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…
Must-see attractions in Massachusetts
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…
Martha's Vineyard
This well-done museum has a fascinating collection of whaling paraphernalia and scrimshaw, and puts the history of Martha's Vineyard into context. Don't…
Martha's Vineyard
This 60-acre refuge celebrates woodlands and wildflower meadows, and is particularly pretty in the fall. The visitor center is open from 9:30am to 4pm…
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…
Cape Cod
Extending one gorgeous mile along Nantucket Sound, this is the south side's mecca for swimmers, windsurfers and kiteboarders. It's a good bet for finding…
Massachusetts
Dating from 1677, this was the home of Captain John Whipple, a military officer and entrepreneur. Now maintained by the Ipswich Museum, it contains period…
Nantucket
There's not a lot to see at Nantucket's western outpost, but this beach, at the end of its namesake bike path, is the island's ace place to watch sunsets…
Massachusetts
This small museum is a gem – particularly for its paintings by Gloucester native Fitz Henry Lane. Exhibits also showcase the region's granite-quarrying…
Cape Cod
This 2000-acre oasis has eight freshwater ponds with sandy beaches ideal for swimming and boating, as well as miles of cycling and walking trails. Bring…
South End & Chinatown
The city’s oldest cooperative, this South End gallery hosts solo shows by its members, as well as occasional visitors, with an emphasis on New England…
South End & Chinatown
This unusual cooperative gallery has been going strong for over 25 years. The innovative gallery, dedicated to 3D art in all media, is run by three dozen…
Boston
Redefining what it means to be a 'museum,' Design Museum Boston brings the goods to you. This 'pop-up' museum launches exhibits in public spaces all…
South Shore
Plymouth's oldest house was built by one of the original Pilgrim settlers in 1640. Today, there is a small art gallery in the more recent addition, while…
South Shore
On pretty North St, this 18th-century house was the home of the Spooner family for more than two centuries. Nowadays, the two-story house still contains…
Massachusetts
With some 600 members, this vibrant local arts association has been hosting exhibits and performances since 1922. Visit the lovely harborside setting to…
Cape Cod
Contemporary painting and traditional folk art from various eras and cultures across America are highlighted at the Cahoon Museum of American Art. There's…
Massachusetts
Don’t leave Gloucester without paying your respects at St Peter's Sq, where Leonard Craske’s famous statue Gloucester Fisherman is dedicated to ‘They That…
Boston
Take a spin on local sea and woodland creatures, such as lobsters, seals, butterflies and hawks. This one-of-a-kind carousel was designed by local artist…
Martha's Vineyard
Part food shop ('dealers in almost everything'), part historic landmark, Alley's General Store is a favorite local gathering place and has been since 1858…
Martha's Vineyard
You can visit a typical Campground cottage, complete with period furnishings, thanks to the Cottage Museum. It's filled with Camp Meeting Association…
Massachusetts
East of East Gloucester, on the way to Rockport, Good Harbor Beach is a spacious, sandy stretch surrounded by dunes. Walk out to Salt Island at low tide.
Massachusetts
In a beautiful space overlooking Smith Cove, this cooperative gallery showcases the work of 30-plus Cape Ann artists.
Massachusetts
Built as a neighborhood meeting place in 1877, this Carpenter Gothic building now hosts exhibits and events.
Boston
The lower portion of the Custom House, begun in 1837, resembles a Greek temple, but the federal government wanted something grander, so in 1913 it…
Boston
The New England Sports Museum is not the best place to witness Boston's deep-rooted devotion to sport (try Fenway Park for that), but fans will enjoy the…
South Shore
Thousands of visitors come each year to look at this weathered granite ball and consider what it was like for the Pilgrims who stepped ashore on a foreign…
Massachusetts
Dr John Hays Hammond Jr (1888–1965) was an electrical engineer and inventor who amassed a fortune fulfilling defense contracts. With this wealth, Hammond…
Massachusetts
In 1922, long before there was any municipal recycling program, Elis F Stenman decided that something useful should be done with all those daily…
Cape Cod
Sitting on the Cape's highest elevation (a mere 120ft!), Cape Cod Highland Light dates to 1797 and casts the brightest beam on the New England coast…
Boston
This monumental French Second Empire building occupies a historic spot. Out front, a plaque commemorates the site of the country's first public school,…
Cape Cod
Cape Cod isn't connected by land to the mainland, but it's not exactly an island, or at least wasn't until the Cape Cod Canal was dug in 1914. The 7-mile…
Cape Cod
Saved from the wrecking ball in the 1990s and lovingly restored by the community, Highfield Hall dates from 1878 and was one of the early summer mansions…
Cape Cod
Looking for a warm-water swim? Craigville, like other south-side beaches, has warmer water than those on the Cape's north side. This mile-long stretch of…
South End & Chinatown
The official entrance to Chinatown is the decorative gate (paifong), a gift from the city of Taipei. It is symbolic – not only as an entryway for guests…
Boston
The steaming kettle on Sears Crescent has been a Boston landmark since 1873, when it was hung over the door of the Oriental Tea Co at 57 Court St. The…
Boston
On October 16, 1846, Thomas WG Morton administered ether to the patient Gilbert Abbott, while Dr John Collins Warren cut a tumor from his neck. It was the…
