Worcester Hills

The Worcester Hills are a large exurban area located in the hills west of Worcester. They are primarily rural wilderness or farmland with scattered villages. Unfortunately, the countryside is starting to get broken up by low density housing developments as the availability of cheap land has proved tempting for people looking to set up their own little estate.
Worcester Hills consists of the bulk of the following towns & villages:

• Barre – Occupying the northwestern corner of the region, Barre is known mostly for its picturesque town common.
• Hubbardston – Sparsely populated town east of Barre
• Leicester – Semi-suburban town just west of Worcester
• New Braintree – Sparsely populated farming community with fewer than 1,000 residents
• Oakham – Home of Oakham State Forest and not much else
• Paxton – Village adjacent to Worcester and the location of Moore State Park.
• Rutland – One of the bigger towns, but not much here besides Rutland State Park
• Spencer – The largest town in the region, was and still is in some sense a manufacturing town.

By car

A car is necessary to visit the Worcester Hills. There is no major airport less than an hour away and no public transportation into the region aside from an infrequent Worcester RTS bus serving Leicester. The southern portion of the Worcester Hills is accessible via MA Route 9 from east or west. MA Routes 122 and 122A run northwest from Worcester into the region, both connecting to MA Route 2, the major east-west highway in the northern part of the state.

A car is the only practical option for getting around the Worcester Hills. The area is several hundred square miles and attractions are fairly far flung.

By car

Route 9 traverses the southern section of Worcester Hills, passing through Leicester and Spencer. Route 122 runs from Paxton to Barre, facilitating northwest-southeast travel within the region.

The Worcester Hills are a largely forested region, broken up by the occasional farm, orchard, or village. There is natural beauty to be found in all seasons, even the stark depths of winter when the forests are buried under a thick blanket of snow. Spring and summer are more amenable to visitors who aren't excited by the prospect of single digit temperatures and deep snow drifts. The forests and fields come back to life in mid-April and are in full bloom by May. Like the rest of New England, the forests explode with color in autumn starting in late September and peaking in mid-October. There aren't many specific attractions to be seen here, but be on the lookout for sweeping views of the surrounding countryside when traversing the hills and ridge lines of the region.

The Worcester Hills are filled with opportunities for hiking in the regions state parks and state forests. During winter, snowshoeing is also an option. There are quite a few farms in the area, some of which you can visit and see cheese and other products being produced on-site.

• Moore State Park

  phone: +1 508 792-3969
  address: 1 Sawmill Rd, Paxton, MA 01612
  A peaceful 400-acre retreat in the heart of central Massachusetts, Moore was the site of grist and saw mills from 1747 through the early part of the 20th century. There are trails that let you explore what remains of the mill village as well as some that loop around a large open meadow at the top of a hill. There is also a trail that brings you to an old quarry and along the shore of the largest of the mill ponds. Moore State Park is only about 25 minutes from the center of Worcester and is a good spot for anyone seeking a quick escape from the city.

• Rutland State Park

  phone: +1 508 886-6333
  address: 2 Crawford Rd, Rutland, MA 01543
  300 acre state park with swimming facilities.

• Carter & Stevens Farm Store

  phone: +1 978 355-4940
  address: 500 West St, Barre, MA 01005
  Dairy farm that sells its milk on premises. There's also a petting zoo, homemade ice cream, and an outdoor BBQ in the summer. You can also pick up some of the farm's produce.

• Cooper's Hilltop Dairy Farm

  phone: +1 508 892-3720
  address: 515 Henshaw St, Rochdale, MA 01542
  Primarily a place to get milk and cream. The farm store sells other local products and they make their own chocolate milk as well.

• Westfield Farm

  phone: +1 978 928-5110
  address: 28 Worcester Rd, Hubbardston, MA 01452
  Producer of around 1,500 pounds of Chevre every week.

• Ashland Farm

  phone: +1 508 867-2234
  address: 531 Oakham Rd, New Braintree
  10th generation farm with 200 acres of vegetables, pumpkins, and livestock. All available for purchase at the farmstand.

• Heifer International Farm

  phone: +1 508 886-2221
  address: 216 Wachusett St, Rutland
  Visit the headquarters of well-known charity Heifer International at their ranch in Rutland. Heifer offers day and overnight programs to learn about agriculture and poverty reduction for both children and adults.

• Kettle Brook Golf Club

  phone: +1 508 799-4653
  address: 136 Marshall St, Paxton
  Kettle Brook is a fairly new golf course, built on land that used to be a dairy farm in the rolling hills of Paxton.

• Leicester Triple Drive-In

  phone: +1 508 892-4400
  address: 1675 Main Street, Leicester
  Take in a double feature at this classic drive-in movie theater.

There aren't a lot of stores in the Worcester Hills and not even any areas concentrated with them, but you can find some interesting shopping opportunities scattered around the region's farms.

• Country Gourmet

  phone: +1 978 355-6999
  address: 547 Summer St, Barre, MA 01005
  Well stocked store carrying cookware, coffees, teas, olive oils, vinegars, and over 100 bulk spices.

• St. Joseph's Abbey

  address: 167 North Spencer Road, Spencer, MA 01562
  Trappist abbey in rural Spencer that sells jams, jellies, and religious books. Also home of the only Trappist brewery in North America.

• Oakwood Farm Christmas Barn

  phone: +1 508 320-0389
  address: 1 Northwest Road, Spencer
  Christmas decoration store located in a 160 year old barn

While the Worcester Hills are not quite an up-and-coming dining destination, there are surprising finds scattered throughout the region. You can find refined Mediterranean food in tiny Barre or visit some of the restaurants run by ambitious chefs trying to lure diners out of Worcester.

• Picasso Restaurant & Bar

  phone: +1 978 355-3099
  address: 2 Common St Barre, MA 01005
  Mediterranean restaurant located on historic Barre common

• Two Chefs

  phone: +1 508 885-7200
  address: 8 Donnelly Rd, Spencer
  Small, simple, and affordable bistro.

• Hot Dog Annie's

  phone: +1 508 892-9059
  address: 244 Paxton St, Leicester
  Classic country hot dog stand

There are not many nightlife options in the Worcester Hills other than stargazing. Most restaurants will have a bar and beer lovers should be sure to track down Spencer Abbey Trappist Ale, made by the monks of St. Joseph's Abbey.

• Spencer Country Inn

  phone: +1 508 885-9036
  address: 500 Main St, Spencer
  Historic inn with attached tavern.

• Red Maple Inn

  phone: +1 508 885-9205
  address: 217 Main St, Spencer
  Historic inn built in 1780.

For a more cosmopolitan setting, try Worcester to the east or go further into the hills to explore the Brookfields.