Places Near Boston

Lexington and Concord make for an interesting day trip out of Boston. The site of the first armed battle of the Revolution, Lexington is steeped in history. Visit the Battle Green, the Buckman Tavern and the Hancock-Clarke House -- resonant with the memories of the revolutionaries who sacrificed their lives for their country. Stop by at the Minuteman National Historic Park where Paul Revere's ride is reenacted annually.

Move on to neighbouring Concord, interesting both for its association with the Revolution as well as several eminent literary figures such as Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

If the cityscape of Boston gets too much, escape to Plymouth, forty miles to the south, where the first Pilgrims landed in 1620 and established their homes. A replica of Mayflower, the ship they arrived in lies in town and has costumed guides who take you back in time. Stop by at the Plimouth Plantation where the original Pilgrim Village and the Native American settlement of that time have been recreated in great detail.

To the north of Boston is the pretty North Shore area with many port towns such as Marblehead, Cape Ann, Lynn, Gloucester and Rockport. Each of these towns have their own special features -- Marblehead with its winding streets and old houses, Cape Ann for whale watching, Salem for its interesting Salem Witch Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum, Rockport for its arts and crafts.