Concord is a town in Massachusetts. One of the first battles of the American Revolution was fought here at the Old North Bridge. Henry David Thoreau penned Walden here. The home town of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Louisa May Alcott.
Church
Get in
By car, from Interstate 95 take Exit 29-B -- Route 2 West.
MBTA Commuter Rail has stops [1] in Concord center and West Concord. The Concord stop is closer to the tourist attractions than the West Concord stop. $9.25 one way from Boston North Station.
Get around
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42°27′37″N 71°20′58″W
Map of Concord (Massachusetts)Traveling by car is easiest, but many of the tourist attractions are within walking distance of each other. Liberty Ride is a seasonal trolley between Lexington and Concord that serves many of the tourist attractions.
See
- 1 Minute Man National Historical Park, 174 Liberty St (Interstate 95, Exit 30-B). Phone: 1 978-369-6993 or Phone: 1 978-318-7800. Sunrise to sunset. Gates close at sunset.
- North Bridge Visitor Center: Nov-Mar: daily 11AM-3PM; Apr-Oct: daily 9AM-5PM.
- Minute Man Visitor Center: Apr-Oct: daily 9AM-5PM; Oct-Nov: Daily 9AM-4PM.
- Hartwell Tavern: Jun-Oct: daily 9:30AM-5:30PM.
- The Wayside: open by guided tour. Jun-Oct: Th 2PM & 4PM; F Sa Su at 11AM, 1:30PM, 3PM & 4:30PM. Nathaniel Hawthorne's home.
- 2 [formerly dead link]Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, ☏ 1 978 318-3233. Bedford St. Visit Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott, and Henry David Thoreau. The largest of the municipal cemeteries of the town of Concord; not related to Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, New York.
A tomb at Sleepy Hollow - looks just like in the movies!
- 3 Concord Museum, ☏ 1 978-369-9763. Cambridge Turnpike at Lexington Rd, recording: 1 978-369-9609. $8 adults, $7 seniors and students, $5 under 16. Emerson, Thoreau and more.
- 4 The Olde Manse, 269 Monument St, ☏ 1 978 369-3909. Mid Apr-Oct. $8/$5 under 16. Built in 1770 by the Reverend William Emerson. Later residents include his grandson Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Nathanial Hawthorne. Period furnishings and family memorabilia from the Emerson, Ripley and Hawthorne families. The grounds border on the Concord River, its neighbors include the Old North Bridge. Owned by Trustees of Reservations.
- 5 Walden Pond State Reservation, 915 Walden St, ☏ 1 978 369-3254. (Rte. 126). 8AM-sunset. Walk, swim or fish where Thoreau did. See a replica of the Thoreau cabin. Parking lot closes if it reaches capacity. Parking $5.
- 6 Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, ☏ 1 978 443 4661. A twelve-mile long river wetlands conservation area, in two major parcels, stretching from the towns of Billerica (downstream) to Wayland (upstream), along the Concord and Sudbury rivers. Considered by some ornithologists among the best inland bird observatories in the state. The original 250-acre Concord parcel that started the sanctuary has long been known as the "Great Meadows," and was donated by Concord resident Samuel Hoar in 1944. There are several trails for daytime wildlife observation and walks, with trail-side observation blinds and an observation tower. The Dike Trail, a 1.7-mile loop circles one of the marsh pools. In winter, as snow permits: walking, snowshowing and cross-country skiing. Access by car: travel from Concord center east on Route 62 toward Bedford. After about one mile, turn left onto Monsen Road. Continue to the refuge entrance road to the left. The federal Fish and Wildlife Service manages the refuge.
- 7 Orchard House. Former home of the Alcott family and the setting of Little Women. Open for tours at varying times depending on season.
- Concord School of Philosophy. Founded by Bronson Alcott.
- Wright Tavern.
- First Parish in Concord.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson House.
- 8 Concord Free Public Library, 129 Main Street, ☏ 1 978 318-3300. Houses a priceless collection of oil paintings, marble sculpture and original Transcendental Movement manuscripts.
- Estabrook Woods.
- Hapgood Wright Town Forest.
- Concord Center A classic and historic New England town center, with small storefront shops.
Center
Do
- Concord Scout House, 74 Walden Street (in the town center). A community hall and home to local boy scouts and girl scouts. The Scout House is a regional center for New England folk dance known as "contra dance." Several groups conduct contra dance and square dance evenings to live music at the hall. Two weekly series, year-round: Monday evenings; and, Thursday nights the most popular night. For both series, there's a different band and dance caller each week.
- Friends of the Performings Arts in Concord (FOPAC), 51 Walden Street, Tel: 1 978 369-7911. At the FOPAC hall a diverse assortment of concerts and plays can be seen year round. The resident groups are the Concord Players, the Concord Band, and the Concord Orchestra.
Buy
- 1 Blue Dry Goods (Upscale casual men's & boys' clothing), 16A Walden St, ☏ 1 978 369-1120, ✉[email protected]. M-F 10AM - 6PM; Sa 9:30AM - 5:30PM; Su noon - 5PM.
- European Flair Hair Salon, 1220 Main Street, West Concord, MA, ☏ 1 978 369-1051.
- I Came, I Saw, I Concord (T-shirts at Concord Teacakes), 19 Walden St, ☏ 1 617 869-6066, ✉[email protected].
- Priscilla Candy Shop, 19 Walden St, ☏ 1 978 371-0585.
- The Grasshopper Shop of Concord, 36 Main St, ☏ 1 978 369-8295. Monday-Saturday 9AM-6PM, Sunday noon-6PM.
The Grasshopper Shop of Concord
- Vanderhoof Hardware, 28 Main St, ☏ 1 978 369-2243. Hardware store
- Winston Flowers, 32 Main St, toll-free: 1 800 457-4901. florist
- Fairbank and Perry Goldsmiths, 32 Main St, #1, ☏ 1 978 371-1088. jewelry store
- Viola Lovely, 38 Main St, ☏ 1 978 287-0775. woman's clothing store
- Nesting, 44 Main St, ☏ 1 978 369-4133. antique, gift store
- Footstock, 46 Main St, ☏ 1 978 287-4034. shoe store
- Lacoste/Keane Gallery, 25 Main St, ☏ 1 978 369-0278. art gallery
- Lyn Evans, 29 Main St, ☏ 1 978 369-5760. woman's clothing store
- Artinian Jewelry, 39 Main St, ☏ 1 978 371-7110. jewelry store
Eat
- Twin Seafood, 2 Church Street, ☏ 1 978 371-9030. Seafood market, restaurant
- [dead link]Helen's Restaurant, 17 Main St., ☏ 1 978 369-9885. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.
- Main Streets Market and Cafe, 42 Main Street, ☏ 1 978 369-9948. Daily: breakfast 6:30AM-11AM; lunch 11AM-5PM; dinner Tu-Th 5PM-10PM, F Sa 5PM-11PM. Entertainment many evenings (no cover charge).
- New London Style Pizza, Thoreau Street, ☏ 1 978 369-7053. Greek style pizza
- Sorrento's Pizza, 58 Thoreau St., ☏ 1 978 371-2233. Brick oven pizza
- Chang An, Sudbury Road (just past railroad crossing), ☏ 1 978 369-5288. Upscale Chinese food
- Rossini's, 206 Fitchburg Turnpike, ☏ 1 978 371-3280. pizza/Italian food
- Ninety-Nine Restaurant, 18 Commonwealth Ave., ☏ 1 978 369-0330. Variety, reasonable prices
- 80 Thoreau, 80 Thoreau St, ☏ 1 978 318-0008. Fine dining restaurant
- Karma, 105 Thoreau St, ☏ 1 978 776-6631. Asian fusion restaurant
- Comella's, 33 Main St, ☏ 1 978 369-9555. Italian restaurant/pizza
- Fiorella's Concord, 24 Walden St, ☏ 1 978 341-9999. Italian Restaurant
- Rapscallion Kitchen & Bar, 208 Fitchburg Turnpike, ☏ 1 978 610-6111. brewpub
- Woods Hill Table, 24 Commonwealth Ave, ☏ 1 978 254-1435. Farm sourced organic fare
- Saltbox Kitchen, 84 Commonwealth Ave, ☏ 1 978 610-6020. New American restaurant
- Adelita, 1200 Main St, ☏ 1 978 254-0710. Organic Mexican restaurant
- Club Car Cafe, 20 Commonwealth Ave, ☏ 1 978 371 9282. Comfort food, breakfast, lunch, near West Concord train station
- Trail's End Cafe, 97 Lowell Road, ☏ 1 978 610-6633. Cafe, breakfast, lunch, dinner, bar
- [dead link]Asian Gourmet, ☏ 1 978 369-8114. Taiwanese/Chinese restaurant with hibachi (1st floor), Japanese (2nd floor)
- Verrill Farm, 11 Wheeler Road, ☏ 1 978 369-4494. Farm stand with bakery, prepared foods. open year around
- Dino's Kouzina & Pizzeria, 1135 Main St, ☏ 1 978 610-6472. Pizza restaurant
- Walden Italian Kitchen, 92 Commonwealth Ave, ☏ 1 978 369-6655. pizza, pasta, subs
Bakeries
- Concord Teacakes Bakery, 59 Commonwealth Avenue, ☏ 1 978 369-7644, ✉[email protected]. M-F 6AM-5PM, Sa 7AM-5PM, Su 8AM-1PM.
- Nashoba Brook Bakery, 152 Commonwealth Av, ☏ 1 978 318-1999. M-F 6:30AM-5:30PM, Sa Su 8AM-5PM. Homegrown yeast and slow-rise breads.
- Sally Anns Bakery & Food Shop, 73 Main St, ☏ 1 978 369-4558.
Drink
- Papa Razzi, 768 Elm Street, ☏ 1 978 371-0030. It's where the kayakers go drinking on Friday afternoons.
Sleep
- Best Western at Historic Concord, 740 Elm Street, ☏ 1 978 369-6100, fax: 1 978 371-1656.
- Concord's Colonial Inn, 48 Monument Square, ☏ 1 978 369-9200, toll-free: 1 800-370-9200, fax: 1 978-371-1533. Charming old inn with 56 rooms and a restaurant.
- [dead link]Hawthorne Inn Bed and Breakfast, 462 Lexington Road, ☏ 1 978 369-5610, fax: 1 978-287-4949, ✉[email protected]. Recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of New England's 10 best inns. $125-$285..
- North Bridge Inn, 21 Monument St., ☏ 1 978 371-0014, fax: 1 978-371-6460.
- Mill Brook Inn, 69 Walden Street, ☏ 1 978 369-5515. Lovingly restored and updated, the house was built in 1758 and added onto in 1828, after being moved to its current location. Steps away from downtown Concord.
- Residence Inn by Marriott, 320 Baker Ave Extension, ☏ 1 978 341-0003.
Go next
For more history it's Lexington or Boston. North Shore towns have the closest beaches. The White Mountains are great for hiking, fall foliage viewing or skiing.
| Routes through Concord |
| Fitchburg ← Acton ← | W  E | → Lincoln → Boston |
| Fitchburg ← Acton ← | W  E | → Lincoln → Boston |
| Hudson ← Acton ← | W  E | → Bedford → Danvers |
| Harvard ← Acton ← | N  S | → END |
| Rindge ← Acton ← | W  E | → END |
| Fitchburg ← Acton ← | NW  SE | → Lincoln → Boston |