Lowell National Historical Park: free trolley and canal boats

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Lowell National Historical Park: free trolley and canal boats

Photo: NPS · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

🚂 Train · Lowell

3 hours · Free · No reservation needed

age fit
0–1 yr
★ 4.0
1–3 yrs
★ 4.0
3–5 yrs
★ 4.0
5–10 yrs
★ 4.0
  • 🚗
    About 45 min drive
    From Newton · Parking: Lot beside the visitor center (246 Market St), downtown garages cheaper on weekends; check the website
  • 🍼
    Stroller-friendly
    Flat surfaces — bring the stroller
  • 🌳
    Some shade
    Great on sunny days · Good on cool days · Rain-OK
  • ⏱️
    Typical visit: 3 hours
    Best seasons: Spring · Summer · Fall

The Industrial Revolution's mill city turned national park: free vintage trolleys shuttle between the visitor center and the mills, and in summer you can ride a small boat through the canals and locks; in the weave room at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum, dozens of looms run at once and the floor shakes, and a 7-year-old will be transfixed.

💡 Tips
The trolley mainly runs in summer and on spring and fall weekends, check the website for the schedule; the canal boats need tickets, book ahead. The weave room is very loud, so bring ear protection for little ones. The Lowell Folk Festival in late July is free, with three days of street music and food.

What this place offers

✓free trolley
✓canal boats
✓old textile mills
✓looms
✓national park
✓visitor center
✓restrooms

Featured in these guides

This weekend's weather in Lowell

Forecast at the destination itself (coast and hills often differ from home)

🌦️
Sat 10/17
Drizzle · 34–58°F · 59% rain
☁️
Sun 10/18
Overcast · 32–60°F · 2% rain

Location

Lowell, Massachusetts

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