LOCAL RESOURCES

MetroWest offers a broad range of housing options,  diverse employment opportunities, and excellent primary and secondary  schools. 

MCAS scores and the percentage of high school graduates  pursuing college courses of study are well above national averages.  Several prestigious private, non-traditional schools and homeschool networks are also located in MetroWest.

Here is how to have fun...

Winter Skiing and Boarding

Wachusett Mountain , Princeton MA
Ward Ski Hill, Shrewsbury
Blue hills, Boston

Skating

Loring Arena, Framingham
Navin Skating Arena, Marlborough
North Star Figure Skating , Westborough

Malls

Greendale Mall , Worcester
Solomon Pond Mall , Northboro
Auburn Mall
Natick Mall
Wrentham Outlets , Wrentham
Arsenal Mall , Arlington
Burlington Mall , Burlington
Emerald Square, North Attleboro
Patriots Place , Foxboro
Northboro Crossing, Northboro
Old Shrewsbury Village , Shrewsbury

Swim Clubs

Suburban Athletic Club , Framingham
Westboro Swim and Tennis Club Wayside Swim and Racquet Club , Marlboro
Longfellow Health Club , Wayland and Natick
YMCA , Framingham
YMCA OUTDOOR , Hopkinton
YMCA , Franklin
Keefe Tech , Framingham POOL public hours on the weekends

Indoor Sports Arenas/Bubble

John Smith , Milford
New England Sports Center , Marlborough
Mansfield Soccer Bubble
Teamworks , Auburn, Acton
Forekicks Northboro, Marlboro, Taunton
Special Olympics , Marlborough
Habitat , Uxbridge
Prime Time , Natick

Best Mini golf, trampoline, and ice cream in one place

Crystal Caves Family Entertainment, Auburn

Fall Activities Large Scale Corn Maze for families, adults and children

Davis Family Farm , Sterling
Pumpkin Walk at Roger Williams Zoo , Prov RI

Summer Evening Fun

Providence RI : Fire and Water at dusk, park at the Providence Mall garage.

Boston Area Heritage

Longfellow Wayside Inn , Sudbury
Fruitlands , Harvard
Battle of Lexington and Concord The Freedom Trail , Boston
Old Sturbridge Village , Sturbridge
Civil War Re-enactment and camp , Medway MA, generally first weekend in October

The Arts

Amazing Things Art Center , Framingham
Franklin School of Performing Arts Dancing Arts Center , Holliston and Framingham
Center for the Arts , Natick
Acton Art , Acton
Danforth Art Museum , Framingham
Performing Arts Center of Metro West , Framingham
Boston Chlidren’s Theater Wheelock Family Theater , Cambridge
Improv Soup , Foxboro

Misc

Fatama Shrine , Holliston
The Peace Abbey , Sherborn
Garden in the Woods , Framingham
Tower Hill Botanic Garden , Worcester
Wellesley College Greenhouses
Natick Organic Community Farm
Elm Bank Reservation , Rte 16 Wellesley
Bowditch Field , Framingham
Cushing Park , Framingham
Gillette Stadium , Foxboro, home to New England Patriots
Walden Pond , Concord
Southwick Zoo , Mendon
Reservoir Walk , Bolton
Broadmoor , Natick
Attleboro Springs , Attleboro
Burncoat Pond, Spencer
Broad Meadow Brook ,Worcester
Looks Canyon , Barre
Eagle Lake , Holden
Drumlin Farms , Lincoln
Lake Wampanoag , Gardner
Stony Brook , Norfolk
Wachusett Meadow , Princeton
Waseeka Wildlife Sanctuary , Hopkinton ( off Clinton Street, a one mile trail on 229 acres)
Lincoln Woods , Leominster
Flat Rock , Fitchburg
Joppa Flats , Newburyport
Habitat , Belmont
Moose Hill , Sharon Trails
Rocky Narrows , Sherborn Town Forest
Sudbury River Boaters Trail Sudbury Valley Trustees Rail Trail , Milford to Newton”
Nobscot Scout Reservation , Framingham
Callahan State Park , Framingham MA
Gates Pond , 2 1/2 mile loop Hudson/Berlin
Cedariver, Willis West Hill Dam, Upton

Family Clubs

YMCA , Franklin
Hopkinton YMCA Outdoor Program
Metrowest YMCA , Framingham MA
Suburban Athletic Club , Framingham MA

Water Sports

Kayaking

Ashland Reservoir, Ashland
Whitehall Reservoir , Hopkinton
Charles River Sudbury River Walden Pond , Concord

Sailing and Windsurfing

Community Boating Inc (CBI) on the Charles River
Hopkinton State Park Cochituate State Park , Wayland

Lakes

Walden Pond, Concord
Farm Pond , Sherborn
Sandy Cove , Hopkinson
Walden Pond State Park Lake Winthrop , Holliston
Ashland State Park Hopkinton State Park , swimming and boating and sailing
Cochituate State Park , Natick/Wayland
Membership Beach, Hale Reservation , Westwood
Beach passes for Massachusetts State Parks $35 for the season, $5 each visit

Beaches : parking is often $20-$25, some are open only to residents, best to go off season

Wingersheek, Gloucester
Cranes Beach, Ipswich
Singing Beach , Manchester by the Sea
Egypt Beach , Scituate
Nantasket Beach , Hull
Salem Willows Beach , Salem
Good Harbor Beach , Gloucester
Plum Island , Newburyport
Charles River Boat rentals Salisbury Beach , Salisbury
Nahant Beach , Lynn

Sliding Hills

Ward Park, Marlboro Callahan State Park , Framingham
McCaffee Park , Northboro
Diamond Hill , Worcester
Jerrico Hill , Marlboro
George Hill , Lancaster
Holden Hills, Holden Kids Spot , Ashland
Wellesley College , Wellesley Elm Bank , Rte 16 Wellesley Cedariver , Millis
Check out your local golf courses!

Shopping

The Golden Triangle in Framingham and Natick = 3 square miles anchored by Shoppers World and Natick Mall
This is the areas second largest Retail area outside of Downtown Crossing in Boston.

Movies

AMC , Framingham
Regal , Bellingham and Westboro
Millbury Draught House , Millbury Hopkinton is the start of the Boston Marathon.

Apple Picking 

 Belkin Family Lookout Farm , Natick
Dowse Orchard , Sherborn
Fairmount Fruit , Franklin
Highland Farms , Holliston
Tougas Farm , Northboro
HoneyPot Orchard , Stow

Pick your own Blueberries

Tougas Farm , Northboro
Charlton Orchards Patt’s Blueberries, Holliston
Blue Meadow Farms , Framingham, across from the Women’s Prison

Museums for Kids

Discovery Museum , Acton
Children’s Museum , Boston
Museum of Science ( MOS), Boston

Great Local Companies to Work for

Staples, Bose Corp., Genzyme, etc Boston Scientific, Dunkin, EMS, Math works, Analog Device, World Headquarters of TJX, Waters

Local Hospitals

MetroWest , Framingham
Leonard Morse , Framingham
Newton Wellesley , Wellesley
Milford Hospital , Milford

UMass Memorial , Worcester

St Vincent’s , Worcester

Mass General , Boston
Children’s Hospital , Boston
Brigham and Women’s , Boston
Children’s Hospital Walk in Center , Waltham

Local Midwives

 Central Mass Midwifery

Local or Private Alternative Education

Sudbury Valley , Framingham
Montessori, Natick
Montessori , Ashland
Franklin Charter School McAuliffe Charter School , Framingham
Advanced Math and Science Academy , Marlborough
Waldorf High School , Belmont
Marion High School , Framingham
Boston Latin , Boston
Bancroft , Worcester
Worcester Academy St Peter Marian Central Catholic , Worcester
Dana Hall School for Girls , Wellesley
Landmark School for ADHD , Beverly
St Johns , Shrewsbury

Local Colleges

Dean College , Franklin
Framingham State University 

Mass Bay Framingham and Wellesley campuses
Wellesley College
Babson
Regis Olin , Needham
Tufts Veterinary School , Westboro
Brandeis University , Waltham
Mt Ida , Newton

Local Trade High Schools

Keefe Technical School , Framingham
Minuteman Technical Institute , Lexington
Assabet Valley Technical School Marlborough
Blackstone Valley Technical School , Upton

Small and intimate, this rink is great for families, as well as those  who are looking for something beyond shopping, dining and music in  Harvard Sqaure. Milk crates are availabe to new learners. Monday thru-  Sunday admission and skates $5 for adults, and $3 for children under 12.  The Rink at the Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St, Cambridge 617-864-1200  www.charleshotel.com 

Steps from some fantatic restaruants and just over the bridge form  Bosotn, this kidney shaped ice surface is located in a romaticc city  setting. Admission is $5 and skate rentals are $8 for adults; admsission  $3 for students and seniors; and its $1 for admission and $5 for skate  rentals for children 13 and under. Opon daily in season. Community Ice  Skating at Kendall Sqaure, 300 Athenaeum St., Cambridge 617-492-0941,  www.skatekendall.com 

Jamaica Plain, and it 's FREE! Take the orange line to the Stony  Brook stop and park nearby. Skate rentals $2. Mon thru Fri from noon to  730; Saturday 1 to 730, Sunday noon to 730 Kelly Outdoor Skating Rink, 1  Marbury Terrace, Jamica PLain 617-727-7000  www.massgove/eea/agencies/dcr