Boston Traveler's Series: #4 - A City That Helped Shape A Nation: Lexington, Massachusetts..
Written: Jul 15 '08 (Updated Feb 26 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great historical value
Cons: Small downtown, lack of things to do for non history seekers
The Bottom Line: Great spot for those interested in seeing the deep history here that helped shape a country.
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| ace3502's Full Review: Lexington |
Just outside of Boston, about 10 miles away lies one of the most historic towns in the country, Lexington Massachusetts. Some may not recognize it by name right away, but when brought up in the context of the Revolutionary War and the Battle of Lexington-Concord, then it rings a few bells.
Getting There
Conveniently located just up Route 2 and off of Route 95, Lexington is just a short 20 or 25-minute drive from Boston. The directions to and from the city are very simple and easy to follow with one of the towns exits off of the highway bringing you directly into the town center. Unfortunately there are no subway trains that go to the area but a bus route is optional from Boston but you would sacrifice time for convenience. Parking isn’t too bad, as there are metered spots all along the main road.
What’s Around?
The town center is always bustling with life. The main street that runs through the center of town has countless shops on both sides varying from video stores, to bookstores, hotels to restaurants. There are some great dining choices around the area such as Bertuccis Restaurant, Vinny Testas, and Kushboo. In addition to those you have a few great options for desserts like Rancatore’s Ice Cream or The Candy Castle. Dotting the side of the road, various clothing stores and antiques stores give the old town feel with big display windows full of merchandise.
Walking towards Lexington Green you have the fantastic Carey Memorial Library, which boasts a great historic collection of books and information about the city and our founding fathers. Moving up just past the library you encounter the well-known Minuteman Statue (as seen in picture above) that marks the famous Lexington Green. The spot where the Battle of Lexington-Concord took place, this historic green is now a large park, dotted with historic stones with bronze plates on them telling various parts of the history of the surrounding area. Piecing these stories together it gives the visitor a great idea of the history of the area and what it meant to our survival as a country. Some may recognize the area as the same one that former presidents (and sometimes current) venture to every year for the memorial service that is held there yearly to commemorate the soldiers. There are also historic homes just behind the green also dotted with bronze plates telling tales of the times past. I am not positive of their schedule, but there are historic re-creators that walk around the area, dressing in colonial era garments and playing the musical instruments of the time. They also discuss the area and the history and give the visitor a great insight and description of the town.
There are numerous famous historical houses you can also visit, one of which being the Museum of Our National Heritage giving the visitor a great historical outlook on the town.
One great feature I love about the city are the bike paths. Going for miles and miles all throughout Lexington, Arlington and a few other surrounding cities, the bike paths provide a quiet relaxed place for someone to bike, rollerblade, or walk and clear their minds or spend some quality time with someone while getting some exercise. Minimally interacting with main roads means a great rustic walk without too much of a disturbance from the nearby traffic.
Not directly in Lexington but a short drive away are historic Walden Pond and the city of Concord, which also boasts a long repertoire of historic sights.
Who Should Visit Lexington
I would only recommend Lexington for those who have already seen most of Boston and are looking to get out of the city, or to those who are history buffs and really want to immerse themselves in the roots and beginnings of our nation. For those who wouldn’t appreciate the history aspect as much, this is just another pleasant town center with bike paths and restaurants just like any other town center around. To non history buffs, this may not be the best place to visit, but for those of you who are, I’d highly recommend it.
Conclusion
As I said above, Lexington is mainly for history buffs. Can others appreciate it? Absolutely they can, Lexington Green is a great place to play catch or go for a run, the area and its surrounding parts are all extremely well kept and beautiful which make for great scenery while there. Are there any outstanding parts of Lexington other than the city center, possibly but they are minute enough that they can be passed up with no great loss if you are not able to get out to the area.
© Copyright 2008 - ace3502
Boston Traveler's Series:
# 1 - The Boston Garden
# 2 - New England Holocaust Memorial
# 3 - Fenway Park
# 4 - Lexington, Massachusetts
# 5 - Faneuil Hall / Quincy Market
# 6 - New England Aquarium
Looking for a place to stay around Boston? Try:
Marriott Boston-Burlington Hotel
Marriott Boston-Long Wharf
Marriott Boston-Woburn North Hotel
The Westin Waltham-Boston Hotel
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
ace3502
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Member: Andrew
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Reviews written: 108
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