Massachusetts offers
visitors a wealth of history. Experience Lowell's textile industry and Salem's
17th-century witch trials before exploring its 144km Essex Coastal Scenic
Byway.
Boston is known for
its revolutionary spirit, evidenced by landmarks like the American Revolution
Museum and Paul Revere's home. Additionally, Massachusetts is well known for
its cranberry crop as well as baked bean production.
Boston
Boston offers some of
the finest museums and attractions in America, from walking along the 2.5-mile
Freedom Trail to learning about America's first revolutions to visiting the
Museum of Fine Arts to admire American artifacts, to watching performances at
Boston Ballet since 1960s (classics like George Balanchine's A Midsummer
Night's Dream and Mikko Nissinen's "Swan Lake") as well as modern
pieces by William Forsythe, Jiri Kylian and Wayne McGregor among them).
Stroll down Newbury
Street for unique gifts and boutique shops, or sample local beers at Sam Adams
Brewery. Visitors can learn the history of whales at New Bedford Whaling Museum
or tour Fenway Park baseball stadium to gain exclusive insights
behind the scenes.
An extensive travel
guide like DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Boston or Lonely Planet's Boston will be
invaluable when planning your visit, providing detailed maps and descriptions
of must-see sites throughout the city. These guides also include tips about
getting around, public transportation and other information you will need for a
successful trip. Furthermore, some books offer pull-out maps or photos to
assist in recognizing landmarks on your own. Travel guides also provide tours
that can give visitors an experience of the city's culture and cuisine, with
safe neighborhoods for tourists including Beacon Hill, Downtown, Hyde Park and
most of Dorchester; newcomers should avoid Mattapan, Roxbury or parts of
Dorchester on its west side as these areas tend to be smaller with no public
transit connectivity.
Lowell
Lowell was once an
important textile hub, and its 5.6 miles of canals, historic mill complexes and
traditional streetscapes provide glimpses into its rich industrial past.
Attractions in Lowell such as the Boott Cotton Mills Museum and Mill Girls and
Immigrants Exhibit offer insight into mill life while touring along Pawtucket
Canal will show how mill owners used water power.
Lowell's surge as a
textile manufacturing hub brought with it an explosion in the legal business.
Lowell judges, lawyers and litigants played an instrumental role in shaping
Massachusetts and national jurisprudence - something Register of Deeds Richard
Howe shares his knowledge on. Howe details some of Lowell's famous (and
infamous) cases as well as personalities and legal legends from Lowell's legal
past.
Jack Kerouac was one
of the founding figures of the Beat Generation and found much inspiration from
his hometown for his writings. Learn about his life and legacy at Nicky's Bar
and Pollard Memorial Library before paying your respects at Edson Cemetery
where Nancy rests buried next to him.
Lowell's cultural
traditions make for an intriguing exploration of Thoreau Country. UMass Lowell
associate professor Susan E. Gallagher will discuss Henry David Thoreau's
underrated contributions to travel writing and cartography as well as ongoing
efforts to preserve his reflections of Massachusetts landscape through the Mapping
Thoreau Country digital initiative.
Salem
Salem offers unique
experiences to visitors from its historic brick-and-cobblestone streets to its
oldest surviving witch trials museum, to exploring supernatural forces at The
House of Seven Gables or finding something truly original at Timeless Life
Treasure (including bookbinding and broom-making crafting sessions), or admiring
all of Salem's freakish monsters at Monster Museum.
Salem boasts many
fantastic shopping and dining opportunities. Along Essex Street you will find
Crow Haven Corner, Salem's oldest witch shop featuring crystals, candles, Tarot
cards, psychic readings, psychic consultations, as well as psychic readings.
Additionally, head down Church Street for District Trading Co's Salem-themed
T-shirts, hoodies, and cards with 5% of profits going toward supporting local arts
education programs.
Just kick back and
relax on a Salem Harbor cruise with Mahi Cruises or Schooner FAME; for
something a little extra romantic plan ahead to join them for a sunset sail -
and watch as their signature cannon explodes into the darkening sky! Plus you
can help hoist sails or just grab something to sip from their full bars on
either vessel!
Salem is generally
safe, though visitors should still observe standard safety precautions as in
any major metro area, such as keeping valuables out of sight and not flashing
wads of cash; taking off headphones when in public places; etc.
Newburyport
Newburyport epitomizes
classic New England seaside towns. Just north of Boston on an accessible
commuter train line, Newburyport features all the charm you would expect in
this region: stunning waterfront, fun shopping opportunities and easy access to
Plum Island for beaches and wildlife viewing.
One of the best things
to do in Newburyport is explore its historic sites. There are various walking
and biking trails that give an excellent overview of this vibrant town,
including the Clipper City Rail Trail which follows Merrimack River shorelines
to various shops and attractions.
Newburyport offers
visitors numerous historical homes, museums, and monuments that highlight its
maritime history. One such facility is the Custom House Maritime Museum which
is housed in an early nineteenth-century structure that once served as a
customs house.
Newburyport boasts
some amazing attractions, such as the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. This
bird sanctuary provides shelter and food to migrating waterfowl and shorebirds;
visitors can fish, kayak, hike and fish from its banks. Or visit Maudslay State
Park which was formerly part of a prominent Newburyport family's private estate
and features 19th-century gardens featuring gorgeous rhododendrons and azaleas;
it also makes an excellent picnicking spot and spot for playing games!
Gloucester
Gloucester isn't your
typical beach destination -- no luxury hotel chains or tropical cocktails here;
instead, this seaside town celebrates its residents through stunning art and
architecture, delicious food and activities that bring them closer to nature.
No wonder many
writers, artists, and actors have strong ties to this historic town - among the
notables are poet William Ernest Henley - the miser from whom Charles Dickens
drew Ebenezer Scrooge; actor Simon Pegg; England rugby players Mike Tindall
Danny Cipriani Billy Twelvetrees Phil Vickery as well as Childe Hassam who
painted portraits of sailors lost at sea; HarborWalk tours or visits to Jemmy
Wood statue can give insight into its past history;
Rocky Neck Art Colony
should also be on your bucket list, known for its picturesque scenery and
light. Renowned artists like Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper, and Louisa May
Alcott all frequented Rocky Neck as painting subjects in its serene landscape
and light.
If you enjoy music, be
sure to visit Mystery Train Records on Main Street. With an expansive selection
of vinyl from new releases to rare & collectible records and regular events
such as in-store performances and record swaps, this shop provides something
for every music lover!
Plimoth Patuxet
Boston vacations would
not be complete without visiting Plymouth and exploring its rich history. Only
45 minutes from Boston, Plimoth Patuxet offers one of the top activities for
kids in Massachusetts with an immersive experience into 17th century life.
This Smithsonian Affiliated
Living History Museum brings the story of Plymouth's early English settlers to
life through recreations of their settlements. Attractions such as English
Village and Historic Wampanoag Homesite feature staff dressed as they were in
1627 to give an authentic feel for this period. Furthermore, visitors can step
inside a wetu (a domed Native domed hut). Interpreters here come from both
Wampanoag Nation as well as other Native Nations so they can provide modern
perspectives on their ancestors ancestry.
Due to recent
criticism of colonial narratives, the museum has taken steps towards creating
more accurate depictions of both Pilgrims and Wampanoag people in its new name
"Patuxet-Plimoth." The latter term uses Wampanoag words for Patuxet
alongside English terminology "Plimoth".
Visitors to Plymouth
Grist Mill can explore more than the recreated English villages and tall ship
Mayflower II; they can also witness and purchase freshly ground corn meal
produced at this historic mill. Water from an adjacent brook was diverted into
large stones which then ground corn into flour - guests can now watch and
purchase this process!
Post a Comment