Hey everyone!  This week it is time to travel over to the east coast for a tour of the magnificent state of Massachusetts.  This great state contains everything from the earliest milestones in American history to restaurants that sparked well-known television shows.  My family and I traveled to the state back in 2014 as part of our vacation north of home (home is Pennsylvania).   

We first headed to Plymouth, Massachusetts to visit one of the first major landmarks in United States history: Plymouth Rock.  The rock marks the spot where William Bradford and the Pilgrims first landed in North America back in 1620.  They went on to build the colony of Plymouth starting a major migration of Europeans to the area.  The rock is marked visibly with the year 1620 and is covered by a pavilion to prevent it from weathering.  Upon first seeing the rock, I was very underwhelmed oddly enough.  Plymouth Rock was extremely small (at least for what I expected) for such a big benchmark in American history.  I soon learned that the rock split into two when a team of oxen tried to move it back in 1774 causing its smaller size.  It was interesting, nonetheless, to see such a pivotal landmark and form a visual connection to it for reference in my history classes.  We continued for the rest of the day to peruse through the colonial town of Plymouth, admiring all the quaint houses and stores.

My family next traveled into the beautiful city of Boston.  We started out our adventure of Boston with a Red Sox’s game at the one and only Fenway Park.  I was surprised to see how well the original charm of the park has been preserved from everything from the seats to the big Green Monster.  For those of you who are unaware the Green Monster is the nickname given to the high left field wall in Fenway Park.  With everything nowadays being made as modern and economically efficient as possible, it was pleasant to experience a baseball stadium that defies these standards.  The game was enjoyable with the Red Sox winning and it provided some great family bonding time.  I would definitely recommend going to a game if given the opportunity! 

Our next day in Boston was spent doing some very intriguing sightseeing.  We did a guided trolley tour through the city, learning all about the history of each and every street, landmark, and more.  One of my personal favorites was the Bull and Finch pub that later became the inspiration for the 80’s television sitcom Cheers.  It was absolutely surreal to see the very place that contributed to the success of such a well-known show.   

Later that evening, my family and I went on a Ghosts and Gravestones tour of the city.  This tour was aimed to show and inform visitors of the murders, gravestones, and more that pervade the city of Boston.  We got to see the headstones of many famous men in American history such as John Hancock, Paul Revere, and Samuel Adams.  This tour is not normally something I would be interested in, considering I do not like “scary” movies, books, etc.  I was surprised by how entertaining the experience was, however, with the tour guide being lively enough to energize anyone.  To my own amazement I would definitely recommend trying the tour out, even if it does not seem as intriguing to you (as it did to myself before experiencing it).   

We rounded off our stay in Boston (and Massachusetts for that matter) with a boat ride around the Boston Harbor.  While on this ride, we got to witness magnificent ships such as the USS Constitution.  “Old Ironsides” (as its nicknamed) was one of the first ships commissioned by the United States navy in 1797 and is taken out on a cruise of the harbor every Fourth of July to celebrate America’s birthday.  Unfortunately, we were not in Boston over the Fourth, but I would love to return someday to watch this beautiful piece of history cruise around the harbor.   

Overall, on a scale from one to ten I would give Massachusetts an eight.  Between the great historic landmarks and family fun it is definitely a place to check out.  I would especially recommend the city of Boston for its beautiful charm and entertainment. 

Come back next week to learn all about the great opportunities in the state of Ohio!