Being inside can seem more than enticing during these cold New England winter months, but once in awhile we must save the Netflix binge for another day.  Getting out of the house and exploring a new area, even a nearby town can make an otherwise uneventful weekend a memorable one.  This is exactly what we did on a cloudy Saturday afternoon, when a spontaneous trip to Concord, Massachusetts occurred. Driving from Boston, it is a short 40~ Minute drive away into one of the most historic towns in Greater Boston. It has lots of historic sites scattered around town as it was one of the scenes of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, and the initial conflict in the American Revolutionary War. Plus, it has an adorable downtown area filled with local shops that is a short drive away from the Minute Man National Historic Park. The park is the perfect place to walk around with a pup, or explore the vast trails while sipping on a latte. Wish I could say we had my pup Lola around to take her on a walk in this lush park, but we settled on the latter.

First stop inside the Minute Man park was the Old Manse, it was a large white house that was grand and a couple of steps down featured river views and a small river house that was extremely picturesque. Even in the gloomy day we visited, it was still quite nice to explore and read the signs posted about with historic facts. I’m sure the whole park would be especially gorgeous during fall time.

A few short steps further into the park is Old North Bridge and the Minute Man statue. It was extremely chilly so we were quite surprised to see how many people were still exploring the park alongside us.

After braving the cold and exploring just a small sector of the large park, we were more than ready for some warm drinks and pastries. Haute Coffee is a coffee shop in downtown Concord just a few minutes drive away from the park that has a variety of pastries and various special flavored lattes. Highly recommend visiting, but be warned that it is a popular place among locals and therefore is usually filled with customers enjoying long chats and occupying most of the tables. We were still able to snag a lovely table by a window after a couple minutes, and some outdoor seating is also available. Also, we parked in a large parking lot after the entrance that is free so metered parking is not necessary. Super easy and convenient to explore downtown after snagging a bite.

Other lovely shops we explored while walking around Downtown include:

Concord Cheese Shop:  29 Walden St  Concord, MA 01742

Priscilla Candy Shop:  19 Walden St Concord, MA 01742

While this visit was a brief day trip, (mostly cut short due to the harsh wind and dreams of a warm bed and meal back at home) it was extremely pleasant and worth the short drive. We will most definitely be back in the upcoming warmer weather to explore Concord for ‘more than a minute’.

Overview:

Haute Coffee :  12 Walden St Concord, MA 01742

Minute Man National Historic Park:  250 N Great Rd Lincoln, MA 01773

The Old Manse, Old North Bridge and the Minute Man statue