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Boston, the state capital, is where to start making the most of Massachusetts. And what better way to begin exploring than by following the city's Freedom Trail? This iconic 4-km (2.5 mi) route connects 16 nationally significant historic sites and monuments, each one an authentic treasure, and serves as the perfect introduction to one of America's most attractive cities.
Among the buildings found on the trail is Faneuil Hall. Built in 1740-42 by Huguenot merchant Peter Faneuil as a market hall, this venerable edifice is often referred to as "the home of free speech" and the "Cradle of Liberty." Faneuil Hall hosted America's first town meeting and served as a venue for revolutionaries, and later for abolitionists.
One of the museum's more unusual exhibits is the Athenaeum Portrait, an unfinished painting by Gilbert Stuart of former United States President George Washington. Created in 1796, the painting served as the model for the engraving that would be used for the United States one-dollar bill.
One of the finest museums of its kind in the United States, Boston's Museum of Fine Arts houses more than 450,000 works of art, among them rare and precious ancient Egyptian treasures and an outstanding collection of Impressionist paintings.
Boston boasts another exceptional cultural institution by way of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The building is noted for its wonderful central courtyard decorated with fountains and flowering plants.
The museum's priceless collection of paintings, sculpture, and decorative art includes Sandro Botticelli's 'The Story of Lucretia,' painted between 1496 and 1504.
Continuing along the Freedom Trail will bring you to Boston National Historic Park and the USS Constitution. Launched in Boston in 1797, this is the oldest commissioned warship afloat and is still commanded and crewed by US Navy personnel.
Boston is home to Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. Set within the campus are the four Harvard Museums, each one distinguished with enviable collections of art.
The Old North Church stands on the site that launched the American Revolution. Built in 1723, it was here in April 1775 that lanterns were hung in the tower to alert silversmith and patriot Paul Revere (1735–1818) that British troops were marching on Lexington.
The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum commemorates a part of a famous event that forever changed the course of American history, the so-called Boston Tea Party. On the night of December 16, 1773, angry Bostonians protesting a tax on goods shipped to the colonies, stormed ships from England and threw the tea into the harbor. Replica ships and an engaging museum help recreate the moment.
Boston creates a splash with the New England Aquarium. Set on the waterfront, this fantastic sealife facility is home to more than 20,000 fish and aquatic animals representing over 550 species, including this colorful fella, a sea goldie.
John F. Kennedy was born in Brookline, part of the Boston metropolitan area. This excellent cultural facility is dedicated to the 35th US President and is the official repository for original papers and correspondence of the Kennedy Administration. The museum is open to the public and features numerous interactive displays like this one, a recreation of the 1960 US Presidential election results, with a televised Walter Cronkite broadcasting the historic moment to the nation.
Wander the narrow cobbled lanes of Boston's historic Beacon Hill and admire rows of red-brick homes built in Federal and Greek Revival architectural building style (pictured is Acorn Street). The north side of Beacon Hill features the Black Heritage Trail and the Boston African American National Historic Site.
Besides Harvard, Boston is home to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which is also ranked among the top academic institutions in the world. The MIT campus is a veritable canvas of sculpture and art installations, while the faculty buildings themselves represent the work of such noted architects as Eduardo Catalano, I. M. Pei, and Frank Gehry.
Beyond Boston, Massachusetts has a wealth of visitor attractions to satisfy your wanderlust. Cape Cod is a good place to start. The shoreline of this long, curvy peninsula is blanketed with soft golden sand and dotted with historic lighthouses including this one, the landmark early 19th-century Nobska Light.
Nobska Light is located at Woods Hole on the southwestern tip of Cape Cod, and for good reason. Woods Hole is one of the most dangerous passages in the area, known for its strong, unpredictable currents and many rocks.
The Pilgrims' vessel, Mayflower, has been faithfully reproduced as the Mayflower II, which is berthed at Plymouth Pier. Visitors learn about the historic voyage from costumed guides representing the passengers and crew.
Salem in Essex County is renowned for its collection of historic 17th and 18th century residential houses, decorated with period furnishings and appearing much as they did 300-plus years ago. But Salem is also known for one of the most notorious events in US history.
The Salem witch trials of 1692 were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts. Thirty were found guilty, 19 of whom were executed by hanging. Pictured is the home of Judge Jonathan Corwin, who presided over the deadly witch hunt. It's the only remaining building that's directly connected with the trials.
Occupying the mouth of Massachusetts Bay is the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Ranked among the top 10 whale-watching sites in the world, Stellwagen Bank is a pristine marine environment especially favored by humpback whales. These gentle giants can be admired by taking a whale-watching tour out of Gloucester or Provincetown.
Anyone interested in life in rural New England as it was in the 1800s should spend time in Old Sturbridge Village. A living museum of more than 40 historic homes, craft shops, stores, mills, and farm buildings, this is one of the state's most popular tourist attractions.
Located in Stockbridge, the Norman Rockwell Museum celebrates the life and work of one of America's most cherished artists. A New Yorker by birth, Norman Rockwell (1894–1978) lived for many years in Stockbridge. Pictured is the interior of his studio housed in the museum.
Minute Man National Historical Park, set in and around the towns of Lexington, Lincoln, and Concord, commemorates the opening battle in the American Revolutionary War. Pause at the Old North Bridge (pictured) where the first shots were fired.
Sources: (Britannica) (History) (Smithsonian Magazine) (National Park Foundation)
See also: Historic battlefields you should visit
Another location where you can glean a better understanding of New England's historic villages and countryside is found at Historic Deerfield, a museum dedicated to the heritage and preservation of colonial-era Deerfield.
Nobska Light also guards the approaches to Martha's Vineyard and Nonamesset Island. The 'vineyard,' in fact, constitutes six small towns, and the area is characterized by plush mansions owned by wealthy New York and Boston families.
Baseball fans can make a pilgrimage to the fabled Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since 1912. Catch a game or take a tour. Either way, Fenway makes for a fun-filled diversion even if you're not a sports fan.
Overlooking Copley Square is one of the world's great libraries, Boston Public Library. Built in 1848, this was the first publicly funded lending library in the country. Peep inside and marvel at the grand Renaissance-style architecture and a series of wall murals of exceptional beauty.
End your city sightseeing with a walk along Boston's HarborWalk footpath. Along the way, pause for a drink or a meal at any one of the bars and restaurants lining the cobblestone quayside.
Boston National Historic Park is also the location of the Bunker Hill Monument. The granite obelisk, 37 m (221 ft) in height, marks the hilltop site of the earthen fort built by New England soldiers prior to the Battle of Bunker Hill, which took place on June 17, 1775 and was the first major battle of the Revolutionary War.
Having been warned of the British advance on Lexington, Revere made his famous midnight ride from his home to alert the colonial militia. The Paul Revere House is the oldest remaining structure in downtown Boston and is the only official Freedom Trail historic site that is a home.
In December 1620, a group of around 100 men and women set sail from England for the New World aboard the Mayflower. They landed at Plymouth Rock and established the first permanent settlement of Europeans in New England. Today, this site is occupied by the living history museum known as Plimoth Patuxet (named for the the Patuxet, a Native American band of the Wampanoag tribal confederation). Here, visitors can immerse themselves in the ways and traditions of the early 17th century with historical reenactors recreating the colonial English community.
The US state of Massachusetts may be small, but what it lacks in size it packs in with variety. Massachusetts is one of the original 13 colonies and has preserved an extraordinary wealth of historic landmarks, some dating back to when the Pilgrims first settled in the New World. It's in Massachusetts that the first shots of the American Revolution rang out, and where Boston, the state capital, was declared the "home of free speech." Massachusetts is also distinguished for its plethora of charming old ports set on a coastline skirted with sandy beaches. Delve into the countryside and you're met by villages remarkable for their colonial-era architecture and yesteryear appeal. So, do you want to make the most of Massachusetts?
Click through for ideas of where to go and what to see.
Making the most of Massachusetts
Today is National Massachusetts Day
TRAVEL America
The US state of Massachusetts may be small, but what it lacks in size it packs in with variety. Massachusetts is one of the original 13 colonies and has preserved an extraordinary wealth of historic landmarks, some dating back to when the Pilgrims first settled in the New World. It's in Massachusetts that the first shots of the American Revolution rang out, and where Boston, the state capital, was declared the "home of free speech." Massachusetts is also distinguished for its plethora of charming old ports set on a coastline skirted with sandy beaches. Delve into the countryside and you're met by villages remarkable for their colonial-era architecture and yesteryear appeal. So, do you want to make the most of Massachusetts?
Click through for ideas of where to go and what to see.