Itineraries

Explore The Great Outdoors in Concord

Concord offers endless activities for the great outdoor adventurer. There are about 1,500 acres of conservation land in Concord. Explore the town’s landscape by visiting areas like the Hapgood Wright Forest, Punkatesset Preserve, and other beautiful locations.

For the nature lover, Concord is home to several public trails including Annursnac Trail, Emerson-Thoreau Amble, and more. While you’re hiking, make sure to keep your eye out for different types of wildlife species. Birds will spend some of their time in these different areas.

Concord offers the outdoor space to swim, fish, canoe, and even cross-country ski. The summer months bring the most visitors to our various locations.

The History of Literature in Concord

Concord holds a rich literacy history. Famous authors Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Bronson, and Louisa May Alcott lived and wrote in this town. Visit the Orchard House, Louisa May Alcott’s family home, which inspired Little Women. The Old Manse is home to where Emerson wrote the first Transcendentalist document.

At Walden Pond, you’ll find a replica of Thoreau’s cabin. Check out the outside of The Wayside, where several of these famous authors lived some of their time in Concord. For more information on the town’s literary history, you can explore The Concord Bookstore and Concord Public Library.

Family Friendly Adventures in Concord

Concord offers fun for the whole family. Some of these family-friendly activities include hiking at Walden Pond or renting a bike from the Minuteman Bike Share. You’ll find many biking and hiking routes like the Minute Man National Historical Park, Great Meadows National Wildlife, the Orchard House, and the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. For those who enjoy water activities, The South Bridge Boat House offers canoe and kayak rentals. With younger children, Concord offers the Emerson Playground or a working farm called Verrill Farm.

All ages will enjoy The Concord Museum, where you can explore the Revolution, Native American life, and Thoreau’s study of nature. End the day at the Woods Hill Table restaurant or get a scoop of ice cream at the Reasons to be Cheerful ice cream shop.

Revolutionary Concord in a Day

What role did Concord play in the American Revolution?  Spend a day learning about “the shot heard round the world.”  Begin your day at the Concord Visitor Center at 58 Main Street.  There is plenty of free parking in the lot on Keyes Road or you can park on Main Street where you will have to feed the meter.  Pick up maps and brochures and let our experienced staff orient you for the day.

Your first stop is the North Bridge which is .8 miles from the Concord Visitor Center.  You can do the 15 minute walk through the center of town and down Monument Street or it’s a 2 minute drive with plenty of parking at the bridge.  See where Colonial Militiamen fired on British Regulars in the first battle of the American Revolution.  Check out the Minuteman Statue, created  by a young Daniel Chester French (he sculpted the Lincoln Memorial at Washington D.C. at the end of his career) for the centennial celebration of the battle in 1875.  Rangers are present to answer your questions and the North Bridge Visitor Center has merchandise, a movie and uniforms from 1775.

Next drive or walk back to Concord Center and park on Main Street.  Check out the Old Hill Burying Ground and the Wright Tavern at the rotary (flag pole) at the center of town.  The burial ground has the graves of Concordians who fought at the North Bridge.  The Wright Tavern was built in 1747 and served as headquarters for the British regulars on April 19, 1775.  It is not open to the public, but you can peak in.

If it’s a nice day, grab a sandwich to go at the Concord Cheese Shop at 29 Walden Street or Sally Ann’s at 73 Main Street and eat at the picnic tables in front of the Visitor Center or at the smaller tables in front of the Concord Free Public Library at 129 Main Street.  If the weather is not so nice, eat inside at Main Street Cafe at 42 Main Street or at the famous Colonial Inn right on Monument Square.

After lunch visit the Concord Museum (53 Cambridge Turnpike) to see several revolutionary artifacts and visit their new April 19 Gallery featuring objects that bore witness to the events of that fateful day. It is a half mile walk from the visitor Center or a quick drive down Lexington Road with plenty of parking.

After being inside, you might enjoy walking the 5 mile long Battle Road trail where you can read the markers noting what happened as the 700 British regulars retreated back to Boston under fire from thousands of colonials.  Park at the Merriam’s Corner Parking Lot on Lexington Road or if walking is not your thing, drive along Battle Road (Lexington Road/Route 2A) and stop at Hartwell Tavern (you will see signs on the road) and further on stop at the Paul Revere Capture Site and read about where Revere was captured on his famous midnight ride.

Along the Battle Road, in Lincoln, is the Minuteman Visitor Center at 250 North Great Road.  Stop by to see Revolutionary objects and view the multimedia presentation about the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

Now it’s time to drive back to Concord and enjoy a relaxing dinner at Fiorella’s in the center of town at 24 Walden Street or at Trail’s End Cafe at 97 Lowell Street.  Maybe cap off the night in the one of the old tavern rooms of the Colonial Inn for some revolutionary ambience!