Introduction
Massachusetts offers one of the most varied collections of natural and man-made attractions in all the New England states. Its largest city, Boston, is the state's commercial hub and a major centre of American history and culture. Cross the river and you’ll reach Cambridge where you’ll find the twin educational powerhouses of Harvard and MIT, whose leafy walks and redbrick buildings house internationally acclaimed museums.
Islands & beaches
Along the eastern seaboard, scenic seascapes and picturesque villages abound. Head to Cape Cod where three hundred miles of shoreline, dotted with golden sandy beaches, frame some of America’s best-known retreats. Salient of those is Martha’s Vineyard, an island favourite among America’s elite. Here you’ll find boutique farm-to-table restaurants, verdant landscapes and grand beaches. For a historic alternative, head a little further out to sea to the delightfully restored townships and cobbled carriageways of Nantucket Island.
The Berkshires
The mountainous Berkshires are one of New England's most beautiful regions. Here, rural landscapes form some of the East Coast's most spectacular scenery, most notably in autumn when the forest foliage transforms to a fiery blanket of red, gold and orange. But it's not just the fall when this region sparkles. In spring and summer, outdoor adventures range from hiking to cycling while in winter tree-lined trails offers superb skiing. And, no matter what season you visit, you can expect the best in farm-to-fork dining coupled with craft beers and even some very respectable local wines.
History around every corner
Alongside its natural world, Massachusetts is also a hotbed of history. In Plymouth, see where the Pilgrims first settled in the New World and trace the history of the American Revolution at battlefield sites across the state. In Boston itself, the Freedom Trail takes in everything from meetinghouses to museums while at Concord's Old North Bridge visitors can see where the first shots of the war were fired in April 1775.
