Raynham, MA Road Trips

Boyden Refuge, 1298 Cohannet St, ☏ +1 508-821-1676. 9AM-sunset daily. A small heavily-wooded wildlife sanctuary by Three Mile River with unmaintained hiking trails and a botanical garden. Great for birdwatching, you'll also find beautiful wooden bridges, picnic grounds, and bathrooms. Free. (updated Nov 2022) 1 Dighton Rock State Park (Berkley), ☏ +1 508-822-7537. This mysterious Dighton Rock is covered in strange engravings of unknown origin. (updated Oct 2022) 2 Old Colony History Museum, 66 Church Green, ☏ +1 508-822-1622. Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM. $5, children and seniors $3. (updated Oct 2022) Taunton Green, 1 Taunton Green. Sunrise-sunset daily. Taunton town square and city center features walking paths, war memorial statues, benches, a water fountain, and scenic downtown views. Townsfolk gather here throughout the year to celebrate various events, like the grand Christmas display of lights. (updated Nov 2022) Weir Riverfront Park, E Water St. A small riverfront park that offers a bandstand, events, and a scenic view of old Weir Village and the Taunton River. (updated Nov 2022) Memorial Park, Somerset Ave. Sunrise-sunset daily. A city park that features a pond, benches, memorial statues, hills, playgrounds, walking paths, and some seasonal activities. (updated Nov 2022)

Aleixo Arena, 150 Gordon Owen Riverway, ☏ +1 508-824-4987. An indoor ice skating rink, with ice skate rentals. $6, rentals $6. (updated Nov 2022) John F. Parker Golf Course, 17 Fisher Street, ☏ +1 508 822-1797. Apr 1-Nov 30; 7AM-6PM daily. A 9-hole public golf course that features 3,034 yards of golf, competitions & leagues, and golf cart rentals. $10-35. Segregansett Country Club, 85 Gulliver St, ☏ +1 508-824-9110. A private country club facility that features an 18-hole golf course with 6,632 yards of golf, golf cart rentals, tournaments, banquet facilities, etc. Public tee times. $60 with cart. (updated Nov 2022) Hockomock Swamp. 24 hours daily. Ranging to almost 17,000 acres at its greatest extent, the Great Hockomock Swamp has significant historic and natural significance. Used by the Wampanoag for at least 10,000 years, it has long held a revered and sacred status. The swamp functioned as a stronghold and defensive position against the English during King Phillip's War. European arrivals would later deem the land worthless, attempting to drain it with limited success. Today, over 5,000 acres remain preserved, with over a dozen rare and endangered species calling it home. Hundreds of miles of unmarked trails are available for the adventurous to explore. Come well prepared, the swamp can be disorienting, footing can be insecure and overgrowth can be dense, impeding progress. Perhaps the best time to visit is high winter, when bogs freeze over and mosquitos become silent.

Joe's Diner, 51 Broadway, ☏ +1 508-823-2193. A popular diner scene experience within a retro-50s silver-tinted trailer. (updated Nov 2022) Mimi's Diner, 19 Taunton Green, ☏ +1 508-880-7700. W-M 7AM-1PM. (updated Nov 2022) Dighton Country Diner, 238 Main St, ☏ +1 508-669-5507. 6AM-11AM daily. A really tiny place with a classic diner atmosphere, and you usually get the same waitress if you go there often. They serve standard diner fare, which includes eggs, sausage, bacon, pancakes, waffles, French toast, and cornbread. Their prices are very reasonable, and you can get a decent breakfast with coffee here. $10. (updated Oct 2022) 1712 Restaurant and Bar, 1881 County St, ☏ +1 774-872-0226. W Th 4-9PM, F Sa 4PM-midnight. Small steakhouse with good bar food and seafood. Sit down and eat a real dinner. (updated Oct 2022) La Familia, 431 Winthrop St, ☏ +1 508-823-8664. noon-8PM daily. Tiny chain serving Italian and American cuisine. (updated Nov 2022) The Pearl, 76 Weir Street, ☏ +1 508-409-7356. 11AM-midnight, closed Tu. Portuguese classics and American favorites. (updated Nov 2022) Riverhouse, 260 W Water Street, ☏ +1 774-501-2003. M Tu 4:30-10PM, W-Su 11:30AM-10PM. Seafood in historic Weir Village. Kids menu. Reservations recommended. $20-30. (updated Nov 2022)

Smitty's Pub & Pizza, 445 Bay St, ☏ +1 508-822-1208. W-Su noon-9PM. A bar that serves pizza. (updated Nov 2022) Willy J's Pub, 599 Winthrop Street, ☏ +1 508-880-5877. 3-11PM. Cheap drinks, loud music and a pool table. (updated Nov 2022)

Also try nearby Middleborough for lodging choices. Clarion Hotel, 700 Myles Standish Blvd, ☏ +1 508-823-0430. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Indoor swimming pool, fitness center, and restaurant. $120. (updated Nov 2022) Courtyard Boston Raynham, 37 Paramount Dr (Raynham), ☏ +1 508-822-8383. From $200. (updated Nov 2022) Quality Inn Raynham-Taunton, 164 New State Hwy (Raynham), ☏ +1 508-824-8647. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. From $140. (updated Nov 2022) Hampton Inn Raynham-Taunton, 600 New State Hwy (Raynham), ☏ +1 508-822-6222. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. From $180. (updated Nov 2022)

Taunton is crossed by Interstate 495 and is very near Route 24 which heads north to Boston. Interstate 95 is only about 15 minutes away. A half-hour drive to/from Plymouth and Providence, Rhode Island via US-44. It is about a 40-minute drive away from the Cape Cod Canal via Interstate 495/Route 25, also New Bedford via Route 140. Berkley is crossed by Route 24 and Route 79. Dighton is crossed by US-44 and Route 138. 1 Bloom Bus (H & L Bloom Bus Line), 10 Oak Street (Taunton), ☏ +1 508-822-1991, toll-free: +1 800-323-3009. Fairly inexpensive bus service running between Boston and Taunton. It makes two stops along the way, one at a "park-n-ride" in West Bridgewater and another in Raynham by the dogtrack. The only real bus terminal is in Taunton. In Boston you'll be dropped off curbside near South Station, not within the transit complex itself. $14 one way, discounts for children. Buy tickets from the driver. (updated Nov 2022) 2 DATTCO, 96 Galleria Mall Dr (Park & Ride), ☏ +1 508-993-5040, toll-free: +1 800-453-5040. M-F 4:50AM-8:45PM, Su 6:50AM-8:40PM. Connecting Boston's South Station to Taunton, New Bedford, and Fairhaven. DATTCO offers a small handful of weekday buses and one Sunday bus. Buses usually leave before 7AM in the south, and depart Boston later in the afternoon or evenings. Boston $13, New Bedford $11. (updated Oct 2022) 3 Myricks Airport, 168 Padelford St, ☏ +1 508-822-2457. Sunrise-sunset daily. Tiny and historic airport with one very short turf runway. Free.

GATRA (Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority), 10 Oak Street, ☏ +1 508-823-8828, +1 508-824-7439 (TTD), toll-free: +1 800-483-2500. Varies, 7AM-7PM daily. GATRA central offers about a half-dozen or so routes stitching together Taunton, Attleborough and points between. The routes join various bus stations and parking lots with town centers, and will require some planning to make use of. One bus per hour from 6AM-6PM. $1.50, Day pass: $4, 10-day ride pass: $13, free transfers. (updated Oct 2022) The Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA), (Route #19) designated stop in Rehoboth: Anawan St./Route 118, Toll Free: +1-800-483-2500, Phone: +1 508-823-8828, TDD: +1 508-824-7439. Convenient and relatively inexpensive city bus service to/from Taunton via Providence, including the town of Seekonk. Fares: $2 o/w to/from Providence, $1.75 o/w to/from Taunton.