One Week in Concord, Massachusetts

Concord has the atmosphere that you would expect of a small northeastern town. It’s quiet and dignified, even with tourists lining its streets at times. There is more than enough history here to keep you occupied for several weeks, so choose your itinerary wisely. Also, only a short distance from here is Plimoth Plantation and the Mayflower II, not to mention Boston. There is a hotel in town, but I recommend staying at a bed-and-breakfast. The hotel, although from the colonial era, does not have the ambience you would expect in this historic little town. Walden Pond is a highlight of this area, and the perfect place for a little transcendental mediation. If you should find yourself here in the summer months, bring your bathing suit! I've never seen a lake with water so clear and so warm. You could easily spend your entire vacation at the pond. You can also visit the old haunts of Emerson, Thoreau, Alcott, and Hawthorne. One week in Concord is simply not enough. We will be traveling back there soon.

Quick Tips:

Walden Pond is a pilgrimage worth making. Number 5, Strawberry Hill is a must eatery!

Best Way To Get Around:

Walking or driving.

It was neat and clean, with lots of amenities. Marilyn and Gregory et al have perfected the B&B experience. Each day at the Hawthorne Inn starts with a healthy and plentiful breakfast served with a great attitude and camaraderie. Just mention something you might like to have and watch it appear with no fuss or complaints. Want to know the best places to visit or the best restaurants in the area? Just ask and you will find a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips. Need directions? They’ll even draw you a map! Come back to the inn and spend the evening chatting with your delightful hosts, or stroll around the spectacular gardens. Find a little out of the way place to sit and read, or just relax and watch the clouds go by. You could also spend time just looking around the inn at all the incredible works of art and antiques Marilyn and Gregory have acquired over the years, or just relax in your exceptionally comfortable room. The nights are quiet and peaceful and the beds are cozy, with several soft pillows. A week is not enough time to spend at the Hawthorne Inn. It is VERY service dog-friendly.

The food here is incredible. They call it traditional with a French twist. The wait staff is friendly and knowledgeable. The ambience is rustic with some interesting architecture. We actually went here twice because the food was so good. During our two trips here, we had lobster tail in a ginger sauce, lamb, foie gras, filet mignon, scallops, and, for dessert, crème brulee and the best lemon tart you will ever taste! Credit cards are accepted and there is a large parking lot. It is VERY service dog-friendly. We were even offered a bowl of water for her!

This is not a place I would recommend to anyone. We had lunch here. The food was tasteless. I had fish-and-chips and my husband had a Reuben sandwich. The sandwich was served on white bread with potato chips on the side, and my fish-and-chips had both been frozen not long before I saw them. The service was nothing special and the atmosphere wasn't even inviting. The food was way overpriced.

It is fairly service dog-friendly. The smaller tables are too small to fit the dog under, so she had to sit in an aisle. It was not very comfortable.

It had a great atmosphere and fantastic food! They do great Italian food here. The garlic bread is amazing and they offer the best risotto I have ever had. I had braised chicken and risotto and my husband had lamb. It is service dog-friendly. You have to try the risotto!

This is a great place for transcendentalists and “Little Women” fans to visit. This is the house featured in Little Women and also the home of Bronson Alcott, Louisa's father and R.W. Emerson's best friend. Bronson and Emerson explored transcendentalism together, and Bronson's school stands on this property. The house is seen by guided tour only, but the guides are knowledgeable and friendly. There is also a gift shop that had many hard-to-find novels by Louisa May Alcott, along with many versions of “Little Women.” The house is well preserved and really is a must-see while you are there. There is no photography allowed inside the house. It is service dog-friendly, although it is sometimes difficult to keep the dog out of the way during the tour because of small rooms and large tours.

This was an interesting tour. We were the only people on the tour, so we had special treatment. The rooms are all roped off, so it felt more like don't-touch than a have-a-look-around kind of atmosphere. They do NOT have air-conditioning, and it makes dog day tours rather miserable, but it is interesting to see everything that is in here. The guides were super friendly and knowledgeable. Apparently the family still owns the home, and their idea of preservation is “don't touch.” No photography is allowed inside the home. They are service dog-friendly, but have plenty of water with you if it is a hot day. My dog drank a whole bowl after this hot and humid visit.

Visiting Walden Pond is an incredible experience. The first day we were there, we didn't really know what to expect. We had already decided to walk the 1.7-mile path around the pond before we even got there.

When we arrived, we were surprised to find a public beach. The beach was well maintained and had several lifeguards. The most surprising thing was how clear the pond water was. The day was very hot and very humid, and after we were about halfway around the pond, it started looking mighty tempting. We came across a tiny little sandy area with absolutely no one around, so we jumped right in, clothes and all! The water was clear and warm, and we could see right to the bottom of the pond. During our swim, we met Linda Allen, a Walden Pond photographer. We had a great conversation with her, and later we bought one of her posters in the gift shop. We were cooled down and refreshed, so we finished our walk around the pond and then found a nice shady private spot and ate a picnic lunch that was prepared for us by a local deli.

It was a romantic, relaxing day that we will never forget. This is place for transcendental meditation! You can easily find a private spot with no one around. It is very quiet here as long as you are away from the beach. The beach gets very crowded at times, and they will stop letting new people down to the beach on extra busy days. Try the beach during the week rather than a weekend.

It is somewhat service dog-friendly. Be prepared to be stopped SEVERAL times to be told that you are not allowed to have a dog there. Some of these times will be by other tourists, not just the officials. Don't think that the vest your dog is wearing that is clearly marked "Service Dog" is going to help. It was like it was invisible here.