Things to Do in Massachusetts

The Otis House Museum is actually a mansion, the last surviving one, in Bowdoin Square. This West End property was named for Harrison Gray Otis, a Federalist lawyer and politician. There are actually three Harris Gray Otis Houses in Boston, all of which were built by the noted architect Charles Bulfinch. The first, a National Historic Landmark, was built in 1796 and was inspired by a William Bingham house from Philadelphia. Owned by the Historic New England organization, this one now operates as a museum.

The house is a look into the lavish lifestyle of Otis and his wife Sally. Otis made his fortune developing Beacon Hill, was a representative in Congress and then later became mayor of Boston. The home's design is reflective of the Federal style, which Bulfinch introduced to Boston.

Otis House is three stories, in five bays. The entrance seen today was added after 1801, which has a Palladian window above and a lunette above that. The third floor has ceilings that are just over six feet tall. The floor plan of the home is Colonial fashion, which the characteristic two rooms on either side of the central hallway.

The home's interior showcases many aspects of the Otis' life, from the social and business aspects to understanding the role servants played in the home. The restoration was meticulous and required a lot of historical and scientific research. 

The cornerstone of Concord's historic attractions was the town's political and social center throughout the 19th century, and boasts an impressive list of former guests. Now preserved as a National Historic Landmark, the Old Manse was originally built in 1770, for Reverend William Emerson, and stands adjacent to Concord's Old North Bridge, where on April 19th 1775, it bore witness to the start of the American War of Independence, as Minutemen fired the infamous shot "˜heard around the world'. 

The history of the Old Manse isn't only political though; the landmark building also has a rich literary heritage, home to both Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne, and serving as a meeting ground for other Transcendentalists, including Bronson Alcott, Henry David Thoreau and Margaret Fuller. Today, visitors can explore the well-preserved Georgian residence, where they can admire the original furnishings, spot writings from Nathanial & Sophia Hawthorne etched onto the window panes, and look out over the fabled North Bridge, before wandering through the vegetable gardens and orchards.

Like most Six Flags parks, Six Flags New England is a combination theme and water park that's billed as the "Thrill Capital of New England." When the short summer months heat up in the northeast, it's a welcome oasis for visitors, and located just a mile from the Connecticut border, it's a popular destination for Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts residents.

The big draw at any Six Flags park is, of course, the thrill rides. The crown jewel, BATMAN: The Dark Knight, takes visitors on a 55-mile-per-hour blast up to 12-story heights and drops more than 110 feet in a matter of seconds. In the summer months, visitors flock from hundreds of miles to enjoy Six Flags' incredible Hurricane Harbor, a water park that offers everything from relaxing pools and meandering lazy river rides to high speed water slides and group rafting adventures.