Massachusetts is home to the great city of Boston, miles of gorgeous Atlantic seaside, beautiful rural farms, and a deep cultural history dating back to colonial times. So if you want to know a little more about this wonderful state, including just where it is on a map, we have all the information you need!
Where Is Massachusetts Located?
The small state of Massachusetts is a part of the New England collection of states which also includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. All six states are made up of a fairly small population and area coverage compared to the other 44 states in the country.
All six states sit together in the northeast corner of the continental US, and Massachusetts rests just about in the middle of them, as it is bordered by each one except Maine. It is also bordered by New York state and the Atlantic Ocean.
Because of its location right on the edge of the ocean, Massachusetts homed an immense number of European immigrants as it is directly across from the United Kingdom and Europe and it was an easy landing port for the pilgrims and colonial travelers of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Its location on the globe also puts Massachusetts fairly far north in the northern hemisphere. The state experiences all four seasons: beautiful warm summers usually around 80 degrees, crisp falls with wonderful foliage for leaf peepers, somewhat brutal winters with crushing snow and ice storms and temperatures as low as -10, and gorgeous springtimes with blooming flowers.
Where Is Massachusetts Located on a US Map?
When looking at a map of the continental USA in North America, Massachusetts can be located in the top right-hand corner. While it is fairly indistinguishable because of its small size, if you zoom in, you will be able to find it on the Atlantic Ocean just below New Hampshire and Vermont and just above Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, is only a four hour drive away from New York City, and a five and a half hour drive from Montreal, Canada.
If you cannot see Massachusetts with the naked eye on a map, go ahead and place your index finger laterally with just the fingernail on land while the rest is on the Atlantic Ocean with the top side of the finger running along the Canadian border. Where the bottom side of your finger rests is most likely Massachusetts.
Interesting Facts About Massachusetts
History of Early Massachusetts
As we have learned, the colonial sites in Massachusetts are abounding as this was one of the original ports for those immigrating from the United Kingdom of Great Britain, as well as other countries in Europe such as Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, and more.
These immigrants also made quite a name for themselves when they decided in the 1700s that they wanted to be free of British rule, and the sovereignties of their home countries, and instead start a new nation that would eventually become the United States of America.
The Boston Tea Party is one of the most well-known events in Massachusetts rich history. At this infamous, or famous depending on which side you were on, “party”, the people of Boston decided that they would no longer pay the exorbitant tax on tea that the crown was enforcing, and to prove their seriousness, threw all of the imported tea off the ships that carried it and into the sea.
Since that time, Boston has been well known for its political influence on America, both as it was beginning and later into more modern history.
Although Massachusetts has quite a lot more to offer, even if you’re not a history buff.
Culture: Sports, Food, and More
Massachusetts is mostly known for being a fairly sleepy state with sprawling fields and forests, as well as beautiful relaxing coastal towns. Most famously, Massachusetts is home to Cape Cod, a magical little island off the coast where many Massachusetts residents spend their summers in quaint cottages, and where many seaside weddings are held.
Boston, of course, is a historical but also a metropolitan city that is home to some of the country’s leading sports teams. Between the Red Sox, the Celtics, the Bruins, and the Patriots, there is something for everyone at greater Boston’s many arenas and stadiums.
Massachusetts is home to some of the most prestigious universities in the country and around the world. Harvard, MIT, Northeastern, and Boston University, along with dozens of others, are based around the greater Boston area and throughout the state.
The cuisine in Massachusetts is certainly worth the visit. Since the state was originally built by a wide variety of cultures, the signature dishes represent this diversity with meals and snacks such as cannolis, fish and chips, lobster rolls, fried clams, hot dogs, Boston cream pie, and oh so much more.
If you travel to Massachusetts, be sure to try the seafood specials on the coast, the cannolis from the North End in Boston, a hot dog from Fenway Park, and the Boston cream by Magnolia Bakery.
Boston: The Capital City
While Massachusetts itself has quite a lot to offer, most people consider Boston to be the absolute must-see spot in the state.
With its complex political history, the city offers an amazing look at what the original colonies may have looked like. You can walk the Freedom Trail, a marked pathway that curves through the city and maps out historical homes of important American political figures, as well as landmarks, and even restaurants from almost 400 years ago.
Boston is broken up into neighborhoods that all have a distinct energy and culture. Southie is known for its Irish roots, and you’ll probably find an Irish pub on almost every street corner. The North End is Boston’s Little Italy, and Italian restaurants and bakeries litter the cobblestoned streets. There’s also the Financial District, Faneuil Hall, Beacon Hill, the Boston Commons, and much more.
Truly, Boston is one of America’s oldest and also most unmissable cities. It is located right on the Atlantic and has some of the best sites, monuments, food, beer, and fun of any city in the country.
