North of Boston
Accommodations
September 2020, Salem
The Hampton Inn is Salem’s only branded hotel. Enjoy all the benefits of Hilton Honors and a Hampton Inn while being in the center of Historic Salem. There are great restaurants and brew pubs, all within walking distance from the Hampton. Enjoy the indoor pool, large fitness area and free breakfast including the new Hampton Smoothie bar.
Rooms: 113
Attractions
Date of opening (month year): July 2020
City/Town: Lexington
Brief Description: The brand new Lexington Visitors Center is a must stop spot on your trip. Home to exciting exhibits such as the Revolutionary Heritage Room, an homage the USS Lexington, and a spectacular gift shop, you can learn everything about Lexington in one space! The Visitors Center offers guided tours of the Battle Green as well as public restrooms.
The Lexington Historical Society
Date of opening (month year): Year Round
City/Town: Lexington
Brief Description: The Lexington Historical Society is the caretaker for Lexington’s three historic house museums: Buckman Tavern, Munroe Tavern, and the Hancock-Clarke House. Stop in for a tour to lean what life was like in Revolutionary Lexington. The Historical also offers a variety of programming and walking tours.
deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum – Visionary New England
Dates: Now – March 14, 2021
City/Town: Lincoln
Brief Description: Visionary, mystical, and utopian practices are crucial to New England’s culture, history, and character. From the experimental agrarian communities founded in the 1840s, such as Brook Farm and Fruitlands, to the intersections of spiritualism and experimental psychology at the turn of the 20th century, New England has long developed alternative ways of nurturing community, personal growth, and societal reform. Related artists and writers frequently united their intimate connection to nature with a search for access to alternate dimensions or higher powers.
Grounded in this rich history, this exhibition features original commissions and existing artwork by twelve contemporary artists who are engaged with these themes. Artists include: Gayleen Aiken, Caleb Charland, Anna Craycroft, Angela Dufresne, Sam Durant, Erin Johnson, Josephine Halvorson, Paul Laffoley, Michael Madore, Candice Lin, Tourmaline, and Kim Weston. Bridging past and present, their work will be shown alongside earlier art and artifacts that speak to these enduring qualities of the region and their relevance today.
deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum – Transcendental Modernism
Dates: Now – March 14, 2021
City/Town: Lincoln
Brief Description: Drawn primarily from deCordova’s permanent collection, Transcendental Modernism connects to the nearby exhibition Visionary New England, while focusing on artistic developments in Massachusetts from the 1940s through the 1990s. Veering away from dominant narratives of modern art as abstract, secular, and self-referential, Transcendental Modernism advances an understanding of vanguard art in Massachusetts based on intersectional social progress and interdisciplinary artistic pursuits. The exhibition examines the spiritual commitments of Boston Expressionists, the presence of Afrofuturism in Boston, and utopian collaborations between artists and scientists.
Food & Drink
Date of opening (month year): October 2020
City/Town: Lexington
Brief Description: Located directly adjacent to the Minuteman Bike Path, Revolution Hall is a brand new restaurant operating under a food hall concept with unique offerings like sous vide and a self-serve beer wall.
Upcoming Major Events
250th Anniversary of the Battle of Lexington
Date of opening (month year): April 2025
City/Town: Lexington
Brief Description: Patriots’ Day in 2025 will be the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Many celebrations will be planned to celebrate this major milestone. More information will be posted as the events gets closer.