There are several tourist destinations in Massachusetts that have something to offer everyone. You will discover a place to explore that suits your interests, whether you want to spend your weekend getaways in Massachusetts engaging in sports, history, and culture or relaxing on the beach. Visit Plymouth to see even older periods, or step back to Old Sturbridge Village or Boston to see American Revolutionary War scenes.
In Salem, explore New England’s rich maritime heritage. Visit the Berkshires, where many famous authors and painters have summer residences and studios, and Tanglewood to hear musicians of outstanding degrees.
Choose a destination from our selection of the best weekend getaways in Massachusetts, including the Berkshire Mountains and the state’s stunning coastline.
#1. Nantucket
One of the best weekend getaways in Massachusetts is this. Nantucket is a stunning island with a rich maritime heritage, culture, and natural beauty, making it the ideal weekend getaway location for anybody seeking solace. While the Brandt Point Lighthouse and many of the island’s gorgeous beaches are reachable by local transportation, the Whaling Museum and Atheneum offer insight into the island’s past. The attractiveness is enhanced by its simplicity and distant setting.
Moreover, the quickest method to travel to Nantucket is to drive to Hyannis and take the ferry across, or take a Cape Air flight from Boston. It is best made over a long weekend because it takes a few hours either way. In addition, This resort region attracts wealthy visitors throughout the high season.
#2. Boston
Boston is a beautiful city with beautiful historic areas, a vibrant modern skyline, and historical neighborhoods. Everyone can enjoy this weekend’s getaway: families, couples, and lone travelers alike. For those who wish to imagine walking through the American Revolution, there is the 2.5-mile Freedom Trail. Anyone interested in art and culture should also visit the Museum of Fine Art and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The Boston Red Sox and some of the most passionate baseball fans play their home games at Fenway Park.
Likewise, Boston is a town with several distinct neighborhoods, each with their unique character. The downtown waterfront is a convenient location and a great place for visitors to begin exploring the city’s leading sights and activities.
#3. Lenox and Stockbridge
The Berkshires are a well-liked location for vacations with family, couples, or individuals. It is a choice for family vacations, romantic retreats, or solitary pursuits due to the year-round activities. The mountain is covered in brilliant hues as the leaves change in the autumn. Taking a lesson at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health or going to the Norman Rockwell Museum are just two options for finding some peaceful time.
The Mount, Chesterwood, Ventfort Hall Mansion, Gilded Age Museum, and Tanglewood Music Center are all nearby. Visitors can travel back in time by visiting the Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum. The Boston Symphony Orchestra and other well-known performers call the Tanglewood Music Center home from mid-June to Labor Day, so visitors should check the program.
#4. Cape Cod
Cape Cod is a well-known beach resort in New England, and the peninsula is home to 14 lighthouses. There are 40 miles of unspoiled beaches, a 25-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail, and a trip on the Hyannis branch of the Cape Cod Central Railroad. The 25-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail, the 40 miles of immaculate beaches, and the Cape Cod Central Railroad are all popular attractions.
The John F. Kennedy Museum, also in Hyannis, has photographs and multimedia displays on JFK, his family, and friends at the Kennedy summer estate. The Heritage Museum and Gardens, an unusual attraction featuring an old carousel, vintage cars, lovely gardens, and folk art, will appeal to history aficionados.
#5. Salem
Salem is a city with a long history and a somber past as the location of the Salem Witch Trials. As a result, Salem is home to several attractions that examine this period in American history. Despite its Puritan heritage, Salem is still a fantastic weekend getaway for couples with a wide range of interests. Visitors who appreciate reading will enjoy visiting the House of the Seven Gables, which served as the setting for Nathaniel Hawthorne’s book of the same name.
Adventurers can take the Haunted Footsteps Ghost Tour once night falls in Salem. The Peabody Essex Museum contains one of the greatest collections of art and maritime history in the area, particularly in regard to the China Trade. It also houses a 200-year-old Chinese House that has been meticulously restored.
#6. Province Town
The unusual town of Provincetown is well-known for its lively culture, waterfront, and art scene. It can be accessible by ferry from Boston and is situated at the tip of Cape Cod. It has 3,000 year-round residents, but in the summer, that number jumps to 60,000. The best area to people-watch is on Commercial Street, which is also a great place to dine, shop, or simply relax.
To find out more about the Pilgrims’ first arrival at Provincetown, go to the Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum. Take the elevator to the summit of the monument, one of the tallest all-granite structures in the US, for stunning views of Cape Cod.
#7. Martha’s Vineyard
The wealthy and those seeking seclusion travel to Martha’s Vineyard frequently for vacation. It is a bigger island that can be explored by renting a bicycle, as an alternative to Nantucket. Aquinnah Cliffs, located on the island’s southwesterly extremity, offers views of the Elizabeth Islands or Gay Head Light. Animal enthusiasts should visit Island Alpaca to meet one of the amiable Huacaya alpacas and have a tour of the farm. Enjoy the water, sand, and sunshine since the beach is Martha’s Vineyard’s primary attraction.
Several hours separate Martha’s Vineyard from Boston, but the trip is well worthwhile. So, Ferries and airplanes are other ways to get there. From Boston and New York City, direct flights are offered.
#8. Southern Berkshires
For vacationers who choose mountains over beaches or cities for their weekend getaways in Massachusetts, the southern Berkshires are the ideal destination. They provide little villages, antique stores, delicious food, hikes, and the calm of life in New England. In Great Barrington, where antique shops and co-ops are along Route 7, browsing for antiques is a popular pastime. With its bigger antiquities and stone statues spilling out onto the yard, Asia Barong is both an antique shop and a museum of Asian art.
The state’s tallest single-drop waterfall, Bash Bish Falls, is accessible through a quick, straightforward climb. A massive boulder splits the 60-foot falls in half. Furthermore, The Appalachian Trail passes through Sage’s Ravine in Mount Washington State Forest.
#9. Sturbridge
One of the best historic village museums in the east is located in the Massachusetts town of Sturbridge. Old Sturbridge Village is a recreation of a typical early to mid-1800s village, with original homes, businesses, and other buildings brought in from all around the area. You can observe interpreters working on tasks like flax spinning, wool dyeing, pot turning, making tin lanterns, sawing logs into boards, planting and harvesting gardens, and cooking on open hearths. Families will have an amazing day here because there are so many fun activities for kids.
Sturbridge Common Historic District showcases the history of the town during the Revolution. Sturbridge Antique Shops is a fantastic destination to hunt for vintage treasures while keeping the historical setting, with more than 75 dealers from all over New England displaying antiques and collectibles there.
#10. Rock Port
Just one hour’s drive from Boston lies the Massachusetts beach town of Rockport. It is the location of the renowned fishing shack known as Motif #1, which has served as a beloved subject for countless painters and photographers throughout the years. It is a pleasant and interesting weekend escape that is only one hour from Boston.
Take a stroll down to Bearskin Neck, which is brimming with distinctive stores, eateries, and art galleries, or simply take in the breathtaking vistas that have served as an inspiration to artists for ages. In addition, Halibut Point State Park is accessible by driving or taking a rocky coastline trail.
#11. Gloucester
Gloucester is the place to go for couples and families who want to experience a genuine New England fishing community. The oldest seaport in the nation is located in this traditional New England town, which formerly had a thriving shipbuilding industry. So, the Fisherman’s Memorial, one of New England’s most well-known and popularly pictured sculptures, can be found here.
A fantastic place to see whales is Gloucester. Meanwhile, The more daring can board one of the many other charters in town to witness these gentle giants, or they can see them from the beach. The oldest operating art colony in America, Rocky Neck Art Colony, which dates back centuries, is also located near Gloucester.
To savor the abundance of the ocean before you depart, treat yourself to a meal at one of the renowned neighborhood seafood eateries.
#12. Plymouth
Plymouth, sometimes known as “America’s Hometown,” is well known as the location of the Pilgrims’ 1620 landing. So, without stopping at Plymouth Rock, the starting point of everything, a tour to Plymouth would be incomplete.
Don’t miss Plimoth Patuxet Museums (previously Plimoth Plantation), one of New England’s top living history experiences, for an immersive look at how the early settlers lived. You can engage with actors portraying historical personalities while viewing reproductions of the 1620 pilgrims’ homes and farmyards. The daily activities of the Native Americans who lived here before and during the Pilgrim era are shown in a second village.
The reconstructed Mayflower II, Pilgrim Hall Museum, and the Plymouth Grist Mill, a functional mill that has been in service since 1636 and is available to the public on Fridays at noon, are just a few of Plymouth’s many historic attractions. A popular activity nearby is going to the W. Russell Blake Planetarium. The only 4K high-resolution full-dome planetarium south of Boston lets visitors learn about astronomy.
#13. Gardens of the North Shore
You can visit some of the stunning North Shore gardens from a base in the historic town of Newburyport or the vibrant fishing port of Gloucester. However, A Venetian pavilion and a Chinese pagoda are two of the garden “rooms” that can be seen at Long Hill in Beverly. The fan-shaped stairs and a 1.2-mile walking track through the adjacent forests are further features. From June through September is flowering time for perennial flowers.
The Stevens Coolidge House & Gardens in North Andover is an early 20th-century estate featuring a walled rose garden and a vegetable garden designed in the French style. The gardens have been expanded and repaired, and they are especially lovely when tulips are in flower in the early spring.
#14. Northampton
Northampton is one of the best weekend getaways in Massachusetts. It is also one of the top little arts towns in the country for individuals who enjoy the arts. More so, there are several independent galleries and artists in this old town. The Museum of Art at Smith College houses a noteworthy collection of artwork. Moreover, don’t forget to visit the college’s botanical gardens or simply take a stroll through the old town to take it all in. Additionally, you can hire a bike and ride down the Norwottuck Rail Trail while taking in the scenery beside the Connecticut River.
What is the Most Visited City in Massachusetts?
Boston. Boston, one of the nation’s most historic cities, is a must-see when in Massachusetts for your weekend getaways.
What is the Best Time to Visit Massachusetts?
From a purely meteorological perspective, spring (April, May, June) or late summer and early fall (September, October) are the finest times of year to visit Massachusetts while on weekend getaways. Although, Boston and Massachusetts are year-round vacation spots with indoor attractions to suit a variety of tastes.
Is Massachusets Warm or Cold?
With an average daily maximum temperature of about 16 degrees, Massachusetts is one of the coldest states in the country. Seasons with harsh winters and sweltering summers are offered by the variable weather.