Summer is here! Get out and greet it in the amazing Greater Merrimack Valley!

At last, the weather is warming and so too are spirits here in the heart of New England. History, art, culture, varied cuisines, and the outdoor activities await in the Greater Merrimack Valley! Just one-half hour from Boston, MA there’s always adventure to be found in any one of our 21 cities and charming towns - especially when our arms open wide in summertime.

Seasonal Sports, Activities and Shopping

• Splash Into Sports and Recreation!: No need to stay inside when the warmer weather beckons! Take in stunning natural landscapes at the beautiful state parks, including Great Brook Farm, Walden Pond and Great Meadows. Abundant green spaces offer ample opportunities for hiking, biking and picnicking and the Merrimack River, which runs through the region, allows for boating, kayaking, and fishing.
• Take Home Some Locally-Grown!: Lexington, MA’s Historic Wilson Farm has been growing vegetables since 1884. Year round, the Farm provides hearty offerings that are ripe and ready to bring home and enjoy. There’s even more to find just a town away at Verrill Farm in Concord, MA. In addition to its many crop offerings, the Farm offers tours, hayrides and even cooking classes. At both farms there’s an on-site kitchen, deli and bakery for mouthwatering entrees, soups, sandwiches, and baked goods daily.

Arts, History & Music

• Music and Events – You’ll Find Great Ones Here: The Lowell Memorial Auditorium is ideal venue for concerts, family shows, conferences, conventions, trade shows, corporate seminars and much more.
• Also in Lowell, MA, check out the Merrimack Repertory Theatre. One of the nation’s top regional theaters, it presents remarkable new and contemporary plays that bring joy to our art form while engaging, entertaining, and enriching our community.
• Arts Abound in the Valley: For everyone who appreciates America’s classic authors, many of them lived and wrote from their homes in the Greater Merrimack Valley. Such icons of writing as Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Jack Kerouac all worked here, drawing inspiration from the Valley’s rich beauty and hard-working inhabitants. You are sure to be inspired touring the grounds where they walked and the homes where they composed.
• Appreciator of quilting? You will be when you visit the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, MA. Its world-class exhibitions reflect the scope and versatility of quilt-making, past and present. Changing gallery exhibitions vary from historical themes that highlight the most significant and beautifully preserved antique quilts in America to contemporary and modern shows that feature the innovative work of prominent quilt artists from across the country and around the world.
• Lowell, MA is also a huge supporter of current arts. You will be amazed at all the artists and their unique, talented works on display at the Brush Art Gallery and Studios and at the Loading Dock Gallery at Western Avenue Studios. You’re bound to find artworks you admire, and often the artists are right there to tell you more about them. Maybe there’s something perfect for above your mantle.
• The Whistler House Museum of Art, also located in Lowell, MA, is the historic birthplace of the famous American artist, James McNeill Whistler. It is known internationally for its distinguished collection of 19th and early 20th century New England representational art.
• DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, MA is the largest park of its kind in New England. Here you will find a constantly changing landscape of large-scale, outdoor, modern, and contemporary sculpture and site-specific installations of more than 60 works. Year- round activities can be enjoyed in the Sculpture Park and Museum, including yoga in the park, nature tours, curator and artist conversations, and many special talks, screenings, and events.
• The Discovery Museum in Acton, MA is a hands-on museum for families that combines science, nature, and play. Its Discovery Woods accessible outdoor nature playscape and treehouse, blends the best of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) learning on a beautiful 4.5-acre site.
• To the north in Andover, MA, the Addison Gallery’s collection of American art is one of the most comprehensive in the world, including nearly 22,000 objects spanning the 18th century to the present. It is so rich in art pieces that in addition to its permanent collection, it provides a number of major traveling exhibitions.

Watch American History Come Alive!

Among the most popular features of the Greater Merrimack Valley is its long history. The region was the site of many momentous events during the American Revolution. Today, these historical sites attract tourists from all over the world. Visitor centers in Concord and Lexington, MA are friendly places where you can learn more about the start of the American Revolution and its impact on early Americans. The centers can direct you to just where iconic events occurred nearly 250 years ago. Many of them are within easy walking distance. :

• A great start to a history focused visit is experiencing Minute Man National Historic Park, and taking a walk along the Old North Bridge. Monuments in the park honor the brave men and women who fought for our freedom.
• To learn more, be sure to stop in at the Concord Museum. Here, 16 new galleries dramatically present the events of that iconic day, April 19, 1775, and feature historical objects including the lantern from Paul Revere's midnight ride. Strolling these streets, here and in the surrounding towns, you’ll be sure to admire the many historic homes and buildings. Preservation programs ensure that these sites and landmarks are well-maintained and accessible for generations to come.
• As America secured its independence, it grew in many ways. To see just how, make a trip to the Lowell National Historical Park. It provides a satisfying look into the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution. The Park is a living testament to the dynamic story which transformed our largely rural country into an urban one. A great place to learn more about the city of Lowell, MA’s industrial past is at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum. It includes an operating weave room plus interactive exhibits and video programs about the Industrial Revolution, labor, and the rise, fall, and rebirth of historic Lowell.

Shop, Dine and Relax

The Great Merrimack Valley provides many outstanding opportunities for shopping, dining, and lodging. Cities like Lowell and Concord, MA feature bustling downtown areas with a mix of local boutiques, antique shops, and national retailers. For food enthusiasts, the Greater Merrimack Valley presents a diverse culinary scene, with a wide range of cuisines to satisfy any palate. Local restaurants, cafes, farms, and food trucks offer everything – classic New England seafood, international dishes, farm-to table dining, prepared meals – ensuring there's something for everyone to enjoy.
And when it’s time to turn in, you will 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 romantic, luxurious, or comfortable and cozy lodging experience. You’ll find all here in Greater Merrimack Valley.

To make your own history and your perfect spring/summer adventure here in Greater Merrimack Valley, visit merrimackvalley.org for more information.