Central Massachusetts has many day trip opportunities, one of which -regardless of season – is Wachusett Mountain. Along the way, either before or after your day excursion, are plenty of opportunities for exploration and repast.
Several of the towns around Wachusett have municipal conservation, parks, and forests; Paxton, Sterling, and Holden in particular. The Massachusetts Audubon Society and Trustees of Reservations both operate properties in the region.
The Wachusett state reservation has year round appeal. Certainly, in the winter the ski resort is a fine draw. Affordable and close, Wachusett gives a solid skiing experience for those less willing to make the long drive to New Hampshire, Vermont, or Maine. Given its relative proximity to Boston, one could easily head for a couple of hours of skiing after work and before heading home.
During the spring and summer, the reservation offers 17 miles of hiking trails along with old growth forest – dating some 350 years – meadows, ponds, and streams. Part of those 17 miles is almost 4 miles of the “midstate trail,” which runs from Northern Massachusetts to Rhode Island.
Mount Wachusett is in Princeton, Massachusetts, a small hamlet of about 3,400 residents. Princeton played a role during “King Philip’s War” – one of the bloodiest wars in colonial America. A stop along your trip should be the ¼ acre “Redeption Rock” reservation, where Mary White Rowlandson was released from captivity during the war.
While on your day trip and looking for a place to eat, the 1761 Old Mill Restaurant is a definite must.
The setting is an actual Mill complex dating to the mid-1700’s. The charm and ambiance of the man made water area cannot be overstated. The mill itself has been a restaurant since 1946 and had been a tea room since the early 1920’s. Before then, it had fallen into disrepair over the previous 40 years or so when the saw mill had ceased operation.
The menu offers lunch, brunch, and dinner entrees and they offer a children’s menu, and early bird and of course, senior discounts. The restaurant is moderately priced with lunch offerings running between $7 and $12. Bring the kids to the gift shop area or to watch the ducks or scurry away to the lounge for an adult beverage.
Another fine offering of the area is the Wachusett Brewery. A Massachusetts only brew, they only distribute beer within Massachusetts. In what might easily be mistaken for a medical building, the brewery in the rear of the building offers plant tours – complete with samples. While not a tourist attraction in and of itself, it is a fine use of a half hour to follow the brewing process from fermentation to bottling.
The West Boylston area, not far from Princeton, offers Finders Pub for libations and some fine casual dining. The pub is a noticeably casual affair from the moment one steps in. A sign announcing you need to “Finder your own” menus, seats, and popcorn greets you at the door. Menu items are exactly what the weary traveler could call for, and exactly what the budget calls for. Children’s menu items are more than fairly portioned and will likely make you double check the price in the menu. A couple could easily eat for $15, a little more with an adult beverage thrown in. Grab as much popcorn as the family can swallow and you will leave the place satisfied.
If you’re looking for a little more upscale dining than either the 1761 Mill or Finders, the Sterling Inn in nearby Sterling may well suit your fancy, as well as suit your need for a place to spend the night.
The Inn has a total of 6 rooms in an old craftsman style mansion. Each room is as unique and eccentric as the old building itself. Dining is available in either the “tap room” or the dining room. It is a popular place for local weddings and other events. Offered is brunch and dinner and the menu is predominantly New England style.
