With the arrival of spring and summer, everything takes on a new, fresh life in the Greater Merrimack Valley, making it the ideal destination for those seeking to explore the outdoors, visit a site that made history, have fun at a festival or just stroll through shops and galleries. You’ll find all of that and more in this vibrant region in northern Massachusetts, home to Lowell and Concord and more than 20 other unique and welcoming towns and villages. Whether you want to reconnect with the Revolution by visiting Concord’s North Bridge or Lexington’s Battle Green or float down a canal at Lowell’s National Historical Park; shop in outdoor markets or artist studios; listen to a symphony, a rock concert or folk music; dine on ethnic food or lobster rolls – you’ll discover you have welcoming hosts in the artists, farmers, entrepreneurs, restaurateurs and residents of the Greater Merrimack Valley.
Everything blossoms in the Greater Merrimack Valley once spring and summer arrive, a great time for hiking, boating, fishing and visiting farms and gardens. Enjoy the seasons as Thoreau did at picturesque Walden Pond State Reservation or walk in the path of Patriots at Minute Man National Historical Park. Enjoy spring breezes while marveling at the artwork at the deCordova Sculpture Park & Museum or whoop it up in the summer while whitewater rafting in the Concord River. There’s an Apple Blossom Festival in Westford, a Folk Festival in Lowell and outdoor concerts and fairs throughout the region. Shop for one-of-a-kind items at the famous Western Avenue Studios & Lofts’ open-studio Saturdays or bustling Mill No. 5, both in Lowell, Crafty Yankee in Lexington or in the region’s many other unique boutiques.
The Merrimack Valley is home to dozens of galleries, theaters, studios, and concert halls. Organizations like the Lowell Philharmonic Orchestra and the Lexington Symphony perform music throughout the year, and the Merrimack Repertory Center puts on contemporary plays from September through May. There is something in the Greater Merrimack Valley for every type of art enthusiast, whether you prefer consuming the arts or creating your own. Visitors can take music lessons via the Groton Hill Music Center or a ceramics workshop at Pottery Mill Clay Studio.
The Greater Merrimack Valley is home to some of the most important historical sites in New England history, including the Minute Man National Historical Park, birthplace of the American Revolution, in Concord. Moreover, the Lowell National Historical Park preserves the beginnings of America’s Industrial Revolution. Other notable sites include Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House and the historical homes of Lexington. The Merrimack Valley is also sprinkled with several amazing museums – the Fruitlands Museum, the Museum of Printing, and the Whistler House Museum of Art, to name a few.
Restaurant Week is April 10-14 - with lots of great specials and great dining! Click here for additional info.
Throughout the Greater Merrimack Valley, find a wide variety of lodgings, from chain hotels to local bed & breakfasts. Depending on the reason for your visit, you might lean toward a more romantic lodging experience like at the Chateau Merrimack, a landmark historic hotel like Concord’s Colonial Inn, or one of the 418 recently-renovated rooms at the luxurious Boston Marriott Burlington. Wherever you decide to stay, you will inevitably be close to plenty of the Merrimack Valley’s delicious breweries and restaurants. Lowell, especially, is home to some of the region’s best food. Be sure to check out Cobblestones, Four Sisters Owl Diner, and Athenian Corner Restaurant.
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