347 Best Sights in Massachusetts, USA

Rebuilt after a nor'easter destroyed much of it in 2022, the Sandwich Boardwalk sits higher than before, and it now has handrails, but this iconic wooden span offers the same sweeping views of Cape Cod Bay. Look out toward Sandy Neck, Wellfleet, and Provincetown or toward the white cliffs beyond Sagamore. A sand path leads to Town Neck Beach, backed by dunes covered with rugosa roses. The creeks running through the salt marsh make for great canoeing, and it's a popular spot for clamming. 

Shimmering glass was manufactured here nearly two centuries ago, and the Sandwich Glass Museum shows you what the factory looked like in its heyday. There's an "ingredient room" showcasing a wide spectrum of glass colors, along with the minerals added to the sand to obtain them, and an outstanding collection of blown and pressed glass in many shapes and hues. Large lamps, vases, and pitchers are impressive, as are the hundreds of candlesticks on display. There are glassblowing demonstrations daily on the hour from 10 to 4. The extensive gift shop sells some handsome reproductions, including many made by local and national artisans. The glass museum is part of the Sandwich Historical Society.

Stretching some 6 miles across a peninsula that ends at Sandy Neck Light, this rock-strewn beach is one of the Cape's most beautiful—dunes, sand, and bay spread endlessly east, west, and north. The marsh was harvested for salt hay in the past; now it's a haven for birds, which are seen in the greatest numbers in morning and evening. One of the secrets of this beach are its hiking trails that meander alongside and around the dunes, a fairly strenuous but lovely trek in the sand. As you travel east along Route 6A from Sandwich, Sandy Neck Road is located just before the Barnstable line, although the beach itself is in West Barnstable. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

On a clear day, you'll have unbeatable views of Scargo Lake, Dennis Village's scattered houses below, Cape Cod Bay, and distant Provincetown from the top of this tower. A wooden tower built on this site in 1874 was one of the Cape's first tourist attractions; visitors would pay a nickel to climb to the top for the views. That tower burned down, and the present all-stone 30-foot tower was built in 1901 to replace it. Winding stairs bring you to the top.

Known for its wild surf and for its dunes, this beautiful spot is repeatedly blasted by winter erosion. Restaurants and restrooms are in the nearby village. Amenities: lifeguards. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.

View artifacts from all facets of American life, put in social and political context. Specializing in the history of American Freemasonry and Fraternalism, the changing exhibits and lectures also focus on local events leading up to April 1775 and illustrate Revolutionary-era life through everyday objects such as blacksmithing tools, bloodletting paraphernalia, and dental instruments, including a "tooth key" used to extract teeth. Self-guided tours are free; you can opt for a one-hour guided tour for $6.

A paradise for bird-watchers, Sepiessa Point Reservation consists of 174 acres on splendid Tisbury Great Pond. There are expansive pond and ocean views, walking trails around coves and saltwater marshes, horse trails, swimming areas, and a boat launch.

Take a ride on an old-fashioned trolley from 1896 at this tribute to the old Colrain Street Railway Combine No. 10, which was the first car on the Shelburne line in the early 20th century. A car barn and rails host other trolleys being restored, including a PCC, the last trolley built in Massachusetts.

In a quiet Cape Ann town 32 miles north of Boston, this beach gets its name from the musical squeaking sound its gold-color sand makes when you step on it. The beach is popular with both locals and out-of-towners in summer, but parking is quite limited and near impossible for nonresidents. It's also worth a visit in fall, when the crowds have gone home and you'll have the splendid shores all to yourself. There's a snack bar at the beach, but it's worth taking a 10-minute stroll up Beach Street into town. The easiest, and cheapest, way to get here is by MBTA's Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail line from Boston's North Station to the Manchester stop, which is a 15-minute walk from the beach. From downtown Boston the train takes 45 minutes. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

With more than 160 rides and shows, this massive attraction is the region's largest theme and water park. You can visit Looney Tunes town and climb aboard DC Superhero rides such as Batman: The Dark Knight and Superman: The Ride, which is more than 20 stories tall and has a top speed of 77 mph. New rides are added frequently, like the Wicked Cyclone, a hybrid wooden structure with a steel track. Visit in autumn to catch Fright Fest haunted events and attractions.

On Cape Cod Bay, Skaket Beach is a sandy stretch with calm, warm water good for children. When the tide is out, you can walk seemingly endlessly on the sandy flats. The parking lot fills up fast on hot July and August days; try to arrive before 10 or after 2. The many tide pools make this a favorite spot for families. Sunsets here draw a good crowd. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

This garden cemetery on the National Registry of Historic Places served as a place of inspiration and a final resting place for American literary greats like Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Each Memorial Day, Alcott's grave is decorated in commemoration of her death.

The nation's largest liberal arts college for women opened its doors in 1875, funded by a bequest from Sophia Smith, a local heiress. Renowned for its School of Social Work, Smith has a long list of distinguished alumnae, among them activist Gloria Steinem, chef Julia Child, and writer Margaret Mitchell. One of New England's most serene campuses, Smith is a leading center of political and cultural activity. The on-campus Lyman Plant House is worth a visit. The flourishing Botanic Garden of Smith College covers the entire 150-acre campus.

A floor of galleries with natural light, an enclosed courtyard, and artist-designed restrooms and benches make up this museum, whose permanent collection's highlights include pivotal paintings by Mary Cassatt, Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Georgia O'Keeffe, Auguste Rodin, and Georges Seurat. More recent acquisitions include African, Asian, and Islamic art.

This very popular and accessible 3-mile stretch of Atlantic-facing beach is backed by high dunes. The protected salt pond cove is good for families on one side, while big waves on the other side draw surfers. Amenities: toilets; lifeguards; parking (no fee). Best for: surfing; sunrise; walking.

This colonnaded granite structure is to Boston what Grand Central Station is to New York. Behind its 1900s facade, you'll find an airy, modern transit center that services the MBTA Commuter Rail for lines originating west and south of the city, the Red and Silver subway lines, and regional Amtrak trains. Thanks to its eateries, coffee bars, newsstand, and other shops, waiting for a train here can actually be a pleasant experience. South Station's bus terminal for Greyhound, Peter Pan, and other bus lines, is right next door. South Station is a great launching point for exploring a variety of neighborhoods, including Downtown, Chinatown, and the Seaport.

The fifth and sixth levels of the TD Garden house the Sports Museum, where displays of memorabilia and photographs showcase New England–based amateur and pro sports history and legends. Test your sports knowledge with interactive games, see how you stand up to life-size statues of heroes Carl Yastrzemski and Larry Bird, and take a 45-minute tour of the museum. Tours depart every half hour.

Scientists young and old will enjoy taking in a show at the oldest operating planetarium in the United States. There are also dinosaur exhibits, an extensive collection of stuffed and mounted animals, and an African Hall through which you can take an interactive tour of that continent's flora and fauna. There's also a small aquarium, where you'll see fishes from tropical reefs around the world as well as frogs, turtles, snakes, and spiders from the rainforests.

Rose Kennedy, matriarch of the Kennedy clan, was christened here; 104 years later, St. Stephen's held mourners at her 1995 funeral. This is the only Charles Bulfinch--designed church still standing in Boston, and a stunning example of the Federal style to boot. Built in 1804, it was first used as a Unitarian Church; since 1862 it has served a Roman Catholic parish. When the belfry was stripped during a major 1960s renovation, the original dome was found beneath a false cap; it was covered with sheet copper and held together with hand-wrought nails, and later authenticated as being the work of Paul Revere.

This museum celebrates the extraordinary life and legacy of Susan B. Anthony, who played a pivotal role in winning women the right to vote. In addition to viewing suffrage mementos, you can learn about the abolition and temperance movements, in which she also participated. 

While Boston's Symphony Hall—the home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops—is considered among the best in the world for its sublime acoustics, it's also worth visiting to enjoy its other merits. The stage is framed by an enormous organ facade and an intricate golden proscenium. Above the second balcony are 16 replicas of Greek and Roman statues, which, like the rest of the hall, marry the acoustic and aesthetic by creating niches and uneven surfaces to enhance the acoustics of the space. Although acoustical science was a brand-new field of research when Professor Wallace Sabine planned the interior, not one of the 2,500 seats is a bad one—the secret is the box-within-a-box design.

Raspberries ripen here early July–August, and you can pick your own pumpkins September and October. Grab a roast turkey (or other) sandwich, served on freshly baked bread, for a fine homemade lunch. If you have time to linger, check out the small turtle pond in the plant nursery, and see the animal area replete with goats, chickens, llamas, and more.

With its not-quite-nostalgic name, this sports and concert arena opened in 1995 to the chagrin of diehard local sports fans who occasionally still grieve the crusty, original Boston Garden it replaced. Today, the TD Garden is home to the NBA's Boston Celtics and NHL's Boston Bruins teams, hosts 200 events every year, and seats nearly 20,000. During the offseason, see international touring musicians and bands, Disney on Ice, wrestling events, and Boston's famed Beanpot tourney.

Consider a sail along the harbor and coast aboard the meticulously maintained 65-foot schooner Thomas E. Lannon, crafted in Essex in 1997 and modeled after the great vessels built a century before. Drinks and snacks are available for purchase. From mid-May through mid-October, the Ellis family offers two-hour sails, including trips that let you enjoy the sunset or music.

This public beach is next to the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club. It is only accessed by foot or bike: no parking here. But it's a nice place for a picnic. Amenities: none. Best for: swimming.

Cast-iron fences, Victorian-era town houses, a bubbling fountain, and a grassy area all add up to one of Boston's most charming slices of a neighborhood.

This neighborhood is located in the southeastern part of Somerville. Used by the Union Army during the American Revolution, today it's home to numerous restaurants, shops, and bars and is considered one of the area's most under-the-radar hot spots. The Union Square Farmers Market is held on the plaza every Saturday from mid-May through October.

Summer concerts, yoga, pop-up beer gardens---there's a lot to do on top of the Kendall Center Green Garage. To access the hidden roof garden, use the elevators in the garage and find your way up to the top for a spot of green grass and flowers (and a even a new pickleball court) in the most unlikely place.

Built in 1943, this Fletcher-class U.S. Navy destroyer survived action in Asian waters during World War II (including seven Pacific battles and two kamikaze hits). She served the Navy until 1960. Walk beside her and take in her size, explore her top deck, or go below deck for a guided tour offered by the National Park Service. She is the namesake of Captain Cassin Young, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism at the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor; he was killed in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in the fall of 1942. Check the website for special opening hours.

Built in 1893, Ventfort Hall was the summer "cottage" of Sarah Morgan, the sister of financier J. P. Morgan. Lively tours offer a peek into the lifestyles of Lenox's superrich "cottage class." The museum's temporary exhibits explore the role of Lenox and the Berkshires as the era's definitive mountain retreat. Victorian high tea served during guest lectures and workshops is among the highlights.