As its primary city, Boston dominates activities and sightseeing in Massachusetts. Visits to Fenway Park — the home of the Boston Red Sox — the Freedom Trail, and the spectacular Boston Observation Deck are all high on visitors’ to-do lists.
However, if you look a little further afield while in the Bay State, you’ll realize that not all roads lead to Boston. There are many other things to do and see outside of Boston, as you’ll notice from this list.
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1. Visit Salem
If you travel 25 miles north from Boston, you’ll arrive in Salem, a coastal Massachusetts city steeped in history. Here, you’ll have no shortage of things to do and see. If you’re keen on a scenic coastal trip, catch a ferry from Boston Harbor.
English colonists settled in the Salem area back in 1626, and 66 years later, the fishing village became the site of the now infamous Salem Witch Trials — the village’s residents hanged 19 people after finding them guilty of witchcraft, which has become synonymous with the city in modern times.
1692 Salem Witch Museum
Salem is now a hive of tourist activity, with the 1692 Salem Witch Museum a popular stop-off. You can take a self-guided tour or follow museum guides as they transport you back in time to the village with 13 life-size stage sets, helping you relive Salem’s rich history. You’ll journey through the witch trial period and other witch-hunt examples. Afterward, you can invest in Salem-related souvenirs at the museum’s gift shop.
Ghosts, Witches, & Warlocks Guided Walking Tour
Some visitors choose to overnight in Salem to experience the mystery and eeriness created by the Witch Trial era and the legends stemming from it. If you choose to do so, consider one of the night tours for the full effect of the city’s spine-chilling history. The Ghosts, Witches, & Warlocks Guided Walking Tour will take you to several different landmarks in a haunting meander through Salem’s streets under the guidance of a local ghost specialist.
2. Call at Harvard University’s Main Campus in Cambridge
Much of Massachusetts is steeped in history, with the esteemed Harvard University no exception. In fact, the Ivy League research facility opened in 1636, over 50 years before the Salem Witch Trials, making the higher-learning institution the oldest in the United States.
While Harvard’s buildings and environment evoke a powerful historical presence, the university’s student population and coursework are unequivocally modern, like some of the initiatives and programs offered to businesses in the state.
For example, Massachusetts solar energy programs are affording local companies the chance to generate renewable solar power to gain financial benefits and promote sustainability. These initiatives show the forward-thinking that institutions like Harvard University have cemented in the Bay State. This is one reason why a visit to the institution’s esteemed halls, less than 10 miles from Boston, carries more than historical value.
Harvard University Student-Guided Walking Tour
There’s no better way to get a proper feel of the Harvard campus than to follow one of its students as you set off from the famous Harvard Square and visit campus landmarks like Widener Library and Memorial Hall.
Your knowledgeable guide will give you insider insights into daily university life and Harvard’s culture while mentioning many of the institution’s famous former attendees. You’ll find this tour especially informative if you have a child who wants to attend Harvard in the future.
3. Day Trip to Martha’s Vineyard
A bus and ferry trip from Boston to Martha’s Vineyard Island will take you around 2 ½ hours, but the trip is worth the effort. Martha’s Vineyard is recognizable from the 1974 Steven Spielberg film “Jaws,” which he filmed on the island, and by some high-profile visitors and residents who vacation there — former U.S. President Bill Clinton was a regular visitor during and after his presidency, and Barack Obama bought Martha’s Vineyard property in 2019.
Martha’s Vineyard All Island Tour
Taking the All Island Tour gives you an overall and lasting impression of Martha’s Vineyard. Five-star-rated guides will narrate the island’s history during your three-hour bus tour through Martha’s Vineyard’s ancient stone walls and picturesque green hills.
You’ll see and learn about the history of the Methodist campgrounds in Oak Bluffs and hear about the devastating 1888 fire and how Thomas Mayhew converted the indigenous people to Christianity. You’ll visit many sites where the filming of “Jaws” took place and see the Edgartown whaling village with its luxurious mansions previously owned by whaling captains.
Other Massachusetts Ports of Call
You’ve already read about some of what Massachusetts offers from historical and modern perspectives, but there’s so much more to explore in the Bay State. Some other recommended things to do and see outside of the budget-friendly baked beans of Boston include:
- Provincetown: Travel the 120 miles from Boston by road or a 90-minute ferry ride. While there, spend four hours on the Whale Watching Cruise.
- Dedham: It only takes around 20 minutes from Boston to Dedham, where you can enjoy taking part in The Escape Game — an hour-long team adventure where you find clues and solve puzzles to escape a scenario.
- Stoneham: The Stone Zoo in Stoneham lies just outside Boston and is an incredible outing for you and your kids. Its 26 acres are home to some awe-inspiring animal life, including snow leopards, black bears and gibbons.
- Gloucester: Thirty-five miles north of Boston is Gloucester, with the white sands of Good Harbor Beach being an instant attraction if you want to get away and tan, bodysurf or play some beach volleyball.
Experience Massachusetts Beyond Boston
Massachusetts is an essential destination if you’re looking for historical value, spectacular vistas, and a little intrigue and mystery to enhance your vacation.
While Boston offers a wealth of tourism highlights, you should also venture out and discover what the rest of the state has to offer.
