Small Town Beauty in Massachusetts

Concord has more American history per square mile than practically any other location in the nation.

In April 1775, the first gunfire of the American Revolution took place at the North Bridge.

American essayist, poet, and philosopher Henry David Thoreau lived in Walden Pond at 915 Walden Street for two years. You can see the replica of his cabin.

Visit Orchard House, where American author Louisa May Alcott wrote her novel “Little Women."

You can see the residence of American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson.

All of these authors are interred on Author’s Ridge in the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.

Of the six villages on Martha’s Vineyard, Edgartown is the most picturesque. You can take a ferry to the town with Greek Revival captain’s homes, constructed by wealthy whaling captains in the 9th century. (pictured above)

At the Martha’s Vineyard Museum you can learn about the whaling and marine history of the island.

Located at the tip of a sandy point, the Edgartown Lighthouse offers views of the bay.

Lenox in the Berkshires is a town with a literary and artistic heritage. In the town center you can see bookstores, antique shops, and restaurants. Historic structures line the streets.

Visit The Mount at 2 Plunkett Street; the home constructed in 1902 was once the home of novelist Edith Wharton.

Tanglewood is the summer residence of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Situated north of Boston on a rocky peninsula, Marblehead boasts one of the most striking natural harbors on the New England coast.

The Old Town area has pre-Revolutionary War houses, and the entire area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The local culture is strongly rooted in sailing. One of the nation’s oldest and most competitive sailing events, the yearly Race Week Regatta, fills Marblehead Harbor with boats.

Shipbuilding merchants constructed the Federal-style brick buildings along Inn and State Streets in Newburyport in the late 18th and 19th centuries.

The town’s social hub is the waterfront. The Merrimack River borders the downtown, and you can stroll along the boardwalk.

See the Custom House Maritime Museum at 25 Water Street to learn about the town’s seafaring history.

Visit the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island, offering miles of barrier beach and great birdwatching.

The Connecticut River and farmland surround the town of Northampton, located in the Pioneer Valley. One of western Massachusetts' busiest independent shop districts is Main Street.

The town is home to Smith College, one of the nation’s most esteemed liberal arts institutions.

Along the river corridor, the Norwottuck Rail Trail provides miles of paved walking and cycling opportunities.

From weathered shingles on century-old cottages to lobster traps stacked along the waterfront, the Cape Ann village of Rockport offers something worth framing. Within a walkable downtown, Rockport boasts a vibrant art culture with boutiques and art galleries.

Located just north of the city center, Halibut Point State Park offers views of the ocean.

The town of Sherbrun Falls straddles the Deerfield River in the western New England hills.

The Bridge of Flowers is the focal point in the town. The local garden club converted a 1908 trolley bridge into a pedestrian promenade covered with many plant varieties.

The Glacial Potholes, located just downstream, are a geological surprise. These perfectly rounded rock formations were sculpted by glacier meltwater thousands of years ago.

One of the state’s most picturesque routes, the Mohawk Trail, runs alongside Shelburne Falls.

Stockbridge, a village in the Berkshires, was favored by the American artist Norman Rockwell. Walk along the main street to see red maples and quaint houses.

Visit the Norman Rockwell Museum, where the artist resided fro the final 25 years of his life. It has the largest collection of Rockwell’s original art works.

See the Chesterwood Mansion once inhabited by sculptor Daniel Chester French and stroll the beautiful grounds.

The Berkshire Botanical Garden is a botanical garden in Stockbridge. Its collections contain over 3,000 species and varieties, with an emphasis on plants that thrive in the Berkshires.

Williamstown is encircled by the Berkshire Hills and located in the state’s extreme northwest.

Williams College rules the community and offers the town an intellectual vibe.

The Clark Art Institute exhibits American silver, European masters, and French Impressionist paintings.

The Williams College Museum of Art regularly hosts modern exhibitions and displays contemporary art.