Sturbridge, MA Road Trips

Sturbridge offers an exciting shopping, dining, and recreation destination. Located in southern central Massachusetts, Sturbridge is easily accessible via major routes from all directions and is a major stopping point for people traveling between Boston and Hartford, Connecticut, and further on to New York City. 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. This is a small town with great small town charm. The buildings and people are unique and enchanting.

Fall is an excellent time to visit Sturbridge. The New England autumn foliage is nothing short of legendary. 1 Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, ☏ +1 508-347-3362, toll-free: +1-800-SEE-1830 (733-1830). (See Learn). Sturbridge's biggest draw, this living history museum promotes learning about the early 1800s through fun, hands-on activities. Great interpretive programs. Special and seasonal programs help people experience historical New England. There are reenactments of previous time period wars, as well as activities that were going on around the early 1800s. It is a great way to get the visitors involved as well as just allowing for a great show. 2 Wells State Park. Carpenter Rock offers a sweeping panorama for those who are willing to trek up the trail. Wells State Park offers camping from late spring to early fall, with camp sites for tents and trailers. The pond, Walker Pond, is great for swimming, boating, and fishing. There are multiple trails that are color coded for easy access through the park. Pets are welcome. The Publick House restaurant on Main St. (Rt 131), across from the Sturbridge Town Commons, hosts an annual Scarecrow contest in October. The festival also has besides the scarecrow's great food from local vendors and restaurants, as well as burgers and desserts from the Sturbridge Lions Club. There are tents all along the common with arts and crafts and unique things to buy. There is a local band that plays, as well as face painting, henna tattoos, and more. Great experience for antique lovers and families with small children.

1 Escape the Pike, 179 Main St (in the back of the complex), ☏ +1 774-241-0508, [email protected]. Daily 11AM-8PM. Escape room games. (updated Oct 2025) 2 PickleballU, 178C Main St (At Sturbridge Plaza off of Main St), toll-free: +1 774-304-1008, [email protected]. Daily 8AM-10PM. 6 climate-controlled indoor courts. Booking link: https://widgets.courtreserve.com/Online/Public/EmbedCode/10865/28628 (updated Oct 2025) 3 Brush it Off Art & Pottery Studio, 559 Main St Suite 103-104 (in a historic mill building; you may need to put "Fiskdale" in your navigation system), ☏ +1 774-241-3444, [email protected]. M Tu closed, W-F 2–8PM, Sa noon–8PM, Su 10:30AM–4:30PM. A woman- and veteran-owned paint and pottery studio that offers guided lessons as well as open studio sessions. No prior experience necessary! It is strongly advised to pre-register and pay ahead, as spots cannot be guaranteed without payments. Most sessions $35, with monthly deals available. Open paint ranges from $5-45. (updated Oct 2025) 4 Hemlock Ridge Golf Course, 220 Holland Rd (in the village of Fiskdale), ☏ +1 508-347-9935. 9 holes, semi-private. 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.

Many, many dining options, ranging from the every day to the extraordinary. There are quite a few excellent restaurants in and around Sturbridge. 1 Annie's Country Kitchen, 140 Main St (Rt 131) (after the Shaw's plaza and next to Paoletti's fruit store), ☏ +1 508-347-2320. Possibly the best place to eat in town for breakfast. It is very popular with the locals, and rightly so. The meals are large and at a great price. There are a good amount of specials, from fun ideas with pancakes and waffles, to huge portions of almost everything on the menu on one plate. The atmosphere is cozy and feels like you are sitting in grandma's kitchen. It is not very large, with a small bar in the middle with tables on either side. The walls are covered in artwork from local artists, as well as photos of people in town, and the local Little League teams that the restaurant sponsors over the years. There is a kids menu as well as a lunch menu. Good food for lunch, but more popular with breakfast. 2 Saw Dust Coffee House & Dessert Bar, 371 Main St (at the entrance road to Old Sturbridge Village (Stallion Hill Rd)). Serves coffee, alcoholic beverages, and pastries. Dinner hours also have daily entrees. Friday and weekend evenings have indoor live music. (updated Oct 2025) 3 Sturbridge Coffee House, 455 Main St (Rt.20), ☏ +1 508-347-2288. Great local business that serves quality coffee and pastries. Serving breakfast foods as well as soups and sandwiches. Plenty of seating with tables and over sized couches/chairs. There is also a fireplace and internet access.

1 Ebeneezer's Tavern, Route 131 (In the Publick House at Sturbridge Common), ☏ +1 508-347-3313, toll-free: +1-800-PUBLICK (7825425). Upscale in historic Publick House. 2 Rapscallion Brewery/Barrel and Tap Room, 199 Arnold Rd, Fiskdale, ☏ +1 508-347-7500. Visit this small brewery co-located on an orchard in the rural Fiskdale neighborhood of Sturbridge. Rapscallion brews a wide range of styles, but tends to focus more heavily on darker beers like stouts, porters, and black IPAs although they are best known for their very light Honey Ale. Samplers and full pints are available in the homey taproom which looks like the inside of a barn because that's exactly what it used to be. Rapscallion hosts frequent live music and occasionally a festival which will have multiple bands and sometimes a food truck. They give impromptu tours on weekends. 3 Altruist Brewing Company, 559 Main St Unit 105 (you may need to put "Fiskdale" in your navigation system), ☏ +1 774-241-8022. M Tu closed, W Th 4–9 PM, F 4–10 PM, Sa noon–10 PM, Su noon–6 PM. In an historic riverside mill building from the 1860s. Brewing company with a taproom, food menu, trivia night, and live music. (updated Oct 2025) 4 Deep Roots Distillery, 559 Main St Unit 209 (Might need to put "Fiskdale" in your navigation system), ☏ +1 774-241-0045, [email protected]. Th-F 5-9PM, Sa 12-9PM. Closed all other days.. In a historic mill building. Brewery with taproom and food menu. Deep Roots also offers axe throwing in adjacent Unit 208. (updated Oct 2025)

1 Econo Lodge, 400 Haynes Rd, ☏ +1 508-347-1978. 2 Green Acres Motel, 2 Shepard Rd, ☏ +1 508-347-3496. 3 Scottish Inn, 142 Main St, ☏ +1 508-347-9514. 4 Super 8 Motel, 358 Main St, ☏ +1 508-347-9000. Check-in: After 3PM, check-out: Before 11AM. Handicapped-accessible, smoking and non-smoking rooms are available. 5 Comfort Inn & Suites,, 215 Charlton Rd, ☏ +1 508-347-3306. Doubles from $128. 6 Hampton Inn, 328 Main St, ☏ +1 508-347-6466, fax: +1 508-347-2666. 7 Holiday Inn Express, 478 Main St, ☏ +1 508-347-5141. 8 Pine Lake RV Resort & Cottages, 30 River Rd, ☏ +1 508-347-9570. Has over 200 RV sites, as well as cottage rooms and a resort. A lakefront property, you can fish. (updated Oct 2025) 9 Publick House, 277 Main St. (Rt 131), ☏ +1 508-347-3313. One of the main attractions in Sturbridge. Right across the street from the common, located near the library and town hall. George Washington was even said to have stayed and eaten here. Built in 1771, there is a graveyard next to it with graves dating back to the early 1800. The historic building has a bake shoppe which offers everything from cookies and cakes to teas and coffee, and you can also call in an order and pick it up there, a 17-room inn, meeting rooms, and a tavern/bar. The unique history and the beauty of the building attract the young and old alike. There are special events throughout the year, including weddings, Breakfast with Santa, and Easter Breakfast. The large white building still has the decorations of the earlier centuries.

Sturbridge and surrounding areas are easily accessible. There are two major highways that meet in Sturbridge. Interstate Route 90, also known as the Massachusetts Turnpike, is a toll road running east to west through Massachusetts. Sturbridge is Exit 78 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 Ocean 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 I-90, the Mass Pike, and get off at Exit 78 (the Route 84 West exit). 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 78. Alternate route (generally better on busy travel days): Route 290 West to Route 20 West. From Springfield, Massachusetts: From Springfield take Route 90 East (Mass Pike), get off at Exit 78.

Most people will find using a car the easiest way to get around town. There are a lot of small back roads that lead to hidden treasures and historic buildings. A lot of the best shopping in town is on Main St (Rt 20), and is very walkable. The sidewalks are easy to travel on and there are benches to rest on looking at the trees and flowers and stores. There is a well maintained bicycle and hiking path accessible from the Westville Recreation area on the border of Sturbridge and Southbridge that has a connecting bridge at the dam area. An easy walk about a 2-mile loop. A different way to travel around town is also by kayaking and boating. There are numerous rivers and ponds that will allow you to travel from one section to another by water. This is very scenic and shows off the wildlife and environment of the countryside.