Contact: Lisa Simmons, MOTT
617-973-8508
Vicki Cimino, Connelly Partners
617-521-5428
For Immediate Release
BOSTON, June 11, 2012 - Summer’s almost here, which means it’s time for beach days, leisurely hikes, the seventh-inning stretch, and fireworks. You’ll find a number of fantastic ideas that will help you enjoy those lazy days of summer at massvacation.com; and for deals, hidden gems, and local tips be sure to check out the “MassFinds” blog on massvacation.com.
New this summer! Get amazing deals on attractions, lodging, shopping and more, plus the inside scoop on the latest events in Massachusetts - all sent right to your phone. All that you need to do is text the keyword for a region, as described below, to 74642 and we'll text you the MassInsider TXT with a new deal or offering to add to your summer plans.
Regional Keywords: Greater Boston - MABoston; North of Boston - MANorth; Cape Cod and the Islands - MACapeIslands; Central Massachusetts - MACentral; Western Massachusetts - MAWestern; and Southeastern Massachusetts - MASouth.
Greater Boston
Spot of Tea?
After a fire caused by lightning ruined the original Tea Party site ten years ago, a three-ship attraction will reopen on June 26, right near the place where Bostonians dumped chests of tea in the harbor in 1773 to protest taxes by the British. The newly built attraction will feature historical performances, interactive technology, and Abigail’s Tea Room – where guests can sample the type of teas dumped from the ships.
4th of July Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular
This year’s annual Independence Day celebration will feature Singer Jennifer Hudson, Actor/Singer Michael Chiklis, and Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart. The event, which is free and open to the public, takes place along Boston’s Esplanade on the 4th of July from 6:00 – 11:00 p.m.
Feeling Revolutionary? Visit Governor Hutchinson’s Field
In 1734, Governor Thomas Hutchinson, the last royal governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, built a country estate on Milton Hill. Hutchinson’s loyalty to the crown made him an object of ridicule in the years leading up to the Revolutionary War, and in 1774, shortly after the Boston Tea Party, Hutchinson fled to England. The site of his former estate boasts views of the Neponset River and its tidal salt marshes, the Boston skyline, and the Boston Harbor Islands. Free to all.
Red Sox 100th Anniversary Package at Hotel Commonwealth
Hotel Commonwealth celebrates the 100th Anniversary of neighboring Fenway Park with the ultimate baseball package. A two-room suite decorated with baseball memorabilia, baseball-inspired art, and mahogany furniture reminiscent of 1940’s baseball. The package includes overnight accommodations for two in the Baseball Suite, two tickets to the Official Fenway Park Tour, welcome basket filled with baseball-themed snacks, and a copy of the Fenway Park 100th Anniversary Official Definitive Coffee Table Book. Package available April through October; pricing ranges from $599-$769/night.
North of Boston and Greater Merrimack Valley
Great Freedom Adventures on the North Shore
Great Freedom Adventures offers a Maritime New England cycling tour of Massachusetts’ North Shore; you’ll be immersed in a landscape of spectacular white-sand beaches, salt marshes teeming with wildlife, lighthouses perched on rocky headlands, and classic New England towns that are the oldest and most historically significant in the country. Six days, five nights, $2,395 per person, based on double occupancy.
Find Your Buried Treasure at Salem’s Misery Islands
More than two miles of trails at Great Misery Island lead you to spectacular overlooks, stony beaches, and grassy fields. On the beach of Little Misery you can see the remains of the steamship, The City of Rockland, wrecked off the coast of Maine and scuttled here many years ago. Maybe you’ll find a buried treasure in the wreckage!
Strawberry Festival at Concord’s Verrill Farm
Pick-your-own strawberries, strawberry shortcake, delicious food, entertainment, activities, and a strawberry dessert contest, at historic Verrill Farm. Saturday, June 23, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Adventure on the High Seas at Rockport’s Emerson Inn
The Adventure on the High Seas package ensures plenty of water, wildlife, and accommodation; includes three nights accommodation, full breakfast for two each morning, two tickets for a sail aboard the 65-foot Thomas E. Lannon schooner, two tickets for a whale watch, and a $50 certificate for dining at The Grand Café. Jyly through September; $650-$1,349 per couple.
Cape Cod and the Islands
Angling on Martha’s Vineyard: Wasque Reservation
The Southeastern corner of Martha’s Vineyard is a saltwater angler’s paradise and Wasque Reservation is a prime spot for an afternoon of fishing striped bass and bluefish. Hikers will find 1.5 miles of trails to follow through sandplain grasslands and coastal grounds.
First Annual Nantucket Yoga Festival
The First Annual Nantucket Yoga Festival will bring together the very best world-class yoga instructors, wellness experts, and healthy living guides. Twenty-four workshops instructed by 15 teachers at Bartlett's Ocean View Farm.
Getaway at the Chatham Bars Inn
Chatham Bars’ Getaway Package is ideal for romance or just simply relaxation. Includes accommodation for two nights, welcome wine and cheese, and breakfast for two for two mornings. Based on double occupancy. Tax, service charge and resort fee is included in the price – contact for availability.
Central Massachusetts
What’s Old is New Again at the Brimfield Antique Show ~ July 10-15
The Brimfield Antiques Show began in the 1950's and has become the largest and best-known outdoor antiques show in the country. During showtimes, the town's population balloons to more than 250,000 visitors and 5,000 dealers for the six days the show operates.
Cool Off at Royalston Falls Reservation
Follow a descending trail that leads to a deep, ancient gorge carved by prehistoric glacial meltwater to falls that plunge 45 feet into a basin. In summer, as you descend the difficult 0.8-mile trail into the ravine, the dramatic falls remain within an emerald cloak of dense forest and ferns, appearing suddenly at trail’s end.
Bubbles! at the EcoTarium
Everyone loves bubbles! Worcester’s EcoTarium offers its seasonal outdoor exhibit that gives kids of all ages a chance to make tons of bubbles in all shapes and sizes; experiment with how they are formed, the colors they produce, and their amazing properties. Through mid-September; $14/adult, $8 children 2-18.
Western Massachusetts
The Beauty of Culture in the Berkshires
Bradley Cooper, Olympia Dukakis, Blythe Danner, David Hyde Pierce, Dr. Ruth, Renoir, Edith Wharton, and Norman Rockwell, have something in common this summer. You can find them [or their work] in the Berkshires!
Don’t miss performances and exhibits that will entertain all summer-long. For more information visit: Jacob's Pillow; Tanglewood; Barrington Stage Company; Berkshire Theatre Festival; Williamstown Theatre Festival; Shakespeare & Company; The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center; WordXWord Festival; Clark Art Institute; MASS MoCA; Norman Rockwell Museum; and Edith Wharton's The Mount,
Get Outside! Monument Mountain
Located in Great Barrington, Monument Mountain offers three miles of trails, a 1,642-foot peak, and views that have inspired poets, novelists, and painters for nearly two centuries. In 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville enjoyed a well-chronicled hike up Monument Mountain, which inspired powerful ideas for Melville’s Moby-Dick. Free to all; donations are welcome.
\Schedule a Summer Escape at the Red Lion Inn
Steal away to Stockbridge with the Red Lion Inn’s Summer Escape package! At $415 per room, the package includes dinner and breakfast for two and overnight accommodations in a deluxe guestroom. Available Monday through Thursday, May 28-September 13, 2012; based on availability.
About MOTT
The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) is the state agency dedicated to promoting Massachusetts as a leisure-travel destination. An integral part of the state’s economy, tourism generates more than $915 million in state and local taxes and $14.4 billion in travel related expenditures and supports 121,500 in-state jobs. Web site: http://www.massvacation.com/
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- Where to Go
- Things to Do
For New England's largest theme park, head to Six Flags New England in Agawam. Experience the "Glow in the Park Parade", an all new nighttime spectacular with dramatic state-of-the-art floats, cirque-style music and thousands of sparkling lights! The Dept. of Conservation and Recreation presents Park Passport, a program where families are encouraged to continue to visit parks statewide in an effort to fill their passport with stamps from all the parks.
- Plan Your Trip
- 50 Under $50
- Getting Around
State and regional resources, including air, land, and water transportation; Boston public transit info; detailed info on travel to Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Island
