Introducing Massachusetts Regions

Massachusetts is more than the Red Sox, the Freedom Trail, or Plimoth Plantation. There are the artists who make their home by the beaches of Massachusetts' North Shore, the small art galleries of Nantucket, and the comedy shows of Cambridge.  Historic homes and mansions are scattered throughout the state, mountains line the state's western border, and some of New England's best beaches can be found along Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha's Vineyard.

Boston & Cambridge

Boston, otherwise known as old "Bean Town," is New England's hub of business, culture, dining, and nightlife. In the 1600s, the Pilgrims' settlement grew into the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Puritan ideals lingered decades longer, giving birth to phrase "Banned in Boston." Today, the Freedom Trail marks spots significant in Boston's early history, including the Bunker Hill monument, the Old Granary Burial Ground, and the Old North Church.

Cambridge, a city known for individualism, liberalism, and creative expression, is across the river from Boston. Centuries ago, Gen. George Washington took control of the colonial troops on Cambridge Common and set up headquarters nearby while planning strategy in the war against the British. Today spicy foods, nightlife, arts, and many ethnic fairs and festivals are top attractions. Harvard Square and the city's many other neighborhoods are filled with small shops and eateries. Harvard University and MIT are also major attractions.
Boston & Cambridge Guide

Cape Cod & the Islands

Every May, Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha's Vineyard wake up after a winter slumber. Thousands of padlocked restaurants and shops are opened and aired out for a busy summer season. Visitors come for the beaches, lighthouses, lobster, shopping, and arts. Two main routes run along Cape Cod. 6A. One called Old King's Highway runs parallel to the northern coastline and is packed with gift and artist shops and traditional New England-style bed & breakfasts and inns. Route 28, further south, connects to the beach areas overlooking Nantucket Sound. The waves tend to be bigger along the southern coast, and the Hyannis area is where many of the Cape's nightclubs are located. The Cape Cod National Seashore, a 90-mile federally protected stretch of coastal land, trails, and beaches, runs from Chatham to Provincetown.
Cape Cod & the Islands Guide

North of Boston

Salem's witches, rocky coastlines, whale watches, seafood, historic sites, and art colonies are some of what comes to mind when thinking about Massachusetts' North Shore. The area about 40 miles north of Boston was once Salem Village, but is now a mix of working-class and suburban neighborhoods, fishing towns, and mansions that serve as summer vacation resorts for the wealthy. It is the home of Rocky Neck Art Colony, the first working artists colony in America, and Gloucester, America's first seaport.
North of Boston Guide

South of Boston

Wouth of Boston, a region sandwiched between Cape Cod and Boston, has lighthouses, beaches, business centers. The Pilgrims settled centuries ago in Plymouth, and today Plymouth Rock, Plimoth Plantation, and the Mayflower are memorials to the nation's past. The beach towns near Cape Cod are also summer vacation spots for many families.
South of Boston Guide

West of Boston

In the bedroom communities west of Boston are old towns made famous in history books.  Battles that launched the American Revolutionary War were fought in Lexington and Concord.  Authors and philosophers, including Louisa May Alcott and Henry David Thoreau, lived in Concord.  Waltham, an early center of industry in the New World, is now a thriving community with technology companies and quality restaurants.
West of Boston Guide

Central Massachusetts

The towns of Central MA, which was the birthplace of John Chapman (better known as Johnny Appleseed) are still favorites for an afternoon of apple picking, foliage drives, or hayrides. The area has an abundance of trees and farmland, small antique and country stores, and fresh fruit stands. Worcester, the state's second largest city, is in the center of this region, and the Old Sturbridge Village further south offers a glimpse of past ways of living.
Central MA Guide

Western Massachusetts

The Berkshire mountains, arts, and small-town life make Western Massachusetts a desirable vacation spot. Attractions include the Norman Rockwell Museum, the small town of Shelburne Falls with its "Bridge of Flowers," and the historic Mohawk Trail. The area is also a center for arts, with Mass MoCA and Tanglewood, the Boston Pops summer venue, considered popular attractions.
Western MA Guide