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Adventures in Recreation and Exploration Await in the Greater Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts! Click here to Learn More.

Magical Winter Adventures in the Greater Merrimack Valley, MA


When the chill sets in and the snow falls, there is still so much to see and do in Greater Merrimack Valley. As you explore quaint country roads and historical landmarks you’ll see why nothing compares to winter here in the heart of New England, just 1/2 hour from Boston, MA. The towns of Lexington and Concord, MA have partnered with REVOLUTION 250 to commemorate the anniversary in 2025 of “the shot heard ‘round the world” that began the American Revolution’s fight for freedom. They are currently hosting exciting and informative events leading up to this date. In Lowell, MA, where the American Industrial Revolution began, annual traditions celebrate this festive time of the year. Start planning now for February, when Winterfest will feature more seasonal fun for guests of all ages. After you’ve had your fill of the outdoors come inside and warm up! Try our global cuisines and regional food favorites, visit world class museums and artist studios, or take in a concert or sporting event.



Snowy Scene at Footbridge in Acton, MA - Photo Credit Greater Merrimack Valley

Seasonal Sports, Activities and Shopping


Winter season in the Greater Merrimack Valley is a great time for hiking, cross-country skiing, and, if it gets cold enough outdoors, ice skating. You'll also find many outstanding opportunities for shopping - Cities like Lowell and Concord, MA feature bustling downtown areas with a mix of local boutiques, antique shops, and national retailers, and local farm markets will have seasonal fruits & vegetables on display, along with locally-produced goods.

  • Wander in Nature: Enjoy the seasons as Thoreau did at picturesque Walden Pond State Reservation or walk in the path of Patriots at Minute Man National Historical Park.
  • Shop for one-of-a-kind items at the famous Western Avenue Community for the Arts' open-studio Saturdays or bustling Mill No. 5, both in Lowell, Crafty Yankee in Lexington, MA, or in the region’s many other unique boutiques. You're sure to find a great gift for the upcoming holidays.
  • You'll be amazed at all the up-and-coming artists and their unique, talented works on display at the Brush Art Gallery and Studios. You’re bound to find artworks you admire, and often the artists are right there to tell you more about them.
  • Take Home Some Locally-Grown!: Lexington, MA’s Historic Wilson Farm has been growing vegetables since 1884. Year round, the Farm provides hearty offerings that are ripe and ready to bring home and enjoy. There’s even more to find just a town away at Verrill Farm in Concord, MA. In addition to its many crop offerings, the Farm offers tours, hayrides and even cooking classes. At both farms there’s an on-site kitchen, deli and bakery for mouthwatering entrees, soups, sandwiches, and baked goods daily.
Shopping at Mill No. 5 - Lowell, MA


Fall Farmstand at Wilson Farm in Lexington, MA

Arts & Music


The Merrimack Valley is home to dozens of galleries, theaters, studios, and concert halls. Organizations like the Lowell Philharmonic Orchestra and the Lexington Symphony perform music throughout the year. There is something in the Greater Merrimack Valley for every type of art enthusiast, whether you prefer consuming the arts or creating your own. Visitors can take music lessons via the Groton Hill Music Center or a ceramics workshop at Pottery Mill Clay Studio.

  • Music and Events – You’ll Find Great Ones Here: The Lowell Memorial Auditorium is ideal venue for concerts, family shows, conferences, conventions, trade shows, corporate seminars and much more.
  • Also in Lowell, MA, check out the Merrimack Repertory Theatre. One of the nation’s top regional theaters, it presents remarkable new and contemporary plays that bring joy to our art form while engaging, entertaining, and enriching our community. The theater's season runs from September through May.
  • Arts Abound in the Valley: Appreciator of quilting? You will be when you visit the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, MA. Its world-class exhibitions reflect the scope and versatility of quilt-making, past and present. Changing gallery exhibitions vary from historical themes that highlight the most significant and beautifully preserved antique quilts in America to contemporary and modern shows that feature the innovative work of prominent quilt artists from across the country and around the world.
  • The Whistler House Museum of Art, also located in Lowell, MA, is the historic birthplace of the famous American artist, James McNeill Whistler. It is known internationally for its distinguished collection of 19th and early 20th century New England representational art.
  • deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, MA is the largest park of its kind in New England. Here you will find a constantly changing landscape of large-scale, outdoor, modern, and contemporary sculpture and site-specific installations of more than 60 works. Year-round activities can be enjoyed in the Sculpture Park and Museum, including yoga in the park, nature tours, curator and artist conversations, and many special talks, screenings, and events.
  • The Discovery Museum in Acton, MA is a hands-on museum for families that combines science, nature, and play. Its Discovery Woods accessible outdoor nature playscape and treehouse, blends the best of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) learning on a beautiful 4.5-acre site.
  • To the north in Andover, MA, the Addison Gallery’s collection of American art is one of the most comprehensive in the world, including nearly 22,000 objects spanning the 18th century to the present. It is so rich in art pieces that in addition to its permanent collection, it provides a number of major traveling exhibitions.
exington Historical Society in Lexington, MA

Watch American History Come Alive!


The Greater Merrimack Valley is home to some of the most important historical sites in New England history, including the Minute Man National Historical Park, birthplace of the American Revolution, in Concord. Moreover, the Lowell National Historical Park preserves the beginnings of America’s Industrial Revolution. Other notable sites include Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House and the historical homes of Lexington.

The Merrimack Valley is also sprinkled with several amazing museums – the Fruitlands Museum, the Museum of Printing, and the Whistler House Museum of Art, to name a few. Visitor centers in Concord and Lexington, MA are friendly places where you can learn more about the start of the American Revolution and its impact on early Americans. The centers can direct you to just where iconic events occurred nearly 250 years ago. Many of them are within easy walking distance.

For everyone who appreciates America’s classic authors, many of them lived and wrote from their historic homes and estates in the Greater Merrimack Valley. Such icons of writing as Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Jack Kerouac all practiced their literary craft here, drawing inspiration from the Valley’s rich beauty and hard-working inhabitants. You are sure to be inspired touring the grounds where they walked and the homes where they composed.

Lexington Historical Society in Lexington, MA

Dining and Lodging


Throughout the Greater Merrimack Valley, you'll find a wide variety of lodgings including classic New England inns and bed & breakfasts, to luxurious upscale resorts, to hotels that serve families, day trippers or business travelers. Many such places will also offer on-site dining, from traditional New England fare to meals prepared by nationally-known culinary leaders.
Depending on the reason for your visit, you might lean toward a more romantic lodging experience like at the Chateau Merrimack, a landmark historic hotel like Concord’s Colonial Inn, or one of the 418 recently-renovated rooms at the luxurious Boston Marriott Burlington. Wherever you decide to stay, you will inevitably be close to plenty of the Merrimack Valley’s delicious breweries and restaurants. Lowell, especially, is home to some of the region’s best food. Be sure to check out Cobblestones, Four Sisters Owl Diner, and Athenian Corner Restaurant.

For food enthusiasts, the Greater Merrimack Valley presents a diverse culinary scene, with a wide range of cuisines to satisfy any palate. Local restaurants, cafes, farms, and food trucks offer everything – classic New England seafood, international dishes, farm-to table dining, prepared meals – ensuring there's something for everyone to enjoy.


You’ll find it all here in Greater Merrimack Valley. To make your own history and your perfect winter adventure here in Greater Merrimack Valley, visit merrimackvalley.org for more information.

Inn at Hastings Park Barn Suite - Lexington, MA
Exploring
Lowell Winterfest - Greater Merrimack Valley

Lowell Winterfest

Public Skating at Edge Sports Center in Bedford, MA - Greater Merrimack Valley - Greater Merrimack Valley

Skiing & Ice Skating

Boots Cotton Mills Museum in Lowell, MA - Photo Credit National Park Service

Boots Cotton Mills Museum

Visiting
Concord's Colonial Inn in Concord, MA - Greater Merrimack Valley

Concord's Colonial Inn

Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House in Winter

Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House

Merrimack Repertory Theatre

Merrimack Repertory Theatre