The shot heard 'round the world. World history changed forever on Apirl 19, 1775. On that day the British engaged in skirmishes with American militia members in Lexington and Concord. This events kick started the American Revolutionary War. Both of these sites are located about a thirty minute drive northwest of Boston. I considered taking a bus and Uber combo to reach these sites but you are much, much better off taking a car.
The town of Lexington is located slightly south of the Lexington Common Battefield. The Battlefield still looks like a Common area. It's a sprawling green space and aside from a Minute Man Statue, a large flag pole, and a stunted obelisk, you may not realize that you are at argubably the most famous historical site in America. There's a visitor center nearby along with a few other historical sites but I limited my visit to taking a few photos then hopping back in the car to drive over to Concord.
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Like Lexington, Concord has a nice, quaint town area, however, the battlefield is a few miles outside of the town center. This battlefield had a more parklike feel. There's another Minuteman Statue, another Obelisk but this time a reconstructed bridge that played a part in the battle. Also on this site is the Old Manse, a home where both Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne lived.
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A short drive from Concord is another famous literary site, Walden Pond, where Henry David Thoreau lived and wrote. I was a bit surprised to see that the pond is now a state park with a beach where even on an April Tuesday morning quite a few locals were out enjoying the sun.
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