It takes three to four hours to drive across Massachusetts. Within this state are historic, artistic and natural sites. Boston bustles with city life, while Cape Cod and the North Shore offer abundant opportunities for experiencing New England's natural spaces. In the Western Massachusetts hills lies a vibrant literary and art culture.
"The New York Times" writes that the Pioneer Valley, including the historic college towns of Northampton and Amherst, "is arguably the most author-saturated, book-cherishing, literature-celebrating place in the nation." Visit the valley's abundance of used and rare book stores. In Amherst, tour the Emily Dickinson house. In Northampton, visit the scenic Smith College campus and take in the old downtown. See the collection and visiting exhibits at the Smith College Museum of Art. Check out the ongoing speaking engagements at the five area colleges, where distinguished scholars visit from all over the world. Further west in the scenic Berkshires, catch a play at Shakespeare and Company in Lenox. At the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, chose from an ongoing schedule of weekend retreats. In North Adams, experience the experimental art and performances at MASS MoCA, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.
You will never be more than a couple of miles away from the ocean on Cape Cod. All along the cape, from Falmouth to Dennis to Chatham to Brewster, are opportunities for swimming, boating, camping, relaxing and dining. Stay in a tiny cottage, a rental house, an oceanfront inn or a bed and breakfast. Take a bike ride down the 22-mile Rail Trail and stop at the National Seashore. Take the ferry to Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard. Visit Provincetown at the tip of the cape to people-watch, shop or witness the sunrise at Race Point Beach. Provincetown is also known for its vibrant gay and lesbian culture.
Experience the Massachusetts coast in the small seaside towns of the North Shore. In Rockport, visit the Paper House, made from newspaper, and see the lighthouses. Browse the art galleries of Newburyport. Spend time with nature at the scenic beach reservations of Ipswich and Plum Island. Explore the historic fishing port of Gloucester. Go to Salisbury or Revere Beach and take in carnival-like atmosphere of free outdoor performances, lemonade and fried dough stands, arcades, music clubs and pavilions.
Boston houses an abundance of art museums, historic sites, shows and green spaces. Visit the renowned Museum of Fine Arts, housing modern and ancient collections from cultures across the continents. The Institute for Contemporary Art, in its new location on the harbor, displays an impressive collection of modern artists including Cindy Sherman, Marlene Dumas and Shepard Fairey. Visit the Museum of Science with its interactive exhibits, planetarium and IMAX Omni Theater. Stroll the Freedom Trail to see 16 historic sites of the American Revolution. Spend an afternoon lounging at the Public Gardens and take a swan boat ride on the pond in the Boston Common. Picnic at the Arnold Arboretum. Catch an intimate show at any one of the city's small clubs, or a big act at one of the concert venues. Across the river in Cambridge, stroll through Harvard Yard and admire the city's historic churches.
