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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

There are so much more for you to find out in Messachusetts.
Please visit https://www.visitma.com for more.

---

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Prepared-by-PK”]

BOSTON, MASS. – The New England Aquarium is kicking off the summer on Central Wharf with extended hours; an outdoor public photography exhibition; the return of The Reef, an outdoor bar along Boston Harbor; and three new films at the Simons Theatre.

The Aquarium’s summer hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fridays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Highlights of the summer season include:

Aquarium After Dark

• The “Aquarium After Dark” experience has returned, so visitors who come during Friday night hours will experience the unique change in lighting, particularly in the Giant Ocean Tank (GOT), which has a system that simulates natural lighting transitions. Beginning at 6 p.m., the Aquarium lights dim to mimic nighttime for animals in the tank.

Stellwagen Bank photo exhibition on Central Wharf

• Keith Ellenbogen, an acclaimed underwater photographer, shares his exploration of the rich and surprising biodiversity of marine life off the Massachusetts coast—including great white sharks, humpback whales, sea turtles, and North Atlantic right whales—with visitors in a new, outdoor public photography exhibition, “Space to Sea: A Photographic Journey into Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary,” which opened June 22 on Central Wharf and runs until November 1.

The Reef returns to Central Wharf Plaza on June 24

• The Reef, a bar located inside a tent on Central Wharf Plaza with views of the Boston waterfront, will be open seven days a week for drinks and light fare starting June 24.
• Menu offerings include pretzel twists, cheese board, salads, and sandwiches in addition to an assortment of wine, beer, and cocktails. 
• Hours of operation are Monday through Sunday, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Central Snack Bar open on Central Wharf Plaza

• Central Snack Bar will operate seven days a week beginning on June 24.
• The food truck-style outpost on Central Wharf Plaza offers a variety of snack, sandwich, and drink options. 
• Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

New Simons Theatre films

• Cephalopods: Aliens of the Deep, shot over three years and around the globe, presents the magical world of octopuses, cuttlefish, and squid through macrophotography. Experience the fascinating environments that have evolved their physiology and what allows them to survive against all odds.
• Wings Over Water, narrated by Michael Keaton, shares the compelling story of three amazing bird species—the Sandhill Crane, the Yellow Warbler, and the Mallard Duck—with extraordinary footage of their fascinating behavior. Explore the little-known water highways of the Great Plains, created by glacial movement at the end of the last ice age. These waterways mark an astounding gift of connected rivers, lakes, and wetlands across the heartland of North America that support the remarkable birds of the prairie.
• Superpower Dogs, narrated by Boston native and “Captain America” actor Chris Evans, transports viewers around the world to meet the incredible dogs who save lives and discover the special bond they share with their human partners. Learn the science behind the canine superpowers that allow these dogs to achieve feats of bravery alongside their human companions who fight crime and save lives during earthquakes, avalanches, and sea storms. 

New England Aquarium Whale Watches

• With one of the world’s most active marine sanctuaries just a short boat ride away from Boston, the New England Aquarium Whale Watch in partnership with Boston Harbor City Cruises offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see various species of whales, dolphins, sea birds, sharks, and other marine life at Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. The cruises have onboard naturalists who lead the trips, and visitors are guaranteed to see whales or they receive a free ticket for a return trip. Boats run every day from May through November, depending on weather conditions.

New programming for educator carts

• The Aquarium’s Conservation Learning team is rolling out new educational programming for the summer tourism season including highlighting marine protected areas, which are integral in the global initiative to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030. 
• Educators focus on migratory species, tracking where they are in the ocean, and the importance of protecting key areas to ensure these animals can thrive.

---

Anout New England Aquarium

The New England Aquarium is a global leader in ocean exploration and marine conservation. With more than 1.3 million visitors a year, the Aquarium is one of the premier visitor attractions in Boston and a major public education resource for the region.

---

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Prepared-by-PK”]

BOSTON, MASS. – Ten sea turtles rehabilitated by the New England Aquarium are now back in the ocean waters off Cape Cod.

Staff and volunteers with Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary rescued the turtles after they washed ashore cold-stunned in November and December 2021. The turtles were then taken to the Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy, MA, where staff treated them for a variety of life-threatening medical conditions, including hypothermia, pneumonia, and bone fractures. After physical examinations earlier this month, staff veterinarians cleared the turtles—five loggerheads, two Kemp’s ridleys, and three green sea turtles—to return to the ocean off Cape Cod on Wednesday afternoon. Aquarium staff, interns, and volunteers named all of this season’s turtles using a spice theme, with “Cayenne,” “Chives,” and “Basil” part of Wednesday’s release.

“We are proud to operate one of the largest sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation programs in the world, with staff who work tirelessly to bring these animals, including the critically endangered Kemp’s ridleys, back to full health,” said Adam Kennedy, Director of Rescue and Rehabilitation at the Aquarium. “This year marks the earliest the waters of Nantucket Sound have been warm enough to release our rehabilitated turtles, a sign of climate change’s impact in our own backyard.”

As part of its work safeguarding ocean animals and habitats, the Aquarium will be tracking and studying the movement of these turtles. Prior to being released, three loggerheads and three green sea turtles were outfitted with satellite tags. Four loggerheads also received internal acoustic tags, a procedure the Aquarium has pioneered in sea turtles for long-term monitoring. The tags will provide valuable data about where the turtles swim, feed, and travel, information that Aquarium researchers can use to help protect this species.

For more than 30 years, the New England Aquarium has helped rescue, rehabilitate, release, and research endangered and threatened sea turtles. This past turtle stranding season, the Aquarium admitted more than 500 turtles for medical care, working closely with Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, National Marine Life Center, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Fisheries Service, and Turtles Fly Too to save the animals and transfer many to partner organizations to continue rehabilitation. 18 turtles are remaining at the Quincy facility, which will be released this summer once medically cleared by Aquarium veterinarians.

---

About The New England Aquarium

The New England Aquarium is a global leader in ocean exploration and marine conservation. With more than 1.3 million visitors a year, the Aquarium is one of the premier visitor attractions in Boston and a major public education resource for the region. Please visit the website HERE.

---

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Prepared-by-PK”]