2. Franklin County and The Mohawk Trail
Here the back roads wind through charming villages and covered bridges. You can travel along the Mohawk Trail (now Route 2), a pathway created by Native Americans and later widened by settlers. It was the first scenic automobile route in America. There's white-water rafting here, as well as kayaking. Among the attractions here are: The Mohawk Trail; Deerfield Village's mile-long street lined with eighteenth-and nineteenth-century houses and home to Deerfield Academy; The Quinnetukut II at Northfield Mountain Recreation Area; Poets Seat Tower in Greenfield; The Yankee Candle flagship store in South Deerfield; The Bridge of Flowers; the old trolley bridge in Shelburne Falls; and the drive up the Notch Road to Mt. Greylock's summit. It's highest mountain in the state.
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3. Greater Springfield
Springfield, just north of Hartford, Connecticut is home to Six Flags New England and the brand new Basketball Hall of Fame. It was here that the game was invented. There's also lots of history, art, culture and science here. Among the attractions are: The new Basketball Hall of Fame; Six Flags New England; Springfield Quadrangle's art, science and history museums; The Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden; The bustling town of Northampton, home to Smith College; The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst; Amherst, where The University of Massachusetts and two of the region's nine private colleges are located; and Springfield's dazzling winter holiday spectacle, Bright Nights at Forest Park.
| GREAT PLACES TO VISIT IN GREATER SPRINGFIELD |
 | Fitzwillie's Restaurant > Steak, Seafood
23 Main Street . Northampton . Massachusetts 01060 | 413.584.8666
The Fitzwilly's story began in 1974 as an exercise in comfort, quality food, great service, and moderate prices, that would cause our customers to come back time and time again. For over 28 years, our commitment has not changed. We have watched the Pioneer Valley grow and change. Customers are "Old Friends" who have continued to return.
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4. Central Massachusetts
The region offers the best of typical New England with Sturbridge Village in the south and the state's second largest city, Worcester, to the north. Here rolling hills are punctuated by old-time Americana with quaint village, charming B&Bs and great things to see and do. Among the attractions are: Old Sturbridge Village (a NewEnglandTimes.Com favorite); The Worcester Centrum Centre and Mechanics Hall, which was where 19th-century orators Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, and Henry David Thoreau gave talks; The Worcester Art Museum; Worcester Common Outlets; The Fruitlands Museums in Harvard, where in the 1840s the Utopian community was founded by Louisa May Alcott's father; and The Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.
| GREAT PLACES TO VISIT IN CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS |
 | The Wachusett Village Inn . Westminster . Massachusetts > Spa & Resort
9 Village Inn Road . Westminster . Massachusetts 01473
Information: 978.874.2000 Reservations: 800.342.1905 | Contact the inn | Website: http://www.wachusettvillageinn.com
The Wachusett Village Inn features a true country inn atmosphere with a wide variety of accommodation options. Whether you're looking for a romantic weekend getaway, attending a business meeting, visiting family or friends, a superb massage or just passing through the area, each room offers all the comforts of home.
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5. The Greater Merrimack Valley
Here the American Revolution and the American Industrial Revolution meet amidst old houses, Paul Revere's ride and old brick mills and factories. This is where Lexington and Concord, the two towns that became the focal points in the earliest days of the Revolution, are located. There's a lot of history here. It's also home to Walden Pond. Among the attractions are: The Lowell National Historical Park, where you can take tours of the canal and lock system and cotton mills; The New England Quilt Museum; the sculpture park where a statue of Jack Kerouac can be seen; The Lowell Folk Festival; Walden Pond, where Henry David Thoreau spent time in nature; re-enactments of the battle on Lexington Green; and the homes of Concord luminaries Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne.
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6. North of Boston
A diverse region, the shoreline here offers long, sandy beaches, fishing ports and beautiful harbors. It's a great place to sail, golf, hike, bike and engage in a wide range of recreational sports. It's also home to Salem, the site of the infamous witch trials. Among the attractions are: Salem, the site of the witch trials in the 1690s and and the Nathaniel Hawthorne's House of Seven Gables; The Peabody Essex Museum; Marblehead, a premier sailing centers; Gloucester, the qunitessential fishing port and departure point for four whale watch excursions; Motif #1, a fishing shack in Rockport harbor; Essex, an antique hunter's dream place and home of the first fried clam; Newburyport's High Street, where early-American mansions were built by wealthy sea captains and merchants; Plum Island nature preserve; and Salisbury Beach State Reservation.
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7. Boston and Cambridge
Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, has perhaps the most colonial history, intertwined with its modern, urban characteristics, of any city in New England. A ride on the "T" trolly or a walk through the bustling streets with introduce you to a friendly, attraction filled city. Among its many attractions are: The Freedom Trail, a shining emblem of the American Revolution; The Black Heritage Trail, the nineteenth-century black community area on Beacon Hill; The Public Garden's famous swan boats; Cheers Beacon Hill, the inspiration for the television show "Cheers"; The Boston Symphony Orchestra; the Boston Ballet; national and local theater productions; The Museum of Fine Arts; The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum; The Institute of Contemporary Art; The John F. Kennedy Library and Museum; The FleetCenter, home to the Celtics and the Bruins; Fenway Park, home to the Red Sox; Gillette Stadium, home to the World Champion New England Patriots; The FleetBoston Pavilion; The New England Aquarium; The Museum of Science and its Omnimax Theatre; Children's Museum; and harbor excursions and whale watch trips.
Across the Charles River is Cambridge, where culture and scholarship mix. Here is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University, the nation's oldest university. Among its attractions are: Harvard Square; Harvard, Central, and Inman squares; The Longfellow National Historic Site, which served as George Washington's Revolutionary War headquarters and the home of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; and sunset cruises on the Charles River with the Charles River Boat Company.
| GREAT PLACES TO VISIT IN BOSTON AND CAMBRIDGE |
 | Faneuil Hall
Boston . Massachusetts
Faneuil Hall has served as a marketplace and a meeting hall since 1742. Funding was provided by a wealthy merchant, Peter Faneuil, for the construction and local artisan to create the grasshopper wheathervane that still perches on the building's cupola. Inspiring speeches by Samuel Adams and other patriots were given that eventually lead to independence from the British. |
 | Beantown Whale Watch
Boston . Massachuusetts 25437 1 800-555-1254
Beantown Whale Watch offers four (4) hour tours. We guarantee whale sightings or you will recieve a free ticket to cruise with us again. Whale Watching returns on Satruday, May 24, 2003. Please see our schedule for available dates and times. |
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8. Bristol County
Gaslights and cobblestones give a generous glimpse of the region's whaling history. It's in Bristol County is home to New Bedford, the Whaling Capital of the World. Not far from New Bedford is Fall River, once a center of textile manufacturing. Among the many attraction here are: The New Bedford Whaling Museum; Seamen's Bethel, the famous chapel that inspired Herman Melville's Moby-Dick; The schooner Ernestina, a 100-year-old ship and arctic explorer; Fall River's discount outlet stores; Battleship Cove, featuring WWII battleship USS Massachusetts; The Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts; and Horseneck State Reservation.
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9. Plymouth County
This is where it all began when the Pilgrims set foot on Plymouth Rock in 1627. Plymouth is often called "America's Hometown," and the historical attractions here are fascinating. Among the attractions are: Plimoth Plantation, a living-history museum; Mayflower II, a full-scale reproduction of the ship that brought the Pilgrims to America during a 66-day voyage; Whale watch cruises from Plymouth harbor; Edaville USA's Cranberry World exhibit; and The Art Complex Museum in Duxbury.
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10. Cape Cod
Despite the perception that this is a summer-only spot, Cape Cod is considered Massachusetts' year-round play ground. The windswept dunes, gorgeous beaches, hiking and biking trails, surf, delicious, fresh seafood, great gold courses and weathered-grayed houses make this a must-visit region. Among the attractions are: Sandwich, which is the Cape's oldest town; Heritage Museums & Gardens; The National Marine Fisheries Aquarium and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Woods Hole; The John F. Kennedy Museum in Hyannis; The Cape Cod Rail Trail; Chatham Light; Chatham's Town Pier; The 27,000-acre Cape Cod National Seashore; Provincetown on the tip of the Cape; and Whale watch trips from Barnstable and Provincetown.
| GREAT PLACES TO VISIT IN CAPE COD |
 | Blue Heron Cove B & B Wellfleet
260 Blue Heron Road . Wellfleet . Massachusetts 02667 | 508.349.0021
E-Mail: blueheron@gis.net
Blue Heron Cove B & B is a deluxe waterfront home on the shores of a tidal
marsh overlooking 1100 acres of Wellfleet's Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary and
Cape Cod Bay! We have fabulous water views from every room in our 4000 sq.
ft. home! We offer superior accommodations with fabulous antiques, privacy
and comfort! Our 2 overly spacious rooms are on the second floor each with
a private bath. Our guests can enjoy spectacular birding year round! |
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Harbor House Inn
119 Ocean Street . Hyannis . Massachusetts 02601 | 1.800.211.5551 508.771.1880 | E-Mail: stay@harborhouseinn.net | Website
The Harbor House Inn consists of eighteen mini-suites and our honeymoon unit - the Harbor Suite. New for 2004 - in order to enhance your cape visit, we have developed self-guided car tour CDs and cassette tapes for our guests (like the ones at Gettysburg, art galleries, etc.) free of charge. These tours will allow you to visit each of the Cape's unique areas on your own terms!
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11. Martha's Vineyard
New England's largest island offers serenity on its sandy beaches, pine forests, rolling hills and quaint, New England towns. Of course, if you don't want to take it easy, there's lots to do on foot or bike, as well as swimming. Among the attractions are: Oak Bluffs, the site of the Methodist campground; The Flying Horses, the oldest working carousel in the U.S.; Vineyard Haven; Edgartown; and The Aquinnah Cliffs.
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12. Nantucket Island
Leave the car on the mainland and take the ferry to this wonderful and inviting island where it's easier to get around on fot or bike. The beaches are spectacular and the lighthouses are a wonderful things to see. Among the attractions are: Nantucket Town, in which are wonderful old sea captains' houses on cobblestone streets; The Whaling Museum; Straight Wharf harbor cruises; The Daffodil Festival; The Cranberry Harvest; and Nantucket Noel, a winter celebration.
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Beaches
Massachusetts is famous for its many beaches. While it may not have a coastline as long as Maine's, there's plenty of water sport opportunity: swimming, fishing, sailing, kayaking, seakayaking, bird- and and whale-watching are but a few of the many activities available. See regions 6,7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12.
Lakes
Lakes are abundant in Massachusetts and offer all types of water sports activities. See all regions.
Mountains
The mountains in Massachusetts are mostly in the western portion of the state. See regions 1, 2 and 3.
Rivers
The are rivers in every region of the state.
Woodlands
Most of the state has woodlands, but they are densest in the western section of the state. See regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
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