Fall Outings Made to Order
This fall, the Greater Merrimack Valley has something for all ages every day of the week!
Lowell, MA (October 25, 2016): This fall, the Greater Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau invites locals and visitors alike to participate in the numerous activities taking place across the region! Just a short thirty-minute drive from Boston, Merrimack Valley is hosting everything from historical and cultural events to outdoor activities and festivals!
This season brings plenty of opportunities to embrace the cooler weather and enjoy fun activities with the whole family. With so much going on it can be difficult to know what to do! Following are some activities, attractions and events not to be missed:
- • Halloween gets spooky in Merrimack Valley! Check out Nashoba Valley Ski area’s haunted forest, haunted hayrides and Halloween “screamparks.” Witch’s Woods Haunted Hayride and Halloween Screampark is only minutes from Boston, conveniently located near Rt. 495 and Rt. 2 in Westford, MA. The haunted hayride is about 20 minutes long and is a fright filled adventure for ages 6 and up. Hold on and brace yourself for attacks from witches, zombies, ghouls and more! If you’re looking for the longest haunted hayride in New England and the only haunted hayride in Massachusetts, look no further than Witch’s Woods.
- • All little monsters are welcome at the Annual Monster Bash & Halloween Stroll on Saturday, October 29 from 12 – 3 PM. Enjoy downtown trick-or-treating, costume contests, kids games and get spooked at Monster Bash’s all ages annual haunted house. The haunted house and kids games will be held at Lowell High School from 12 – 3 PM and trick-or-treating will take place in downtown Lowell at participating locations from 12 – 2 PM. Admission is free, however donations to support the event are welcome at Lowell High School.
- • There’s no need to feel guilty about eating piles of Halloween candy this year, Merrimack Valley has a number of runs to keep you in shape! Join the 21st Annual Genesis Battlegreen Run on November 6th and enjoy the signature post-race buffet. Don a costume for the 5th Annual Hallows Eve 5k Fun Run and Walk on October 30th. Tackle spooky obstacles in the Panic in the Dark Run on November 5th and join the adventure for the 5th Annual Bowman Adventure Run on October 29th.
- • Take a special Hollow-een tour of the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord on October 30th. A Concord Museum guide will take you through the historic cemetery, giving you insights into the lives and deaths of past Concordians through stories passed down through generations. A few notable names you might hear are Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Louisa May Alcott.
- • Wondering what to do on a gorgeous fall afternoon? Check out the autumn foliage among the Merrimack Valley’s numerous parks and biking trails. A great one to try is the Minuteman Bikeway. Known as America’s Revolutionary Rail-Trail, this 11-mile long bikeway passes through the historic area where the American Revolution began in April 1775. Today the Minuteman Bikeway is one of the most popular rail-trails in the United States and is the perfect place for the whole family to experience the Greater Merrimack Valley. Traveling through the towns of Bedford, Lexington, Arlington and Cambridge the Minuteman Bikeway has become a treasured regional resource, used by local residents and visitors from near and far.
- • Thinking about spending some time in the wild? Visit the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Sudbury, MA. Great Meadows provides numerous recreation opportunities to thousands of visitors every year. There’s something for everyone. The Refuge is perfect for sightseeing, fishing, hunting, photography and much more! Open from sunrise to sunset, visitors can enjoy viewing the wildlife by boating, driving or hiking.
- • Brand new this fall from The Trustees of Reservations is an outdoor art installation. The Meeting House is a striking, temporary pavilion-like structure built to resemble the homes of the first emancipated slaves. The installation sits on the North Field of the Old Manse in Concord and features a complimentary exhibition inside until the end of October.
- • Love the theatre? Merrimack Repertory Theatre has a variety of great shows lined up for the 2016-2017 season. Currently playing until November 6, 2016 is Abigail/1702, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s sequel to the powerful drama “The Crucible.” Set ten years after the Salem witch trials, it follows Abigail Williams as she seeks salvation in Boston, only to find her new life haunted by terrors of the past. Other performances to see this season are “Going to see the Kid”, “The Making of a Great Moment”, and “Women in Jeopardy!”
- • Are you an ice hockey fan? Come indoors and cheer on the UMass Lowell River Hawks. From now until February 24th, spectators can watch as the River Hawks take on their collegiate opponents from all over New England!
- • Ring in the holidays with the City of Lights Parade and Holiday Celebration! On November 26, take an afternoon stroll in downtown Lowell and enjoy live performances, holiday shopping, photos with Santa, and the Annual Hot Chocolate Competition! After enjoying the daytime fun, top off your evening at the City of Lights Parade and City Hall Lighting, which marks the City’s official start to the holiday season!
- • Other activities and events throughout the fall in the Greater Merrimack Valley include: The Farm Market, Luna Sessions at the Luna Theatre, Murder at the Nesmith House, art collections at the Addison Gallery of American Art, Disney Live! and much, much more!
For more information on these events and more to do in the region, visit https://merrimackvalley.org
About the Greater Merrimack Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau:
The Greater Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau (GMVCVB) enhances the economic fabric of the Greater Merrimack Valley by marketing the region as a destination for leisure travel, meetings and conventions, trade shows, special events and group tours. As one of 16 legislatively recognized Regional Tourism Councils in Massachusetts, the GMVCVB works with the other councils and the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism to promote the Commonwealth and increase the number of overnight visitors to the region. Tourism is the third largest industry in Massachusetts, generating over $17 billion in revenue annually.
