~ Top 10 Destinations in Massachusetts, USA ~

[MysteRy]

Top 10 Destinations in Massachusetts, USA

Massachusetts is a fantastic Atlantic coastal state that is brimming with history and naturally beautiful landscapes. Here is where the founding fathers of America first settled, where the rich and famous vacation on the islands, and of course there is Boston - one of the most attractive cities in the entire USA. Here are our top ten places to visit for beach holidays, historical sites and great city life.



1. Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area   



The thirty-odd islands of the city harbour form a protected area that is home to so much wildlife and chances for recreation, right on the doorstep of this great city. From this natural harbour with the city towers behind you, take a ferry or cruise amongst the islands, fish, birdwatch, swim, picnic, hike, camp and explore the historic lighthouses and a civil war fort. Make sure you visit the USA's oldest lightstation, Boston Light, and Fort Warren, on Georges Island.

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2. Martha's Vineyard   



The Vineyard is world famous as a upscale island retreat, just seven miles off the south coast of Cape Cod. Only accessible by air or sea, it is a little oasis with fresh breezes and temperatures that rarely exceed ninety degrees fahrenheit. Celebrities and the wealthy have been coming here for decades, to wonderful cottages rather than big hotels. There are six small towns and a surprisingly varied landscape considering how small the island is - just 25 miles long and nine miles wide. From rolling hills and agricultural landscapes and wineries; to rugged, rocky north shores and the southern soft sand beaches, Martha's Vineyard is a delight to behold. There are five lighthouses and historic seventeenth century buildings to explore. Whether you want to fish, laze on the beach, sail, stroll or birdwatch, Martha's Vineyard will never disappoint.

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3. Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge   



Old Sturbridge is one of the biggest and oldest living museums, recreating New England and settler life. Set in two hundred acres, there are wonderful eighteenth-century buildings, guides in period costume, working farms and mills ... all set in a beautiful rural landscape. This is a real step back in time and not to be missed. There are over forty original buildings, lovingly restored, which include blacksmiths, bakeries, schools, potteries and much more. Since the 1940s, visitors have been able to immerse themselves in a genuine recreation of life between 1790 and 1840. Sturbridge is open daily and is under sixty miles inland, to the west, from Boston.

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4. Nantucket   



Thirty miles out into the Atlantic Ocean, off the Massachusetts coast and Cape Cod lies Nantucket island. It's only an hour and a half from Boston, and within five hours drive of New York. Just 15 miles across and ten miles long, this crescent shaped island is an historic landmark, full of pre Civil War architecture, the oldest working windmill in the USA, cobbled streets and a lighthouse - Brand Point Light - which has been working continuously since the mid eighteenth century. Nantucket is a popular, old style getaway though never overcrowded, where people tend to travel on foot or by bicycle rather than by car. You can explore the nearby islands including Martha's Vineyard via the public ferry service or stay on the island and relax: with excellent fishing, hiking the trails and nature preserves or relaxing on pristine beaches.

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5. Minute Man National Historical Park   



Just north of Concord and on the edge of the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is a park that commemorates the first battle of the American Revolution in 1775. It's a mix between a living museum with re-enactments, a beautiful landscape and a glimpse into eighteenth century life and architecture.  Walk the Battle Road Trail, the North Bridge and visit Louisa May Alcott's home. Learn all about the history of the war and Paul Revere. The grounds are open from sun up to sunset every day and there are two first class visitors centres with ranger programs daily through the summer.

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6. Salem Witch Museum, Salem   



The incredible, shocking events of 1692 have become almost legendary, immortalised in film, plays and books. 180 people were tried for witchcraft following the hysterical accusations of a group of young girls. Twenty were hanged. Learn all about the gruesome history of Salem at this fascinating museum which is open daily, with low admission fees. Salem was and is an otherwise peaceful town on Massachusetts Bay just half an hour north of Boston. The hanging spot, Gallows Hill, is now a recreational playing field. There are tours of the witch trial sites and, naturally quite a lot of witchy kitsch and Hallowe'en themed shops. But there is much more to Salem and it is on the National Register of Historic Landmarks. Make time to also visit the tall ship in the beautiful harbour: The Friendship of Salem.

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7. Cape Cod   



The Cape curls round like an octopuses tentacle, protecting a simply beautiful bay that stretches from Marshfield, past Barnstaple and some fifteen historic little towns to Provincetown at the northern tip of the spit. This is one of the largest barrier islands in the world and the name is synonymous with excellent summer vacations. It has a very pleasant mild climate and over 900 kilometres of clean, sandy beaches and dunes, of which over forty miles are protected as national seashore with hiking trails that provide wonderful views. At Provincetown, you can go whale watching and see the now very rare North Atlantic Right whale, plus humpbacks, minke, sei and fin whales. All along the bay there is superb fishing for striped bass, marlin, tuna, bluefish, mahi-mahi and many more. Visit the islands, relax on the beaches and enjoy the laid back, low rise, historic environs.

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8. Freedom Trail, Boston   



No visit to Boston is complete without walking the 2.5 mile Freedom Trail to take in sixteen major historic sites. The red brick path is easy to follow from Bunker Hill Monument to Boston Common, or in reverse. Since the early Fifties this trail has helped millions of visitors walk easily between important landmarks, many of which can be visited free of charge. You will see Boston Common, the oldest public park in the USA; the Bulfinch-designed State House from 1798; Park Street Church with its 217 foot high spire; the moving Granary Burying Ground where the great and good of Boston from the seventeenth century on were buried; the Kings Chapel and its burial ground; Benjamin Franklin's statue and the Boston Latin School - the oldest public school in the States; the Old Corner Book Store which started as an apothecary in the early 1700s; the Old South Meeting House where the Boston Tea Party started; the Old State House where the British formerly ruled; the site of the Boston Massacre; Faneuil Hall - see above; Paul Revere's House, the Old North Church, Copp's Hill burial ground, the Bunker Hill Monument commemorating a major battle in the war for freedom from the British and finally the USS Constitution - in the harbour, the oldest warship still afloat from 1812. Few cities on earth offer so much history in such a short walking distance.

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9. Faneuil Hall, Boston   



Shopping and eating out in historical surrounds ... who could ask for more? Faneuil Hall was declared the "cradle of liberty” in 1742 and it combines the USA's ancestry with contemporary sophistry. For over 260 years, this has been a centre for Bostonians to meet, eat and greet. The marketplace is paved with cobbles, a bit like Covent Garden in the UK, where street entertainment is laid on and outside dining is the norm.  This tourist mall is just behind the Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park and is sometimes known as Quincy Market. There are more than forty unique eateries here are well as over one hundred shops.

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10. Plymouth Rock, Plymouth   



The 102 founding fathers of America landed at or near Plymouth Rock in the Mayflower in 1620. This is an absolutely iconic site in US history and no visit to Massachusetts would be complete without a stop here. Believe it or not, the rock itself - the first piece of solid land in the New World that the pilgrims stepped on - has, according to legend, been passed down through the generations and you can see it today, with the date 1620 carved into it. Though it has been chipped way by souvenir hunters in the nineteenth century, it remains a venerated object. Along the waterfront of this nice seaside town you can also see a full sized replica of the Mayflower, Plimouth Village and the wax museum. Plymouth is less than three quarters of an hour south of Boston, along the coast.


Massachusetts really is the cradle of American history, from the founding fathers who landed at Plymouth Rock through revolution to freedom from British reign. To miss the historic monuments would be a tragedy; to miss modern Boston would be similarly so. There is so much natural beauty here too on the coast and islands that you can enjoy a great vacation with something for every member of the family and every taste in recreation.