If you’re planning to visit Massachusetts during the spring months, there’s no better time to come than Patriot’s Day weekend when locals pull out all the stops for reenactments, parades, and celebrations between Boston and Lexington & Concord, Massachusetts.
There are over 60 events during the month of April in Massachusetts to commemorate the opening battles of the American Revolution on April 19, 1775. Visit historical sites, watch reenactments of the Minutemen versus the British Redcoats on the greens of Lexington and Concord, or take in a parade along the cobblestone street of Boston.
Revere is just 11 miles from the site of the “shot heard round the world” in Lexington and Concord, and five miles to Boston where the Redcoats began their march to root out the Patriots, deemed traitors in the eyes of the British crown. This puts Revere in the perfect location to be your home base as you explore the history of the region.
Where To Visit For Patriots Day
Minute Man National Historical Park
In order to understand the Road to Revolution, you will want to visit the Minute Man National Historical Park at Minute Man Visitor Center. Here you can learn from Park Rangers about the role that the Patriots played in breaking free from British Rule. You will learn the history and see the actual places that the Sons of Liberty walked during those fateful days leading up to the Revolution.
Nearby attractions that you won’t want to miss include The Concord Museum, which houses one of the oldest and most treasured collections of Americana in the country; Lexington Historical Society, which gives tours of fascinating historic sites and allows visitors to walk in the footsteps of John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and George Washington leading up to the Revolution.
If you are looking to see a reenactment, be sure to visit on Patriot’s Day (always the third Monday in April.) Arrive for the 5 am reenactment on the Battle Green of Lexington Center where you can see a lifelike recreation of what happened that morning in 1775.
If that schedule is a bit too early for you try visiting the afternoon before when the dress rehearsal is held between 2-4 pm. There will be fewer crowds and at a better hour.
Paul Revere’s House & Famous Midnight Ride
Visit Paul Revere’s House and learn more about his role in the Revolution along with a reenactment of his famous ride. You may also want to visit the Old North Church where its signal system of “one if by land and two if by sea” can be witnessed.
Book your visit early as the house is small and can only accommodate a small number of visitors at a time.
The Freedom Trail
While you are in Boston, you won’t want to miss the Freedom Trail that allows visitors to walk past some of the most critical historical landmarks of the American Revolution including the site of the Boston Massacre, the Old North Church, The State House, The U.S.S. Constitution, the Boston Common/Gardens, Faneuil Hall, Bunker Hill Monument, and Park Street Church to name just a few of the stops along the way.
For more celebrations from Lexington to Boston check out this Boston Discovery Guide that can help you plan your visit.