Springfield, MA Road Trips

With economic reinvestment, Springfield is experiencing a cultural renaissance and can boast a "Gay Pride Week". Renovations to Gilded Age theaters like the Paramount (formerly the Hippodrome,) the Bing Cultural Arts Center, and Springfield's increasingly eclectic Club Quarter have made the city more exciting than at any time in the past half-century. On June 1, 2011, large portions of the Springfield were devastated by two tornadoes that touched down within city limits. The U.S. National Weather Service rated Springfield's first of two tornadoes an E4 on the Fujita Scale (out of a possible E5.) Springfield's historic Main Street, with its attractive 19th century architecture, was left in shambles - particularly the commercial district of the historically Italian South End, the historic district surrounding Mulberry Street (of Dr. Seuss fame), Springfield College, and Springfield's more suburban outer neighborhoods. Located on New England's most fertile farmland in the Connecticut River Valley, at the mid-point of America's major northeast trade routes between New York City, Boston, the Great Lakes, and Montreal, Canada, the City of Springfield (pop. 155,000) has been the technological and cultural center of the Connecticut River Valley since its founding in 1636. Having been burned to the ground during King Phillip's War in 1675, Springfield has rebuilt before.

1 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, West Columbus Av., toll-free: +1-877-446-6752. M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 10AM-5PM. Along the Connecticut River, in a stunning (and quirky) steel structure, it's a shrine to basketball in its birthplace. Adults $24, seniors (65+) $18, children 5-15 $16, under 5 free.. 2 Springfield Armory National Historic Site, 1 Armory St., ☏ +1 413 734-8551. The site that George Washington hand-selected for America's first armory, where the first American musket was made, and where the famous Springfield Rifle was made for several centuries. Half of the site is now a scenic United States National Park and museum, featuring one of the largest collections of firearms in the world. Behind the National Park is the reasonably scenic campus of Springfield Technical Community College (STCC), which occupies several former Armory buildings. free. (updated Aug 2017) 3 The Quadrangle, 21 Edwards St, ☏ +1 413-314-6436, [email protected]. A remarkable cultural grouping that consists of 5 museums, several of which are considered "world-class", the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, and the palatial Springfield City Library. The Museum of Fine Arts features a vast collection of European Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, including works by Monet, Degas, and Gauguin; and also, a large collection of American painters, including Springfielders Whistler and Harding. The Museum of Science features the United States' first-ever planetarium (built in 1937), a large dinosaur exhibit, and replicas of exotic ecosystems.

The Club Quarter - Over 60 nightclubs, bars, LGBT-oriented bars and clubs, and restaurants line the blocks surrounding Stearns Square and Worthington Street near the Connecticut River. Upper Worthington, west of Chestnut Street, remains a "Club Quarter;" however, much of that entertainment is rated X. The Connecticut River Walk - near the Basketball Hall of Fame, one can access this pleasant park and marvel at the Connecticut River scenic beauty. It's difficult to find an entrance to this park due to the inhibiting presence of Interstate 91 - a highway that virtually amputates Springfield from recreational opportunities on the Connecticut River. If you can find your way in, bring a partner at night. 1 Forest Park (featuring the Forest Park Zoo and Bright Nights), Sumner Avenue. One of the largest urban parks in the United States at 735 acres (295 ha), Forest Park was established via the donations of Springfielders like skating blade magnate Everett Hosmer Barney (whose family mausoleum is in Forest Park.) Designed by Frederick Law Olmstead of NYC's Central Park fame, Forest Park offers amenities including a sizable zoo, America's first public swimming pool, picturesque gardens, hiking and walking trails, athletic fields, whimsical sculptures (one can see where Dr. Seuss got his inspiration), and camping facilities. During the winter it serves as the venue for Bright Nights, a nationally known holiday light display. Bright Nights.

Red Rose Pizzeria, 1060 Main Street (South End). An Italian, South End classic! Truly excellent pizza, pasta, and meatballs. Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright claims that Red Rose has "the best meatballs in the world." The Student Prince, 8 Fort Street (off Main Street). German food, locally famous. Make sure you get a good look at the truly massive collection of steins on the walls. Max's Tavern, 1000 West Columbus Boulevard. Beside the Basketball Hall of Fame. Serving exceptional American fare. The White Hut, 280 Memorial Avenue. In West Springfield, according to the Food Network, the White Hut is one of "The Top 10 Burger Restaurants" in America. Serving burgers and hot dogs in the most Spartan setting imaginable. Across the Memorial Bridge on Memorial Avenue in West Springfield, it's well worth the trip. 350 Grille, 350 Worthington Street. Located next to Springfield institution, The Mardi Gras, the 350 Grille is Springfield's see-and-be-seen lunch destination for local movers-and-shakers. The atmosphere is upscale but not pretentious, just like the food. It has a patio so diners can enjoy sunny days or moonlit nights. Pho Saigon, 398 Dickinson St, ☏ +1 413 781-4488. Excellent Vietnamese soups and entrees. Though not as widely known as other city restaurants it has a prominent cult following; visit and you will understand why. Frigo's, 90 Williams Street. In Springfield's South End (its "Little Italy"), diners have an excellent selection of Italian food from which to choose - and Frigo's stands out above most of them. Its lasagne is amazing.

1 Theodore's (Blues, Booze, and BBQ), 201 Worthington Street (Club Quarter), ☏ +1 413 736-6000. Named "The Best Blues Club in the United States" by the Blues Foundation and Keeping the Blues Alive, Theodore's is a regional draw for music, food, and libations. Its baby back ribs are smoked for six hours. $5-20. (updated Aug 2017)

1 Springfield Marriott, 2 Boland Way, ☏ +1 413 781-7111, fax: +1 413 731-8932. (updated Oct 2016) 2 Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel, One Monarch Place, ☏ +1 413 781-1010. Springfield’s largest hotel, Sheraton Springfield offers 325 guest rooms featuring the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper bedding, with Internet access, a spacious work area and in-room coffee. (updated Oct 2016) 3 Hilton Garden Inn, 800 Hall of Fame Ave (Next to the Basketball Hall of Fame), ☏ +1 413-886-8000. (updated Oct 2016)

Springfield is the most centrally located city in New England, between major tourist destinations like New York City, Boston, Vermont, the Berkshires, Upstate New York, and Canada. It features access from every direction, via every sort of transportation. Bradley International Airport is 12 miles (19 km) south of Springfield (equidistant to Springfield's twin city, Hartford, Connecticut.) Westover Metropolitan Airport is located 5 miles (8 km) north of Springfield in the City of Chicopee, Massachusetts. The City of Springfield is a major railroad and bus nexus, with trains and buses arriving from all directions. 1 Springfield Union Station, 66 Lyman St. This is a restored historic station. The station is integrated with the local and regional transportation hub. (updated Oct 2023) Train operator: Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Operates trains throughout the United States of America. (updated Dec 2020) Routes stopping at Springfield: Amtrak Hartford Line operating 3-5 trips per direction daily between Springfield and New Haven with stops in Windsor Locks, Windsor, Hartford, Berlin, Meriden, and Wallingford. Northeast Regional operating twice daily between Springfield and Washington, D.C. with stops in Windsor Locks, Windsor, Hartford, Berlin, Meriden, Wallingford, New Haven, Bridgeport, Stamford, New Rochelle, New York City, Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore, and New Carrollton. Vermonter operates daily between St. Albans and Washington, D.C.

Springfield is one of the Northeast's most walkable cities. Most of its historic sites, points of interest, and entertainment venues are clustered in the Metro Center neighborhood (aka downtown, where the skyscrapers are.) Tourist sites are well marked, as are many architecturally significant buildings. The Basketball Hall of Fame and Forest Park — both of which are well worth visiting — are Springfield's only major tourist sites outside of Metro Center; however, the Basketball Hall of Fame is within walking distance (it's less than a mile south of Metro Center, along the Connecticut River.) If you'd like to explore Springfield beyond Metro Center — perhaps experience Frederick Law Olmsted's Forest Park, his largest work next to NYC's Central Park — or further explore the artsy Pioneer Valley (maybe check out bohemian Northampton or Amherst, one of America's best-known university towns,) the clean, green, and reliable Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) offers service to every Springfield neighborhood, and throughout the Pioneer Valley's cities and towns north to Amherst. For $1.25 on the PVTA, you can ride the 15 miles (25 km) from Springfield to the counter-culture mecca of Northampton, or the 18 miles (30 km) to student-centric Amherst, and vice versa. Many of the routes that do not serve major points do not run after 7-8PM. Service on weekends is limited, especially on Sundays, when intervals between buses can be up to 2 hours. Check the schedule of the bus route you're using.