Cape Cod
On the bay side of town, calm Skaket Beach is a magnet for families – kids love wading in the shallow waters to dig for hermit crabs. Its generous sands…
Must-see attractions in Massachusetts
Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
Massachusetts
High atop Castle Hill sits the 1920s estate of Chicago plumbing-fixture magnate Richard T Crane. The 59-room Stuart-style Great House is open for guided…
Boston
'Mock all and sundry things, but leave the saints alone.' So goes an old Italian saying that is now posted on the wall of a tiny alleyway off Battery St…
Cape Cod
Of all Falmouth's beaches, none is finer than Old Silver Beach. This long, sandy stretch of beach attracts scores of college students, families and day…
Cape Cod
Cliff-backed Nauset Light Beach, north of Coast Guard Beach, is the stuff of dreams. It's broad and sandy and its features and facilities are similar to…
Massachusetts
Three houses comprise this village historical museum, including the 'first period' Whipple House, which dates from 1677. The bulk of the collection is in…
South End & Chinatown
When this neo-Gothic cathedral was built in 1875, it was America’s largest Catholic cathedral, as big as London's Westminster Abbey. It serves as the main…
New England Holocaust Memorial
Boston
Constructed in 1995, the six luminescent glass columns of the New England Holocaust Memorial are engraved with six million numbers, representing those…
Cape Cod
For dramatic vistas of sand and sea, head to the lighthouse viewing area on Shore Rd. The landmark lighthouse dates to 1878; its light is visible 15 miles…
Cape Cod
Cape Cod Astronomical Society welcomes visitors to weekly summer 'star parties' at its observatory, behind the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School. Peer…
Massachusetts
One of the longest, widest, sandiest beaches in the region is Crane Beach, with 5.5 miles of fine-sand barrier beach on Ipswich Bay. It is set in the…
Boston
Located on Blackstone Block – the city's oldest cluster of buildings. Look for the 1737 Boston Stone embedded in the foundation of one of these buildings…
Cape Cod
Near Fort Hill sits the striking Captain Penniman House, an 1868 sea captain’s house topped with mansard roof and an octagonal cupola overlooking both bay…
Massachusetts
Stellwagen Bank is 842 sq miles of open ocean rich in marine life. The area was declared a National Marine Sanctuary in 1992 to conserve the area's…
Massachusetts
The 1835 granite Custom House, built by Robert Mills (of Washington Monument fame), is an excellent example of Classical Revival architecture. It now…
Massachusetts
Some claim that Long Beach, which straddles the Rockport–Gloucester border, is the best beach on the North Shore. It is lovely indeed – ideal for swimming…
Cape Cod
The closest beach to Hyannis' Main St, Veterans Beach is a favorite with families thanks to the playground facilities, picnic tables and shallow waters…
Massachusetts
There are two lovely, small beaches at Stage Fort Park: the picturesque Half-Moon Beach and the more remote Cressy’s Beach. The latter is a bit of a trek…
Cape Cod
Gray's Beach, also known as Bass Hole, is no prize for swimming, but a terrific 0.25-mile-long boardwalk extends over a tidal marsh and creek, offering a…
Cape Cod
Stop here for the lowdown on one of the Cape's most intriguing summer residents: the great white shark. Interactive exhibits and videos aimed at kids and…
Massachusetts
Housed in a creepy Romanesque church, this so-called museum starts with a presentation of life-size dioramas, with a voice-over recounting the narrative…
Cape Cod
Learn about the history and culture of some of the Cape's original inhabitants at the Mashpee Wampanoag Museum. It's a small space, with just a few…
Boston
Fort Point is no longer the gritty, offbeat artists' enclave it once was, but there is still a flourishing artistic community here – which you will find…
Cape Cod
The Historical Society of Old Yarmouth maintains this 1840 Greek Revival house, once home to a prosperous sea captain who made his fortune sailing to…
Cape Cod
The Brewster Store, in the heart of town, is a sight in itself. The old-fashioned country store opened in 1866, and it's barely changed since: penny candy…
Massachusetts
This 21-room Federal home is decked out with fine furnishings and decorative pieces from the region. Collections of portraits, silver, needlework, toys…
South End & Chinatown
Besides several performance spaces, the main venue for visual arts at the Boston Center for the Arts is the Mills Gallery, which hosts cutting-edge art…
Boston
This local library contains an impressive plaster model of the Palazzo Ducale in Venice. The model was built in the early 20th century by a local artist…
Cape Cod
Get a feel for what life was like for early settlers by touring Hoxie House, the oldest house on Cape Cod (c 1640). The saltbox-style house has been…
Cape Cod
You'll find plenty of space in which to lay your towel on wide Kalmus Beach, at the south end of Ocean St in Hyannis. Thanks to its steady breezes, it's a…
South Shore
About 6 miles south of Plymouth, this 16,000-acre park is the largest public recreation area in southeastern Massachusetts. It contains 13 miles of biking…
South Shore
This is the only house in Plymouth that was home to a known Mayflower passenger. John Howland lived here with his wife, Elizabeth Tilley, and their son…
Cape Cod
A favorite spot for sunset-watchers, this scenic inlet on the bay has docks and a small fishing fleet, plus a few summertime charter boats offering…
Cape Cod
Sandwich glass, now prized by collectors, had its heyday in the 19th century, and this heritage is artfully displayed in this excellent, sprawling museum…
Cape Cod
Nauset Light is a picturesque red-and-white lighthouse guarding the shoreline at the Nauset Light Beach. Look familiar? You may have seen it on all the…
Cape Cod
Long and wide Seagull Beach, off South Sea Ave from MA 28, is the town's best south-side beach. The scenic approach to the beach runs alongside a tidal…
Boston
Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, this peaceful waterside park belies the history of this site: in 1919, a huge distillery tank burst, sending forth a…
Boston
Across the street from Copp's Hill Burying Ground, this is Boston’s narrowest house, measuring a whopping 9.5ft wide. Sometimes called a ‘spite house,’…
Cape Cod
For a great beach on Falmouth's sound side, head to Menauhant Beach, off Central Ave from MA 28. It's Falmouth's longest beach, divided into an east side…
Cape Cod
This inspiring museum preserves and celebrates the art of the Cape and Islands. Its collections primarily (but not exclusively) focus on work inspired by…
