In the Bay State, getting outside is often associated with heroic moments, such as Paul Revere’s heroic “midnight ride” of April 18, 1775 to raise the alarm that British forces were on the move. Last month, the New England Patriots’ sensational comeback victory against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI brought the faithful out in droves across the state and region. Tens of thousands of fans then lined Boston’s streets in the rain and snow for the championship parade, with the team—some going shirtless—riding in the amphibious duck boats normally used for visitor and group tours.
Marshalling the troops to get outside and experience all the outdoor bounty Massachusetts has to offer is a rallying cry for groups, too, with multi-category rewards in every scenic corner.
Eastern Escapes
For groups convening in Boston and Cambridge, venturing north of the city into Essex County and the Merrimack Valley, or caravanning to Cape Cod, the state’s Atlantic-lapped eastern reaches teem with outdoor adventures.
Founded by the late sea-loving Matthew “Matty” Hughes, Boston Harbor Cruises is the nation’s largest private operator of passenger vessels. With departures from Long Wharf, right by the New England Aquarium, group options include narrated history and other educational tours of Boston’s inner and outer harbors, whale-watching excursions and high-adrenaline rides aboard the Codzilla powerboat. The company can also cater functions for up to 230 people on one of a trio of premier charter vessels.
Corporate groups can book the three-masted schooner Thomas E. Lannon up in Gloucester, America’s oldest fishing port, for excursions past lighthouses, castles and Gloucester’s historic working waterfront.
One of 116 properties across the state managed by the venerable Trustees of Reservations, the Crane Estate in nearby Ipswich offers a regal appointment for guided tours and executive retreats, social functions, weddings and more. Set on more than 2,100 acres, the property, dating to 1928, incorporates Castle Hill, a National Historic Landmark crowned by the 59-room, Stuart-style Great House; popular summer destination Crane Beach; and the Crane Wildlife Refuge, protecting many rare plant and animal species. Also available is the award-winning 10-room Inn at Castle Hill for overnight stays.
With its distinctive U-shaped curl, legendary Cape Cod, unfurling some 75 miles east of Boston, and the famed islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, are national outdoor treasures.
Considered one of the world’s Top 10 destinations for whale-watching, paddleboarding, kayaking and windsurfing, the Cape is also for golfers, with some 50 courses between Plymouth on the mainland and Provincetown at the Cape’s easternmost tip.
Protected today as part of Cape Cod National Seashore Park, the great Outer Beach inspired Henry David Thoreau to write in the 1800s, “A man may stand there and put all America behind him.” Established in 1946, Provincetown-based Art’s Dune Tours is a popular option for inspiring off-road tours of the park, a natural wonder comprising some 40 miles of pristine sandy beaches, marshes, wild cranberry bogs, lighthouses and more.
Central Charms
Anchored by Worcester and featuring distinct draws like the picturesque Blackstone Valley, the state’s central core offers everything from agritourism to winter sports.
Known as “The Heart of the Commonwealth” for its central location in the state, Worcester, along with its environs, is New England’s second-largest city. Located atop one of Worcester’s seven main hills, 480-acre Green Hill Park features a par-72, 18-hole municipal golf course and pub-style Grill on the Hill restaurant, with outdoor patio seating and event space for up to 75 people. South of the city, not far from the Douglas State Forest, 500-acre Whittier Farms is home to 275 dairy cows and regularly hosts public farm tours and special events to promote agriculture education.
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Stretching from Worcester to Providence, R.I., the picturesque Blackstone Valley features over 400,000 acres of panoramic views and landscapes, including the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor. Considered the “Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution,” this unique U.S. national park vividly showcases America’s transformation from “Farm to Factory” across 24 cities and towns.
While most of the state’s 12 ski resorts are concentrated in the westernmost Berkshire Mountains, conference-capable Wachusett Mountain Ski Area offers a centrally located group option in Princeton, just north of Worcester. Versatile spaces include the 400-person capacity Granite Room and newly added Maple Room, accommodating 140 attendees. Groups of 15 can also rent private Mountain Suites above the Granite Room, offering outdoor decks and billed as “Slope SkyBoxes” for their commanding view of the mountain.
The Wachusett region is also home to group-capable Tower Hill Botanic Garden, featuring rare and exquisite plants in its 17 distinct gardens and a serene backdrop of woodlands, meadows and mountain views for events.
Western Wonders
Groups heading west have the perfect “town and country” combination in Springfield, the region’s largest city, and the 32 towns, villages and communities of four-season Berkshire County.
With anticipation growing for the projected June 2017 opening of The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum on the Springfield Museums campus, and the nearly $1 billion MGM Springfield casino complex, now ahead of schedule with a slated fall 2018 opening, the expanding Springfield market offers a range of outdoor diversions for groups.
Located within easy walking distance of downtown Springfield, the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club is a group-accessible recreational facility renting bikes, canoes, kayaks and stand-up boards. Docked at Brunelle’s Marina in nearby South Hadley, The Lady Bea tour boat can be chartered for private Connecticut River excursions.
North of the city, Charlemont is home to Berkshire East Mountain Resort, home of the 3,870-foot Thunderbolt, the nation’s longest mountain coaster ride. In nearby Shelburne Falls, Zoar Outdoor is a leading outdoor adventure operator offering seasonal white-water rafting, ziplining, canoeing, kayaking, biking and rock climbing in the Deerfield River Valley.
Locals refer to The Berkshires, which also describes the Appalachian Mountains range extending through the region from neighboring Connecticut, as “a state of mind.” Renowned for its quintessential autumnal leaf blazes, The Berkshires runs wild with outdoor draws. In Hancock, four-season Jiminy Peak is southern New England’s largest ski and snowboard resort, offering more than 15,000 square feet of versatile space and thrilling mountain coaster, alpine slide and other rides.
Established in 1767, nearby Lenox is home to perennial group favorite, the 1880 Cranwell Resort, Spa & Golf Club. Featuring 60-mile views once heralded by the Reverend Henry Ward Beecher as “the very hills of Heaven,” this 380-acre sanctuary offers 85 rooms and 29 suites, 16,000 square feet of versatile space and outdoor amenities that include its historic 18-hole championship golf course.
On the Connecticut border, Bartholomew’s Cobble, a Trustees of Reservations site and National Historic Landmark, offers guided natural history tours by canoe on the nearby Housatonic River and hiking trails leading up to spellbinding panoramic views atop 1,000-foot Hurlburt’s Hill. In the northern Berkshires, 3,489-foot Mount Greylock is the state’s highest peak, offering 100-mile views, hiking (including a section of the Appalachian Trail) and seasonal overnight accommodation (34 people) and event space (80 people) at its mountaintop 1938 Bascom Lodge.
