Worcester

Worcester is a safe, clean area with picturesque parks and intriguing art and history museums. The city has a generally pleasant ambiance with tree-lined streets, large green spaces and lakes. Scattered around the city are several universities and colleges as well as museums, art galleries and monuments.

The municipality is known as the “Heart of the Commonwealth” due to its central location in Massachusetts. The name comes from a city in the center of England and is similarly pronounced “Wooster,” rhyming with “rooster.”

The Worcester Art Museum is one of the city’s most fascinating spots. Browse historic works of art dating back more than 5,000 years. See fascinating exhibits from ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome as well as contemporary art.

Drive south for 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) to watch a dramatic performance at the charming Hanover Theatre. Choose from Broadway shows and musicals. Several blocks east, look for Union Station on Washington Square. Note the railway station’s twin towers, marble walls and high ceilings.

A little east, beside Lake Quinsigamond, find the EcoTarium, a museum of science and nature aimed at children. See eagles, foxes, owls and turtles. Take the kids to the play area.

Green parks play an important role in Worcester’s family-friendly atmosphere. Spend a sunny afternoon at Elm Park in the center of the city. Watch the geese, ducks and birds near the pond. Enjoy a picnic and take the young ones to the playground.

Try local foods, such as kielbasa sausages and pierogi dumplings, which both come from Eastern European immigrant cultures. Worcester is known for its abundance of apples, blueberries and dairy products.

Buses and Amtrak rail serve Worcester. The city is about 40 miles (64.4 kilometers) west of Boston, which lies on Massachusetts’ eastern coast. The nearest international transportation hub is Boston’s Logan International Airport.

Worcester’s playgrounds, parks and kid-friendly museums make it a children’s, and grown-up’s, paradise.