MASSACHUSETTS - North of Boston/Merrimack Valley

Experts at the Whale Center of New England on Harbor Loop in Gloucester study whales who live in the waters off the Massachusetts coast, especially Stellwagen Bank and Jeffreys Ledge, and conduct field research their vessel Mysticete. The center also has a Visitors Center where whale lovers can learn about these marine mammals through extensive exhibits. Visitors will come away with a new appreciation for marine mammals and the threats that they face in the world today. The Visitors Center is open year-round, but days and hours vary through the seasons. Phone: 978-281-6351.

The Amesbury Sports Park at 12 South Hunt Road in Amesbury has the steepest snow tubing hill in New England, with 6 to 10 tubing lanes open, depending on conditions. The hills are serviced by a conveyor belt lift that guests stand on and ride to the top, and a handle tow lift. Night tubing under lights is offered all season. Children must be at least 4 years old to tube. “Ride the Frozen Rapids” opens in January 2011 and up to 10 people to board a white water raft and zip down the hill. Snowmaking ensures coverage. Open Thursday through Sunday. Phone: 978-388-5788.

New Bedford was the mid-19th century’s preeminent whaling port and for a time the richest city in the world. At the New Bedford Whaling Park and Museum on 33 William Street – which part of the U.S. Park Service – visitors can explore that fascinating era by strolling cobblestone streets and by touring the world’s largest whaling museum, a merchant’s home, a whalemen's chapel, and a 19th-century schooner. The park is actually a neighborhood consisting of several buildings: visitor centers for the park and the waterfront, a whaling museum, a church, and a historic house with gardens. Most facilities open year-round, with some seasonal variations in hours. Phone: 508-996-4095

Rockport Music, host of the Rockport Chamber Music Festival, has a new home starting in June 2010. The new Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport will include an intimate concert hall, with a balcony and seating for 325 people with a spectacular two-story window at the rear of the stage, giving audiences a full view of the Atlantic Ocean. Audiences will be welcome to the center for musical programs as well as a film series, simulcasts of Metropolitan Opera performances, lectures by well-known authors, cabaret performances, and civic gatherings. Keep in touch with this new performance venue for a future of wonderful entertainment in a beautiful coastal community. Phone: 978-546-7391.

From spinning wheels to airplanes and power looms to baseballs, history really comes alive at the American Textile History Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, at 491 Dutton Street in Lowell. In the main exhibition, Textile Revolution: An Exploration through Space and Time, visitors can spin, weave, design, and recycle through an interactive experience that explores how textiles affect our lives. Watch how baseballs are made from wool, weave on a hand loom, and try on a glove designed for the NASA space program. Rotating special exhibitions exploring fascinating topics through textiles, from the glamour and grace of 1930s fashion to the stories of Vietnam vets. Open year-round, Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed on holidays. Phone: 978-441-0400.

Nashoba Valley Ski Area at 179 Great Road in Littleton has a 15-lane tubing park open day and night. Take the family and enjoy one of the fastest-growing winter recreational activities in New England! Fifteen lanes are serviced by four lifts and maintained by na erienced grooming fleet, the park provides ideal tubing conditions for thrill seekers of all ages. The tubing park also consists of an on-site lodge, with snack bar and TV. Entrance to the tubing park is separate from the entrance to the ski area. Tubing park entrance is at 179 Great Road, Littleton. Phone: 978-692-3033.

Salem Historical Tours, based at 191 Essex Street in Salem, is host of the nightly Haunted Footsteps Ghost Tour and other tours that entertain and inform visitors to this historic town. A variety of tours appeal to interests of all kinds of visitors. They include the new Spirits of Salem Pub Crawl, which visits several of Salem’s most spirited taverns; Cemetery 101, which explores an early burying ground; Salem Witchcraft Walk, describing the infamous Salem Witch Trials; Supernatural Salem, a new ghost tour; and Secrets of Salem, which explores the macabre history of the Witch City. Great storytellers, historical integrity, and an unrivaled reputation make the Salem Historic Tours a great companion to explore Salem. Phone: 978-745-0666.

Lyman Estate Greenhouses on Lyman Street in Waltham provide a flowery paradise year-round. The Lyman Estate Greenhouses are among the oldest surviving greenhouses in the United States. The complex consists of an 1804 grape house, 1820 camellia house, 1840 orchid house, and a 1930 sales greenhouse. At any time of year a visit to these picturesque greenhouses is a treat. Rare orchids covered with exotic flowers bloom throughout the year. The horticultural staff offers advice and assistance. The greenhouse specializes in orchids, exotic house plants, citrus fruits, camellias, and herbs. The gift shop sells historical gardening books, brass sundials, sachets, orchid accessories, pottery, rustic twig furniture, and more. Open year-round, but days vary by season. Guided tours on first Wednesdays. Consult greenhouses’s website. Phone: 781-891-1985.

Among other qualities, Salem is a very walkable city, with museums, attractions, dining and really fun shopping. Fun fashions, furniture, gifts, gemstones, cookbooks and cycles, and, of course, magic paraphernalia, are easy to find in the Witch City. Store listings start with Angelica of the Angels, offering channeling, medium, psychic, Tarot, gifts, books, incense, and energy healing to The Urbane Cyclist, with provisions for your cycling needs.