Summer is the perfect season to get out and explore, and this year, the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (@VisitMA) is reminding us of the importance of taking a moment from the grind with their new “Take a Moment” campaign.

While you may see some of the “Take a Moment” ads online and in print, one of my favorite aspects of the new campaign is the Augmented Reality (AR) filters that just launched.

Available for use on Instagram and Facebook, the AR filters allow you to picture yourself in various spots throughout the state of Massachusetts, including Gloucester’s Hammond Castle Museum, Moore State Park in Paxton, and famed author Edith Wharton’s home, The Mount, in the Berkshires.

Using the filters, the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (@VisitMA) invites you to step into the frame of the photo of each spot, complemented by the sounds of birds chirping, water rushing or waves crashing, for an immersive experience. It’s the perfect chance to take a moment and picture yourself somewhere new – and it is an awesome tool to provide inspiration for your upcoming travels here in the Bay State. Take a moment and fall in love with (or in) Massachusetts!

A little about a few of the Massachusetts spots you can virtually visit through the AR filter:

Hammond Castle Museum, Gloucester, MA

A medieval-style castle on the shores of Gloucester, Hammond Castle Museum was built in the late 1920s by scientist and inventor John Hays Hammond, Jr. The property’s 12th & 13th-century arches, Look Out Point, the Bell Tower, and the iconic front Drawbridge are all free and open to the public during business hours. Guests can also take guided or self-guided tours of the home and Hammond’s lab, where he conducted much of his research and created his inventions. On Thursday nights, candlelight tours are offered, as Hammond preferred to work at night and sleep during the day. Special events, including yoga and picnics, are also offered on-site during the summer months.

Moore State Park, Paxton, MA

Located just west of Worcester in Paxton, Massachusetts, Moore State Park encompasses over 400 beautiful acres. Previously home to grist and saw mills, today it’s a popular spot for hiking, waterfall chasing, and all sorts of local flora and fauna. Visitors can check out a restored sawmill on the property, and explore the many wooded paths to explore the grounds. Parking is available, and with a boat ramp, it’s also a popular spot for fishing and kayaking, and is a beautiful place to explore during the summer and fall in Massachusetts.

The Mount, Lenox, MA

Nestled in the town of Lenox in The Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, The Mount is the home famed author Edith Wharton built and designed in 1902. The gardens are open to the public at no charge and are beautiful to explore. Inside the home, there are no velvet ropes or stanchions, and guests are encouraged to explore and interact with the interior. I’d love to book a private tour of Edith Wharton’s personal 2,700 volume library, during which you can see personal inscriptions and notes she marked within her books. 

All of these spots are fun to virtually explore using @VisitMA’s new Augmented Reality filters, and hopefully, they’ll inspire you to take a moment from the daily grind and explore somewhere new in Massachusetts this year.

The AR filter is easy to use, and can be downloaded by visiting VisitMA.com/AR or at the QR codes below. Try it out today, and let me know where your Bay State travels take you this summer!