The Ultimate Massachusetts Travel Guide
Massachusetts: Beautiful beach towns, stunning lighthouses, ample beach access, rich historical and cultural heritage, famous college town, and the infamous witch trials of Salem make Massachusetts a popular tourist destination in the US. There is a lot to see and do in Massachusetts! Here is my Massachusetts travel guide, outlining the major attractions in Massachusetts!
To make it easy for you to navigate the content, I have organized my Massachusetts travel guide into two sections. (1) A brief introduction to Massachusetts, a little history, some geography, commute, and weather. (2) Major Massachusetts attractions, if you wish, you can skip the introduction and move on to the next section, Massachusetts Attractions.
History: Massachusetts was admitted to the union as the 6th state on February 6, 1788. This state was named after the Massachusetts Indians who lived in the region, the native Indian word Massachusetts means “large hill place.” The state’s nickname, the Bay State or the Old Bay State, is in reference to the Cape Cod Bay, where the early settlements were made in Massachusetts. The Pilgrims came ashore in 1620, and Massachusetts became the site of the first Thanksgiving in the fall of 1621.
Geography: Massachusetts occupies 8,257 square miles in area, and almost half of the state is covered in forest. Massachusetts is bordered by New Hampshire and Vermont in the north. In the south, Massachusetts is bordered by Connecticut and Rhode Island. To the east lies the Atlantic Ocean and to west Massachusetts bordered by New York.
Getting There
Flight: Gen. Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport (BOS), Barnstable Municipal Airport (HYA), Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK), and Worcester Regional Airport (ORH) are the main airports in Massachusetts, BOS being the busiest and economical of all.
Drive: If you live in any of the neighboring northeastern states, you could easily drive to Massachusetts.
Train: Amtrak offers several rail services in Massachusetts, including Acela Express (Washington-Baltimore-Wilmington-Philadelphia- Newark-New York-New Haven-Providence-Boston), Northeast Regional (Richmond-Washington-BWI-Baltimore-Wilmington- Philadelphia-Trenton-Newark-New York-New Haven-New London-Providence-Boston), Lake Shore Limited (Chicago-Cleveland-Buffalo-Boston/New York), Springfield Shuttle (Washington-New York-New Haven-Wallingford-Meriden- Berlin-Hartford-Windsor Locks-Springfield), Vermonter (daily Washington-Philadelphia-New York-New Haven-Berlin-Springfield- Essex Junction-St. Albans), Downeaster connecting – Brunswick, Portland, and Boston.
Climate: Summers are mild in Massachusetts, with temperatures ranging between 70°F – 85°. Winters are very cold with heavy snowfall. Spring is muddy, and with comfortable temperatures towards the later part of the season and autumn has mostly pleasant temperatures, but temperatures drop significantly towards the end of the season. Check current weather conditions in Massachusetts.
Time zone: Eastern Daylight Time UTC-4
Getting around: I recommend renting a car, but if you’re planning to just stick to Boston City, you could use one of many public transportation options offered by Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA): subways, buses, trolley cars, and ferry services.
Best Places To Visit in Massachusetts
Boston is the capital and most populous city in Massachusetts. It’s full of charm, rich history, diverse neighborhoods, legacy of arts, culture, college town, beautiful waterfront views, and much more.
Salem is a city on the north coast of Massachusetts, known for its 1692 witch trials and is home to history and art museums, Salem Witch Museum and the real House of the Seven Gables.
Is a hook-shaped peninsula of Massachusetts, a popular summertime destination. It’s home to historical monuments, lighthouses, several seafood shacks, restaurants, and ocean beaches.
