Welcome to Concord! Whether you’re visiting or live here, there is so much to see and do. Best known, perhaps, for our role in the American Revolution, the area was inhabited by Native American tribes for thousands of years before Europeans incorporated the town of Concord in 1635. African Americans, both enslaved and free, also played a vital role in our town’s history. Concord was the epicenter of the literary revolution that included Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and many more. Transcendentalism was born here and continues to influence society today. Our historic cemeteries honor many of Concord’s most famous citizens and showcase important sculptures such as Mourning Victory by Daniel Chester French.

With so much to see and do, let us help you map out the perfect day – or weekend – with our array of tours.

If you’re new to Concord or thinking of making Concord your home

We offer a daily 75-minute walking tour of Concord Center seven days a week, April through November. This tour is the perfect introduction to Concord and its rich revolutionary and literary history. We will walk down Concord’s historic Main Street and then visit sites such as The Wright Tavern, Monument Square, The Old Hill Burial Ground, and more. 

For fans of Louisa May Alcott and Little Women

This 90-minute tour features Louisa May Alcott in her starring role in Concord history. Join us at the Visitor Center as we walk through downtown Concord and then to Orchard House and Wayside House to learn about Alcott’s roles as an author, suffragette, abolitionist, and one of Concord’s transcendentalists. Along the way you’ll learn about how Alcott’s life influenced her book, Little Women. Combine this tour with tours of Orchard House and Sleepy Hollow and you’ll be an expert!

Would you like to learn about the Indigenous peoples of the area?

Native people called this area Musketaquid, meaning “reedy river” and their history here dates back more than 10,000 years. This 75-minute tour looks at the history of the various Nipmuc groups that lived here. Starting with the mighty Mill Brook, we will meander down Main Street and up to the Calf Pasture on Lowell Road, examining how native people lived by the three rivers of Concord (Musketaquid) and what happened when cultures collided after European fur traders came, followed by English settlers in 1635.

Take a tour of West Concord—A hub for foodies, artists, and industry

For almost 400 years, West Concord has supplied farm produce, grains, fabric, and other manufactured goods to the town and the world. This enterprising spirit still flourishes in our locally owned shops, restaurants, and other businesses. Walk with us to meet West Concord’s entrepreneurs, sample their wares, and visit the Concord Sign Museum, where vintage signs tell stories of generations of thriving activity. This tour includes a visit to Debra’s Natural Gourmet, Joy Street Life + Home, and Barefoot Books, where each location has a special gift for tour participants.

Meet some of Concord’s most famous luminaries in three historic cemeteries

Hear the voices of the silent stones in Concord’s cemeteries on this 90-minute tour. Scenic, wooded Sleepy Hollow is the most famous, with highlights including the magnificent Melvin Memorial and the graves of Concord’s literary giants: Alcott, Emerson, Hawthorne, and Thoreau. The Hill Burying Ground and the South Burying Ground are the resting places of Revolutionary War heroes and their ancestors back to the 1600s. 

Explore Concord’s African American history and our role in the Underground Railroad

This 90-minute walking tour (about 2 miles) visits sites around town that delve into Concord’s history around slavery, the first generation of freed African Americans, and abolitionism in Concord. This tour can be a 90-minute walking tour or a 90-minute biking tour that visits sites further away from town. 

We’re happy to arrange custom tours as well, including:

Non-walking tours. These are lecture-style tours, with minimal or no walking. You pick the topic, and we will supply an expert guide at an event or location of your choosing. So, relax and let us show you Concord’s history from a comfy chair!

Bus tours. If you have a group coming to Concord, why not hire one of our licensed tour guides to show you around the area by bus. Stops can include the Old North Bridge, Lexington Green, Battle Road Sites, and Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.  

Custom tours. Whether you’re hosting a family event or want to give friends and family a day they will remember, we can develop a custom program to entertain any gathering, from wedding parties to birthday parties – we can make the day special.

For more information, pricing, and to schedule your tour, go to visitconcord.org

New in 2022!

Concord’s Art Legacy: Women in Art Revealed

In honor of Women’s History Month and Concord Art Association’s 100th birthday, join us for an approximately 90-minute tour featuring Concord’s amazing women artists. Starting at Concord Art at 37 Lexington Road, this tour will include stops at Albright Art Supply, Three Stones Gallery, Lucy Lacoste Gallery, Concord Free Public Library, and Barrow Bookstore.

Between us Sisters: A Visit with Louisa May Alcott and her sister, May

The year is 1876. Louisa and May are reminiscing about their lives, families, and Concord. Later, when May returns to Europe, Louisa reads the letters May sends, describing her life as an artist in France. This exciting, interactive program allows you to ask questions and converse with the women during the program. Between us Sisters is a traveling program that can be booked for senior centers, book groups, or any group that would like to host the program as an event. 

All photos courtesy of the Town of Concord