Sightseeing Tours

Full:  Lexington/Concord Tour

Monday Tour offerings: These are designed as escorted group outings. For the Boston excursions, bring approximately $5.00 for the subway and money for lunch, plus other expenses as mentioned below. Also, you will want your walking shoes! These tours can be half-day or full-day; please indicate your preference on the Registration Form.

Adams National Historical Park:

The Adams National Historical Park tells the story of four generations of the Adams family (from 1720 to 1927). The park has two main sites, the Birthplaces and Peacefield. At the Birthplaces are the homes where the 2nd U.S. President John Adams, and 6th U.S. President John Quincy Adams were born. Peacefield is the beautiful setting of the “Old House,” home to four generations of the Adams family, and the Stone Library which contains more than 14,000 historic volumes. The Adams National Historical Park is located in Quincy, and our tour will allow time to explore all the sites. There is a trolley to transport visitors between the locations.

JFK Presidential Library and Museum:

Revisit the tumultuous 60s through the life and career of JFK. In three theaters, period settings, and 25 dramatic multimedia exhibits, you will enter the recreated world of the Kennedy Presidency for a “first-hand” experience of John F. Kennedy’s life, legacy, and leadership. Our tour will take public transportation and explore this striking I.M Pei building on Boston’s waterfront.

Freedom Trail (independent walking tour):

Museum of Fine Arts:

The original MFA opened its doors to the public on July 4, 1876, the nation's centennial. Built in Copley Square, the MFA was then home to 5,600 works of art. Over the next several years, the collection and number of visitors grew exponentially, and in 1909 the Museum moved to its current home on Huntington Avenue.

Today the MFA is one of the most comprehensive art museums in the world; the collection encompasses nearly 450,000 works of art. It welcomes more than one million visitors each year to experience art from ancient Egyptian to contemporary, special exhibitions, and innovative educational programs.

The MFA is embarked on an ambitious campaign and Building Project, “Building the New MFA.” Designed by the world-renowned Foster and Partners architects, the New MFA comprises a new wing for American art; renovated art of Europe galleries; improved conservation and education facilities; a West Wing devoted entirely to contemporary art; and a new, larger public space—the Glass Courtyard. (Many thanks for the MFA website for this description!)

Click here for details of upcoming special exhibitions. Art lovers will not want to miss the MFA. Our tour will take public transportation to Boston. Nearby is the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, a fantastic and eclectic personal art collection housed in a Venetian Palace. Don’t miss the central courtyard with beautiful gardens.

Friday Tour offerings:

Adams National Historical Park:

See the Monday description.

Freedom Trail (independent walking tour):

See the Monday description.

Plymouth Tour:

It seems that everyone who comes to Massachusetts wants to visit Plymouth, America’s Hometown. Our tour will include some time in downtown Plymouth, including The Rock. Most of the focus will be on the Mayflower II and Plimouth Plantation. The Plantation includes The English Village, Wampanoag Homesite, and Visitor and Craft Center. Both the Plantation and the Mayflower II have interpreters who portray the Pilgrims who first settled in Massachusetts Bay Colony. Advance payment of $40 will cover transportation and tour. Bring cash for incidentals and lunch.

Lexington/Concord Tour:  TOUR IS FULL

ACL has arranged a private tour of Lexington and Concord with our own guide and vehicle. The guide will be aware of the librarian audience and gear the tour to our interests. These are the stops on Liberty Tour’s regular tour as described on their website. We hope to have a picnic lunch at one of the parks. The advance price of $30 will cover the tour transportation and guide. Optional interior tours at some stops may have separate admission prices, so bring some money for those, as well as for snacks and the subway trip.

• Lexington Battle Green, where the Lexington militia confronted 800 British Regulars as the sun rose on April 19, 1775.
• Buckman Tavern, where the Lexington militia gathered the night before the Battle. (One house admission with Liberty Ride ticket.)
• Hancock-Clarke House, which was Paul Revere and William Dawes' destination on the night of April 18th, 1775, to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock of the coming of British troops. (Closed for restoration.)
• Munroe Tavern, which served as the British headquarters and field hospital. (Washington really dined here in 1789!) Beautiful garden with Colonial flowers. (One house admission with Liberty Ride ticket.)
• Lexington Visitors Center, offering information and hospitality, a diorama of the Battle of Lexington, and a memorial to USS Lexington ships.
• National Heritage Museum, which presents permanent and changing exhibits celebrating American history and culture from Colonial times to the present. Includes Heritage Café and Museum Shop. (Free admission and parking.)
• Minute Man National Historical Park. View "The Road to Revolution" (a moving multimedia presentation) and exhibits at the Visitor Center. Free admission and parking. The park includes:
  --Paul Revere Capture Site. A monument marks the place where the famous "midnight ride" of Paul Revere came to an abrupt end.
  --Hartwell Tavern. This historic home and tavern is brought to life with living history demonstrations.
  --Battle Road. Walk the trail used on April 19, 1775.
  --Meriam’s Corner, terminus of the Battle Road trail and place where British regulars first came under fire as they retreated to Boston.
  --North Bridge where colonial militia men were first ordered to fire upon British regulars. See Daniel Chester French’s Minute Man statue, the grave of British soldiers, and other battle monuments.
  --North Bridge Visitor Center at Buttrick Mansion features exhibits detailing the events in 1775, an information center and bookstore located in a home built by the descendents of Major John Buttrick, the colonial officer who gave the command to fire at the North Bridge.
• Orchard House, the home of Louisa May Alcott and her family and setting for the beloved Little Women. Admission fee.
• Colonial Inn, a functioning inn and historic landmark at the heart of the village green, the Inn was a part of the events of April 19, 1775 and was later home to Henry David Thoreau.
• Old Manse, home of minister William Emerson, his grandson Ralph Waldo Emerson, and the honeymoon home of Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne. Admission fee.
• Concord Visitor Center, located close to restaurants and shops, offers information, guided walking tours of Concord, and public restrooms.
• Concord Museum holds a nationally significant historical collection including the famed Revere lantern, Emerson’s study, and Thoreau’s Walden desk. Hands-on family activities, period rooms, and film “Exploring Concord.” Admission fee.

The Revolution Continues

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