Middlesex County in the North East of Massachusetts is home to a peaceful and quiet town of 22,000 people, Burlington.

This has become an ideal place for visitors to base themselves and enjoy a driving holiday around Massachusetts, widely regarded as having one of the most beautiful countrysides in the whole of the US.

Boston is just a 20 minute drive away, and a pleasant journey in your rental car will get you to all the wonderful tourist attractions of Cape Cod and its amazing surrounding areas.

Here are a few things you could consider doing in and around Burlington in your rental car:

1. Boston

Boston really is one of those great talked about American cities, and it definitely justifies at least a couple of days visiting. Stroll through the North End, the Italian neighborhood that is the oldest in the city and enjoy its fine spread of historic sights and wonderful restaurants.

Boston Brahmin is another famous neighborhood, complete with cobblestone streets, red brick pavements and gas street lamps! Definitely pop into the John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum and Library, a place where you can relive the Kennedy era through this interesting museum and library combination which has hundreds of exhibits.

2. Boston Harbor Islands National Park

Just offshore in Boston Harbor lie 34 small islands that make up this special National Park. A popular spot to visit here is Fort Warren, found on George Island. This civil war landmark is a granite stronghold that was built to defend Boston and used to house confederate prisoners. You can take a stroll along its ramparts or around the shoreline of the island. The ranger guided tours are free of charge, and will reveal to you some scenic tidal pools. There is a cafe and amenities on the island too.

3. Cambridge

This historic city, which is just across the Charles River from Boston, is home to the infamous Harvard University, and for that reason amongst others its worth a visit. The unofficial tours of Harvard are always entertaining, led by witty and informative students of the college.

Also pop into the Harvard Museum of Natural History, a fantastic place to explore some of the greater discoveries we have made on earth. Its very child friendly, and the kids will love the dinosaur display which includes a 42 foot Kronosaurus!

4. Whale Watching in Cape Cod!

Hop into your hire car and make the trip to Cape Cod for some unsurpassed whale watching. Provincetown is probably the best place to organize a spot on one of the boats that takes you out to the whales - a highly recommended activity! A walk down the infamous commercial street to the wharf is a pleasant experience too. on the boat trip you are almost guaranteed whale sighting, and you're bound to see other creatures such as dolphins and of course lots of bird life.

5. Burlington Landlocked Forest

This is a 270 acre piece of land just outside Burlington that is a perfect outdoors playground. It consists of old forest punctuated by wide meadows, criss-crossed by kilometers of hiking and biking trails and lived in by an abundance of wildlife. There are historic structures and old wells that make hiking through it interesting and pleasant!

Gavin Wyatt