These 11 Towns In Massachusetts Were Ranked Among US Favorites In 2025
Massachusetts is one of those destinations in the US that’s impossible not to love. The perfect example of when history meets nature, this state’s story dates back even before 1620, when English pilgrims first settled here. It is where the famous Thanksgiving tradition was born, where the infamous Salem witch trials took place, and it was one of the original thirteen colonies.
On top of that, Massachusetts has a coastline on the Atlantic Ocean, numerous rivers, gorgeous countryside, and, more importantly, these charming towns that blend everything together to deliver unforgettable experiences. From Rockport to Gloucester, these towns offer the best experiences that Massachusetts and New England have to offer, which is why they were ranked among the favorite destinations in the US in 2025.
Provincetown
Provincetown is one of Massachusetts’s foremost towns and an excellent place from which to explore the Cape Cod National Seashore, which on its own is worth traveling hundreds of miles to visit. Encompassing over 43,000 acres, this seashore on the Atlantic Ocean is a national treasure, featuring beaches, dunes, marshes, swamps, and ponds, among other habitats teeming with wildlife. From Provincetown, one can easily explore some of the seashore’s top attractions, including the exceptionally positioned Race Point Beach and the five-mile Province Lands Bike Trail that winds through pine forests, dunes, and presents breathtaking ocean scenery. Herring Cove Beach in Cape Cod National Seashore is also just outside Provincetown, and is the perfect place to relax with gentle ocean waves and beautiful sunsets.
Besides the national seashore, Provincetown boasts a couple of historic attractions, one of which is the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum. Standing at over 252 feet tall, this monument commemorates the first landfall of the Mayflower Pilgrims in the New World in 1620. The museum further expands on this historic event, while also highlighting the town’s maritime history. Meanwhile, travelers are welcome to climb over a hundred steps to the top of the monument for stunning views of the area.
Concord
Concord is a history lover’s paradise in Massachusetts, due to its long list of historical attractions. Established in 1635, it is among the oldest towns in the country and is home to Minute Man National Historical Park, where the first full-scale battle of the American Revolutionary War was fought on April 19, 1775. Encompassing the towns of Lexington, Lincoln, and Concord, the park preserves sites, roads, and structures related to the war, including the Old North Bridge, where the first shot of the war was fired at the Battle of Lexington and Concord. This bridge has been immortalized as the site of “the shot heard around the world,” and visitors are invited to stroll across and ponder the start of the fight for the freedom of the United States of America. The Old North Bridge Visitor Center is also located near the bridge and features exhibits about the battle. Additionally, the park has the five-mile Battle Road Trail, which connects to Lexington and is notable for being the road where the running skirmishes between the British and the Colonial Militia took place.
Outside the park, the Concord Museum offers an even richer history with its extensive collection of artifacts, covering the American Revolution, indigenous peoples, colonial women, enslaved people, and more. Concord also hosts the Walden Pond State Reservation, where hiking trails and water-based activities like fishing, swimming, and boating offer a respite from the area’s overwhelming history.
Plymouth
Plymouth is arguably the most significant historic destination in Massachusetts, even older than the state itself. As early as 1620, the town was settled by Pilgrims, marking the establishment of the Plymouth Colony, which was the first permanent English settlement in New England and the third in the Americas. Today, several landmarks and attractions in the town highlight its long history, including Plymouth Rock, which is believed to be the rock used for disembarkation by the pilgrims in 1620. This rock is located in the Pilgrim Memorial State Park and stands as a true symbol of American religious freedom, civil liberty, survival, and immigration. The waterfront park also hosts other historical treasures, including a replica of the ship used by the pilgrims known as the Mayflower II, and the National Monument of the Forefathers, an 81-foot-tall granite statue built in 1881 to commemorate the Mayflower Pilgrims and their ideals.
Elsewhere, the Pilmoth Patuxet Museums stand as a replica of the original settlement of the Plymouth Colony and a living history museum with costumed interpreters reliving the life of the pilgrims. In the museum complex, one can witness 17th-century activities such as cooking, farming, interaction with the Wampanoag tribe, and the birth of the Thanksgiving tradition held in 1621 between the native tribe and the English colonists. Plymouth also has a few natural draws to complement its historic treasures, including Long Beach, a charming spot offering opportunities for birdwatching, fishing, and swimming.
Ipswich
Ipswich is an adorable coastal town on the Atlantic Ocean with a long list of natural attractions that appeal to many travelers. This town is home to Crane Beach, a conservation area with a sandy beachfront, dunes, a maritime forest, and over five miles of trails. Notably, Crane Beach is part of the Crane Estate, which also includes Castle Hill, a Stuart-style mansion with beautifully landscaped grounds, gardens, a gift shop, a unique event center, and great food.
The Sandy Point State Reservation is another cool attraction in town, where travelers will enjoy swimming on a beach, hiking, fishing, and watching birds such as terns and plovers. For hikers and bikers, particularly, Ipswich offers Willowdale State Forest, which has 40 miles of trails, alongside opportunities for canoeing and fishing on the 100-acre Hood Pond. Meanwhile, Ipswich is famous for its farms, including the Appleton Farm, which is one of the oldest working farms in the US, established in 1638. In addition to a farm store featuring local produce, this farm offers 12 miles of multi-use trails and wildlife watching opportunities.
Gloucester
Gloucester is a favorite coastal paradise on Cape Ann, with so much to offer. For starters, it has some exciting beaches, including the Wingaesheek Beach, a unique beach featuring stunning rocks, turquoise waters, and soft-white sand. This beach is a must-visit when in Gloucester, as it is not just gorgeous but perfect for swimming with its shallow water. Good Harbor Beach is another great beach in Gloucester, offering a variety of activities, including body surfing, beach volleyball, and swimming.
For history buffs, this town is home to several museums, including Maritime Gloucester, which highlights the area’s long maritime history. Additionally, the city hosts the Hampton Castle Museum, a medieval-style castle and home of John Hays Hammond Jr., one of America’s famous inventors, known for his pioneering role in the development of the remote control. The museum features a large collection of medieval artifacts, collected by the inventor, as well as exhibits about his life and inventions. On top of all that, Gloucester has some of the best seafood restaurants in Massachusetts, including the Seaport Grille, where fantastic waterfront views combine with local seafood and meat to deliver unforgettable experiences.
Chatham
Chatham sits on the southeastern tip of Cape Cod, where it flaunts some of Massachusetts' top coastal attractions. Here, travelers will find Harding Beach and Lighthouse Beach, both featuring soft sand, calm waters, and plenty of wildlife watching opportunities. Perhaps even more interesting, the town is home to the Chatham Pier Fish Market, a charming spot where one can enjoy fresh and cooked seafood and soak in impressive views of the water from spring to fall.
For those who love history, Chatham has a couple of attractions to offer, including the 1797 Godfrey Windmill, one of the state’s few surviving wooden windmills still in working condition. Meanwhile, just outside town is the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, where one can immerse oneself in the natural splendor of coastal Massachusetts. This refuge covers over 7,600 acres and features varied habitats from ocean beach to dunes, forest, freshwater ponds, and salt marsh. Activities offered include surf fishing, wildlife and bird watching, and hiking the 1.5-mile Morris Island Trail.
Great Barrington
Great Barrington’s natural beauty and attractions are among its top appeals, alongside its laid-back vibes. This Berkshire town is located in the Housatonic River Valley and hosts the Housatonic River Walk, which stretches along the riverbank and through lush plants. Great Barrington is also home to the Monument Mountain Reservation, one of the most popular hiking spots in the Berkshire Mountains. Here, hikers can hit the Hickey and Peeskawso Peak Loop for a 2.5-mile adventure through a beautiful forest to a summit with breathtaking views of the Housatonic River Valley. But even more exciting, Great Barrington is the proud home of Ski Butternut, one of New England’s premier resorts featuring 100 acres of skiable terrain, 22 trails, and two terrain parks. Furthermore, the town’s Lake Mansefield Recreation Area is a great place where one can hike, relax on a beach, or boat, swim, and fish in the 29-acre lake.
Rockport
The coastal destinations in Massachusetts are among the top reasons the state attracts millions of visitors every year. Located at the tip of Cape Ann, Rockport is one of those favorite waterfront spots in the Bay State, particularly notable for being an artist’s haven. This town is where to find the world-famous Motif Number 1, a replica of an 1800s fishing shack regarded as the most painted building in the world. A true symbol of a quintessential New England fishing town, this red structure is a must-visit if only to take some memorable photos or to make a painting of the adorable scene.
Rockport also hosts the Halibut Point State Park, a paradise for coastal adventures, featuring lots of birds and trails that lead to tidepools, picnic areas on rocky ledges, and sweeping ocean vistas. Notably, granite was quarried in the area in the past, and the park now hosts a small visitor center and museum where one can learn about that history. For music lovers, the town’s Shalin Liu Performance Center is one of the coolest spots in the state to catch a music performance with impressive views of the Atlantic Ocean. Additionally, Rockport features Front Beach, a great spot for swimming, shopping, and dining.
Nantucket
Nantucket is a small island town located around 30 miles from Cape Cod. This town is indeed a US favorite, featuring everything from incredible seafood to a vibrant shopping scene, and some of the finest surviving architecture reminiscent of an authentic 18th and 19th-century New England town. Nantucket is also full of beaches, including Madaket Beach and Surfside Beach, both of which are known for excellent surf conditions and soft sands. Notably, Nantucket has a rich whaling history, and today the Nantucket Whaling Museum preserves and interprets that history as well as the island’s broader story. This museum’s collections include over a thousand artworks and artifacts, including a 46-foot sperm whale skeleton and an 1847 candle factory.
Additionally, Nantucket is home to numerous lighthouses, as the island was historically renowned for its treacherous waters, which resulted in over 700 shipwrecks. The Brant Point Lighthouse is the oldest of these lighthouses, built in 1746, and is worth visiting if only to admire its 26-foot height, which makes it the shortest in New England.
Falmouth
Falmouth is a vibrant town on Cape Cod and one of the largest in Massachusetts. In the summer alone, tens of thousands of people flock to this town to explore its exciting coastal attractions, like the Shining Sea Bikeway, which stretches 10 miles along the sea with impressive views of salt marshes, swamps, wildlife, wooded areas, and beaches. Speaking of beaches, Falmouth has plenty, with the Old Silver Beach being one of the most popular, featuring clean waters, soft sand, and bird-watching opportunities.
For nature lovers, the Beebe Woods in town has over 10 miles of trails winding through forested areas with stunning rock formations and a pond. A beautiful coastal region known as The Knob is also in Falmouth, delighting nature lovers with trails leading to wooded areas, a beautiful beach, and impressive views of Buzzard Bay. And typical of Cape Cod towns, Falmouth hosts the Nobska Lighthouse, where visitors can enjoy scenic views of the dramatic coastline.
Salem
The 1692 witch trials are just some of the reasons why Salem ranked as one of the country’s favorite destinations in 2025. This town is also known for its many museums, one of which is the Peabody Essex Museum. This museum was founded in 1799 and hosts a rich collection of artworks ranging from maritime and American art to one of the largest collections of Asian art in the country. Notably, Salem is also home to the Real Pirates Salem, one of the coolest museums in the US, where visitors can see real pirate artifacts and treasures recovered from the Whydah Gally, a ship that sank in 1717 and was discovered in 1984. The Whydah Galley was one of the largest slave ships captured by Samuel Bellamy, a wealthy pirate who reigned during the Golden Age of Piracy.
Away from the museums, Salem Willows Park is an exciting oceanfront park in town, featuring beautiful trees and fields, beaches, a pier, sports and picnic facilities, and various events. Despite all of these, however, the Salem witch trials remain the town’s most popular attraction, and visitors today are invited to the Witch Dungeon Museum to see live reenactments of the trials and see where the accused were kept.
These Towns Are Worth Visiting in 2025 And Beyond
Massachusetts has always been a favored destination, dating back to 1620 when Pilgrims chose to settle there. Today, it remains a beloved place for everyone seeking coastal adventures, historical endeavors, fresh seafood, and the charms of one of the country’s oldest regions, New England. Within this state, find these towns that have ridden on the backs of the region’s top draws to the list of favorite destinations in the US. From Ipswich to Plymouth, these towns embody what Massachusetts is known for, making them worth visiting in 2025 and beyond.
