Natick

By plane

Most travelers would fly into Boston's Logan International Airport (BOS).

By train

From Boston

The MBTA's Framingham/Worcester Line, +1-800-392-6100: $6 one way. Takes 35 to 40 minutes on local train, 20 to 30 on express trains.

From New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C.

Amtrak's Acella Express, to Boston and then connect as above.

From the West

Train from Worcester.

By car

Exit 13 off the Massachusetts Turnpike (Interstate 90, also known as the Mass Pike).

• Natick Neighborhood Bus, 508-647-6446. Transfers are also available from the Natick Station to the Natick Neighborhood Bus.
• Framingham/Worcester MBTA stations, Natick and West Natick on the line

• Grave of Horatio Alger, Jr. (1832-1899), Glenwood Cemetery, South Natick. Author of 270 dime novels. He is noted as a significant figure in the history of American cultural and social ideals, even though his novels are rarely read these days. As bestsellers in their own time, Alger's works rivaled those of Mark Twain in popularity.

• Henry Wilson Shoe Shop

  address: 181 West Central St
  (Rte 135), Natick. Built in the 1850s, it was the shoe shop of Henry Wilson, a Senator from Massachusetts and the 18th Vice President of the United States. On July 24, 2000, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

• Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary

  phone: +1 508 655-2296
  address: 280 Eliot St
  (Rte 16), South Natick. Massachusetts Aududon Society wildlife sanctuary and nature center. 626 acres, 9 miles of trails, 1/4 mile handicap accessible trail. Open year-round. Admission charged (no charge for MAS members).

• Lake Cochituate State Park

  phone: +1 508 653-9641
  Commonwealth Rd (Rte 30), Cochituate, Beautiful lake and state park. Lake Cochituate provides a picnic area and a boat launch. You can also rent kayaks and canoes. The lake is divided into 3 huge sections: the North, Middle, & South Ponds, were you can swim, boat, windsurf, fish, or explore the parameter trails.

• Lookout Farm

  address: 89 Pleasant St
  South Natick. "Pick your own" place with a variety of crops. Farmer’s market, petting zoo animals, train rides, pony rides, bee observatory, birthday parties, guided tours and more!

• Natick Community Organic Farm

  address: 117 Eliot St
  (Rte 16), South Natick. Non-profit certified organic community farm.

• Natick Historical Society and Museum

  phone: +1 508 647-4841
  address: 58 Eliot St (Rte 16), South Natick
  The central storehouse of Natick’s history - housed on the lower level of the Bacon Free Library building. Notice the wrought-iron fence surrounding the building which has alternating crosses and arrows. The museum features among its collections the Indian Bible of the 17th century missionary, John Eliot, founder of the Natick Indian Community; it includes artifacts of Archaic and Woodland as well as Christian Indian cultures. Students of literature and history will be interested in the museum's collection of memorabilia of many of Natick's most distinguished citizens including Harriet Beecher Stowe, Horatio Alger Jr., and Henry Wilson, the 18th Vice-President of the United States. The natural history collection features an outstanding array of birds of North and South America.

• Pegan Hill

  address: Pegan Lane, South Natick
  Open year round, sunrise to sunset. The glacial drumlin is 410 feet and is the highest point in Natick. There is a 1-mile trail up the hill with views of the Great Blue Mountain and the neighboring farms and orchards.

Natick is a major shopping mecca. The Route-9 strip shared with neighboring Framingham is probably the largest suburban shopping area in New England. Everything from Wal-Mart to Neiman Marcus can be found here.

• Natick Mall
• Shopper's World
• Natick Downtown Center

Diners

• Casey's Diner (Yellow Hot Dog House). Historic diner in business since the 1920s, serves delicious hot dogs and hamburgers for reasonable prices. Located behind the Morse Institute Library.

• Station 5 GrilleDiner

Subs and sandwiches

• Corrado's Downtown
• Pizza Plus (near the Natick commuter rail station; climb the stairs, go to the north side facing the Natick Outdoor Store, turn left and it's right in front of you)
• DeliMax, 6 Wethersfield Drive. On the westbound side of Route 9.

Fancy

Maxwell's 148

Pizza

• Agostino's

  address: 23 Washington Street
  Italian and American food in addition to pizza. Lunch menu and daily specials.
• California Pizza Kitchen. Route 9 westbound, Natick Mall. +1 508 651-1506.

• Natalie's Italian Kitchen

  address: 319 North Main Street (Route 27)

• Nick's Pizza House

  address: 179 West Central Street (Route 135)

• George's Pizza

  address: 41 South Main Street (Route 27)
• Pizza Hut. Route 9 eastbound, Sherwood Plaza. +1 508 650-1100.

• Natick Pizza Palace

  address: 58 East Central Street (Route 135)
  In plaza with Dunkin Donuts, near Shanghai Tokyo.

• Liberty Pizza

  address: 2 Mill Street

• Ty's Pies

  address: 148 E Central Street

• Liberty Pizza

• Bertucci's

• Pizza Plus

  address: 16 North Main Street (Route 27)

• Papa Gino's

  address: 291 Worcester Street
• DeliMax. 6A Weathersfield Road. +1 508 651-9600

Ethnic restaurants

Chinese

• Mandarin Cafe, 5 Wethersfield Road. +1 508 651-8771.
• PF Chang's China Bistro, Route 9 westbound, Natick Mall. +1 508 651-7724.
• King Wok, downtown (Routes 27 & 135), across from Common. +1 508 653-6220.
• 3 Lucky Stars, 179 West Central Street (Route 135). +1 508 653-5272.
• Beijing Kitchen, 195 West Central Street (Route 135). +1 508 653-8898.
• Three Gorges, 319 North Main Street (Route 27). +1 508 651-0098.
• Wok Kitchen, Route 9 westbound, Natick Mall. +1 508 653-1150.
• Shanghai Tokyo, Route 135. Next to Dunkin Donuts, just before Union Street. +1 508 651-0818.

Indian

• Minerva, Route 9 eastbound, Sherwood Plaza. +1 508 653-2000.
• Gold Star, Route 30. +1 508 370-3535.

Jewish

• Joan & Ed's Deli, Sherwood Plaza, across from the Natick Mall.

Japanese

• Oga's, Route 9 westbound, just past Route 27. +1 508 653-4338. High quality fish.
• Dah Mee, 25 Washington Street, within walking distance of the Natick commuter rail station. Go to the south side of the station (the side opposite the Natick Outdoor Store), cross the street, turn left and walk forward. It's on the next corner. +1 508 655-3951. Good service. Great boba tea.
• Shogun, Route 9 eastbound, across from Landry's Plaza, just east of Framingham border.
• Shanghai Tokyo, as listed above in Chinese. Good Shumai.
• Minado, Sherwood Plaza, across from the Natick Mall. +1 508 647-0495. Buffet with sushi, seafood, salads, hot entrees, noodles, and crepes. Fish quality is mediocre. Prices reasonable for lunch ($14-18), high for dinner ($20-26).
• Sarku Japan. Located in Natick Mall, best for habachi-style cuisine. +1 508 650-8898.

Korean

• Dah Mee, as listed above for Japanese.

Thai

• Dah Mee, as listed above for Japanese.

Vegetarian and vegan

• Dah-Mee
• Shanghai-Tokyo

Late night

The following are interesting and comfortable places to drink:

• Dolphin Seafood, downtown
• Desmond O'Malleys, near malls
• Legal Seafood, Rte 9
• John Harvard's Brew Pub, Shopper's World

Barleycorn's Craft Brew, downtown: brew your own beer, wine, sodas,

• Courtyard by Marriott

  address: 342 Speen Street
  Swimming pool,fitness center,restaurant

• Crowne Plaza Hotel

  address: 1360 Worcester Street

• Hampton Inn

  address: 319 Speen Street

• Travelodge

  address: 1350 Worcester Street