All the United States Massachusetts

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Massachusetts

623 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Massachusetts

Updated October 13, 2026
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Cities

State not visited
VISITED THIS STATE
Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Adams
  2. Amherst
  3. Arlington
  4. Ashland
  5. Beverly
  6. Boston
  7. Brookline
  8. Cambridge
  9. Charlemont
  10. Charlton
  11. Clinton
  12. Concord
  13. Danvers
  14. Dedham
  15. Deerfield
  16. Dennis
  17. Eastham
  18. Easton
  19. Edgartown
  20. Fairhaven
  21. Fall River
  22. Falmouth
  23. Fitchburg
  24. Framingham
  25. Franklin
  26. Gardner
  27. Gloucester
  28. Great Barrington
  29. Greenfield
  30. Harvard
  31. Haverhill
  32. Hingham
  33. Holyoke
  34. Hopkinton
  35. Hudson
  36. Hull
  37. Ipswich
  38. Lancaster
  39. Lee
  40. Leominster
  41. Lincoln
  42. Lowell
  43. Lynn
  44. Marblehead
  45. Medford
  46. Milton
  47. Montague
  48. Nantucket
  49. Natick
  50. New Bedford
  51. Newton
  52. North Adams
  53. Northampton
  54. Oak Bluffs
  55. Orange
  56. Petersham
  57. Pittsfield
  58. Plymouth
  59. Princeton
  60. Provincetown
  61. Quincy
  62. Rockport
  63. Salem
  64. Sandwich
  65. Scituate
  66. Sharon
  67. Sheffield
  68. Shelburne Falls
  69. Shrewsbury
  70. Somerville
  71. Springfield
  72. Stockbridge
  73. Sudbury
  74. Waltham
  75. Wareham
  76. Watertown
  77. Webster
  78. Wellesley
  79. Westford
  80. Weston
  81. Winthrop
  82. Worcester
  83. Yarmouth

Unusual Attractions in Massachusetts

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Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Massachusetts

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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

A Haunted Road Trip Through New England

New England has a longer, denser record of documented supernatural lore than almost anywhere in America. This is partly a function of age—the region’s colonial settlements date to the 1620s, giving four centuries for tragedy, execution, epidemic, and obsession to accumulate—and partly a function of the Puritan worldview that shaped its earliest culture. This long-weekend itinerary spans eight spooky spots from Connecticut through Rhode Island into Massachusetts, including a duplex that spawned a horror film franchise and the only surviving structure from the Salem witch trials.

View Itinerary

Explore Massachusetts

Architecture 60
History 57
Museums 51
History & Culture 49
Statues 40
Homes 36
Monuments 35
Architectural Oddities 33

Massachusetts Leaderboard

Recent Massachusetts Activity

Stories About Massachusetts

Swim in the ocean at Half Moon Beach, a quiet cove below historic Stage Fort Park

Pose like a mermaid and see the ships come in.
by Suzannah Gerber, Community Contributor

Panoramas, Boulders, playgrounds and native plants all in a less-traveled afternoon hiking spot

Waitt’s Mount- off the beaten path best views of the city
by Suzannah Gerber, Community Contributor
Dug-out Dan poses for a picture.

The Curious History of New England’s Hermit Tourism

From Revolutionary War-era recluses to 1920s roadside attractions, meet the solitary figures who turned isolation into a destination.
by Ryan Shea, Atlas Obscura

Podcast: Boston’s Blue Hill

This iconic hill offers more than just stunning views—it offers a peek back into the history of weather reporting.
by The Podcast Team, Atlas Obscura
People playing instruments at the Gunnar Schonbeck Exhibit

The Museum of Playable Trash Bin Instruments

You too can play a coconut ukulele or 10-foot airplane fuel tank drums—no experience required.
by The Podcast Team, Atlas Obscura
On Tuckernuck Island, the American giant millipede is in danger of losing its head. Scientists don’t know what is responsible for the unprecedented number of decapitations.

The Mystery of the Headless Millipedes

Every summer, hundreds of millipedes are murdered on one small Massachusetts island.
by William von Herff, Atlas Obscura
The packaging laboratory where researchers design and test ways to transport and store rations in a wide variety of environments.

The Evolution of American Military Food

What would George Washington's spruce beer-chugging troops have thought about today's cheesecake rations?
by Diana Hubbell, Atlas Obscura
At the high-tech military food center colloquially known as Natick Lab, R&D achievements include a vacuum microwave-dried cheeseburger (center top) and other shelf-stable meals.

How to Feed an Army

Go behind the scenes at the Massachusetts military lab engineering the fuel of the future.
by Diana Hubbell, Atlas Obscura

Lists Featuring Massachusetts

View to Marshall Street from Creek Square.

The 11 Most Interesting Places to Visit Near Faneuil Hall

11

Including AHAC Headquarters, Faneuil Hall Weathervane, and Creek Square

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
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