State Love: Why Visit Massachusetts

Today we are continuing our State Love series with a guest post from Kelly.  Kelly writes the blog A Lovely Life, Indeed, and is one of our Massachusetts State Reps!

Massachusetts has it all. Each region of the Bay State has unique offerings that make it a destination on its own. Home to more than 100 colleges and universities, Massachusetts has a youthful demeanor that, like a university’s extracurricular activities board, has something for everyone. 

·       Visit Boston, Massachusetts’ capital. Walk the Freedom Trail and see historical sites made famous for their role in the American Revolution, like the Old North Church, Paul Revere’s house, the State House and the U.S.S. Constitution. Take a Duck Tour and hear the truth behind stories like the Great Molasses Flood of 1919. Tour Fenway Park or the Boston Garden. Sample the best Italian food in Boston’s “Little Italy,” the North End, or any of the other diverse neighborhoods and see why Boston is a foodie destination. Soak up the culture offered in the city’s museums, like the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stuart Gardener Museum. Get to know the city’s penguins and sea lions at the New England Aquarium and channel your inner Einstein at the Museum of Science and Omni IMAX Theater. Explore the waterfront and the Public Gardens. Take a ride on the Swan Boats in the spring and summer, or skate on the Frog Pond in the winter. Give your credit card a workout on Newbury Street and the shoppes of the Prudential Center and Copley Place. Cross the Charles River and explore Harvard University and the lively Harvard Square. Take the “T” to get around. Use your “Charlie Card” to use the color coded subway system; both user friendly and affordable.

·         The Western region of Massachusetts is known for their mountains, The Berkshires, and for the multitude of cultural opportunities provided by a vibrant theater and music scene. Museums, such as the Norman Rockwell Museum and the Eric Carle Museum, draw art aficionados, and music lovers bring blankets and picnic baskets with cheese and beverages to enjoy the Boston Symphony Orchestra and national stars like James Taylor under the stars at Tanglewood.  Hipster towns like Amherst and Northampton draw an eclectic mix of students, academics and free spirits, who can be found in the downtown shoppes, coffee houses and ethnic restaurants. The Big E, the New England regional agricultural fair, draws thousands every fall. If shopping is your thing, check out the outlets in Lee, or get your game on at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts’ 3^rd largest city.

·         Cape Cod, or, “The Cape,” on the elbow and hook of the state, is known for its National Seashore. The Cape is dotted with lighthouses, dunes, lighthouses and bluffs. It is a long-time vacation destination for beaches, antique shopping, delicious seafood, camping, whale watching, and bicycling along the car-free rail trails. Catch the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket, just off the Cape’s coast.

·         North of Boston and Cape Ann is comprised of towns such as Lowell, Gloucester, Salem and Newburyport. The area is known for its art galleries, museums, whale watches and seafood, a result of a rich fishing history. Salem, the site of the 17^th century witch trials and pirating history, draws thousands. Lowell, known for its industrial history, celebrates a rich music culture with a popular summertime folk festival and outdoor concerts along the Merrimack River.

·         In the South of Boston, or the South Shore, you can channel your inner pilgrim and tour the Mayflower replica and see Plymouth Rock. You can also tour the Ocean Spray plant and see how cranberries are grown and harvested. Travel on to New Bedford and learn about the Bay State’s rich whaling history and eat some of the best Portuguese food this side of Lisbon.

·         Central Massachusetts is home to the second largest city, Worcester. Worcester is known for its many colleges and universities. And the Hanover Theatre boasts national acts as well as a number of Broadway touring companies. Explore Old Sturbridge Village and see the workings of a 19^th century town, and if you like antiques? Check out Brimfield, home to the giant Brimfield Antiques show. Follow the Johnny Appleseed trail and explore a Shaker village. Sample wine at Nashoba vineyard and winery. Head farther west on Route 2 and explore the flagship Yankee Candle Company and the nooks and crannies of the Montague Book Mill. Don’t forget to get yourself a latte at any of the region’s independent coffee houses and bakeries.

Thanks for sharing these great Massachusetts travel tips with us Kelly!  Be sure to check out Kelly over at her blog, A Lovely Life, Indeed!

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