Massachusetts packs an outsized amount of American history, natural beauty, and cultural life into a small state. The Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in 1620, the American Revolution started in Lexington and Concord, and Boston remains one of the most historically rich cities in the country.
Beyond history, Massachusetts has Cape Cod's beaches, the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, the Berkshire hills in the west, and some of the best universities in the world. The state is small enough that you can drive from the Atlantic coast to the New York border in under three hours.
Boston is the obvious starting point, but the smaller cities and towns reward exploration. Lowell preserves the story of America's industrial revolution. Worcester is the state's second city. The Berkshire towns of Stockbridge, Great Barrington, and Pittsfield draw visitors for summer music festivals and autumn foliage. Cape Cod is a world unto itself, with dunes, lighthouses, and fresh seafood from Sandwich to Provincetown.
