A low-key, mostly residential suburb, Reading is a North Shore town no more than 12 miles from downtown Boston. At the start of the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Lexington and Concord (1775) took place close by, and there are several locations in the town that are steeped in revolutionary history. One is the …
On the North Shore, Danvers is an intriguing old town, historically noted for its long defunct psychiatric hospital, shoe industry and connection to the notorious Salem witch trials in 1692. Known as Salem Village in the 17th century, Danvers was ground zero for the hysteria and accusations that led to the trials and executions. Touring …
About ten miles north of downtown Boston, Saugus is a town famous for being the site of the first integrated ironworks in North America. Dating back to 1646, the Saugus Iron Works produced more than a ton of iron a day at its height, and after being rediscovered in the 1940s is a compelling National …
The center of this historic town, ten miles north of Boston, rests on the shores of a beautiful Great Pond. Lake Quannapowitt, named for Quonopohit (1636-1712), sachem of the Naumkeag people, is the canvas for community events, from a world-class farmers’ market to outdoor movie shows. Wakefield has historically had a large Italian-American community, manifested …
Roughly equidistant to Boston and Providence, which are half an hour away, Bridgewater is a town of around 30,000 in Plymouth County. The town’s central commercial area is on an historic square, with mature trees and a vibrant series of outdoor concerts on Thursday evenings, known as Bridgewater Music Alley. Intertwined with the downtown area …
A haven for progressive thought and a destination for the LGBTQ+ community, Northampton is often described as the most liberal city in the United States. A large proportion of the city’s residents identify as gay or lesbian, and Northampton officially boasts the highest number of lesbian couples per capita of any city in the country. …
This well-heeled suburb of Boston is on the map for its institutions of higher education. The most famous is the private women’s liberal arts college, Wellesley College, which has an amazing list of high-achievers among its former students, including Hilary Clinton. The Wellesley College campus is one of the most beautiful in New England, where …
Incorporated in 1726, Stoughton is about 17 miles south of downtown Boston, and was famed for its shoemaking industry in the 19th century. Stoughton’s downtown area has diverse restaurants and some stately buildings, like the Lucius Clapp Memorial, home to the local historical society, and a grand Romanesque Revival train station. The town is mere …
Locally known as the “West Side”, this city faces off across the Connecticut River from Springfield, which is the core of a large metropolitan area in the Pioneer Valley. Even though there’s a big city just across the river, large swaths of West Springfield are remote and ripe for adventure, whether you’re hiking the Metacomet-Monadnock …
On the border with Connecticut, Agawam sits just across the Connecticut River from the city of Springfield. The premier attraction in Agawam is Six Flags New England, the largest theme park in the region, with rides for all ages and a massive water park. Also on Agawam’s doorstep are the fairgrounds for the Eastern States …