Welcome to the City of Worcester!
Welcome to Worcester!
Worcester is the second largest city in New England, serving a population of over one million people. Major industries in the community include education (15 colleges), medical/health, burgeoning biotechnology, electronics, insurance, and diverse manufacturing. We are small enough to be personal and friendly, yet large enough to offer much to do.
We are located nearly equidistant from Boston, Newport and Providence RI, and Hartford, CT - approximately an hour from each. Our community and surrounding area offer "four-season" activities ranging from summer beachside resorts and fall apple picking and hiking, to winter skiing and snowboarding, and spring mountain biking. Year round you will find cultural events including art and food festivals.
Labeled the new “it” town by NPR, Worcester is a rapidly up and coming food and craft brewery destination! We now have a booming housing market while remaining affordable for young professionals and families.
https://www.npr.org/2018/10/23/658263218/forget-oakland-or-hoboken-worcester-mass-is-the-new-it-town
For more information about the community and surrounding towns, please see our listing below or visit www.telegram.com, the Chamber of Commerce site at www.worcesterchamber.org or the Central Massachusetts On-line Get-away Guide www.centralmass.org.
Restaurants and Craft Breweries
The city has seen a surge of restaurants encompassing a diverse selection of dining ranging from traditional American pubs to Thai, Vietnamese, Afghani and Jamaican hot spots.
The farm to table movement is evident in local favorites including Deadhorse Hill, Armsby Abbey (also featured as the best beer bar in Massachusetts), and Birchtree Bread Company. The Worcester food scene has been recently been recognized for celebrity chef restaurant openings, as well award winning craft breweries including Wormtown Brewery and Tree House Brewing Company. Local institutions such as Dive Bar continue to thrive featuring craft brews from some of the best breweries in the country and Nashoba Winery provides a stunning view of their vineyard for a wine and cheese afternoon.
Winner of 66 Best of Worcester awards including best beer selection, best brunch and best chef six years running . Boston.com highlights their recognition as the best beer bar in Massachusetts https://www.boston.com/culture/beer/2019/03/06/armsby-abbey-best-beer-bar-massachusetts
https://www.deadhorsehill.com/
As chefs with Boston roots move west, Deadhorse Hill is known for its upscale American cuisine and inspired cocktails.
https://boston.eater.com/2017/6/12/15763280/deadhorse-hill-worcester
http://www.birchtreebreadcompany.com/
Located in the Canal District, this local bread company now features not only their fresh baked naturally fermented breads, but a weekly famers market and monthly beer dinner.
http://bostonvoyager.com/interview/meet-birchtree-bread-company-worcester/
https://www.treehousebrew.com/
https://www.medusabrewing.com/
https://www.greatergoodimperials.com/
https://www.redemptionrock.beer/
https://www.stonecowbrewery.com/
https://www.flyingdreamsbrewing.com/
Things to Do
Activities
Tougas Farm- enjoy seasonal apple, pumpkin and fruit picking http://tougasfamilyfarm.com/
Worcester Annual Food Truck Festivals
Wachusett Mountain hosts annual festivals including Applefest, BBQ fest and OktoberFest as well as food trucks, car shows and summit races. https://www.wachusett.com/Events-Activities/On-Mountain-Events/Event-Calendar.aspx
Davis Farmland and Mega Corn Maze https://davisfarmland.com/
Ecotarium - www.ecotarium.org - an environmental science museum set on 60 scenic acres just two miles from downtown Worcester
Tower Hill Botanical Garden - www.towerhillbg.org - New England’s premier public garden containing many distinctive gardens, woodland trails, picnic areas, birdwatching areas, and more
Wicked Tulips Flower Farm https://wickedtulips.com/ Experience 600,000 tulips on a historic farm within one hour driving distance to curate a fresh hand picked bouquet
Sports
Coming Soon! Polar Park will break ground this summer as the home to the Triple A Worcester Red Sox. A brand new stadium in the historic Canal District, the site will feature concerts and sporting events year round. More Than A Ballpark: Worcester Red Sox
Worcester Bravehearts http://www.worcesterbravehearts.com/
Worcester Railers https://railershc.com/
Outdoor Activities
Winter Sports:
The best skiing in the East is located less than 3 hours from Worcester. This includes places like Killington, Okemo, Mount Snow and many others. More information can be found here
Ski Ward - www.skiward.com - Located right in Shrewsbury, Ski Ward offers seven trails, 5 lifts including a double chair and T-bar. They also have a 300 foot lighted half pipe, and Tubaslide facility.
Mt. Wachusett - www.wachusett.com - Located 1/2 hour from UMass, Wachusett
Summer:
Worcester is in close proximity to beautiful coastlines and beaches. Just over an hour drive, a visit to Maine, Rhode Island and Cape Cod beaches is an easy and fun day trip. Nantucket and Marthas Vineyard , just off the Massachusetts coast, are exceptional summer weekend locations.
Hiking & Climbing
Worcester is within driving distance to exceptional hiking including the White Mountains in NH, Green Mountains in Vermont, and a stretch of the Appalachian Trail which runs through Wachusett Mountain ending at one of the highest peaks in New England, Mount Katahdin in Maine.
Central Rock Climbing Gym https://centralrockgym.com/our-story/ State of the art gym with climbing walls, bouldering, fitness center and yoga
Art & Music
Art and museums:
https://www.worcesterart.org/ The Worcester Art Museum is an institution among our cultural community, founded in 1896, featuring rotating exhibits throughout the year.
https://www.startonthestreet.org/ The largest art music and performance festival in central Mass featuring over 300 artists and crafters
Sprinkler Factory - www.sprinklerfactory.com – A non profit gallery space for independent artists, with exhibitions and special events.
American Antiquarian Society - www.americanantiquarian.org - a national research library of American history, literature, and culture through 1876
Old Sturbridge Village - www.osv.org - 200-acre village with collections, exhibits, and programs allowing visitors to enter the everyday life of a small New England town during the years 1790 to 1840
Music and event centers:
DCU Center - www.dcucenter.com - one of the nation's most successful arenas and Worcester’s largest venue for concerts, family shows, trade shows, sports events, and more.
Mechanics Hall - www.mechanicshall.com - a historic landmark was built in 1857 as a site for exhibitions. Today it serves as a concert hall “par excellence,” hosting a variety of concerts, wedding, meetings and other events
Tuckerman Hall - www.tuckermanhall.org - home to the Central Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra, contains two dazzling auditoriums with combined seating of 700
Hanover Theater for the Performing Arts - www.hanovertheater.org - the theatre is enhancing the city by providing a world-class facility for local, national, and international performing artists. In addition, The Hanover Theatre provides opportunities for community and educational enrichment through a variety of outreach programs.
Area colleges
Worcester boasts an impressive concentration of world class colleges and universities for a city of similar size. The city is home to nine institutions, with several more in neighboring communities. We have a vibrant student scene and a community focus on higher education.