If passenger rail wasn’t shit either small cities of students move around the state multiple times throughout the year every year. Putting trains from out west to Boston (preferably near Logan) could relieve tons of student and holiday traffic.

Highly recommend checking out the Quabbin in western mass, it’s the reservoir for Boston and has some interesting history. It also has some beautiful views. Old Deerfield also has some interesting history, there is the mass grave from the Deerfield massacre at the historic cemetery! Old Sturbridge village is also a great view into early colonial/ early industrial history, but certainly is a bit tacky.