| Editor's
note: VisitingNewEngland.com is comprised of
native New
England
professional travel writers who give you the "inside scoop" on making
the most of your Massachusetts vacations. As lifelong
New Englanders, we write about the best Massachusetts travel tourist
attractions, well-known and hidden destinations, and some
truly amazing restaurants with a regional flair.
Ultimately, we give you
perspectives and information on Massachusetts travel that can't be
found anywhere else. Because we are paying travelers looking ourselves
for the best in Massachusetts vacations, we
pass along the best
trip planning information to you -- as if we were planning our own New
England vacation. Ultimately, we focus more on providing you "pure"
Massachusetts travel
information rather than marketing hype. Enjoy the travel essays and
tips on things to do, en route to your Massachusetts vacation!
Best
regards,
The
VisitingNewEngland.com travel essays team
Massachusetts
mixes country, ocean, great city life and history in a location
tailor-made for vacationing
by Eric H.
Massachusetts
has it all. Whether it's swimming in a Cape Cod
ocean, hiking in the
Berkshires, visiting the "Hub of the Universe"
known as Boston, taking a nice country drive through the Quabbin
Reservoir area, or visiting the great little towns and villages with a
deep sense of history, one could live in Massachusetts a lifetime and
not get to experience every special aspect of this special state.
Although
one of the smaller states in New England, Massachusetts is packed with
many
things to do for the tourist, perfect for repeated vacations. The most
obvious
starting point is Boston. From the European leanings of Newbury Street
to the festive shops and restaurants at Fanueil Hall, Boston is truly
the "Hub of the Universe." With over 40 academic institutions, the
magnificent Boston Common with masterful flower gardens, fine harbor
views, world class restaurants, the Italian-flavored North End, some
fascinating museums, the historic Freedom Trail, and a compact layout
tailor made for walking, Boston deserves an extended visit.
Cape
Cod
is a famous tourist destination, now more built for year-round
enjoyment -- why
deny yourself to its charm just one or two seasons of the year? Cape
Cod has three distinct personalities -- the commercial-laden miniature
golf, motels, hotels, candle shop mania on sectors of Route 28 in and
around Hyannis; the salt-air, tree-lined Route 6A hugging the ocean
with its captain's homes, fine New England restaurants and charming bed
and breakfasts; and the barren, expansive beaches found at the Cape Cod
National Seashore Park in towns like Eastham, Truro and Welfleet. What
that means is there are so many things to do for everyone within this
famed 70 mile
stretch. For those who say Cape Cod isn't what it used to be,
trip-back-in-time towns like Yarmouthport, Chatham and Brewster give us
the vision of true Cape Cod. For those who say Cape Cod is too boring,
Hyannis, Falmouth and Yarmouth offer endless retail and nightlife
possibilities. The bottom line is that there are sandy, warm water (for
New England) beaches, enough so that you can find your own spot, enjoy
the glorious moment, and start your trip planning to this famed
vacation land.
The
Berkshire Hills make for another top-notch Massachusetts tourist
destination. With over 90 lakes and 90,000 acres of recreational land
(golf, skiing, parks, etc.) within 45 miles north to south, the
Berkshire Hills are a favorite amongst Bostonians and New Yorkers. Home
of the famed Tanglewood Music Festival in Lenox, Mass., the Berkshires
appeal to vacationers with its rolling hills, farmland, all-American,
Norman Rockwell-type Main Streets (Stockbridge, Great Barrington, North
Adams, West Stockbridge to name a few). North Adams, in particular, has
enjoyed a wonderful turnaround, going from dumpy factory town to a
charming tourist destination with interesting shops set to beautiful
views of the surrounding mountains. Mount Greylock serves as the
region's official mountain, actually being the highest point in
Massachusetts at 3,491 feet. At Mt. Greylock, the dramatic and rather
scary hairpin turn affords views of Massachusetts, Vermont, New York,
Connecticut and New Hampshire. The Berkshire may not have the
spectacular mountains of the nearby Green Mountains, of Vermont, but
what it does have is true vacation appeal, courtesy of the lovely,
gentle, unspoiled towns.
Massachusetts
may have these major vacation destinations, but what really makes this
one of New England's best states are the small towns and villages that
give this compact state its true flavor. Towns like Petersham,
Templeton, Westminster, Rutland, Barre, and West Brookfield in the
middle and northern part of the state have no pretension or excessive
development, just a lot of nice old homes, village greens and farmland
that just goes to show that beyond the Boston suburbs begins the
predominant rural character of Massachusetts. Especially nice is
Quabbin Reservoir in the center of Massachusetts, where one can find a
truly natural setting and capture perfect solitude, save an occasional
eagle flying by.
On
the
more well known end, a stroll through historic Concord, including a
peaceful stroll around Walden Pond(Henry David Thoreau's former home),
or a day at a beach on the North Shore (Rockport, Gloucester, Ipswich,
Manchester-By-The-Sea, Newburyport) are a few more ideas to get your
Massachusetts vacation kicking into high gear.
We
encourage you to "travel Massachusetts" through our library--at
Visiting New England.com, native New Englanders bring you the best in
New England vacation planning and travel information with detailed
essays, reviews, tips and resources. We hope you enjoy browsing our
Massachusetts travel library and hope to see you travel New England
soon. Please feel free to e-mail
us with any questions, or sign our guestbook.
MASSACHUSETTS
FEATURE TRAVEL ARTICLES, VACATION TIPS AND RESOURCES
Massachusetts
Destinations - Great Towns and Cities
 Best Massachusetts travel
destinations
Hidden,
less-traveled Massachusetts destinations
Cape Cod vacation and travel fun in the
summer
Travel photo essay of
coastal Fairhaven and Mattapoisett,
MA
Why to Consider a
Vacation in the
Berkshires of Massachusetts.
Your Boston Travel and
Vacations Guide 40 reasons to visit Lexington and Concord MA
Photo
travel essay of Chatham, MA, a picturesque, traditional Cape Cod
community
Bedford, MA, an
underrated, classic New England small town.
North Easton
Village, MA, Video Tour
Photo
and travel essay of historic North Easton Village.
Walpole,
MA Road Trip Video
Salem's "lifestyles of the
witch and famous."
Photos
of the New Bedford Whaling District.
Spending a perfect day
in historic, unspoiled West Brookfield, MA
Photo
and travel essay of the West Brookfield, MA, Town Common.
Visiting
Downtown Plymouth, MA
Small
town
living in Massachusetts.
North
Attleboro offers
small town charm with city amenities.
Is Franklin, MA,
one
of the best places to live?
Lexington
and
Concord, MA, offer
a remarkable preservation and respect of Colonial America while keeping
a foot in the 21st century.
Small town charm in the southwest suburbs of Boston
A summer like walk through Bird Park in Walpole MA
Visiting Fairhaven, Mass., in the fall
Millis, Mass., is a beautiful New England small town
Visiting traditional Foxboro MA
How to vacation in Boston
during a recession.
Boston: a virtual guided tour,
from a local's perspective
Touring
the
Boston, MA, neighborhoods.
Fall photos of Concord
Small town charm in Holliston
Photos of Newbury St., Boston
Boston's unique ways.
Boston's urban greatness
Gloucester,
MA: A New England fisherman's community worth visiting.
Photo
Essay:Shelburne
Falls, MA, has small-town charm for all walks of life
The quaint
downtown Shelburne Falls, MA
Marion, Mass., is
one of Massachusetts' true hidden gems, a charming harbor town with an
old-fashioned feeling.
Oxford, Mass.
: A nice town to visit and a place you might want to live.
On the road in New
England: Downtown Norwood, Mass.
Visit
Newburyport, a classic seaside North Shore destination.
Scituate,
Mass., is an underrated community by the sea.
Rockport and the scenic North Shore make for a
great seaside alternative to Cape Cod.
Wakefield is one lucky
suburban Boston town to have Lake Quannapowwit (photo special).
Stockbridge, Mass., is a pure New
England community.
Introducing
the Boston-Plymouth Trip Planning Newsletter
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Massachusetts
Attractions (includes shopping)
Read
our New England tourist attractions page for the best things to do in
Massachusetts.
Shopping
at Legacy Place in Dedham, Mass.
Taking in a New England Revolution soccer game at Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Mass.
The Traditional New England
Lawtons Farm Stand in Foxboro, Mass.
Flint
Farm's Ice Cream Stand, East Mansfield, MA.
The
Charm of the Dedham
Community Movie Theater in Dedham, MA
Visiting Stony
Brook Reservation in Norfolk, MA
Lakeville, MA, farm features
stunning
Clydesdale horses.
The
pristine
Borderland
State Park,
in Easton and Sharon, MA.
The Nature
Trail and Ocean Spray Cranberry Bog at Patriot Place, Foxboro, MA.
Having
a "field day" at
The Hall at Patriot Place, honoring the New England
Patriots and football, in general, in New England in Foxboro, MA.
Lake Pearl Beach:
a jewel of a beach in Wrentham, MA
The Big E Fair,
West Springfield, MA (September event.
The Historic Franklin Public
Library in Franklin, MA
Burlington
Mall
Reflections
Boston
Summer Travel
Attractions
and Tour E-Tickets Information.
Life
is a Merry-Go-Round at
Nantasket Beach in Hull, MA.
West Concord 5 and 10 Brings
Shoppers Back to a Simpler Time.
A Scenic Hike by the Neponset
River, Suburban Boston.
Having a whale of a
good time at the New Bedford Whaling Museum.
The old-fashioned Wayside Country Store
in Marlborough, MA, brings back special memories.
Travel
Review and Photos of Patriot Place and Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
Lords Department Store
in Medfield, MA, recalls the days of Woolworth's and features an
authentic, operating luncheonette.
In search of
authentic chocolate at Shirley's Fine Chocolates in North Attleboro, MA
The
Brockton
Rox
offer a fun baseball game experience at Campanelli Stadium
in Brockton, MA.
The Shire Book Shop
in Franklin,
MA,
is
a book
lovers dream located in a historic mill building complex.
Brookfield Orchards
in Brookfield, Mass. goes beyond apple picking with a year-round
country store and bakery (including delicious homemade apple dumplings)
The top 30
Boston, MA, tourist attractions.
Bass
Pro Shops serves as a great outdoor store and major tourist attraction
in Foxborough, MA (Patriot Place at Gillette Stadium).
The amazing Automile in
Norwood, MA
The Massachusetts Holiday
Shopping
Guide and Blog --The meeting place for well-known and
hidden gem shopping places in the Bay State!
Fenway Park tours --
from a baseball and comic's perspective
Tangerini's Spring
Street Farm, in Millis, offers a rural respite from bustling
suburbia with beautiful farmland, an ice cream stand, flowers and
plants for sale, wonderful produce, a gift shop, pick your own fruit
and vegetables, a hiking trail and more.
Photo:The Bridge of Flowers,
Shelburne Falls, MA.
Photo:A long view of the Bridge
of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, MA.
Favorite miniature golf
courses in the Boston area.
Into the pumpkin patch,
Norfolk, MA
The Big Red Barn at Adams
Farm, Walpole, MA
Route One North in Saugus and Lynnfield is a strange
slice of Americana.
The Discovery Museums, of
Acton, Mass., encourages the wonderment of educational discovery
The Berkshires in
Massachusetts Make A Perfect Destination for an Antiques Road Trip.
Debra's
Natural Gourmet in West Concord, Mass., offers a healthy,
community-oriented approach to health foods and products.
Picturesque Marina
Bay in Quincy, Mass., offers the best of both worlds, as it
is rich in New England history and tourist appeal (dining, shopping and
harbor charm).
Career-changer
Andrea DiReda Taber finds her dream job by creating New England farm
fresh pies made from scratch at the
Ever So Humble Pie Company in
East Walpole, Mass.
What
it feels like to be on a Public
Garden swan boat ride,
and at the Prudential Skywalk
Observatory and Faneuil
Hall Marketplace.
A "revolutionary" place
to visit: The Old North Bridge in Concord, MA
A
perspective on the charming
Fenway
Park, Boston, MA
The Wrentham Village
Premium Outlets in Wrentham, Mass., offers a shopper's
paradise.
Biking
and hiking through
Massachusetts makes
for an ideal nature-oriented New England
vacation.
The Big Apple Farm,
Wrentham, Mass., makes apple picking fun
Bird
Park, in Walpole, Mass.,
is a true hidden New England gem.
The
Maynard Outdoor Store
brings back
the good old days of locally-owned shopping.
Belkin Lookout Farm
creates a unique apple picking
experience.
Plum Island is a hidden
Massachusetts gem on the northern Massachusetts coastline.
The Welfleet Drive In is a great
alternative to the 20 cinema mult-plex monsters.
Concord's Orchard House, Louisa May
Alcott's formr home.
Family vacations abound in
Massachusetts.
Southwick's Zoo is more fun
than a barrel of monkeys.
Find
the best New England downtowns in our "Centers of attention," series.
This month's debut article features Foxborough,
MA.
Orchard
House Museum, Concord, MA - An American treasure.
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Massachusetts
Dining
Main Street Cafe,
North Easton Village
ALLCANEAT in Randolph, Mass.,
goes against the grain by creating gluten-free breads, pizza
shells, cakes, cookies and more.
Five wedding,
reception and dinner
rehearsal venue sites in Norfolk County, southwest of Boston.
Fresh
Start Bakery
in Walpole, MA, upgrades the traditional bakery concept.
The Red Wing
in Walpole, MA, offers delicious fried clams, lobster rolls, pizza and
other great comfort dishes.
Don's
Diner,
Plainville, MA, is a classic, old-fashioned diner.
Massachusetts/Boston
Area
Restaurant Reviews Guide
Chopsticks,
Leominster, MA, will please fans of "Americanized"
Chinese food and big buffet stations.
Remember
the Alamo
Restaurant in Milford, MA, for wonderful Mexican-American
cuisine.
The Prince Restaurant in Saugus, MA, is
the king of family dining.
The Memphis Roadhouse in
South Attleboro, Mass.,specializes in
mouthwatering
barbecue, hickory-smoked ribs, steak, chicken and brisket. (CLOSED)
Colonial-style dining in
Massachusetts
Beckett's Pub,
Restaurant and Function Room makes a grand entry onto the Walpole,
MA, restaurant scene
Minas Cafe in
Norwood, MA, offers delicious Brazilian steakhouse cuisine.
Pier 18 Seafood and
Grille, East Bridgewater, Mass., specializes in lobster
dinners, lobster roll, clam chowder, fried and broiled seafood dinners,
and a delicious kale soup.
The Restaurant in Woburn, Mass.,
serves home cooking as straightforward as its name.
Guido's is a hometown favorite
traditional Italian-American restaurant in Walpole, MA
Christo's in Brockton, MA, is
"Home of the Greek Salad King."
Find
the best dining near Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., for New
England Patriots game day.
Sunday
morning brunch in New England shines at scenic Lake
Pearl Luciano's
in Wrentham, Mass.
The best Irish restaurants and
pubs in suburban Boston
Brigham's Ice Cream is a
beloved New England institition, known for some of the best ice cream
in the six-state region.
Somerville really does begin at the
Mt. Vernon Restaurant.
The Tavern from Tower Square in
Plainville, MA, transforms straightforward food into memorable,
tasty offerings at reasonable prices.
Traditional New England lives at
Longfellow's Wayside Inn restaurant.
Norwood,
Mass., has suddenly become the hotspot for Boston suburban
dining.
Read all about the best "cheap eats" restaurants in
Boston, Cambridge and eastern Massachusetts -- ideal for the
budget minded planning a New England vacation or natives looking for a
great bargain.
New
England restaurant critic Guy Bocabella "tells it like it is" by
reviewing the best "no
frills" restaurants in Massachusetts.
The best
pizza places in Massachusetts (and slightly beyond).
Country
Kitchen Donuts, in Walpole, MA, is a local favorite.
Special
nighttime memories at the 1761
Old Mill Restaurant.
Harry's Restaurant and Dairy Bar has been a
Metrowest favorite since 1946.
Santarpios: a favorite
Boston pizza joint for generations.
The Cocke 'n Kettle is a
fine New England tradition. (CLOSED)
Norfolk County's best
restaurants.
Amici's in Shrewsbury ended our bad
luck streak of poor dining experiences.
Italian restaurants with a
traditional flair.
The
Salem Cross Inn: a
classic New England restaurant.
Best and worst dining in Massachusetts
The 1761 Old Mill represents
true New England dining.
Colonial Inn, of Concord, has history
and wonderful cuisine
An amusing look at Arlington's
restaurant history
The great Massachusetts Chinese
restaurant tour
Massachusetts' great Chinese
restaurant tour.
Spruce Pond Creamery makes
heavenly ice cream.
White Farms Homemade Ice Cream is a great ice
cream stand and a trip back in time.
The joy of eating a Harrow's Chicken Pot
Pie.
Cabot's, of Newton, pleases ice
cream fans by staying open year-round.
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Massachusetts Hotels
Find hundreds of Massachusetts
Hotels
at discount rates -- book online through VisitingNewEngland.com.
Find Metro Boston, MA, Hotels for
Your Business Trips -- includes lodging in Boston
and surrounding suburbs near office and industrial parks.
The
Wachusett Village Inn in
Westminster, Mass., is perfect any time of the year.
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Massachusetts
Calendar
Massachusetts on a Budget at The Thrifty New England Traveler
Kayaking, canoeing at Quaboag River, Brookfield, Mass.
A fall walk around Walden Pond, Concord, Mass.
Three cheap travel tips for Salem, Mass.
Visiting the magnificent Millicent Public Library, Fairhaven, Mass.
Free and inexpensive museums in the Boston area
The free Cape Cod Canal Bike Trail
Hours of affordable fun at Richardson's Ice Cream Stand, Middleton, Mass.
Boston travel discounts
Check the New England calendar of
events section for key Massachusetts events and news.
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Massachusetts Trip
Planning Support
Have
a question about visiting Massachusetts? Ask the experts for
all your Massachusetts trip planning needs!
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Other Massachusetts
Articles and Resources
Nice, affordable places to raise a
family in eastern and central Massachusetts.
The 2007 Boston Red Sox are
World Series bound and world-class in team spirit, talent and
commitment to excellence.
A
small Massachusetts town recognizes its military veterans.
Walpole, Mass.,
Americans Little League all-stars and residents represent the best of
small town New England.
Special
"Memory Lane" feature: The greatest Boston, MA,
radio personalities of the 1960s and 1970s.
Arlington then and now.
Tourists
and New England natives, are you looking for something good to listen
to on the radio while driving around the Boston area? If so, then tune
into our Visiting New England.com
Boston
radio Hall of Fame.
Arlington's grand
past.
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Massachusetts Travel
Archives/Past Press Releases:
Bubbling Brook ice cream stand,
a southwest suburban Boston family tradition since 1951, to remain
open; rumors of closure untrue.
The Trustees of Reservations
offer a treasure trove of events in Massachusetts where you can get in
touch with Mother Nature.
Cape treks drives travelers through
Cape Cod with virtual tour guides
Historic inns, bed and
breakfasts, hotels in Massachusetts
Cape Cod spring and summer vacation
rental lodging guide 2006 -- Plan your Cape Cod
spring or summer vacation now before prime rentals are booked. Vacation
rentals are perfect for the family as they offer suite-type lodging
that has self-catering facilities (wet bar, refrigerator, microwave,
etc.).
The Eastern States Exposition
(The Big E), Sept. 15-Oct. 1, West Springfield, Mass.
Experience
the magic of First Night Boston
2006, a wonderfully entertaining New Year's Eve event.
It's
Big E
(Eastern States Exposition) time again as New England's autumn
tradition prepares to swing open its doors for 17 fun-filled says on
Sept. 16, 2005
7th
Annual Baystate Bridal Expo, Boston, Jan. 14-15th
Old Sturbridge Village captures the
Spirit of the Season in December
Old Sturbridge Village events
and general information, October-November 2005
Boston gears up for St.
Patrick's Day Celebrations in 2006
Check out the Boston Harbor
Hotel's 2006 free outdoor entertainment series.
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