Lowell is a city in Massachusetts about 40 minutes northwest of Boston. With over 115,000 residents (2020), it's the fifth largest city in Massachusetts, and has an important historical background. It was the first planned industrial city in the United States.

Get in

By plane

The nearest airports are Boston's Logan Airport (BOS ^IATA) and Manchester Airport (MHT ^IATA) in New Hampshire, each about 40 minutes away.

By train

The Lowell line of the MBTA Commuter Rail has a terminus in Lowell. This train station is about a 15 minute walk from downtown, or there is a shuttle that runs between the train station and downtown.

By car

Take U.S. Route 3 or Interstate 495 to the Lowell Connector, a 2.5-mile highway that ends near downtown Lowell. Be careful: the Lowell Connector is one of the most dangerous highways in the state. Exit 31 on Route 3 and exits 37 and 38 on I-495 will also take you to Lowell.

Get around

The Lowell Regional Transit Authority has regular shuttles going around Lowell and several neighboring towns.

See

A streetcar in Lowell National Historical Park

The Merrimack River cuts through Lowell

• American Textile History Museum, 491 Dutton St, ☏ +1 978 441-0400. Due to financial constraints, the museum of American Textile History closed in 2016. (updated Oct 2016)
• 1 National Trolley Museum, 25 Shattuck St, ☏ +1 978-458-5835. This is a satellite of the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine and shows the history of transit in Lowell in the context of American transit history. (updated Oct 2016)
• 2 New England Quilt Museum, 18 Shattuck St, ☏ +1 978 452-4207. (updated Mar 2022)
• 3 Whistler House Museum of Art, 243 Worthen St, ☏ +1 978 452-7641. $15 for tour, $12 for self-tour. (updated Mar 2022)
• Merrimack River Bridges. Lowell is home to several impressive bridges, two of which cross the Merrimack River. The Aiken Street Bridge is a lenticular through truss bridge, one of the rarest bridge types and the longest of its kind. The Central Bridge is a cantilevered through truss bridge. Both spans offer pedestrian access and are highly impressive.
• Lowell Industrial Canals. There are four narrow canals running through downtown Lowell, which are still navigable in some sections. These canals were used as a hydropower source when the mills and factories were still in use. Despite their size, the canals are home to some beautiful restored historic footbridges. Also, several sets of locks along the canals are still in use for flood control. The four canals, together with the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, turn part of downtown Lowell into an island.
• 4 Pawtucket Falls and Dam. Pawtucket Falls and Dam is a large man-made waterfall and hydroelectric dam located directly underneath the University Avenue Bridge. It is one of three large hydroelectric dams along the Merrimack. While the only immediate access through the Dam is by boat, viewing the dam and its associated man-made islands from above is still an impressive sight. (updated Oct 2016)

Do

• 1 Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, ☏ +1 978-934-5760. Hosts concerts and home games of the UMass-Lowell River Hawks (an NCAA Division I hockey team).  
• 2 Cawley Memorial Stadium. Off of Route 38 near Tewksbury. Hosts various sports events. (updated Mar 2022)
• 3 Lowell Memorial Auditorium, 50 East Merrimack Street.  
• 4 UMass Lowell Bellgarde Boathouse, 500 Pawtucket BLVD. Home to UMass Lowell's rowing program.  

Parks

• 5 Lowell National Historical Park, 67 Kirk Street, ☏ +1 978 970-5000. Open year round. 9AM-5PM (Summer to 5:30PM). Commemorates the history of the American Industrial Revolution in Lowell. Includes the Boott Cotton Mills Museum, textile mills, canals, worker houses, and 19th-century commercial buildings.  
• 6 Edward A. LeLacheur Park, 450 Aiken St. 5000-person stadium that hosts home games of the Lowell Spinners, a class A minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox and the UMass Lowell River Hawks.  

Events

• Lowell Folk Festival. One of the largest free folk festivals in the United States, end of July. Performers throughout city, international food court.  
• Lowell Quilt Festival. Annual celebration of quilts throughout city, with quilting classes, exhibitions, and demonstrations.  
• Lowell Winterfest. Annual family-friendly celebration of the wonders of winter, including the National Human Dogsled Championships. (updated Mar 2022)

Learn

• University of Massachusetts Lowell, One University Av., Phone: +1 978-934-4000.
• Middlesex Community College, (Lowell Campus) 33 Kearney Square.
• Blaine Beauty School (Lowell Campus), 231 Central St, ☏ +1 978 459-9959. 

Buy

• Haus, 17 Shattuck Street, ☏ +1 978 458-4287. 
• Mill No. 5, 250 Jackson St, ☏ +1 978-656-1828. Th F 5-8PM, Sa 10AM-8PM, Su 10AM-5PM. This revitalized old river mill lives a new life filled with salvaged storefronts laid out along an indoor streetscape. Featuring great coffee, a movie theater, seasonal farmer’s market, pop-shops and local owned shopping boutiques, as well as various events throughout the year. (updated Jan 2023)

Eat

• 1 Brew'd Awakening Coffeehaus, 61 Market Street, ☏ +1 978 454-2739. (updated Oct 2016)
• Tremonte Pizza 112 Middle Street, +1 978-453-1110 Excellent brick oven pizza, cocktails, and appetizers
• 2 Athenian Corner, 207 Market Street, ☏ +1 978 458-7052. (updated Oct 2016)
• 3 Viet-Thai Restaurant, 368 Merrimack St, ☏ +1 978 446-0977. (updated Oct 2016)
• 4 Eggroll Cafe, 110 University Ave, ☏ +1 978 970-3411. M-Sa 9AM to 10PM, closed Sundays. Great bento boxes, delicious bubble teas, and a plethora of eggrolls. If you are look for some traditional treats, or perhaps something a new give them a try. The selection of egg rolls varies from the usual spring rolls to westernized rolls, like cheeseburger or buffalo chicken; there is a great variety to try here! (updated Oct 2016)

Drink

Bars

• 1 Blue Shamrock, 105 Market St, ☏ +1 978-458-1288. (updated Oct 2016)
• 2 The Old Court Irish Pub And Restaurant, 29-31 Central St, ☏ +1 978-452-0100. (updated Oct 2016)
• 3 Cappy's Copper Kettle, 245 Central St, ☏ +1 978-735-4866. (updated Oct 2016)

Cafes

• 4 Brew'd Awakening Coffeehaus, 61 Market St, ☏ +1 978-454-2739. (updated Feb 2017)

Sleep

• 1 Courtyard Boston Lowell/Chelmsford, 30 Industrial Avenue, ☏ +1 978 458-7575, fax: +1 978 458-1302. $109. (updated Oct 2016)
• 2 UMass Lowell Inn and Conference Center, 50 Warren Street, ☏ +1 978 934-6918. (updated Oct 2016)

Go next

Boston, the North Shore or the White Mountains are all good next stops.

Routes through Lowell

Lawrence ← Tewksbury ←	N  S	→ Chelmsford → Marlborough
Pepperell ← Jct N S ←	W  E	→ Methuen → Haverhill
END ←	W  E	→ Tewksbury → Georgetown
END ←	N  S	→ Billerica → Wilmington