Sturbridge

Sturbridge => is a charming New England town located in southern central Massachusetts approximately 60 miles west of Boston.

Understand

Sturbridge is probably most famous for the Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) living history museum. Besides OSV, Sturbridge offers an exciting shopping, dining, and recreation destination. Located in southern central Massachusetts, Sturbridge is easily accessible via major routes from all directions.

Sturbridge has maintained a unique blend of modern convenience and historical charm.

There are many lakes and outdoor activities in Sturbridge and the surrounding area.

Sturbridge is a major stopping point for people traveling between Boston and Hartford, CT, and further on to New York City.

Get in

Sturbridge and surrounding areas are easily accessible. There are two major highways that meet in Sturbridge. Route 90, also known as the Massachusetts Turnpike, is a toll road running east to west through Massachusetts. Sturbridge is Exit 9 off of the Mass Pike. Connecting Sturbridge to Hartford, CT and beyond is Route 84. Although designated as running east to west, it actually runs more or less a northeast to southwest route.

In addition to the major routes, several secondary highways offer additional routes into town. Running from Boston in the east to the Pacific on the west, Route 20 bisects Sturbridge. Route 131 connects Sturbridge to Southbridge and on further south to Route 395 in Connecticut. Route 49 connects Sturbridge to Spencer and Route 9, another busy east-west route across the state.

Many people find Sturbridge a convenient stopping point on their way either further North or South. There are many restaurants and accommodations within a very short distance of all the main roads.

From Boston

Head west on Route 90 (the Mass Pike), and get off at Exit 9 (the Route 84 West exit).

From New York City

From New York City take Route 95 North to Route 91 North to Route 84 East. Exit before reaching the Mass Pike.

From Worcester

Take Route 290 West to Route 90 West, get off at Exit 9. Alternate route (generally better on busy travel days): Route 290 West to Route 20 West.

From Springfield, MA

From Springfield take Route 90 East (Mass Pike), get off at Exit 9.

From Providence, RI

Route 146 North to Route 90 West (Mass Pike), get off at Exit 9.

Fly

Approximately 5 miles from Sturbridge is the Southbridge airport. It is a small regional airport.

Get around

Most people will find using a car the easiest way to get around town. A lot of the best shopping in town is on Main St (Rt 20), and is very walkable. There is a well maintained bicycle and hiking path accessible from the Westville Recreation area on the border of Sturbridge and Southbridge.

See

Fall is an excellent time to visit Sturbridge. The New England autumn foliage is nothing short of legendary.

Most folks will want to visit Old Sturbridge Village.

Carpenter Rock at Wells State Park offers a sweeping panorama for those who are willing to trek up the trail.

The Publick House restaurant on Main St (Rt 131), across from the Sturbridge Town Commons, hosts an annual Scarecrow contest in October.

Do

Golf

Hiking, Bicycling, and Outdoor Activities

Sturbridge is full of outdoor activity options: fishing, hiking, cycling, boating, and camping. Check with Bill and crew at Wild Bird Crossing for their schedule of outdoor birdwatching hikes and activities.

Sturbridge has many lakes which offer great fishing. East Brimfield Lake and Long Pond, accessible via boat ramps off of Route 20, and also via the East Brimfield Dam, are great fishing spots. Cedar Lake is another fishing option. There are some good fishing spots along the Quinebaug River (map). The Quinebaug has small and large mouth bass, trout, northern pike, and panfish (more facts).

Canoeing and kayaking are popular outdoor activities as well. Experienced river rafters will enjoy paddling the Quinebaug, starting at the East Brimfield Dam and ending up at the Westville Dam recreation area. Of particular interest, this riverway runs directly through Old Sturbridge Village. There are small sections that require portage. Also, this is the route used by the annual Sturbridge Lions All American River Race (typically in late April).

Fall is an awesome time to visit area apple orchards for apple picking and hayrides. Hyland Brewery & Orchard frequently has music and various festivals in their outdoor pavilion starting in spring and running through late fall. Kids enjoy the feeding the farm animals and taking a ride on the pickle barrel train.

Music and Nightlife

Learn

Sturbridge's biggest draw, Old Sturbridge Village, promotes learning about the early 1800's through fun, hands-on activities. Great interpretive programs. Special and seasonal programs help people experience historical New England.

Buy

Sturbridge has dozens of interesting shops. There are many antique stores, factory outlets, and gift and craft stores in town. Below is a partial list.

Books

Sturbridge has an independent bookstore, Griffin Books & Beans. There is a bookstore at Old Sturbridge Village. Earth Spirits also has a selection of books.

Eat

Many, many dining options, ranging from the every day to the extraordinary. There are quite a few excellent restaurants in and around Sturbridge.

Breakfast

Fancy

Pizza

Tons of pizza places in this area, most serving typical pizza parlor fare. Following are a selection of the more interesting options.

Pub

Ethnic Restaurants

Thai

Vegetarian / Vegan

Late Night

Drink

Sleep

Many accommodation options, from inexpensive to luxurious.

Bed and Breakfast

Get Out

Surrounding Towns

Other Nearby Attractions

This text of this article is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0. It has been slightly modified to fit the general design of this website. The authors of this document are Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel, Ebon Elza and the following WikiTravel users: Huttite, Jonboy. The original version of this article can be seen at http://wikitravel.org/en/Sturbridge.