Massachusetts beach, mountain, lake resorts create luxury getaways

Timeless elegance by the sea: That’s what you’ll discover at Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club. Stay in a room, suite or villa with a private balcony, gas fireplace or whirlpool tub, sumptuous bedding and perhaps with the beach just steps from your door. Dine on the dunes, on an ocean terrace or in a cozy pub with live entertainment. Arrange for a day of utter relaxation in The Beach House spa or an afternoon at the 18-hole Nicklaus-designed golf course. There’s tennis on clay courts, pickle ball, five pools (including two indoors), fitness centers and bikes to rent to travel the nearby scenic trails. Practice yoga on the private beach, kayak in Blueberry Pond or go on an oyster-bed tour.

There’s so much to do on the North Shore, you’ll need a home base to do your activity planning! The Briar Barn Inn, an exquisite inn, restaurant and spa in a country setting just north of Boston, MA, can be that perfect headquarters. Its 30 guest rooms have gas fireplaces, seating areas and soaking tubs, and its Grove restaurant serves fresh regional cuisine with a creative twist. Relax in the pool or by the fire pits as you discuss the next day’s activities. There’s snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in winter and, in warmer weather, kayaking and paddle boarding on the Essex River, surfing in scenic Gloucester, MA or gallery hopping in Rockport, MA. There are miles of sandy beaches, eclectic museums, hiking and biking paths – and, of course, fried-clam restaurants.