Best Places to Visit in Massachusetts
With a population of around 7 million habitants, Massachusetts is a state in the north-eastern part of the USA. Boston is the state capital and is also the largest city and metro in the state. Massachusetts is known for flaring the American Industrial Revolution during the 19th century. Presently, the state is a renowned international head in terms of education, economy and technology. Some of the world’s leading universities are also situated here, including Harvard University and MIT. Moreover, there are various tourist destinations and vacation spots within the state which draw millions of visitors each year.
10) Faneuil Hall
Originally constructed in the 1740s, the Faneuil Hall is a notable destination in downtown Boston. Anciently, the place was used as a gathering site for public meetings, demonstrations, political rallies and speeches. At present, Faneuil Hall is one of the most visited tourist sites in the whole USA. It has transformed into a marketplace with hundreds of retail stores, restaurants and architectural stockpiles. The marketplace offers a unique experience of joyous shopping and the market halls are filled with lively shoppers and tourists. Memorials and paintings of ancient battles and arms are also preserved in a museum, built inside the Faneuil Hall.
9) Cape Cod Beach
A small peninsula located in east-Massachusetts, Cape Cod has become a popular vacationers’ haven. Throngs of tourists rush to its shorelines when the summers begin. The white-sand beaches present terrific vacation and amusement sites for the visiting people. Apart from fishing, boating, swimming and trail-walking, the beaches provide for marvelous surfing and scuba-diving experience with picturesque landscapes to view. Nature buffs would surely be interested in the bird filled estuaries and observing sea whales spilling water nearby. Fantastic sea-food is available and the lighthouses add further beauty to the charming environment.
8) Tanglewood Concerts
Tanglewood is a music site located in the west of Massachusetts. It is a venue which offers a variety of entertainment sessions including music concerts, theatre plays and classic feasts. Accommodating three music schools, Tanglewood has been a home to the highly-admired Boston Symphony Orchestra since the 1930s. Annually, a music festival is held at Tanglewood Concerts in which musician groups, ranging from university students to top-class performers, take part to represent world-renowned programs of classical, jazz and pop music.
7) Martha’s Vineyard
Called as ‘The Vineyard’, this island is located near Cape Cod and has a year-round population of 20,000 residents on average. The island has become a beloved summer dominion for many tourists. In fact, many renowned celebrities visit Martha’s Vineyard in summers for vacations and family recreation. No automobile transportation is available; therefore tourists take ferries and passenger boats to reach the island. Within the isle, small towns are constructed where visitors can find lighthouses, cottages, guest-houses and restaurants. The beautiful beaches and the splendid panoramic views from the cliffs make up for a heavenly island-life experience.
6) Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a ballpark in Boston, Massachusetts. Established in 1912, the baseball stadium is the official home-ground of the highly famous Boston Red Sox with a seating capacity of 38,000 fans. Fenway Park is the oldest baseball field in MLB and has been renovated several times. Over the years, it has hosted the World Series for ten times. Besides baseball matches, the park holds several other sporting events such as soccer and hockey games as well as concerts and cultural campaigns. Tourists, especially baseball devotees, can take up guided tours within the park to gain knowledge regarding this historic place.
5) Old Sturbridge Village
Old Sturbridge Village is a unique living history museum in the city of Sturbridge. Spanning over 200 acres, the village refurbishes the life of late 1700s and early 1800s. Old Sturbridge Village consists of obsolescent buildings, mills, boutique shops and farmhouses. In the modern times, it has become a very popular tourist attraction and an educational field site. The place allows the visitors to immerse themselves in the ambiance of the surroundings and explore local rural history of the village, while riding along on a horse cart. Numerous exhibits are also available which bring life to the antiquity of the place.
4) Norman Rockwell Museum
Norman Rockwell Museum is an art museum located in the Stockbridge. It is dedicated to one of the most fancied painters in American history, Norman Rockwell. The structure was established in 1969 on the spot where Norman spent 25 years of his life. Currently, the museum sustains the world’s largest collection of the artist’s works. Hundreds of artifacts, portrayals, paintings and writings are preserved in the museum. Visitors can take part in interactive exhibits and displays to learn more about the legendary artist.
3) Cambridge
Cambridge is a city in the metro area of Boston and home to the two most prestigious universities in the world: Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The city of Cambridge is internationally recognized as an intellectual center of higher education, research, and biotechnology. Thousands of brilliant students and scholars from both foreign lands as well as from different states of the country visit these institutions for higher studies and research. The majestic university campuses along with their reputable museums and libraries also attract millions of tourists annually.
2) Nantucket
It is an island located a dozen miles from Cape Cod and is a part of the Town of Nantucket. The island has historical significance and has been around for centuries. Today, it is an extremely favored tourist destination. During the summers, the population of the isle rises 5 times as thousands of visitors and wealthy citizens are lured to the beautiful vacation spot. Nantucket offers quiet harbors, cliffs, white-sand beaches, splendid lighthouses, and scintillating mansions. Family recreation spots are also established at different places. Moreover, annual cultural festivals are held in the isle to celebrate its rich history.
1) Freedom Trail
The Freedom Trail is one of the most frequently visited sites in Boston. It is a 4-km long, red-lined trail which winds through the narrow streets of the city to connect 16 landmarks that are iconic to the history of the country. The Freedom Trail takes its visitors past monumental structures which include museums, meetinghouses, graveyards, churches and frigates of the Colonial America. Guidelines are embedded onto the pathway which offers a great experience of learning about and exploring the rich history of the American Revolution. With millions of visitors annually, The Freedom Trail is the foremost goal for any tourist visiting the state of Massachusetts!
