Massachusetts

The pizza dough gets made from scratch every single day, and so does the tomato sauce. That habit started back in 1956, when two brothers-in-law…

First-year students here don’t just study business. They actually start and run a business before they’ve even chosen an optional concentration. That’s a wild way…

A family butchery tradition that started in the Polish countryside in 1914 is still making kielbasa today. The recipes made it through two World Wars…

On a clear day, one Massachusetts trail ride can show you the Boston skyline from a hilltop in the middle of the state. You’d be…

Somewhere on the North Shore, a woodland trail glows with well over a thousand carved jack-o’-lanterns. Some years, the count creeps close to two thousand….

A whole produce market opens its doors at 9 AM every single day of the week. It stays open until 8 PM, even on Sundays….

Every fall, several Berkshire lakes get partly drained on purpose, right when the leaves hit peak color. It’s called a drawdown, and one lake on…

One pizzeria on this list has been firing up brick-oven pies since around 1926. That means people were grabbing slices there before sliced bread was…

A small beach, fresh lobster from the docks, and fishing boats that still bring in their daily catches. It sounds like a scene from decades…

Bakers flour sold in customizable sizes, right next to locally baked crusty loaves. That pairing alone made me sit up straight. Most stores pick a…

Filipino barbecue and fried fish plates are waiting inside a small grocery store. That alone made me stop scrolling. Add halo halo to the menu,…

The tea menu here arrives tucked inside the pages of a vintage book. Even the sugar cubes get a tiny book holder. That’s commitment to…

Gooseberries, currants, kohlrabi, celeriac, and roly poly zucchini all come out of the same family’s fields. That is a farm stand shopping list with real…

The state of Massachusetts rents out round canvas yurts with bunk beds and electricity, and some sit right next to swimming ponds. One log cabin…

Unlimited crab legs, made-to-order Peking duck, and a chocolate fountain all live under one roof. They also come with one set price. That combo sounds…

One Puerto Rican restaurant in Massachusetts offers a fireplace and rooftop seating, plus mofongo and churros on the same menu. I did not expect that…

One of the best places in Massachusetts to stock up on bulk groceries sits on a street literally named Avocado Street. It opens at 7…

Two world-famous universities share one compact city, and they sit just a short subway ride apart on the same train line. That alone would grab…

A dinosaur volcano that shoots out snowflakes sits along a three-mile holiday drive. Yes, really. I have to admit, that detail alone had me hooked….

A judge from the 1692 witch trials once lived behind these dark wooden walls in Massachusetts. Today it is the only building still standing in…

A college professor and his students built an observatory in the 1830s, and it still stands today. It’s considered the oldest existing observatory in the…

A mofongo topped with fried cheese, salami, and eggs, then finished with melted cheese, is a real menu item. It’s one of the house specialties,…

One city on this list made so many buggy whips that the nickname stuck for good. Another one invented volleyball back in 1895. I love…

A yarn shop with a longarm quilting machine in the back sounds like a crafter’s daydream. This one is real, and it also services sewing…

You would never guess what is waiting beyond the doors of this quiet Massachusetts building. Inside, a golden shrine room glows with statues, intricate details,…

What if a day trip could feel like opening the door to another century? This Massachusetts village comes surprisingly close, with old workshops, farm animals,…

A railroad bridge built in 1887 still stretches nearly 1,500 feet across the Connecticut River, but trains haven’t used it in decades. These days, people…

A small piece of green sea glass can make an ordinary beach day feel like a treasure hunt. Add colorful shells, smooth stones, and the…

Every sub here runs 16 inches long on fresh-baked French bread. That’s longer than a standard school ruler, and it’s stuffed with things like steak,…

The sirloin strip here is aged a minimum of 40 days. That’s a serious steakhouse move from a place that proudly calls itself a neighborhood…

One seafood shack on this list lets you eat fried scallops while jets glide overhead toward a major airport. I love that a plate of…

The air and water inside this waterpark sit at a toasty 84 degrees all year long. Your kids will be cannonballing in a heated pool…

Up to 650 vendors can fit on one field here, and it all happens on a single day each week. That’s not a typo. It’s…

At one Massachusetts steakhouse, dinner doesn’t arrive on a single plate. Servers move through the dining room carrying skewers of grilled beef, chicken, pork, and…

Two of this church’s early pastors went on to become cardinals. One led the Archdiocese of New York, and the other led Boston. That alone…

Just a short drive from Salem’s busy streets, a small Massachusetts town offers a completely different kind of day trip. Historic houses line its main…

One chicken parm on this list arrives with melted stracciatella and rigatoni in a rich vodka sauce. I didn’t know I needed that sentence in…

One Massachusetts farm store had to post a polite update: it still has very cute cows, but the alpacas are gone. I love that. It…

A latte that tastes like a Portuguese custard tart is on a breakfast menu in one waterfront city, and it’s poured inside a building from…

Stained glass windows from a completely different church now glow inside a quiet gallery here. They were saved from a closed parish and given a…

An entire town in Massachusetts was officially erased in 1938 so a reservoir could take its place. The people left, the buildings went, and the…

The town hall here once played the town hall of Amity in Jaws. Yes, that Jaws. The same streets now look more like the set…

One shop on this list has indoor and outdoor tracks, so you can buy an RC car and test it the same afternoon. That alone…

A donut counter in Massachusetts opens at 5 AM and stays open until 1 AM on most weeknights. That’s twenty straight hours of glazed possibility….

At one point, 17 shoe and shoe-related businesses helped turn this little town into a thriving manufacturing center. Today, the same downtown is better known…

In one Massachusetts deli, lasagna shows up as a special on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. That means some people plan their whole week around a…

A full turkey dinner is on the menu every single day here, not just on one Thursday in November. That alone made me sit up…

One store on this list sells used clothing by the pound, and you dig through big bins to fill your bag. That detail alone made…

Your very first class here ends with a finished piece of stained glass that you cut, ground, foiled, and soldered yourself. No experience is required,…

More than 250 different dishes show up at one buffet every single day. I think that number alone deserves a moment of silence. Then the…

Half a lobster, shrimp, mussels, baby octopus, calamari, and clams all share one plate at a little Portuguese restaurant in a Massachusetts strip mall. That…

A judge who helped decide the fates of accused witches in 1692 once ate breakfast inside these walls. His house is still standing, and you…

One spot on this list has been serving thin-crust pizza and spaghetti since 1938. Another started as a small corner pizza shop in 1963 and…

Nine different meat bundles wait at one little country store, and every item comes freezer packed. Even better, you can swap up to two items…

One of these bakeries started in a garage in 1962. Two Portuguese immigrants baked sweetbread there to support their family, and I can’t get over…

One tiny red fishing shack on the Massachusetts coast is often called the most painted building in America. You can stand and stare at it…

An online critic once called a former Transformers creative manager a has-been. He turned the jab into the name of his toy shop. I love…

One diner in this city has a curved ceiling completely plastered with stickers, and it sits on the National Register of Historic Places. I love…

One campground on the highest mountain in Massachusetts has no road to your tent. You hike in with your gear, and your snacks spend the…

Only about 10 percent of hospitals in the country earn a perfect five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. One of them…