Things to see and do in Massachusetts

Attractions in Massachusetts

Battleship Cove

See Battleship Cove (www.battleshipcove.org) in Fall River. The cove harbours 20th-century US Navy vessels and is the world's largest historic naval exhibit.

Boston Skyline

Survey the Boston Skyline from atop the Prudential Tower (www.prudentialcenter.com). The Skywalk viewing platform on the 52nd floor offers spectacular views over the city.

Boston's museums

Also in Boston, see the 1822 USS Constitution at Charlestown Navy Shipyard, soak up the culture at the Museum of Fine Arts (www.mfa.org), learn of the planet's living creatures at the famous Museum of Science (www.mos.org), or hear Kennedy's famous speech at the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum (www.jfklibrary.org).

Concord

Visit Concord, one of the most historic and beautiful towns in the USA. Its Old North Bridge was the site of the 'shot heard round the world' in the opening engagement of the American War of Independence. The engagement commenced on what is now called Battle Road in Lexington on 15 April 1775.

Experience Cape Cod's beaches

Explore the wild marshes or take a solitary stroll along pristine beaches in Cape Cod. It has some 400km (250 miles) of beautiful beaches, seaside towns and fishing villages. The Cape Cod National Seashore (www.nps.gov/caco) features unspoilt sandy beaches and stunning desert-like sand dunes.

Follow the Freedom Trail in Boston

Travel the Freedom Trail, which is marked by signs and a red pavement line. It is a 5km (3-mile) walk that passes 16 points of historical interest, some of which are in the Boston National Historical Park (www.nps.gov/bost).

Harvard University

Tour Harvard University in Cambridge (www.harvard.edu), the USA's oldest university (1636).

Hear a performance of The Boston Symphony Orchestra

The Boston Symphony Orchestra (www.bso.org) is one of the greatest of all international ensembles. The orchestra has a full schedule of autumn and winter concerts, and makes its summer home at Tanglewood in the Berkshires (western Massachusetts). 'Boston Pops' concerts are staged in the spring and summer, as well as at Christmas.

Higgins Armory

Learn about the development of arms and armour at the Higgins Armory (www.higgins.org) in Worcester. Set in a medieval castle, it contains the largest on-display collection of medieval and Renaissance armour in the western hemisphere.

New Bedford Whaling Museum

Hear the story of American whaling at New Bedford Whaling Museum (www.whalingmuseum.org), the world's oldest museum of its kind, displaying the skeleton of a rare, 20m (66ft) blue whale. New Bedford's whaling chapel, Seamen's Bethel, inspired Herman Melville's description in Moby Dick (www.newbedford.com).

Old North Church

Explore the Old North Church (www.oldnorth.com), the oldest standing church in Boston, which witnessed the start of the American Revolution. From more modern time visit the Cheers Bar, upon which the popular TV series was based.

Relax on Nantucket Island

Once a great whaling port, now a popular sun resort, Nantucket Island and Martha's Vineyard (www.mvy.com), a picture-postcard island, both lie off the coast of Cape Cod and are easily accessible by air. Enjoy the slow pace of island life that has attracted writers, artists and designers, or dive into entertainment and nightlife.

Retrace history at Old Sturbridge Village

This village (www.osv.org) in central Massachusetts is a living history museum recreating an 1830s New England town.

Sail off the coast of Marblehead

Learn to sail off the coast of Marblehead (www.marblehead.org). The old town is full of 18th- and 19th-century homes of fishermen, merchants and artisans, and is one of the east coast's premier sailing centres.

Salem

Dare to venture into Salem (www.salemweb.com), famous for the 1692 witch trials and its seafaring history.

Travel back in time to Plimoth Plantation

Plimoth Plantation (www.plimoth.org) is an open-air museum recreating a 1627 Pilgrim village in the town of Plymouth. The Mayflower II, also in Plymouth, is a full-scale reproduction of the ship in which the pilgrims made their harrowing 66-day voyage from England.

Travel the Mohawk Trail

The legendary Native American trail (www.mohawktrail.com) winds through 202,347 hectares (500,000 acres) of state parks, forests and reservations, and is popular for foliage viewing in the autumn.

Tourist offices

Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism