The 12 Best Things to Do in Worcester, Massachusetts (2024)

Worcester, Massachusetts (pronounced Wooster or Woostah but never Worchester), may not top your list of must-visits, but take a closer look at New England's second largest city, and you might change your mind. New hotels are opening, brewpubs are popping up, and tech start-ups and more than a dozen thriving colleges are giving this 19th-century manufacturing city a youthful makeover. Plus, if you overlook Worcester, you'll miss some of Massachusetts' top cultural attractions. Plan a day or longer stay in this centrally located city with our guide to Worcester's best things to do.

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Dine Out Along Restaurant Row

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Locals call the stretch of Shrewsbury Street between Washington Square and Route 9 "Restaurant Row" for good reason. Here, near Cristoforo Colombo Park with its picnic grounds and splash pad for kids, you'll find a dense cluster of some of the city's most popular restaurants. Plot a culinary trip around the world—within a few blocks, you can sample a range of cuisines including Afghan, Brazilian, British, Caribbean, Chinese, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Thai. There are pubs, a cigar bar, diners, and vegetarian restaurants, too. Worcester's been stepping up its culinary game, so seek out other buzzed-about spots, too, including Armsby Abbey, Baba Sushi and Smokestack Urban Barbecue.

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Admire Masterpieces at the Worcester Art Museum

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Fifty centuries of art are on display at this full-of-surprises museum, where collection highlights include not only paintings by European and American masters, but also fine works of Asian, Islamic, and Indian art. One of the most surprising things you'll find? A 13th-century French chapel has been rebuilt inside stone by stone. When Worcester's fabulous Higgins Armory Museum closed in 2013, the Worcester Art Museum inherited the largest collection of arms and armor in the Western hemisphere, dating back to 2,000 B.C. Ambitious plans are in place to build permanent halls to showcase more of Worcester native John Woodman Higgins' collection. The Worcester Art Museum also hosts a diverse range of temporary exhibitions, tours and events.

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See Wildlife at the EcoTarium

River otters, porcupines, and exotic creatures like Giant Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are the stars at this kid-centric, multifaceted, indoor-outdoor museum and environmental education center. Plan to spend several hours exploring three floors of interactive exhibits. The 2,500-square-foot City Science exhibit even puts Worcester under a magnifying glass. The EcoTarium has a planetarium, too, operated in partnership with National Geographic. Tickets for a star show are just $5 in addition to museum admission.

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Sip Local Brews

Worcester has established itself as a center for 21st-century craft brewing innovation. It's home to locally focused Wormtown Brewery and to Flying Dreams Brewing Co., known for its bold, unfiltered, yet smooth-drinking beers: Both have taprooms on-site where beer fans congregate. Also putting Worcester on the world beer map is Greater Good Imperial Brewing Company, America's first brewery devoted solely to crafting potent, high-alcohol-content, 8 to 14 percent beers. And don't overlook 3cross Fermentation Cooperative—this 5,500-square-foot basement facility is the first community-owned brewery in Massachusetts, and you'll be impressed by its sustainable practices and efforts to give back.

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See a Memorable Performance

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Worcester has two historic theaters, where the ambience is as entrancing as the acts on stage. Mechanics Hall, built in 1857 in exceedingly elegant Renaissance Revival style, is an acoustically superb venue for a full range of concerts, from orchestral to gospel. Hanover Theatre, a 1904 hall that once staged burlesque shows, now hosts big-name concerts, comedy nights, Broadway musicals, dance performances, lectures and other special events. Check the schedule of performances happening while you're in the city.

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Hike The Cascades

It may seem hard to believe, but this major city has woodlands and waterfalls. On Worcester's northwest fringe, the Greater Worcester Land Trust manages conservation lands, known as The Cascades, with an extensive trail network. The property, open free to the public, is one link in the Four-Town Worcester Greenway and a popular hiking spot. To see the waterfalls, park on Olean Street, and hike the 1.4-mile Cascade Falls Loop Trail.

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Pay Respects at the Massachusetts Vietnam Veterans Memorial

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Located in Worcester's Green Hill Park, this moving memorial to Massachusetts residents who did not return from Vietnam has three distinct components. Like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., there is a "Place of Names" engraved with the identities of 1,546 men and one woman from Massachusetts who died in combat or remain missing. There is also a "Place of Words," where letters home are some of the last words written by soldiers, as well as a beautifully landscaped "Place of Flags." All are set beside a pond. It's a peaceful place to reflect and perhaps to picnic.

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Treat Yourself to Gibby's Ice Cream

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Hidden in an off-the-beaten-path part of the city, this ice cream spot has been serving dairy-farm-fresh flavors for more than 75 years. Order butter pecan? Expect to find whole pecans nestled within the creamy goodness. Be prepared to agonize over the extensive list of ice cream, yogurt, and sherbet options. Just a cup will satisfy your summertime cravings. But Gibby's dishes up an awful lot of enormous, old-fashioned banana splits, too.

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Support Local Artists at the Sprinkler Factory

The Rockwood Sprinkler Company building has been given new life by Worcester's active community of artists. Many have studios here; others take charge of curating twice-a-month exhibitions, which are open and free to the public. Performance artists stage programs here in this funky space, too, and you can also participate in a variety of events, from yoga classes to film screenings. In November, look for holiday shopping events featuring one-of-a-kind gifts with local flair.

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Take a Class at the Worcester Center for Crafts

Who says grown-ups can't play with clay? Metals and glass can be your playthings, too, when you register for a hands-on workshop or class at the Worcester Center for Crafts. You can even learn an old-school craft like blacksmithing or cyanotype photo processing. Many workshops are focused on a single project, such as making your own blown-glass beer stein: a perfect keepsake of your visit to Worcester.

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Cheer for the Worcester Bravehearts

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Boston may have all of the big league teams, but Worcester has an affordable and entertaining alternative. The Bravehearts play in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL), and these up-and-coming players put their hearts into the game. Remember the crack of wooden bats? That's all you'll hear at 3,000-seat Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field, where fans are treated to frequent special promotions. During the summer season, Friday night games feature fireworks.

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Visit the Worcester Historical Museum

As you now know, there's more to Worcester than meets the eye as you whiz through the city on I-290. When you're ready to dig deeper, visit the city's only local history museum, where artifacts and exhibitions tell stories of Worcester through the years.

The 12 Best Things to Do in Worcester, Massachusetts (2024)

FAQs

What is Worcester best known for? ›

WORCESTER'S INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE

Worcester emerged as a center of manufacturing more than 150 years ago. From the start, local investors encouraged small-scale experimentation and innovation.

What is the richest neighborhood in Worcester MA? ›

Route 12 Corridor. With a median home price of $450,000 and a median rent of $1,231, Route 12 Corridor is the most expensive neighborhood on our list. Based on the growth in home prices in Route 12 Corridor over the last 3 years, it ranks No. 1 among all the neighborhoods in Worcester.

Why is Worcester, MA called Wormtown? ›

The moniker was bestowed upon the city by L.B. Worm, a locally famous disc jockey who coined the name in the late 1970's when rock 'n' roll was in it's punk heyday of green hair and pierced body parts. The Worcester punk scene was so lifeless that it made Mr. Worm think of death and worms--hence Wormtown.

Why is Worcester so popular? ›

Today, many of our historic buildings dotted around the city serve a modern purpose, housing restaurants or independent shops. Worcester is also home to the world famous Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, and was once home to one of the most renowned English composers.

Is Worcester a wealthy area? ›

Overall, the city's total average income straddles the total average income nationally, which stands at £29,000 per household. Across the country, 87 per cent of local areas had an average household income between £22,500 and £39,200 in the year leading up to March 2018.

What is Worcester city famous for? ›

During the Middle Ages Worcester was an important wool town, and glove making has been important since the 13th century. Berrow's Worcester Journal, Britain's oldest surviving newspaper, was founded in 1690. In 1751 John Wall founded the porcelain industry for which the town is now famous.

What is Massachusetts main dish? ›

Massachusetts is known for its seafood like lobster, crab, oysters, New England Clam Chowder (or “chowdah”) and Scallops. It's also the birthplace of Boston Cream Pie, Nestle Toll House Cookies, Parker House Rolls, and fluffernutter sandwiches, which I took as inspiration for my Fluffernutter Cookies.

What vegetable is Massachusetts known for? ›

Introduction: Massachusetts, Rich in Culinary History

In western Massachusetts, asparagus, corn, tomatoes, blueberries, potatoes, pumpkins, and even hops thrive. Juicy berries and grapes ripen on Martha's Vineyard. In Plymouth, Cape Cod, Nantucket, and the South Coast, cranberry bogs flourish.

What is the national food of Massachusetts? ›

Massachusetts – State Dessert: Boston Cream Pie

Did you know that Boston cream pie is actually a cake? This delectable dessert, created in 1856 at the Parker House Hotel in Boston is usually filled with custard or cream and frosted with chocolate.

Who is the billionaire in Worcester MA? ›

Dr. Valentin Gapontsev earned a doctorate at the Moscow Institute of Physics & Technology and started what became IPG Photonics at age 52 in 1990. The company manufacturers fiber lasers that can cut, weld, mark and braze metals and other materials.

Who is the richest person in Worcester MA? ›

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester's only billionaire, it appears, has gotten a little richer. Russian-born physicist Valentin Gapontsev has been added to the Forbes 400 list of the richest people in the U.S. for the first time.

What is the ethnic makeup of Worcester MA? ›

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Worcester, MA are White (Non-Hispanic) (51.8%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (11.9%), White (Hispanic) (9.52%), Two+ (Hispanic) (8.25%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (6.76%).

What is a famous fact about Worcester? ›

Worcester is the home of Royal Worcester Porcelain, Lea & Perrins (makers of traditional Worcestershire sauce), the University of Worcester, and Berrow's Worcester Journal, claimed as the world's oldest newspaper. The composer Edward Elgar (1857–1934) grew up in the city.

What major is Worcester State known for? ›

The most popular majors at Worcester State University include: Health Professions and Related Programs; Psychology; Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Social Sciences; ...

What is the main industry in Worcester? ›

With two major hospitals and eight colleges and universities, education and healthcare is the foundation of the city's economy and are by far the largest employers in Worcester.

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