Lexington and Concord: First Shots of the Revolution

A well-loved statue of a Minuteman marks Lexington Green, where the first shots in America's War of Independence were fired on April 19, 1775. The first real battle of the Revolution took place in nearby Concord, where colonial militia members repulsed the British soldiers at North Bridge, foiling their attempted raid on colonial arms and munitions stored in Concord.

In Lexington, you can visit the restored 1710 Buckman Tavern, where the militia gathered, then follow Battle Road, the route of the British (who were harassed by Minutemen firing from behind stone walls) to North Bridge. The route and bridge are part of Minute Man National Historical Park, and you can ride or walk along the historic Battle Road between visits to Lexington Green and Concord's Old North Bridge. Concord has more than its Revolutionary War history. It was home to some of the brightest lights in 19th-century American literature and philosophy, known as the transcendentalists. And you can visit their homes, as well as places connected with them, such as Alcott's Orchard House, Walden Pond, and Author's Ridge in the beautiful Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. To sum up, visiting Lexington and Concord: First Shots of the Revolution is one of the best day trips from Boston.

Address: 174 Liberty St. Concord , MA 01742

Official site: www.nps.gov

Phone: 978 369-6993

Entrance fee: Adults $28. Students (ages 5 - 17) $15. Children under 5 free

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