10 Reasons to Visit
With 27 cities and towns and scores of intriguing places to explore, making the most of your visit to North Central Massachusetts might seem challenging — but have no fear! We’ve selected 10 great spots, from museums to wineries, to get you started. Check our list, start your tour … and feel free to follow any country road to find new adventures!
Gardner Museum
The over-sized ladderback chair on Gardner’s Elm Street —once touted as the largest in the world—has a long history, and honors the community’s role as a furniture manufacturing center. Learn all about the history of the Chair City at the Gardner Museum on Pearl Street.
The Icon Museum and Study Center
Another local museum features intriguing works from halfway around the globe! The
Icon Museum and Research Center in Clinton is the only specialized museum for icons and Eastern Christian art in the United States. It’s a wonderful place for visitors of all ages to explore.
Wachusett Mountain
See the sights from the heights! Stretch your legs with a hike to the 2,006-foot peak of Wachusett Mountain, and on a clear day you can see all the way to Boston—or simply take in the beauty of this region! The state reservation’s 3,000 acres offer great trails for hiking and birding.
Coggshall Park
You don’t have to leave the city to enjoy the serenity and beauty of nature. Fitchburg’s 250-acre Coggshall Park is inviting at any time of the year, with miles of walking trails, colorful flowers, a stone house and bandstand—and, of course, beautiful Mirror Lake… all just a quick drive from downtown!
New England Botanic Garden
From fields of daffodils in the spring to the cozy warmth of the orangerie in winter, the
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill is a not-to-be-missed stop on your tour! Experience the wonder of plants in the heart of New England, open year-round for garden viewing, trail walking, educational programs, exhibitions, and more.
Wachusett Dam
Wachusett Dam in Clinton is an engineering marvel. When it was completed in 1905, it was the largest gravity dam in the world, creating a reservoir that holds about 65 billion gallons of water. Built by a cadre of Italian, Greek, Irish, and Polish immigrants, Wachusett Reservoir is the second-largest body of water in Massachusetts. The top of the dam is open to visitors only two days a year, but the grounds are open year round.
In the Meadow Farm & Plain View Farm
Taking a farm tour in New England, you’d expect to see cows, sheep, chickens … maybe some goats. And you will. But you can also meet soft and cuddly alpacas—and find wonderful toys, clothing, and other goods made from their silky fiber—at
In the Meadow Farm in Lunenburg and
Plain View Farm in Hubbardston.
Hardwick Winery
Wickedly Watermelon. Lavender Lookout. Prescott Pear. Yankee Girl Blush. So many wines, so little time! Take a tour through wine country with a stop at
Hardwick Winery, where you can sample some fabulous local flavors, listen to live music, or even try your hand at a new craft.
Groton Hill Music Center
What do a Philharmonic Orchestra, Bluegrass band, country singer-songwriter, and Celtic fiddlers have in common? They’re all performing at the region’s newest venue, the
Groton Hill Music Center this season. This one-of-a-kind space offers unparalleled acoustics and vibrant musical experiences.
Fruitlands Museum
History. Art. Nature. You’ll find all this, and more, at Fruitlands Museum in Harvard. Tour the 1790s Shaker building with one of the earliest collections of Shaker objects in the country. Explore the historic farmhouse where a young Louisa May Alcott lived during the Transcendental experiment in communal living. See works by Indigenous and non-native artists. Ready to explore?
