This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you buy or book through one of these links, I may earn a small commission .
Are you considering a visit to Concord, Massachusetts as a day trip from Boston or perhaps on its own? This small town goes back to America’s very beginnings, being established shortly after the incorporation of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Below, we’ll break down the most fascinating things to do in Concord, MA, as well as the best restaurants and hotels nearby.
Concord was the first Massachusetts town I fell in love with when first visiting a few years ago. I’ve since returned many times to explore local shops in the historic downtown and enter centuries-old buildings that still survive.
If you love history like me, get ready to be overwhelmed (in a good way!) with this town’s offerings. From Minute Man National Historical Park to Louisa May Alcott’s family home, there is no shortage of things to see and do in Concord’s historic core. Let’s dive in!
Complete Guide to Visiting Concord, MA
15 Best Things to Do in Concord, MA
Ready to immerse yourself in a setting where revolutionaries once fought and some of America’s best writers found inspiration? These amazing things to do in Concord, MA invite you into a world full of creatives and visionaries.
Oh by the way – don’t be surprised if your cell service is poor in Concord. I often have only two bars and typically visit cafes for Wi-Fi if I need reliable internet.
1. Walk the Battle Road Trail
This 5-mile hiking trail within Minute Man National Historical Park largely follows the path that British troops and colonial militia men marched on April 19, 1775 during the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The path connects a numbers of ruins, structures, and major sites from Fiske Hill to Meriam’s Corner.
On quiet parts of the trail, you can visualize how the atmosphere would have felt for Concord residents in 1775. After all, you are standing on the same ground, breathing the same air, and standing under the same sky that existed 250 years ago. This especially rings true while gazing at structures that witnessed this first battle against tyranny.
Be sure to also watch out for bikers along the path. If you visit between November and June, remember that the Minute Man Visitor Center closes seasonally. Otherwise, bathrooms on the trail are scarce.
2. Visit the Paul Revere Capture Site
The night before the Battles of Lexington and Concord, a signal was sent from Boston’s Old North Church. Two lanterns hanging from the steeple meant that the British were crossing the Charles River. In other words, British troops were heading towards Concord by sea to destroy the colonists’ arms magazines.
Paul Revere, along with William Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott, set off on horseback to spread the word that the British were coming. Unfortunately, Revere was stopped and captured by British patrol officers before he could reach Concord.
Thankfully, Prescott was able to continue onward and spread the alarm in Concord. However, only Paul Revere was immortalized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem Paul Revere’s Ride. A monument along the Battle Road Trail memorializes where this famous ride was cut short.
3. Old North Bridge
The Old North Bridge crossing the Concord River is where the Revolutionary War’s famous “shot heard ‘round the world” originates. This was among the first of several battles at different sites on April 19th, 1775 along a 16-mile route spanning from Concord to Boston.
At the site is a stone memorial that marks the gravesites of two British soldiers killed during the fighting. Also near the bridge is a sculpture called The Minute Man by Concord resident Daniel Chester French.
This seven-foot-tall bronze statue was unveiled and dedicated in honor of the battle’s centennial on April 19, 1875. French later went on to design the sculpture of Abraham Lincoln inside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.
4. The Olde Manse
The Old Manse was built by Reverend William Emerson in 1769, who was known for delivering impassioned sermons about liberty to inspire his congregation to resist British oppression. Despite his fiery words, Emerson kept four enslaved individuals at this home. The house’s inhabitants could watch the events unfold at the Old North Bridge through a second-floor window.
Later in 1836, Ralph Waldo Emerson, grandson of the aforementioned reverend, penned his famous essay Nature in the upstairs study. In 1842, Salem-born Nathaniel Hawthorne moved into the Old Manse with his wife Sophia Peabody Hawthorne. Today, you can still find where he and his wife used her wedding ring to carve little messages in some of the glass windowpanes during their three-year residency.
The Old Manse is open for tours Thursday through Sunday every hour beginning at 11am, with the last tour leaving at 4pm. Book online here.
5. Tour the Robbins House
Across the street from the Old Manse is a parking lot, on the edge of which sits the unassuming 544 sq. ft. Robbins House. This 19th century structure was home to two families descended from formerly enslaved Revolutionary War veteran Caesar Robbins. Peter Robbins lived with his wife Fatima on one side, while Peter’s sister Susan lived with her husband Jack Garrison – a man who’d escaped slavery – and their children on the other.
Susan Garrison was an early anti-slavery activist in Concord, which likely inspired her daughter Ellen to later join the fight. Eighty-nine years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus, Ellen did her own act of civil disobedience in 1866 Baltimore, Maryland when she sat and was “forcibly ejected” from a segregated train station waiting room.
During June, July, and August the house is open from 11am to 4pm (closed Tuesdays). During September and October the house is open from 11am to 4pm only Friday through Sunday, as well as Columbus Day.
6. Attend a Ranger Talk in Minute Man National Historical Park
Sometimes while visiting Minute Man National Historical Park during peak months, you’ll encounter interpretive rangers at certain sites. These rangers often host talks and demonstrations that help guests have deeper interactions and experiences in the park.
I recommend checking this page for special monthly events, particularly surrounding the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Alternatively, this page shows daily talks and tours that are more regularly held within the park from May to October.
7. Louisa May Alcott Orchard House
Concord was a 19th century literary hub, which included the Alcott family when they moved into the Orchard House in 1857. Family patriarch A. Bronson Alcott was a leader of the transcendentalist movement and served as the primary educator for his four daughters. The house still contains the “shelf desk” he built for his daughter Louisa, where she first drafted her novel Little Women. In fact, 80% of the objects in the house today belonged to the Alcott family.
During a guided tour, you’ll see art sketched on the walls by May Alcott, or Louisa’s younger sister. May was an artist who would be an early teacher to Daniel Chester French, or The Minute Man sculptor. When May passed away shortly after giving birth in 1879, her daughter Lulu went to live with Louisa in Concord, who raised her as her own.
Timed-entry tickets are available online, although walk-ins may also be accommodated. The museum’s hours are 10am to 5pm (11am to 5pm Sundays) April through October and 11am to 3:30pm (1pm to 5pm Sunday) November through March.
8. Concord Museum
The Concord Museum offers a one stop shop to discover the entire story of Concord, including the indigenous people living on the land before the first colonists arrived. Not only can you journey though a chronological history of the town, but you can also observe a treasure trove of local artifacts, like Paul Revere’s lantern.
One of the coolest parts of the museum is a second-floor exhibit that features an interactive map of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. It illustrates the movements of local militias and British regulars on April 19th, 1775 by charting a play-by-play of the entire region mobilizing for the cause of liberty.
9. Emerson House
For literary devotees, one of the best things to do in Concord, MA is to visit the former home of author and Transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson. This is easy to do as a follow-up to the Concord Museum, being right across the street.
Emerson’s writings like the essay Nature helped give an identity to the United States as the new country was finding its way. He purchased this home, whose barn once served as a school, in 1835 and lived there for 47 years with his wife Lidian and their four children.
Today, you’ll still see Emerson’s original furnishings and belongings in the home. A vibrant garden still grows on the property as a nod to the author’s own love for the outdoors. You might even spot some Concord grapes dangling from a trellis.
The museum is open Thursday through Saturday from 10am to 4pm and Sunday from 1pm to 4:30pm. Forty-five-minute tours are offered each hour for walk-ins. The museum closes seasonally from mid-October to mid-April.
10. Walden Pond
One of the most gorgeous hidden gems I have discovered during my Massachusetts adventures is Walden Pond. It was a place of importance for Concord-born writer and philosopher Henry David Thorough, who once inhabited a little dwelling in the woods nearby.
Today, this is a state park where individuals can come take nature walks and dip in the calm blue-green water. Although this site is not located right in the town center, it is only 1.6 miles away and requires a five-minute drive.
Note that you will have to pay a parking fee, which is $8 for Massachusetts residents and a whopping $30 for nonresidents (payable by credit card). I’m guessing that steep price helps keep the serene beauty of this place a local secret.
11. Pay Tribute to Authors at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
Literary fans can pay homage to the many great writers who passed through Concord, MA at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Head to the Author’s Ridge to see where Nathaniel Hawthorne, Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thorough were all laid to rest. The cemetery was particularly lovely during my initial early November visit, when the last of the fall foliage was falling from the trees.
You can easily walk to the cemetery from Concord’s town center. However, I recommend reviewing this interactive map to find the Author’s Ridge, so you don’t wander around aimlessly forever like I did! You will also find the graves of other notable Concord residents here, including Daniel Chester French.
12. Take a Concord Walking Tour
From the Nipmuc and Massachusett people to Concord’s minutemen, there are so many local stories and secrets lurking behind every corner. The best way to dig beyond the surface of this polished, affluent town is to join a walking tour.
There is a daily general history tour at 1pm and various topical walks that take place less frequently. They include themes like the Civil War, autumn ambiance, and the mark that women, African Americans and Indigenous people have left on Concord’s history. Check the calendar and book online here.
13. Shop Local in Downtown Concord
Concord’s compact downtown is loaded with unique locally-owned shops to check out. Here are some of the best ones:
- The Concord Bookshop: Take a home a piece of Concord’s literary legacy from this bookshop that has been open since 1940. Still independently-run today, you’ll find a great selection that includes many books by local authors.
- Brine Sporting Goods: Established in 1867, this shop is considered to be “America’s oldest sporting goods store”. The Brine family still owns and operates the store today, selling essentials from baseball cleats to backpacks.
- The Concord Cheese Shop: Has a wonderful deli counter where you can order a high-quality, freshly-made sandwich for lunch. Also a great place to grab some cheese and wine for some apéro later. At any given time, there is a selection of around 150-200 cheeses!
- Revolutionary Concord: Shop this local women-owned business, which features an array of interesting gifts, local art, and souvenirs to peruse.
- Antique shops galore: You can go crazing antiquing in this town. Check out North Bridge Antiques, Thoreauly Antiques, and the Barrow Bookstore, to name just a few.
14. Climb to the Old Hill Burying Ground
Dating back to 1677 (though perhaps unofficially even older), Concord’s first cemetery features rather primitive gravestones compared to what you’ll see at Sleepy Hollow. It feels a bit awkward wandering the uneven ground, knowing those buried underneath have shifted over the centuries. However, this burial hill manages to feel peaceful and tucked away despite literally overlooking the town center.
Names on the 17th and 18th century stone slabs have worn with time and many barely manage to stay upright. However, notable individuals buried here include Revolutionary War veterans like Major John Buttrick and significant residents like John Jack – the first formerly enslaved landowner in Concord.
15. Visit The Wayside
Known as “The Home of Authors”, The Wayside is almost always closed despite being one of Concord’s most intriguing sites. If you’d like to visit, come during July and August when Minute Man National Historical Park hosts Wayside Wednesdays from 1pm to 4pm.
Both Louisa May Alcott (1845-1852) and Nathaniel Hawthorne (1852-1869) have lived in this house. It has also been home to Samuel Whitney, who served as muster master (official who keeps tally of personnel in a military unit) of the Concord Minute Men during the events of 1775.
The house is listed on the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, as The Wayside has bore witness to America’s history of slavery. Whitney had two slaves while he lived at the house. Later, the Alcott family aided at least one individual in escaping to freedom.
Where to Eat
There are plenty of eateries within easy walking distance of the best things to do in Concord, MA:
- Coffee: Haute Coffee is a cute and cozy cafe that is a favorite with the locals and offers light fare. The chain Caffè Nero is another option that has slightly longer hours.
- Bakery: Sally Anns Bakery is great for small takeout items, including coffee, breakfast/lunch sandwiches, and the likes of croissants, scones, and muffins.
- Main Streets Market and Cafe: A solid sit-down lunch spot with a patio and nice selection of salads and sandwiches.
- Helen’s: This family-owned diner delivers retro charm and comfort food like onion rings you can smell cooking down the street, fresh falafel wraps, and homemade blueberry pie.
- Merchants Row: If you are looking for something more elegant, check out this restaurant at the historic Colonial Inn. They make a very nice clam chowder!
Getting to & Parking in Concord, MA
When exiting towards Concord from I-95, you won’t drive far down Marrett Road before encountering the beginnings of Minute Man National Historical Park. As the road transitions to Route 2A and bears right into Lexington Road, this is where you’ll encounter many of the best sites in Concord.
Along the way, you’ll pass many small parking areas at various roadside stops. You could also drive into town to park in the lot behind the Concord Visitor Center or near Haute Coffee, although the latter gets busy.
From there, many sites are walkable or you can take advantage of the Concord Trolley, a hop-on, hop-off bus that stops at several top attractions around town. There is also plenty of paid street parking available, which utilizes the PayByPhone app.
Where to Stay
Looking to stay in a hotel close to the best historical sites in Concord, MA? Here are some ideal options:
- Colonial Inn: The best-located hotel in Concord, being downtown and walking distance to local shops, restaurants, and many historical sites. The structure dates back 300 years, having formerly served as an arms storehouse, variety store, and residence.
- Residence Inn Boston Burlington: Having stayed here many times, this is one of the nicer mid-range hotels in the area. It’s dog friendly and right next to restaurants like Row 34, Pressed Cafe, and shopping at the Burlington Mall. While a 15-minute drive from Concord, it’s a great home base and easily drivable to other sites near Boston, MA. The Residence Inn in Concord has less around it and is further from towns like Boston and Salem.
• • •
Concord, MA is only twenty miles outside of Boston and has some of New England’s most interesting sites. Whether you want to get lost in the literary scene or wander down the Battle Road Trail, there are countless stories to discover. Don’t forget to shop local and dine in adorable downtown Concord before you go!
