of Paul Revere and more. This trek takes you through some of Boston's great neighborhoods such as the Italian North End, and guides you to other fun sites such as the USS Constitution and the Bunker Hill monument.
Another great walk is a stroll through the Public Gardens. From there it's a short walk to the Beacon Street pub formerly known as the Bull & Finch Pub, which was the inspiration for the bar in the television series Cheers. Or head to Cambridge to stroll the grounds of Harvard and MIT or visit the Longfellow National Historic Site.
If you prefer walking inside, you can easily spend a day in Boston's Museum of Fine Arts. The city is also home to the Kennedy Library and Museum, the New England Aquarium, Science Museum and Children's Museum, so everyone in the family will find a perfect place to spend the day.
But there is much more to the state than this city. Moving north from Boston you will find the area of the state known as "North of Boston." This part of the state is all about the leisure of costal living. Here you will find Salem, home to Nathaniel Hawthorne's House of the Seven Gables, a fine museum and lots of witchcraft lore; Gloucester, the fishing port made famous by the movie "The Perfect Storm" (visit for Fiesta in June and see how Italian fishermen celebrate St. Peter's saint day); Rockport, a beautiful community full of artists and home to Motif No. 1, a fishing shack said to be among the most painted and photographed structures in the world; and Essex, birthplace of the fried clam (you'll find great antique shopping in this area, too). Many of the beaches and quarries are for residents only, but there are public beaches. If you don't mind seeing the ocean without getting in, visit Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, a lovely area dominated by quarries and rock piles with a stunning view of the ocean.
Just west of this area is the Greater Merrimack River Valley, a region noted for its beauty and deep ties to history. Here you will find Lowell, boasting a national historic park that will teach you about the town's history in the textile industry. Lowell was also the birthplace of beat poetry Jack Kerouac, and you will find a tribute to him there. It is also the home of the New England Quilt Museum.
Also in this region is Concord, home to Minute Man National Historic Park, Walden Pond and the homes of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Louisa May Alcott and Ralph Waldo Emerson. In Lexington you can visit the National Heritage Museum, which features changing exhibits on such subjects as George Washington, Freemasonry, Paul Revere's ride, blues photography and western art. The exhibit on things made in Massachusetts is a lot of fun.
Central Massachusetts is a land of lovely rolling hills and meadows, and it features the second-largest city in the state, Worcester. The city is home to outlet shopping and historic buildings where Mark Twain, Charles Dickens and Henry David Thoreau once spoke. A short drive down the Interstate from Worcester is Sturbridge, home of the Old Sturbridge Village, a 19th century village featuring a tin shop, meeting houses, bank, cider house, tavern and historic homes to explore. The small town of Harvard is home to the Fruitlands Museum, commemorating a utopian colony founded in 1843 by the Alcotts (it only lasted seven months but has been preserved as a museum of shaker and Indian art as well as housing artifacts from the colony). And of course there are the rivers, the Merrimack and the Blackstone, offering scenic views and opportunities for outdoor recreation.
The western half of the state features the state capitol, Springfield, as well as the beautiful Berkshire Mountains and, in the northern portion of the state, the Mohawk Trail, the first scenic road in New England, which features 50,000 acres in 15 state parks along almost 100 miles of highway. The trail offers numerous opportunities for rafting, hiking, biking, camping, skiing, hunting and studying nature.
In Springfield you can visit the National Basketball Hall of Fame, Six Flags, the Dr. Seuss national memorial sculpture garden and of course the state capitol. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art illustrates the best in children's picture book art, while the nearby town of Amherst is home to several colleges. There are museums, historic neighborhoods (including Dr. Seuss' Mulberry Street) and a zoo in Springfield, and Amherst is where Emily Dickson's house still stands.
The Berkshires are a place where natural beauty and art collide. This region is home of Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and there are many artistic sites and lovely gardens and homes that inspired artists and writers from Herman Melville to Edith Wharton to Daniel Chester French. The Berkshires are a great place for hiking, skiing, or just lounging on a porch or balcony and taking in the beauty.
Turning back to the eastern part of the state, the "leg" of Massachusetts is home to beautiful scenery and yet more history. Bristol County is home to New Bedford, famous for its history of whaling (check out Seamen's Bethel, inspiration for the Whaleman's chapel in Moby-Dick). Fall River features outlet shopping and Lizzie Borden, as well as Battleship Cove, where you can see the USS Massachusetts. Horseneck Beach in Westport is a great state park and campground.
Plymouth County is home to Plymouth, the town on the site where the Pilgrims first landed. At Plimoth Plantation you can see a recreation of the 1627 colony. There's also a full-scale reproduction of the Mayflower in Plymouth, and you can take a whale watch tour from Plymouth Harbor. If you love cranberries, you'll want to check out Edaville USA in Carver, home to children's amusement rides, a train that runs through the cranberry bogs and historic buildings.
And then, of course, there is the Cape Cod/Martha's Vineyard/Nantucket region, a favorite destination for all during the summer and great fun all year. The beautiful beaches, excellent seafood. lovely lighthouses and bustling artist colonies draw millions of visitors a year. There's also a John F. Kennedy museum in Hyannis, the Heritage Museum and Gardens in Sandwich, the Cape's oldest settlement, and the Cape Cod Rail Trail, a great place for a long bike ride. The islands offer great beauty and historic homes, and Martha's Vineyard is home to the oldest working carousel in America.
Whatever part of the state you are visiting, Massachusetts really has something for everyone.
