Want to know the 5 best things to do in Massachusetts?
I’ve put together this list of five best things to do based on my experiences after spending summer vacations visiting various places and sites throughout the state.
Massachusetts is known for many things, least of which are the beautiful fall colors people around the world travel to New England to see.
But what if the leaves aren’t changing or you’re into more than just scenic byways?
What should you add to your travel itinerary during your visit?
These five things are a mixture of experiences that will appeal to a variety of travelers and are guaranteed to help make your trip the best one ever!
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1. Drive to the tip of Cape Cod and have dinner on the beach
Whenever I think of Cape Cod, it brings to mind lobster and clambakes, lighthouses, and beautiful ocean views.
Make the most of the beautiful drive along the peninsula and top it off with a lobster clambake on the very tip of Cape Cod.
At Race Point Beach you can enjoy views of the Gulf of Maine to the north and Cape Cod Bay to the west.
Stop off in Provincetown and pick up your dinner to go from the Lobster Pot and have a Cape Cod lobster/clambake experience on the beach while taking in the views and enjoying amazing fresh seafood.
They have a great wine list and even signature dishes for those not into seafood.
It’s a great way to enjoy the afternoon and evening and one you’ll be talking about for years to come!
From Boston, Provincetown is only a 2 ½ hour drive or 90 minutes by ferry.
While in Provincetown be sure to check out Commercial Street with its shops and galleries.
As the oldest continuous artist’s colony in the United States, there’s plenty to see and do in Provincetown including several festivals held year-round.
2. Visit Salem
The next stop on my 5 best things to do in Massachusetts is to spend the day in the town of Salem.
Salem is the site of the 1692 witch trials and is also designated as the birth place of the National Guard.
A beautiful town, rich in history and architecture, Salem is worthy of a stop on your itinerary.
Here are a list of places you should visit.
One place you should check out is the Corwin House.
Located at 310 Essex Street, the Corwin House is the only building in Salem open to visitors that can claim ties to the Witch Trials.
Judge Corwin lived in the house during the trials and presided over many of them.
Tours are available daily 10am-5pm and you can buy tickets online here.
The House of Seven Gables
Take a guided tour of the house built by John Turner in 1668 and made famous by Nathanial Hawthorne’s book.
You can even check out the secret staircase! Admission is required. Order tickets online.
The Peabody Essex Museum
If you’re into maritime art, you should visit the Peabody Essex Museum.
This is one of the best collections of art and architecture you’ll find exhibiting 300 years of American life.
You’ll also find the original court documents for the Salem Witch Trials in the Phillips Library.
For more information check out their website.
Pickering House
Salem’s oldest house, built in 1651 by John Pickering.
The Pickering family has lived in the home for over 350 years and it’s the oldest known home to a single family in the U.S.
Check out their website for admission, events, pictures, and even how to rent the house for special events.
Salem Witch Museum
This museum is Salem’s most visited museum and presents information surrounding the trials in an informative and captivating manner.
Check out their website for more details, tour times, and admission tickets.
If you plan on staying overnight in Salem, you should consider staying at the Salem Inn.
It’s an historic inn located in downtown Salem and serves a complimentary breakfast.
We didn’t get a chance to stay here, but it was on our list and the reviews give it 4.5 stars.
If you do decide to give it a try, let me know what you think!
3. Visit the site of the Mayflower’s landing in Plymouth.
Massachusetts is the site of so many of our nation’s “firsts” and Plymouth adds to this list.
The site of the Mayflower’s landing in 1620, Plymouth is the site of the Pilgrims colony, the location of the “First Thanksgiving” in the winter of 1621, and the Pilgrim Hall Museum is the oldest continually operating museum in the country.
Downtown Plymouth is beautiful as it spans around Plymouth Harbor, where the Mayflower landed.
Sites you shouldn’t miss here include Plymouth Rock, Plimoth Plantation, and the Mayflower II. If you’re interested in original American architecture, be sure to check out the Howland House and Sparrow House.
Plymouth Rock
Plymouth Rock at the Pilgrim Memorial State Park in Massachusetts. Photo credits: The Traveling Dragonfly
Located on the shores of the harbor at Pilgrim Memorial State Park, you’ll find the large granite boulder with the date 1620 inscribed on it.
Stories differ regarding the actual role of the boulder.
Some believe it to be the actual landing site of the Mayflower where the pilgrims first stepped onto the land of their new colony.
Others believe it to be the boulder the ship was tied to.
According to other stories, one of the descendants of the original colonists named the rock as the landing place of the pilgrims nearly 100 years after they did so.
Regardless of its actual origin, it is an interesting site and it represents the courage and bravery of 130 individuals who left their homes to board a ship and make a new life across a vast ocean over 400 years ago.
Plimoth Plantation
An authentic recreation of the original settlement, visitors can walk down the village street and get an idea of what life must have been like all those centuries ago.
Actors carry out tasks and conversations representative of 17th century Plymouth and nearby is the small village of the Wampanoag Indians who helped the pilgrims survive their first winter.
It’s a great experience for kids and adults alike!
Mayflower II
A replica of the original Mayflower is docked in Plymouth Harbor. You can go aboard and discover how the pilgrims crossed the ocean from England.
You can explore the decks and imagine being one of 130 people aboard the ship for the seven- to nine-month voyage more than 400 hundred years ago.
Check out the website for hours and ticket information.
Howland House
At 33 Sandwich Street, you’ll find the only house still in existence lived in by original pilgrim colonists.
Built in 1667, today it contains period antiques and artifacts owned by the family.
You can read more about the house and the Howland Society on their website.
Sparrow House
Older than Howland House but not built by original Mayflower voyagers, the Sparrow House was built in 1636 by Richard Sparrow who arrived in Plymouth with his family in 1633.
The Sparrow House is a great example of 17th century living conditions for the more affluent members of the colony, with its lead glass windows and paneled walls.
4. Take a deep-sea fishing trip out of Gloucester
For something a bit different, the next thing you should consider doing during your time in Massachusetts is visiting Gloucester and taking a deep-sea fishing trip.
I love to fish (even if I’m not catching anything!) and we were able to book a fishing trip with Kevin O’Malley and Connemara Bay Fishing Charters.
Kevin was amazing. He actually picked us up from our campsite and drove us to Gloucester harbor and his fishing boat.
We booked a private six-hour fishing charter and with the four of us plus Kevin and his first mate, we had an awesome time.
Unfortunately, the fish just weren’t biting that morning, but it was amazing to be out on the water 40 miles off shore.
If you decide to book a tour with Kevin and are lucky enough to catch fish, you have the option of taking your catch to the Lobsta Land Restaurant where they’ll cook your catch for you!
There is nothing better than eating fresh seafood you’ve caught yourself within minutes or hours of landing it!
Things to make sure to bring with you:
- jacket for chilly mornings on the water
- shoes you don’t mind getting wet
- rain gear (if there’s even a slight chance of rain)
- hat
- sunglasses
- sunscreen
- lunch cooler with food and drinks
- cell phone charger to make sure your phone is ready to catch you reeling in “the big one”!
- Make sure you pack everything in a dry bag as there’s a chance your bag could get wet.
5. Walk the site of “the shot heard around the world”.
The last item in my 5 best things to do in Massachusetts list is to visit the Minute Man National Historic Park in Lincoln.
This battlefield marks where the first battles of the Revolutionary War occurred on April 19, 1776.
Spanning from Lexington, west to Lincoln and north to Concord, the park encompasses over 1000 acres and showcases the battles of Lexington and Concord between the British and the Minute Men Militia.
You can follow much of the original trail taken by the Minute Men by hiking the five-mile Battle Road Trail.
This is the route where much of the fighting took place between 1,700 British soldiers and nearly 4,000 colonials.
There are also presentations given by park rangers detailing the events and information about the area.
Check the national park website for times and locations.
Visiting the park is free and it’s open from sunrise to sunset, daily.
So where do you want to visit on your next trip: Cape Cod, Plymouth, Salem, Lexington/Concord, or Gloucester…or all of them?
I hope this list helps you to plan your next visit to Massachusetts and gives you ideas of things to do that you may not have run across or considered before.
If you do decide to do any or all of the suggested things on this list, leave me a comment below telling me of your experience! I’d love to hear from you! Check out my list of essentials for your next road trip!
If you’re interested in visiting other state parks, check out Cayo Costa State Park in Southwest Florida!
Happy exploring and enjoy embracing your inner dragonfly!
