Fitchburg

By Car

Fitchburg is accessible by car from the east or west via MA 2. I-190 will bring travelers to the city from the south.

By Train

There is an MBTA Commuter rail station in downtown Fitchburg. Trains are infrequent on weekends.

On Foot

Fitchburg covers a fairly large area, but most attractions are in and around downtown so walking is a good option.

By Car

Should be easy enough, the traffic generally isn't too bad. Be aware that this is a New England city that grew up before the automobile so there is no street grid and the streets can be narrow.

Fitchburg's past as an important industrial center has bequethed it with an art museum of a size and quality that most people wouldn't expect to see in a small post-industrial mill town. Possibly because of this and lots of cheap real estate, there are a few art galleries in the city as well.

• Fitchburg Art Museum

  phone: +1 978-345-4207
  address: 185 Elm St
  Small, but larger than you would expect to find in Fitchburg art museum with a large collection of Egyptian and African art as well as a permanent gallery displaying the work and collection of the museum's founder. Much of the museum space is dedicated to a rotating exhibition.

• The Rollstone Boulder

  address: Fitchburg Upper Common
  Local landmark that was blown up in the 1920s. Lovingly reassembled on Fitchburg Common.

• Top Fun Aviation Toy Museum

  phone: +1 978 342-2809
  address: 21 Pritchard St
  Toy aircraft museum.

• Coggshall Park

  address: 65 Electric Avenue
  A 300 acre Victorian era park with wooded walking trails, and lake with a fountain in it.

• Boulder Art Gallery

  phone: +1 978 345-7000
  address: 960 Main Street
  Original art, vintage art, photography, prints, and sculpture located on the Upper Common.

• Great Wolf Lodge indoor water park

  phone: +1 978 343-9653
  address: 150 Great Wolf Dr
  Large indoor waterpark with 15 different slides/pools. There is also an arcade, spa, and five different dining options.

• Lanni Orchards

  phone: +1 978 582-6246
  address: 294 Chase Road Lunenburg
  Pick your own apples and buy some farm products at the store.

• Stillman Dairy Farm

  phone: +1 978 582-5533
  address: 991 Lancaster Ave, Lunenburg
  Fresh milk and baked goods at the farm store.

Fitchburg doesn't have a lot of shopping options of interest to travelers. Some of the art galleries mentioned in the "See" section have works for sale and there is a gift shop at the Fitchburg Art Museum. Whitney Field Mall is in neighboring Leominster, but it is just a typical American mall.

• Andy's Sport Shop

  phone: +1 978 343-6330
  address: 216 Daniels Street
  Skiing and snowboarding equipment for winter, scuba gear for the summer.

To be perfectly honest, Fitchburg hasn't experienced the dining renaissance that some other mid-sized Massachusetts cities have.

Fitchburg isn't a major nightlife destination, in part due to proximity to Boston and Worcester. The neighboring town of Westminster is home to Wachusett Brewing Co., the largest in Central Massachusetts.

• The Boulder Cafe

  phone: +1 978 345-0008
  address: 880 Main Street
  Enjoy the surprisingly good and very affordable selection of craft beer at this 80-year old bar that graces downtown Fitchburg's Upper Common. Lots of classic bar feel, including tin ceilings and well worn and slightly creaky wooden booths. The crowd is friendly, but be prepared to cheer on the Pats if they happen to be playing.

• Destaré

  phone: +1 978 345-5734
  address: 320 Main Street
  Martini bar, nightclub.

Fitchburg doesn't have many lodging options, but there are a few hotels just across the city line in Leominster.

• Great Wolf Lodge

  phone: +1 978 343-9653
  address: 150 Great Wolf Dr
  Hotel attached to Great Wolf Lodge Waterpark.

Check out neighboring Leominster, head west towards the Pioneer Valley, south to Worcester or east into Greater Boston.