Seafaring and farming, industrial and intellectual, high tech and artisanal - Massachusetts' economy is strikingly diverse and very much influenced by its land and history. Home to many of the earliest colonial settlements - Plymouth, Boston, Salem - along the coast, settlers rapidly moved inland to farm and supply international shipping. The sea also provides fish, and though that industry is struggling to survive, coastal areas are still fiercely proud of their fisheries and fantastic seafood is easy to find. Roaring rivers powered industry in cities like Worcester and Lowell, and early fortunes built on trade helped found prestigious colleges across the state. The technology corridor north of Boston is a mini-silicon valley, but is matched by pockets of artists, especially on Cape Ann and in the western part of the state. Long a hotbed of revolution, the state's reputation for Puritanical reserve is balanced by progressive ideas to this day.
Must See
- #1 Boston
- #2 Cape Ann
- #3 Lexington and Concord
- #4 Plimoth Plantation
- #5 Northampton and the Pioneer Valley
Skip It
- #1 Cape Cod