Check out Massachusetts on a scenic highway vacation
For a little condition, Massachusetts has an infinite patchwork of spots to weave into an itinerary. And its dimensions can make it prime road-journey territory, as you can zigzag across the state with simplicity, masking the standout internet sites with out owning to go over huge distances.
Sandwiched concerning the mountains and the Atlantic, the Bay State gives a slice of northeastern Americana, stretching from charming coastal villages and the huge city of Boston to the rugged inside and those world-renowned New England landscapes. In this article, we’ve plotted four of the ideal routes, no matter whether you are after a solo journey or a family-friendly excursion.
1. Mohawk River Path
Allow 4 to 5 times
Head out on the Mohawk Trail Scenic Byway – New England’s oldest Scenic Byway – to learn the leafy and mountainous regions in northwest Massachusetts. This historical trade route linked indigenous Atlantic tribes with the Iroquois tribes in Upstate New York and Canada, who would travel from the Hudson River and Connecticut River valleys. It’s just one of quite a few historical indigenous routes to have been repurposed, but this 69-mile journey was a single of the initially to be utilised as a scenic route in the early times of leisure car or truck journey in 1914. And it’s effortless to see why. Commence off in rolling Berkshire County, the place kaleidoscopic colours illuminate the landscapes in the autumn, and journey down to lower-lying Deerfield River Valley, with quaint villages, delectable breweries, spectacular places to eat and unforgettable surroundings. Travelling down the Mohawk River Trail will typically choose around 4 times.
Unforgettable scenery: take the Mohawk Trail Scenic Byway – New England’s oldest – to check out northwest Massachusetts
Credit: Shutterstock
2. Cape Cod

Allow for two to a few days
The fabled peninsula of Cape Cod makes for an iconic coastal street journey, and with its sandy beaches, ocean sights, outdoor routines and unbelievable seafood, it is a notably great option for people. The US Route 6 highway will take you from the mainland ideal to the suggestion of the Atlantic coast’s hook-shaped peninsula at Herring Cove Bay. The Cape Cod National Seashore – 40 miles of impeccable seashores, marshes, ponds and uplands – is greatest explored by car or truck, giving you the independence to end and investigate. The dune-backed shorelines and salt marshes make up the landscape in this article, punctuated by charming coastal cities supplying off significant getaway vibes. Abide by the route up to Provincetown, the closing city on the peninsula, the place a vibrant art and LGBT scene, accompanied by unforgettable lobster rolls, attracts in the crowds, ahead of you recharge for the journey back again – or capture the ferry for the 90-minute journey to Boston.
Jaw-dropping coastline: with its sandy shorelines, ocean views and extraordinary seafood, you should not skip the Cape Cod Countrywide Seashore
Credit: Getty
3. The North Shore

Allow a single to two days
For a shorter experience, venture out of the state money for a working day or two to examine the North Shore place and witness the state’s maritime heritage, seafood tradition and witch-demo historical past. A different good solution for households, this route presents the greatest of both equally worlds, with a holiday getaway getting in a heap of museums and historical sights in Boston just before a more peaceful time on the North Shore.
Hop onto the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway, a 90-mile extend of highway linking 14 coastal communities to the New England border. Make your 1st halt off at Salem where the Salem Maritime Nationwide Historic Web site – the initial a single Historic Web-site to open up in America – showcases the area’s rich maritime culture, and excursions will introduce you to the infamous witch trials.
Swing by Essex for a dive into some of the region’s greatest antique shops and stop off at the quintessential seafood shacks to get a culinary introduction to the space, way too. From the North Shore classic of boiled purple lobster to fried clams (New England sports activities the title as the property of the initial fried clam), there is anything to fit every single taste. Rockport, the scenic fishing village at the suggestion of Cape Ann, is the spot to wrap up your experience prior to winding back again to the city, which should really take just beneath an hour.
Image-postcard surroundings: make a pit end at Rockport, the scenic fishing village at the tip of Cape Ann
Credit score: Getty
4. Boston and Plymouth

Allow for two days
Boston is the ideal base from which to start off onto street outings to digest the record of this strip of New England. Head just 40 miles south of the metropolis to discover Plymouth, the web page of the 1st Pilgrim settlement courting back to the 15th century. Plymouth Rock is in which the first pilgrims are said to have landed from the Mayflower in December 1620 and whether or not point or fable, it will make for an appealing dive into the destination’s earlier.
Somewhere else, replica 17th-century villages let you to think about situations previous, though the Mayflower Museum provides the prospect to study about the historic crossings and landings. When in Plymouth, make time for whale viewing – humpbacks, finbacks, pilot and minke whales get in touch with these Atlantic waters property – and excursions depart from the town and consider you out to Cape Cod and Stellwagen Lender Marine Sanctuary. Outdoors the city, cranberry farms arrive to daily life in the harvest months and offer tours of the doing the job cranberry bogs.
Periods past: make a pilgrimage to Plymouth to see the Mayflower reproduction and understand about the historic crossings
Credit history: Getty
Study far more at visittheusa.co.british isles/massachusetts or visitma.com
