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Worcester is the second largest city in New England, set on seven hills in the center of Massachusetts about 40 miles west of Boston. Nipmuc people lived in the area for thousands of years before English settlers founded a town here in the 1670s. Worcester became an early hotbed of the American Revolution, and in July 1776 the Declaration of Independence received its first public reading in Massachusetts from the porch of the Old South Meeting House here. The Blackstone Canal and railroads later made the city a manufacturing powerhouse, producing wire, machinery, envelopes and corsets.
Worcester's inventive spirit gave the world many firsts. Robert Goddard launched the first liquid-fueled rocket nearby, the smiley face symbol was designed here, and the city claims the first American valentines and the birthplace of the diner, with several classic Worcester Lunch Car diners still serving meals. Today Worcester has about 205,000 residents, a dozen colleges and universities including the College of the Holy Cross, Clark University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and a revitalized downtown around the Canal District.
Visitors will find excellent culture. The Worcester Art Museum holds a remarkable collection spanning 5,000 years, including the John Woodman Higgins armor collection, one of the largest in the Western Hemisphere. Mechanics Hall is one of the finest pre-Civil War concert halls in the country, Polar Park is home of the Worcester Red Sox, and the EcoTarium science and nature museum and Elm Park, among the oldest public parks in the country, offer green escapes. Nearby, Tower Hill Botanic Garden and the Wachusett Mountain ski area are easy day trips.
A major art museum founded in 1898 with about 40,000 works, from a 12th century chapter house and Roman mosaics from Antioch to Paul Revere silver, Impressionist paintings and Japanese prints. Allow two to three hours; admission is free on some days and for children.
The ballpark of the Worcester Red Sox, the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, opened in 2021 in the Canal District. It has an unusual outfield shape, a rooftop bar and local food. Tickets are affordable and games run April to September; fireworks nights are popular.
An 1857 concert hall known for its excellent acoustics and its Hook Organ, one of the oldest unaltered pipe organs of its kind in the US, plus a gallery of portraits along the walls. It hosts classical concerts, talks and events. Free noon organ concerts are held on some Wednesdays.
A restored 1904 theater on Southbridge Street, rebuilt as a grand 1920s-style movie palace, now hosting touring Broadway shows, concerts, comedy and an annual production of A Christmas Carol. It seats about 2,300. Arrive early to see the ornate lobby and ceiling.
A revived neighborhood along the buried Blackstone Canal, with brick mill buildings housing restaurants, bars, breweries, a weekly farmers market and Polar Park. It is the city's liveliest dining area. Look for the Kelley Square area and the Worcester Public Market on Green Street.
A science and nature museum on a 45-acre wooded campus with live animals, including river otters and a bald eagle, hands-on science exhibits, a planetarium, a tree canopy walkway and a narrow-gauge railroad in summer. It suits families with children and takes about three hours.
Purchased in 1854, Elm Park is considered one of the oldest public parks in the United States bought with public funds. It has a pond with arched footbridges, walking paths and lawns, and Newton Hill across Park Avenue offers wooded trails and a disc golf course.
A garden in nearby Boylston with sweeping views of Wachusett Reservoir and Mount Wachusett, including formal gardens, woodland trails, a winter garden and two conservatories filled with plants in colder months. Spring bulbs and autumn foliage are highlights; allow two to three hours.
Worcester was home to the Worcester Lunch Car Company, which built many classic New England diners. Several survive in the city, including Miss Worcester Diner across from the old factory, Boulevard Diner and Ralph's Chadwick Square Diner. Most open early and close mid-afternoon.
The 1898 Renaissance Revival city hall with its tall clock tower faces Worcester Common, the city's original town green, home to the Soldiers Monument and an ice rink in winter. Concerts and festivals take place here in summer, and downtown shops and restaurants are nearby.
The armor collection of the former Higgins Armory Museum, now displayed at the Worcester Art Museum, includes full suits of European armor, helmets, weapons and armor for horses and dogs. Demonstrations and family events let visitors try on replica pieces. It is included with museum admission.
A Mass Audubon sanctuary covering about 430 acres on the south side of the city, the largest urban wildlife sanctuary in New England. Trails lead through woods, meadows and wetlands, with butterflies in summer. Entry is free for members and inexpensive for visitors.
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