Massachusetts

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Introduction

Brief History

Geography

• Pioneer Valley is a region in Western Massachusetts with some important cities such as the following: Holyoke, Springfield, Amherst, Northhampton, Greenfield, Chicopee.

Cities

• Boston is the state's capital and largest city.
• Cambridge, just across the Charles River from Boston, is home to the renowned MIT and Harvard University.
• Lowell, perhaps most notably the inspiration for/title of Death Cab for Cutie's song
• Northampton, oft and aptly referred to in literature as "Paradise," home of Smith College and several other wonders of the world.
• Springfield, whose claims to fame include the Basketball Hall of Fame and the Dr. Seuss National Memorial
• Williamstown
• Worcester

Sights and Activities

Events and Festivals

Weather

Summers last from June to September and are nice and warm, between 25 and 30 degrees during the day and between 15 and 20 degrees at night. Winters last from December to March with average daytime temperatures mostly around zero or slightly above, though more inland to the north temperatures are lower. Nights are well below zero during this time. Precipitation is quite evenly distributed throughout the year, with sometimes very heavy snowfall in winter. During summer, heavy showers can occur, especially after periods of hot weather.

Getting There

By Plane

Boston's Logan International Airport (BOS) is the main airport in Massachusetts and one of the busiest airports in the United States with over 27 million passengers a year. It is a major hub for American Airlines, Delta Airlines, US Airways and JetBlue Airways. There are several daily international flights and all major domestic cities have direct service from BOS.

By Train

There are a number of trains operated by Amtrak, that travel to and from Massachusetts.

• The Acela Express between Boston and Washington DC, stopping in New York and Philadelphia as well.
• The Downeaster between Boston and Portland, Maine.
• TheLake Shore Limited between Boston and Chicago, via Cleveland.
• The Northeast Regional between Boston and Newport News, also stopping in New York and Washington DC.

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Getting Around

By Plane

By Train

All of the four trains operated by Amtrak travelling to Boston, Massachusetts, also stop in a several other cities in the state, but the TheLake Shore Limited has by far the most stops within Massachusetts.

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Eat

Drink

Sleep