Lexington, MA has much to offer guests of The Inn at Hastings Park. We are conveniently located near the city’s top historic and tourist attractions. See our suggested list, below.
Distance from hotel: 10 miles
This park hosts more than 20 miles of trails for walking, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. During the winter months, one of the cross-country ski trails is lit with lanterns to allow for ‘moonlight’ skiing. The park’s Meadow Pond is an ideal fishing site and has a canoe launch. The park also has an ice cream stand open through October as well as a herd of Holsteins.
Distance from hotel: 10-15 miles
This refuge protects freshwater wetlands along the Concord and Sudbury Rivers and is a nesting, resting and feeding habitat for wildlife, especially migratory birds. The refuge has trails that provide great opportunities for viewing wildlife and nature study.
Distance from hotel: 2 miles
Watch the first battle of the Revolution come to life before your eyes as you explore the battlefields, battlements and skirmishes associated with this clash on April 19, 1775.
Distance from hotel: 7 miles
Canoeing and kayaking on the Concord River are popular summertime activities.
Distance from hotel: 1 mile
The Old Reservoir used to provide drinking water for Lexington residents and has been converted to a recreation area for summertime swimming and picnicking, as well as wintertime ice skating.
Distance from hotel: 0.2 miles
ACROSS Lexington provides visitors with two scenic loops (one 4.5 miles and the other 5.8 miles). On these enjoyable walking tours there are many historic sites as well as opportunities for seeing local wildlife.
Distance from hotel: 0.2 miles
The bikeway is an 11-mile path connecting Bedford, Lexington, Arlington and Cambridge. It is popular with bikers as well as walkers, joggers and rollerbladers.
Distance from hotel: 0.2 miles
Beginning at Lincoln Park and winding through woods, meadow and wetlands, this 1.35-mile long fitness path has 16 self-directed fitness stations.
Distance from hotel: 6 miles
Located in nearby Concord, Walden Pond was home to the transcendentalist writer-philosopher Henry David Thoreau. Today, Walden Pond Reservation is a popular attraction for swimmers and beachgoers.
Distance from hotel: 3 miles
Whipple Hill Conservation Area is an extensive network of trails and includes several ponds. Whipple Hill itself has an elevation of 374 feet, making it the highest point in Lexington and affording visitors beautiful views.
Distance from hotel: 2 miles
Willards Woods is a historic farm property that includes an old apple orchard and a mill pond. Willards Woods also has a meadow with beautiful wildflowers and patches of blueberries and blackberries.
Distance from hotel: 4 miles
Wright-Locke Farm has many lovely trails that are popular year-round for walking and in the winter for cross-country skiing. Wildlife such as turkeys, foxes and peepers, are frequently seen from the trails. The farm is also well-known for its summertime raspberry picking. In addition, the farm hosts children’s programs.
Distance from hotel: 0.4 miles
This yellow building is where dozens of members of the Lexington militia gathered to await the arrival of the British Redcoats on the morning of April 19, 1775.
Distance from hotel: 0.4 miles
The Cary Memorial Library has an extensive collection of historic documents.
Distance from hotel: 5.7 miles
The museum has some notable pieces of American history, including furniture from Henry David Thoreau’s cabin at Walden Pond, American Revolution artifacts and the ‘one if by land, two if by sea’ lantern immortalized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem ‘Paul Revere’s Ride.’
Distance from hotel: 5.8 miles
The home of Ralph Waldo Emerson, a famous American Transcendentalist and poet, has been preserved so that many of the interior furnishings, furniture and Emerson’s personal memorabilia and effects remain.
Distance from hotel: 6 miles
The following attractions are all located within the Minute Man National Historical Park: The National Heritage Museum, Battle Road Trail, Old North Bridge, the Buttrick Estate and the Wayside.
Distance from hotel: 1.8 miles
The museum’s exhibits showcase American history and pop culture.
Distance from hotel: 1 mile
Part of Minuteman National Historic Park, the 5.5-mile Battle Road Trail follows the route taken by the British on their march to Concord during the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Historic houses are located along the trail. Two notable points on this trail include a section of sharp turns called ‘the Bloody Angle’ that provided points for the colonists to ambush the British and the place where Paul Revere was captured.
Distance from hotel: 6.8 miles
The current bridge is a replica of the original one. The bridge is historic because it was one of the sites of the Battle of Concord on the first day of the American Revolutionary War.
Distance from hotel: 6.8 miles
Major John Buttrick led the colonials to meet the British at the Old North Bridge during the Battle of Lexington and Concord. The Buttrick Estate has been preserved as part of the Minuteman National Historical Park. John Buttrick’s great-great-grandson established magnificent gardens at the estate during the 1930s. While the gardens no longer match their former glory, local arborists have volunteered their time to beautify the property once again.
Distance from hotel: 5.2 miles
Previously a meeting place for Lexington militiamen, during the Battle of Lexington and Concord the British took over Munroe Tavern and used it as their headquarters. It was from this tavern that the British called for one thousand reinforcements. George Washington visited Munroe Tavern in 1789 and the tavern still houses the table at which he sat as well as some documents related to his trip.
Distance from hotel: 1.2 miles
This historic, old house is famous for its literary associations. Author Nathaniel Hawthorne as well as Ralph Waldo Emerson’s grandfather lived here. The Manse is open seasonally for guided tours.
Distance from hotel: 6.7 miles
Orchard House was home to the Alcott family, including Louisa May Alcott. Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel, Little Women, was written and set at Orchard House. The tours and living history events are very popular and help preserve the Alcott legacy in literature, art, education, philosophy and social justice.
Distance from hotel: 5.3 miles
Many notable people are buried here, including Louisa May Alcott (author of Little Women), Ralph Waldo Emerson (a Transcendentalist and poet), Nathaniel Hawthorne (author of The Scarlet Letter) and Henry David Thoreau (a Transcendentalist, philosopher and author).
Distance from hotel: 6.6 miles
This is the house where John Hancock, the first signer of the Declaration of Independence, grew up. It is an important Revolutionary War site because John Hancock and Samuel Adams, the leaders of the Minutemen, were staying here before the Battle of Lexington and Concord.
Distance from hotel: 0.6 miles
The Liberty Ride® takes visitors on a tour of the historic sites in the area, including many of those listed here. We are happy to arrange for tickets for interested guests.
Distance from hotel: 0.4 miles
The gravestones in this cemetery date back to 1690 and include prominent figures in Lexington’s history.
Distance from hotel: 0.2 miles
Located in nearby Lincoln, MA, Drumlin Farm is a working farmyard and wildlife sanctuary. Kids will love visiting the animals and taking hay wagon rides. Drumlin Farm also has wildlife exhibits and hiking trails.
Distance from hotel: 0.8 miles
This seasonal farmers’ market takes place Tuesday afternoons in Lexington Center starting in June and running through October.
Distance from hotel: 16 miles
Shelburne Farm is a bit of a drive, but worth the trip for the fall apple-picking season. Visitors can roam the orchards and pumpkin patch and then enjoy hot cider doughnuts, homemade caramel apples, sharp cheddar cheese and more at the farmstand. Children will enjoy pony rides, a moon bounce and a hay maze and climbing pyramid.
Lexington’s local farm and farmstand has been in operation since 1884. We can arrange tours for our interested guests.
Distance from hotel: 2.3 miles
This open green space is located across the street from the Inn at Hastings Park. It boasts a newly renovated bandstand for summer concerts and plenty of space for picnicking and recreation.
Distance from hotel: 15.1 miles
In nearby Carlisle, MA, family-owned ice cream stand Kimball Farm serves up some of the most delicious ice cream in the area. There is also a petting zoo that children love. Plus, you can visit a larger Kimball Farm in Westford, MA with a country store and entertainment complex (with fun activities like bumper boats), in addition to the ice cream stand.
Distance from hotel: 0.3 miles
On a rainy day, you can take the children to the local movie theater in Lexington Center.
Distance from hotel: 4.3 miles
Set on a large hill, the park has a playground with giant slides built into the hillside that children love. The hill is also a popular destination for watching Fourth of July fireworks (the top of the hill affords a view of Boston) and for sledding.
Kids of all ages will love cooling off at Lexington’s two outdoor swimming facilities: The Old Reservoir (a fresh water pond with a sandy beach) and the Irving H. Mabee Town Pool Complex (an outdoor pool across the street from The Inn). For year-round swimming, there is an indoor pool at Hayden Recreation Center. Speak with Guest Services to obtain guest passes to these facilities.
Distance from hotel: 3.7 miles
Get an exhilarating view of Boston with a helicopter tour that takes you soaring high above the clouds in exciting adventure you’ll always remember.
Distance from hotel: 15.8 miles
Less than an hour’s drive from Boston, Nashoba Valley features 17 trails, nine lifts and a snowboard and tube park, plus great food and drink at The Overlook Restaurant & Bar.
Distance from hotel: 41.7 miles
From the Algonquin for “great hill,” Wachusett offers day and night skiing on its advanced, intermediate and beginners’ runs.
Distance from hotel: 57.8 miles
In addition to “The Rocket,” Southern New Hampshire’s only high-speed detachable quad chairlift, Crotched Mountain Ski Area features over 1,000 vertical feet and 100 acres of terrain, not to mention “Midnight Madness” on Friday and Saturday nights in January and February. All trails are open until 3:00 a.m. and après ski activities include live entertainment, bonfires on the slopes and much more.
Distance from hotel: 7 miles
Rent a kayak or canoe and enjoy a scenic, tranquil paddle along the Assabet, Sudbury and Concord River waterways.
Distance from hotel: 10 miles
Featuring 15 kilometers of trails for both skate and classical skiing, this cross-country ski center on the banks of the Charles River gives Boston residents and visitors the chance to ski and snowshoe just 15 minutes west of the city.
