I can tell you that this Revolutionary War buff absolutely LOVED Concord! When I was in Boston I made it an absolute to get to Concord to see the site where the Revolution actually started. (Fighting, that is) Took the commuter train to Concord - not sure exactly what I was expecting to find, just a bridge maybe?? The train platform was just that, a platform. I wandered around the corner and found a travel agent, of all things!

I told one of the agents that I was already where I was but that I didn't know where what I wanted to see was. She was so kind! She asked if I knew the literary history of Concord, and my dumb look told her "no." She laid out a map and marked where the bridge was, Emerson house, Alcott house, and Hawthorne house. I had not thought to rent a car or anything, and she assured me I could walk, if I'd a mind to. It was a gorgeous spring day, neither too warm nor too cold.

It was a long walk out to the bridge, but worth it! We toured the Emerson house, which I feel is a must. Also, the Alcott house - you can truly see where Louisa May Alcott got her inspiration for "Little Women"! I kept expecting to see Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy come out from behind a corner!

The town itself is quite lovely. Lots of homes lovelingly restored to the period in which they were built. A great little restaurant (The Colonial, perhaps??) in the center of town that was just so cozy with great food. An interesting downtown to poke through stores. We had only expected to spend an hour or so there (how long does it take to see a bridge??), and ended up spending the entire day. By the time we got back to Boston, we were exhausted! (But after all that walking, we could eat anything we wanted!)

I loved Boston - beautiful city - and look forward to going there again one day. But when I do, I plan to spend a couple of days in Concord. It is just too pretty a town not to miss. And it has such a rich history encompassing the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and literary genius. Besides the history, it just looks like what you would think a small New England town would look like. I thought it was thoroughly charming! (Have we all sold you, yet? ;) )

Have fun!

Hi KathrynT,
You asked which Whales we saw. It was Humpback Whales. Which I think are one of the most spectacular. Some diving and the huge flukes (tails) disappearing last as they went under. Others breaching (coming right out of the water).
A mix of mothers and calfs and we even saw a Harbour Seal who took a rest on the pontoon of the boat as it was miles out from the harbour but the guide said it was following the whales for the good feeding areas. Time of year was July.
Have fun! (Wish it was me!)

Thank you, seahatch. We have enjoyed seeing humpback off of Monterey, CA and in Alaska. Aren't they amazing? Do you remember which tour boat you went with?

Hi KathrynT,
I think it was the m/v Super Ranger which left from Pickering Wharf. Have a look at web site for info and photo of boat.
whaleguide.com/directory/salemwhalewatch.htm

i lived in boston for two years as a student, and never got the chance to make too many trips outside of the city, as i was sans car.

i do remember one day trip via T, however, to the Forest Hills Cemetery, which houses the graves of e.e. cummings, anne sexton, and eugene o'neill. it's gorgeous to walk through, whether or not you find who you're looking for. for more information, check out http://www.foresthillstrust.org.

everyone on this site has been so thorough, but i have to mention that, after visiting all these sites rich with literary history, you're gonna want to go shopping. for books!

i've always loved the trident bookstore and cafe on newbury street in boston, but there are a ton of shops in cambridge - you can find quite the comprehensive listing at http://cambridge.zami.com/Bookstore/A-Z

hope you have a good time. boston is one of my favorite places to be! - steph

I'm so glad to see several people have recommended Orchard House (Home of the Alcotts) in Concord, as I work there part time giving tours, and it really is a very, very special place. You can see more on the web site at:
www.louisamayalcott.org

Sadly, however, the Wayside in Concord, just up the road from Orchard House, may not be open this year. Unlike Orchard House, which is operated by a private nonprofit association, the Wayside is under the auspices of the National Park Service, and it's very possible that it will not get funding to reopen this spring. If it is open, its hours will likely be very much curtailed. Even last year, there was often only one person on duty who both sold tickets and gave tours. So if you didn't arrive just at the right time to buy tickets, you couldn't get in.

A very sad commentary on the priorities given to this and other monuments to our national heritage.

Note that the Wayside in Concord (home at various times of both the Alcotts and the Hawthornes) has no relation to Longfellow's Wayside Inn in Sudbury, which is also a delightful place to visit. The name duplication is often is a source of some confusion to visitors from out of town.

If you are traveling on a budget, you might want to consider motels in Bedford, which is the town between Lexington and Concord. It's not as charming as either of those, but it's a perfectly nice town, and the rates tend to be lower.

If you want restaurant suggestions, I can give you the names of a couple of good places in the area.

Nonnafelice,

We will have to look for you at Orchard House! It sounds like a wonderful place to visit. Yes, I'd love restaurant recommendations. We like almost every type of food (as long as it is good) and can go casual or have the occasional splurge. Thanks!

Hi, Kathryn,

Two restaurants in Concord that I like to recommend are La Provence (mostly a lunch place; closes at 7 pm) and Serafina's. They are slightly away from the center, and both have very good, reasonably priced food. The Colonial Inn in the center of town is also quite good, and with more traditional atmosphere, although a bit on the pricey side.

Come to Orchard House before visiting the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery (where the Alcotts and many other authors are buried) and we can give you a map showing the route to some of the famous gravesites.

Wonderful -- thanks so much!!

When I lived outside of Boston I would bike through Concord and Lexington a lot. I vaguely remember a cycling tour/company that operated in the area. It's a great way to see all of the sights. Does anyone know of this company?

One thing I forgot to mention is that you might want to look into the "Liberty Ride" bus through Lexington and Concord. It's the "hop on hop off" type, so you can get off at any of the museums or sites you especially want to tour and then pick up the next bus to continue. It only runs in the summer and fall, but you can read more about it here:

http://www.tourlexington.us/libertyride.html

To highledge:
I don't know of any cycle touring companies, but there is an off-road bike trail (the Minuteman Bikeway) that runs from Cambridge through Lexington to Bedford. It doesn't go all the way to Concord, but you could ride the back roads over there from Bedford.
http://www.minutemanbikeway.org

I'v been on the bike path and also spent many hours/days on the roads around Concord and Lexington. For some reason I remember a bike tour stopping near waldon pond.