Lexington & Concord

Hotbed of American history, the region west of Boston is home to many of Boston's most affluent suburbs. In April of 1775, fed-up Lexingtonians rebuffed English troops bent on seizing their weapons, at the loss of several militiamen's lives. The British moved on to Concord, where locals sped them out of their way to refuge in Boston. Today the historic and photogenic towns mark their histories with genteel monuments, atmospheric museums, and earnest re-enactments on the battles' anniversary. Nearby Walden Pond was the epicenter of the transcendentalist movement, and several sites explore the lives, times, and ideas of these philosophical ...

Hotbed of American history, the region west of Boston is home to many of Boston's most affluent suburbs. In April of 1775, fed-up Lexingtonians rebuffed English troops bent on seizing their weapons, at the loss of several militiamen's lives. The British moved on to Concord, where locals sped them out of their way to refuge in Boston. Today the historic and photogenic towns mark their histories with genteel monuments, atmospheric museums, and earnest re-enactments on the battles' anniversary. Nearby Walden Pond was the epicenter of the transcendentalist movement, and several sites explore the lives, times, and ideas of these philosophical writers. Literary figures Louisa May Alcott and Nathaniel Hawthorne spent notable portions of their lives in the area, honored by local museums. The picturesque nearby town of Lincoln embraces arts in the DeCordova Museum and Gropius House, and the outdoors through many open farms and wildlife preserves.

About the Expert

Juliette Rogers is coauthor of the guidebooks Eating New England: A Food Lovers Guide to Eating Locally, Secret Providence and Newport, and two Thomas Cook guides on France.