Take This Hidden Gems Road Trip When You Want To See Some Little-Known Places In Massachusetts

For those of us who grew up in Massachusetts or have lived here for a while may think we know all there is to know about the state. However, there are most likely some places you have yet to discover, some hidden gems that are certainly worth finding. If you’re looking for something to do and want to discover a few new-to-you places, take this hidden gems road trip in Massachusetts.

The trip covers 199 miles and is just over five hours of driving time. Feel free to use this interactive map to guide you and feel free to add your own stops along the way.

Google Maps

Ronald Martin/Google

Some ghost towns are downright creepy, but Dogtown in Gloucester is actually quite fascinating! The area was settled in the late 1600s, but years after the War of 1812, it was gradually abandoned. During the Great Depression, the founder of Babson College, Robert Babson, commissioned inspirational messages to be carved on numerous boulders throughout the abandoned property. Today you can go hiking and discover all the wonderfully strange ruins and boulders in this 3,000-acre park.

Read our previous coverage to learn more about Dogtown.

Count Orlok's Nightmare Gallery, 217 Essex St, Salem, MA 01970, USA

Count Orlok's Nightmare Gallery

The next stop on this hidden gems road trip is Count Orlok's Nightmare Gallery. Here is an entire museum dedicated to monsters, sci-fi, and horror and it's right in the heart of Salem. You won't find another museum quite like this in the state.

Read our previous coverage to learn more about Count Orlok's Nightmare Gallery.

Forest Hills Cemetery, 95 Forest Hills Ave, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, USA

Forest Hills Cemetery/Facebook

Forest Hills Cemetery may be the final resting place for thousands of people but it's absolutely beautiful and worthy of exploring. This 275-acre garden cemetery was founded in 1848 and has a park-like feel with plenty of art and sculptures as well as an arboretum when you walk the grounds.

Visit the Forest Hills Cemetery website to learn more.

47 Old Sudbury Rd, Lincoln, MA 01773, USA

Robert Korpusik/Google

Ponyhenge in Lincoln is a bit of a mystery as no one really knows how it started or where all the abandoned rocking horses came from. But those who visit find this hidden gem oddly fascinating.

Read our previous coverage to learn more about Ponyhenge.

248 Bedford St, Concord, MA 01742, USA

Bill Ilott/Flickr

Whether you're a history buff, a literary buff, or both, a trip to Concord's Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is a must. It's the final resting place for some of the most notable and influential authors in literary history. You'll find the graves of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau on the hilly Author's Ridge.

Visit the webpage to learn more about Author's Ridge.

Lowell Road, Lowell Rd, Groton, MA 01450, USA

Ethan Fleming/Google

Atop Gibbet Hill in Groton is a set of abandoned ruins known as Bancroft Castle. What was once an estate built in 1906 was all but destroyed by fire in 1932. What was left turned to ruin over the years. Today you can explore the gorgeous grounds and the crumbling structures that remain.

Read our previous coverage to learn more about Bancroft Castle.

J726+W7, J726+W7 Shelburne, MA, USA

Levi Savaria/Google

While you may have heard of the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, you may not have heard about its glacial potholes. These natural wonders were formed over 14,000 years ago in the Deerfield River and range in size from six inches to 39 feet in diameter.

Read our previous coverage to learn more about the Glacial Potholes.

McAuley Road, McAuley Rd, North Adams, MA 01247, USA

Steven Anderson/AllTrails

The 48-acre Natural Bridge State Park is home to a natural wonder: the only natural white marble bridge in North America. Take a hike, explore the area surrounding the bridge, and see a waterfall at the park's white marble dam.

Read our previous coverage to learn more about Natural Bridge State Park.

Are you ready to head out on a hidden gems road trip in Massachusetts? What are some of your favorite hidden gems around the state? Tell us in the comments!