There is a lot to see and experience in this great big country, and over this last summer, I traveled to a couple cites in Massachusetts and Williamsburg, Virginia. Each place is full of rich history, even though they differ greatly from one another. I have always been fascinated with history, and I love traveling. So, combining the two really created an amazing trip, one I hope to keep experiencing for years to come. If you ever think about traveling to either one of these places, I highly recommend it!
Massachusetts
I traveled to Massachusetts at the end of May. We visited Amherst, Concord, and Salem. The trip was hosted through The English Club on campus so, of course, the main focus of the trip was visiting the houses and sites of some of the most influential and inspiring authors from the area. These authors helped to shape the history of the area. Some author houses you are able to visit are the homes of Emily Dickinson, Ralph Waldo Emmerson, and Louisa May Alcott.
One of the most beautiful places to visit in Concord is Walden Pond. This is the site where Henry David Thoreau wrote his novel Walden. Once you visit and walk along the side of the lake, you completely understand how inspired Thoreau felt while living there.
Another great and very historic place to visit is the bridge in Lexington-Concord where the first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired. It is the site where America started!
The entire atmosphere in Massachusetts is old, beautiful, and just completely historically important.
Williamsburg, Virginia
My family vacation this year was to Historic Williamsburg in Virginia. My family is not super interested in history, but they endured at least one day of it for me. Historic Williamsburg is frozen in time, all the way back to the colonial days. The town works hard to keep the original integrity of the buildings; many of them still have the original floors. So yes, you are able to walk on the same floorboards George Washington did.
The workers also try really hard to transport you back to the colonial period. Even in the middle of summer in sweaty Virginia, they are in full, colonial costume–full skirts, corsets, three-piece suits. Colonial Williamsburg will make you appreciate the simple way of life, and everything they went through to get us where we are today.