# Lexington and Concord to Cape Ann and Newburyport

> 3-day road trip of about 148 km (92 mi) with 9 stops, from Boston to Newburyport. About 1 h 38 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b20-concord-cape-ann/

**At a glance:** 3-day road trip of about 148 km (92 mi) with 9 stops, from Boston to Newburyport. About 1 h 38 min of driving in total. Where the Revolution began at Lexington and Concord, then Walden Pond, Salem and the fishing harbors and granite shores of Cape Ann.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 148 km (92 mi) |
| Driving | 1 h 38 min |
| Suggested days | 3 |
| Stops | 9 |
| Route | Boston → Newburyport |
| States | MA |
| Updated | April 24, 2026 |

## Route description

Leave Boston on MA-2 west to Lexington, about 30 minutes, where the Battle Green marks the first shots of 19 April 1775. The Minute Man Visitor Center off MA-2A is the start of the Battle Road Trail, which follows the British retreat through fields and restored farmhouses; walk a section or drive the road and stop at the pull-offs. Parking in central Lexington is limited for large RVs.

Concord is next. At the Old North Bridge, a short walk from the lot on Monument Street, the militia turned back the British regulars, and the Minute Man statue stands on the far bank. Concord was also home to Emerson, Hawthorne, Alcott and Thoreau; their houses and Sleepy Hollow Cemetery are close together. Walden Pond is about 3 km south on MA-126; swim or walk the shore path to the cabin site.

Drive northeast via I-95 and MA-128 to Salem, about 45 minutes. The witch trial sites, the Peabody Essex Museum and the old waterfront are all walkable from the downtown garages; October is extremely crowded, so avoid it with an RV. Continue on MA-127 through Beverly Farms and Manchester-by-the-Sea to Gloucester, America’s oldest seaport, with the Fishermen’s Memorial on the harbor.

MA-127 continues around Cape Ann to Rockport, whose red fishing shack known as Motif No. 1 is among the most painted buildings in America, and on to Halibut Point State Park at the northern tip. Then take MA-133 through Essex, known for fried clams, and Ipswich, and MA-1A north to Newburyport, a brick harbor town at the mouth of the Merrimack. The route is about 160 km.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Boston** (MA)
2. **Minute Man National Historical Park, Battle Road** (Lexington, MA): The road where colonial militia fought British troops on 19 April 1775, now a 5-mile trail between Lexington and Concord past restored houses. Free; start at the Minute Man Visitor Center off MA-2A.
3. **Old North Bridge** (Concord, MA): A replica of the bridge where militia fired the “shot heard round the world” in 1775, with Daniel Chester French’s Minute Man statue. Free parking on Monument Street; the visitor center is up the hill.
4. **Walden Pond State Reservation** (Concord, MA): The pond where Henry David Thoreau lived in a small cabin in 1845–47, with a replica cabin and a 1.7-mile path around the shore. Parking fee; the lot closes when full on summer days.
5. **Salem Witch Museum** (Salem, MA): Life-size dioramas tell the story of the 1692 witch trials. October brings huge crowds.
6. **Gloucester** (MA)
7. **Rockport** (MA)
8. **Halibut Point State Park** (Rockport, MA): A flooded granite quarry and rocky ocean ledges at the northern tip of Cape Ann, with views to New Hampshire and Maine on clear days. Parking fee in season; the path to the ledges is rough.
9. **Newburyport** (MA)

## FAQs

**How long is Lexington and Concord to Cape Ann and Newburyport?**
3-day road trip of about 148 km (92 mi) with 9 stops, from Boston to Newburyport. About 1 h 38 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Lexington and Concord to Cape Ann and Newburyport?**
We suggest 3 days: about 1 h 38 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Lexington and Concord to Cape Ann and Newburyport start and end?**
It starts in Boston and ends in Newburyport.

**Which states does Lexington and Concord to Cape Ann and Newburyport pass through?**
Massachusetts.