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National Parks

Massachusetts' national parks run the gamut from wide-open spaces, such as the Cape Cod National Seashore, to urban parks that preserve the state's, and the nation's, rich historic past, such as the Boston National Historical Park.

Some, like the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area offer both windows into the past and recreational activities. The islands feature Civil and Revolutionary War sites, lighthouses and historic trails as well as camping, fishing, kayaking, swimming and bird watching.

National parks aren't limited to Boston and Cape Cod though. The Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord is where "the shot heard 'round the world" was fired. Springfield Armory National Historic Site in Springfield houses a world-renowned firearms collection. The Lowell National Historical Park in Lowell and the Blackstone River Valley Heritage Corridor testify to the rise and fall of Massachusetts' textile industry. The historic buildings and wharves of the Salem Maritime National Historical Site tell the stories of the sailors, Revolutionary War Privateers and merchants who brought the riches of the Far East to America.

Quick Hits

At the John F. Kennedy Birthplace National Historic Site you can take a guided tour of the house and neighborhood where the 35th President of the United States spent his childhood. Get to know some more presidents at the Adams National Historical Park, the birthplace homes of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams.