Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House, Concord

As a die hard Little Women fan, it was so special to visit Alcott’s home with no one other than my first intro to her books, my mom. This place is just lovely. Every single staff was incredibly kind and helpful. Our tour guide, I believe their name was Hannah, was so so patient, beautifully passionate about the subject, and didn’t hesitate to answer questions. I love how the tour incorporates everything from Alcott’s history to the 2019 film adaptation. The exterior is also very picturesque and the gift shop is honestly worth the stop. A gift shop employee even helped my family and I with directions and locating the free Concord shuttle! This place met my expectations and transcended them. It’s also just a short, maybe fifteen minute walk to the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, where Alcott is buried. Oh and PS: if you’re taking public transit from Boston, just catch the train into Concord, saves a lot of confusion :)

We visited this amazing place as part of our research of my husband's ancestors. In the mid 1660s John Hoar owned this property and built the house that was eventually renovated by the Alcott family. He was a bit of a hero for his time. It was very interesting coming to the property with a different set of history and learning all about what the Alcott family did with the buildings after 1850. The tour was very informative. Having the house filled with their actual belongings made it all that much more interesting.

This visit was so special! Everything inside is exactly like it was when the author lived there. Our guide was so passionate about Louisa and her family and she shared a lot of interesting stories about them and the house. Photos inside are not allowed but you can buy postcards at the store. The store has a lot of cute stuff to buy as a souvenir. I got the Little Women Cookbook and it was great. Make sure to buy the tickets online before going there. Totally recommended.

It could just be that I had an exceptional tour, but I walked away from the Orchard House with a deeper understanding and appreciation for Alcott and her family. Although Bronson may not have had "the talent for money" the Orchard house became, through Louisa's success, an assemblage that is extraordinary in its own right. Seeing one of Alcott's dresses further inspired; she was running all of the miles she ran corseted. The tour did all that one could ask for: it not only showed the creature comforts of the Alcott family, but it showed the humanity and sublimity of its principal character.

This house/museum is small but unexpectedly a wonderful experience. The tour begins with a fairly long video [maybe 15 minutes] in which an actress portrays Louisa May Alcott and tells us about her relationship with her sisters and some neat information about the house. The tour guide was excellent. She answered any and all questions, and clearly loves the house and the Alcott. She knew so many facts and anecdotes, and stayed speaking with a few of us after the tour was over. The best part of this visit was that almost all items in the house are original to the Alcotts, i.e. things actually used by them. Total tour time, if one doesn't stay to ask questions, is about an hour. No gardens to walk through. No photography inside the house. Small number of spaces directly in front of house. Nathaniel Hawthorne is right house next door.