Saturday, April 18, 2009

Fun Things to Do

Whether you're coming early or leaving late, you may have some free time during which you'd like to explore the area. Here are a couple of our favorite places in and around Worcester that you might enjoy. Boston is also a short commuter rail trip away, but on holiday weekends travel can get a bit hairy in and out of the city.

The Worcester Art Museum is a fantastic museum with an extremely diverse collection. Whatever your preferred style or medium, you'll find it at WAM. There is always something going on there, so be sure to check their events schedule to see if anything's going on during your visit. They also have a great cafe and gift shop, so be sure not to miss either!

The Higgins Armory Museum is the largest collection of arms and armor in the world, and it's housed in a completely awesome steel and glass building unlike anything you've ever seen. Not only is there a ton of fascinating information in the museum but it's also startlingly fun for kids, with a hands-on area where you can dress up and do cool metal rubbings. They also put on some very intense demonstrations! Even if you don't think arms and armor sounds like your think, I really recommend checking this place out...I think you'll be surprised!

The Worcester Historical Museum is a mid-size museum in downtown Worcester that has terrific exhibits about Worcester's history and culture, and they also put on some really fun events, so combining this museum with some wandering and people watching downtown is a no-lose proposition! They have a great collection of artifacts, particularly from the Worcester Icecats, at whose games Rich and I met.

If you'd like to get outside, which you probably will, since it will be a lovely July, consider spending some time at the Audubon Society's Broadmeadow Brook. They have wonderful nature trails and the staff there is extremely knowledgeable and helpful, so I highly recommend taking sometime to enjoy the outdoors with them, whether you want to learn more about the local flora and fauna or if you just want to wander aimlessly in the summer sun.

There are many public parks, movie theatres, bars and concert halls in Worcester. If you have a particular activity you're interested in, please ask about it in the comment section, and we can provide some guidance for you. Destination Worcester also has a fantastic listing of attractions, so swing by there if you need some inspiration.