In Massachusetts, you will experience all that locals cherish: Their charming cities, towns, and neighborhoods; their historic parks and scenic seashore; their rich cultural traditions and lively college campuses; and robust culinary scene and popular shopping districts.
Whatever you do, talk with the locals. Everyone will share a story or two and give you advice on what to see next. No matter where you go – from Stockbridge to Boston and from Salisbury to Provincetown – we hope you create memories that keep you coming back. You are always welcome in Massachusetts.
America’s Oldest Seaport (North Boston)
The illustrious seafaring heritage of Gloucester is celebrated by the Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center, where wooden vessels have been hauled and repaired for centuries. Marblehead is a yachting mecca. Old Town’s winding streets are lined with grand mansions and modest artisans’ houses, many of them predating the Revolution. Salem offers a coven of museums that explore the infamous Witch Trials of 1692. Essex’s main street bustles with antique emporiums and seafood restaurants, where fried clams (invented here) take top billing. Elegant federal homes, built from fortunes made in shipbuilding and the maritime trade, stand shoulder-to-shoulder on Newburyport’s High Street. And you might also explore 11 lighthouses, including Annisquam Harbor Light Station in Gloucester and Winter Island Light in Salem, along with ten beaches like Salisbury Beach State Reservation, Singing Beach, Manchester-by-the-Sea and Good Harbor Beach, Gloucester.
This region has long inspired artists: Winslow Homer and Fitz Henry Lane painted at the Rocky Neck Art Colony in Gloucester; see Lane’s work at the Cape Ann Museum in Gloucester. In Salem, the Peabody Essex Museum showcases two centuries of art, architecture, and culture. Every summer the Rockport Chamber Music Festival in Rockport presents nationally acclaimed concerts in an intimate setting. Early riser? Choose from more than 21 beaches to watch a stunning sunrise.
When you come to visit a seaport, one thing you can’t miss is seafood fresh from the boat. Local farmers, fishermen, lobstermen, and bakers partner with area restaurants to create the most delicious fresh fare straight from the source. Some local farms provide evening events under the stars! Take a fishing trip in Gloucester and catch your fish for your evening dinner. Enjoy cod, haddock, bluefish, Ipswich clams and, of course, lobster! Or take a lesson in cheese making, canning, gardening, or creating chocolate truffles. With this North Shore’s culinary delights, you will definitely come back time and again.
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On Plum Island, birders flock to the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge to view migrating shore birds. Families head to Salisbury Beach State Reservation for swimming, fishing, and camping. Whale-watching trips leave from Gloucester and Newburyport.
Plymouth County
Plymouth, also known as “America’s Hometown,” showcases the history and sets the stage for the story of the Pilgrims who landed here in 1620. Plimoth Patuxet, America’s premier living history museum, brings to life the stories of the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims in 17th-century New England. The region also offers picturesque harbors, historic lighthouses, state-of-the-art golf courses, and acres of cranberry bogs that turn ruby red as harvest time approaches. Whale watch cruises, harbor tours, party fishing boats, and ferries to Provincetown leave from Plymouth Harbor. In Carver, Edaville USA’s two-mile, narrow-gauge railroad and amusement rides are perennial family favorites. So too are the Brockton Rox, a Minor League Baseball team whose home base is Campanelli Stadium in Brockton. The nearby Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton is a dazzling showcase for contemporary crafts, and Duxbury’s Art Complex Museum in Duxbury features a Japanese garden and tea hut. For dramatic views of Hingham Harbor and the Boston skyline, stroll or bike to the top of one of the four drumlins comprising World’s End in Hingham, landscaped by Frederick Law Olmstead. Take a dip at nearby Nantasket Beach in Nantasket, then saddle up a wooden horse on the 1928 Paragon Carousel and listen to the Wurlitzer organ. Nantasket Beach offers traditional boardwalk fare like hot dogs, burgers, fries, and “twisty” soft ice cream. For more foodie fun, be sure to sample from Plymouth’s array of classic New England-style chowder, fresh-caught-and-fried seafood, homemade chocolate fudge, and local beer and wine.
Permanence, stability, and strength describe not only the Pilgrims’ credo, but the Neo-Classical Revival style of the Portico at Plymouth Rock, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Plymouth 400, a multi-year commemoration of the cultural contributions and American traditions that began with the interaction of the Wampanoag and English peoples. Events lead up to 2020 for the 400th Anniversary of the Mayflower voyage and the founding of Plymouth Colony.
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Get an up-close look at how cranberry bogs are harvested every fall. You’ll witness wet and dry cranberry harvestings, cooking demonstrations, juried crafters, and paddleboat rides on scenic Tihonet Pond.
The Cape Cod National Seashore
The Cape Cod National Seashore stretches 40 miles from Eastham to Provincetown. It includes pristine sandy beaches, lighthouses, wild cranberry bogs, and walking and biking trails. The Heritage Museums & Gardens features Americana, antique cars, a carousel and, in the spring, rhododendrons bloom. In the port of Woods Hole, the mysteries of ocean life are on display at the Woods Hole Science Aquarium and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The seaside resort village of Hyannis is the famed summer home of the Kennedy family. Be sure to visit the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum next to the Hyannis Town Green and various shops and restaurants. On the tip of the Cape is Provincetown (P-Town), the site of the Pilgrim’s first landing in 1620. P-Town is also known for its legacy as an art colony and for the warm welcome it extends to the LGBTQ community. Whale watch trips leave from here and Barnstable Harbor. Did somebody say seafood? Crack open a lobster or order up a plate piled high with fried clams, scallops, or shrimp. September and October are considered the Cape’s “second summer” and the perfect time to enjoy quiet strolls on the beach, meander down Old King’s Highway, Rte. 6A, and shop for antiques or go gallery hopping. “Old Cape Cod” has a few new surprises from the giant indoor Cape Codder Water Park to the Cape Codder Resort & Spa in Hyannis or the Cape Cod Inflatable Challenge Park in West Yarmouth, the first of its kind in the USA. The Cahoon Museum of American Art in Cotuit and the Cape Cod Museum of Art in Dennis offer new exhibits regularly.
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The Cape Cod Baseball League, founded in 1885, is a collegiate summer league featuring 10 teams. Competitions are held around the Cape from mid-June to mid-August. These family-friendly games are a storied Cape tradition and are open to the general public.
Pick a beach, any beach, and bask in the serenity and peace of a Cape Cod sunrise. Early risers will be duly rewarded with spectacular sunrises over the Atlantic Ocean. Like to sleep in? They have fantastic sunsets, too!
For a nostalgic evening of fun, head to the Wellfleet Drive-In Theatre for first-run double features every night during the summer. Built in 1957, this theatre is home to community events and is complete with a snack bar and playground!
Martha’s Vineyard
Oak Bluffs’ brightly painted “Gingerbread Cottages” have a rich history dating back to a 19th-century Methodist summer campground. It’s also home to the country’s oldest continuously working carousel, Flying Horses, and has an active nightlife and bustling inner harbor. Tisbury, home to the year-round port of Vineyard Haven, is picturesque and chock-full of unique shops and cultural venues. Edgartown, with the largest summer population, includes Chappaquiddick Island and the area of South Beach. Downtown Edgartown, a yachting community, has cobblestoned sidewalks and historic homes of whaling captains. “Up Island” includes the rural communities of West Tisbury and Chilmark with its working fishing village of Menemsha and the dramatic color-streaked Aquinnah Cliffs, where beach sunsets are applauded by visitors. Five lighthouses, all originally built in the 1800s, dot this 20 x 9 mile Island: West Chop Lighthouse, Tisbury; East Chop Lighthouse, Oak Bluffs; Edgartown Lighthouse; Gay Head Lighthouse, Aquinnah; and Cape Poge Lighthouse, Chappaquiddick. Enjoy the journey to the island from various locations and choose from fast ferries, traditional ferries, or even fly-in. The island has two ferry docks, one in Oak Bluffs and a year-round dock in Vineyard Haven.
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Step off the beaten path and travel to rural Up-Island communities. Experience the Chilmark Flea Market, the West Tisbury Farmers Market, and the Vineyard Artisans Festival. These unique Vineyard experiences feature handmade items, locally grown foods, and one-of-a-kind treasures. Open twice weekly from June to September.
So who’s Martha? And is there a vineyard on her Island? When 17th- century British explorer Bartholomew Gosnold landed on the Island in 1602, replete with grapes, he named it for his infant daughter, Martha. Contrary to its name, Martha’s Vineyard does not have a vineyard or winery. The Island’s original name, Noepe (meaning “land between the currents”), was from the Island’s original settlers, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head.
Enjoy two cultural districts: Vineyard Haven Harbor includes a walkable one-mile radius of unique shops, working harbor, wooden shipbuilding, live theater, design, historical and independent movie theaters, public library, parks, and more. Aquinnah Circle is a
blend of historic natural landmarks, Gay Head Lighthouse, and unique shops.
Southeastern Massachusetts
New Bedford’s heyday as the capital of the 19th-century whaling industry is honored by the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park and the New Bedford Whaling Museum, both in New Bedford. The Seamen’s Bethel in New Bedford was featured in Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick while The Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum, a Greek Revival mansion, chronicles 150 years of economic, social, and domestic life in New Bedford. Fall River’s Battleship Cove boasts the world’s largest collection of US Naval vessels and is the home port for the WWII Battleship USS Massachusetts, along with five other naval vessels and a 1920s wooden Fall River Carousel. The walking trails at the Lloyd Center for the Environment, which wind their way through forest, freshwater wetlands, salt marsh, and estuary, provide great views of Buzzards Bay and Martha’s Vineyard. Take a free tour (and taste) of Westport Rivers Winery in Westport, sample local Portuguese cuisine, and then visit Seekonk Speedway’s SYRA-certified track in Seekonk, which packs lots of excitement into its banked, 1/3-mile oval. Horseneck Beach in Westport is the region’s most popular beach and is located at the western end of Buzzards Bay. This sandy, the two-mile-long beach is breezy all year, making it an excellent windsurfing spot. Gooseberry Neck, a rocky headland, lies to the east just behind the dunes. Discover your creativity at the Attleboro Arts Museum in Attleboro, where rotating exhibits celebrate all mediums. In nearby Taunton, you’ll find unlimited outdoor recreation at a duo of state parks: Watson Pond and Massasoit.
Check your calendar: If you’re planning to be in New Bedford on the second Thursday of any month, you’re in for a treat. The city’s museums, galleries, dance and theater groups, artists, and restaurants roll out the welcome mat for an evening of cultural happenings appropriately dubbed AHA! (Art, History, Architecture).
In Southeastern Massachusetts, two zoos are better than one! Immerse yourself in the warmth and wonder of tropical rainforest at Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro. At Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford, you’ll meet black bears, mountain lions, river otters, bald eagles, and seals. Then, cross the covered bridge where you’ll enter Buttonwood Farm, home to rare breeds of farm animals.
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Explore Southeastern Massachusetts’ history at the Old Colony History Museum in Taunton where you’ll find an extensive collection of more than 13,000 regional objects and archives. Technology brings unique exhibits showcasing local history and genealogy to life. Great events, too!
Nantucket Island
Take your time to adjust to the slower pace of island life and explore Nantucket’s unspoiled beaches, solitary lighthouses, and acres of conservation land on foot or by bicycle. Take a dip in Nantucket Sound, surf cast for bluefish, or spend a day deep-sea fishing. Cobblestoned streets and an array of stately Georgian, Federal, and Greek revival homes reflect Nantucket’s history as a prosperous whaling port. Now, sea captains houses stand side-by-side with antiques stores and galleries. The Black Heritage Trail features 10 sites that reveal the heritage of African Americans living on Nantucket. The Nantucket Historical Association Whaling Museum features a 47-foot sperm whale skeleton, scrimshaw, and the original fabric of the spermaceti candle factory. Its exhibits and galleries offer a compelling insight into the island’s history as the “whaling capital of the world.” Visit a number of historic sites within walking distance, including the Oldest House built in the 1680s; the stately Hadwen House, a ship captain’s mansion; The Old Mill; and Greater Light, an 18th-century livestock barn renovated into a summer home and art studio. Other historical treasures include Mitchell House, home of world-famous astronomer Maria Mitchell, and the African Meeting House. For a different type of adventure, take the kids to the Maria Mitchell Aquarium. Start your relaxing trip to Nantucket on the traditional ferry for a leisurely two-hour, fifteen-minute voyage from Hyannis. Need to get there faster? Take the high-speed ferry, which is just one hour door-to-door from Hyannis. Ferry service is also provided from New Bedford, New York, and New Jersey.
Four great reasons to return to Nantucket in the off-season: In April, the Daffodil Festival features three million bright yellow blooms planted by islanders to herald the arrival of spring. In the fall, Nantucket Restaurant Week features specially-priced menus at more than 20 of Nantucket’s top restaurants. Winter is celebrated island-style, with the Nantucket Noel Christmas Stroll and the Nantucket New Year’s Celebration.
With over 80 miles of pristine beaches, every day on Nantucket is a beach day! Bike out to any 10 beaches or take the WAVE shuttle bus, which travels to Surfside and Jetties Beaches.
LOCAL TIPS!
Trek out to the Sankaty Head Light, located at the easternmost point of the island in the village of Siaconset. Built-in 1850, this stately lighthouse was automated in 1965.
Greater Boston (America’s Walking City)
See Boston and beyond from the Skywalk Observatory or ferry to one of the Boston Harbor Islands. Families flock to New England Aquarium, Boston Children’s Museum, and Museum of Science. Head to beloved Fenway Park for a Red Sox game or tour America’s oldest ballpark. For fast-action sports, it’s the TD Garden, for the Boston Bruins, the Boston Celtics, and The Sports Museum. The New England Patriots and New England Revolution play at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough. Enjoy views atop a brightly painted amphibious vehicle or a double-wide trolley. Glide along the Public Garden’s lagoon in an elegant Swan Boat or take an adventurous whale watch. Newbury Street is a shopper’s paradise – galleries, boutiques, and sidewalk cafés for the fashionable and funky. The Museum of Fine Arts, The Institute of Contemporary Art, and Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum showcase imaginative exhibits. The Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Ballet are standout cultural stars. The Black Heritage Trail focuses on the city’s 19th-century African American community and The Freedom Trail’s 2.5-mile red brick/painted trail links 16 historic sites of the American Revolution. Visit Boston’s diverse and vibrant neighbourhoods like Chinatown, the North End Italian district, Beacon Hill, Jamaica Plain’s (“JP”) Latino and LGBT communities, or lively Roslindale: home to Harvard’s 265-acre Arnold Arboretum.
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Ten miles south is the City of Quincy, home of the Adams National Historical Park featuring the birth homes and gardens of two presidents: John Adams and John Quincy Adams. Picnic or promenade along Wollaston Beach with treats from area restaurants.
Cambridge, “Boston’s Left Bank,” is the multi-cultural home to Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which feature art, ethnological, and science museums. Musicians, puppeteers and jugglers perform on the sidewalks of Harvard Square while Central, Kendall, and Inman Squares offer tasty restaurants, cool architecture, cozy jazz spots, and the height of technology.
Faneuil Hall Marketplace, a shopping, dining, and entertainment haven – features culinary treats at the original food stalls at Quincy (“Quin-zee”) Market. Nearby is Boston Public Market, a year-round indoor arcade with fresh, local food and Haymarket, an outdoor weekend market. The mile-long Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway connects downtown to the harbor with public art, a carousel, farmers markets, and live performances. At Columbia Point see the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.
There are so much more for you to find out in Messachusetts.
Please visit https://www.visitma.com for more.
This piece was prepared online by Panuruji Kenta, Publisher, SEVENSEAS Media