Things to Do in Cambridge, Lexington and Concord
Two famous universities and the road where the Revolution began.
See top-rated activities »About Cambridge and Concord
Cambridge sits directly across the Charles River from Boston and is an easy subway ride from downtown on the Red Line. Harvard Square is the center of things, a busy crossroads of bookstores, cafes and street performers outside the gates of Harvard Yard. Harvard, founded in 1636, is the oldest college in the country, and student-led walking tours cover its history and buildings. The Harvard Art Museums, under one glass roof, and the Harvard Museum of Natural History, with its famous glass flowers, are both a short walk away.
Down Massachusetts Avenue, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology fills the riverfront with very different architecture, including buildings by Frank Gehry and Eero Saarinen. The MIT Museum moved in 2022 to a new building in Kendall Square, where exhibits on robotics, artificial intelligence and holography sit amid the area's tech offices. On Brattle Street, Longfellow House, which served as George Washington's headquarters during the Siege of Boston, is run by the National Park Service with seasonal tours.
About 30 minutes northwest of Boston, Lexington and Concord tell the story of April 19, 1775. On the Lexington Battle Green, local militia faced British regulars at dawn in the first skirmish of the war. Later that morning, at the Old North Bridge in Concord, colonists fired what Ralph Waldo Emerson called the shot heard round the world. Minute Man National Historical Park protects the Battle Road between the two towns, with a visitor center film, restored houses and a five-mile trail that follows the route of the British retreat.
Concord has a second claim to fame as a literary town. Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott and Nathaniel Hawthorne all lived here, and you can visit Orchard House, where Alcott wrote Little Women, and walk the shore of Walden Pond, where Thoreau built his cabin. The pond is a state reservation with a beach and limited parking that fills on summer weekends.
Don’t Miss
Three collections under one roof, from European paintings to Asian and ancient art.
Science and technology exhibits in a new Kendall Square building opened in 2022.
Washington's headquarters in 1775 and later the poet Longfellow's home; tours are seasonal.
The Battle Road trail, the Old North Bridge and restored houses from the first day of the Revolution.
Where militia and British regulars met at dawn on April 19, 1775, with the Minuteman statue at one end.
Thoreau's pond, with a replica of his cabin, a swimming beach and a loop trail.
Top-Rated Tours, Tickets & Activities in Cambridge and Concord
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ViatorTours, tickets, prices and reviews from Viator (a Tripadvisor company) and Tiqets — prices are per person, from, and were checked October 27, 2026. Best in Mass may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.
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Get free trip quotes »Cambridge and Concord — FAQ
Can I visit Harvard on my own?
Harvard Yard is open to visitors, but buildings and dorms are not. Student-led tours and self-guided apps explain the history; respect quiet areas during exams.
How do I get to Lexington and Concord without a car?
MBTA buses reach Lexington from Alewife station, and commuter rail runs to Concord from North Station. A car or a guided tour from Boston is easier for seeing both in one day.
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