Spending some time of the day outdoors is a need of everyone. There’s nothing better than spending time exploring nature. Parks are best for the same; you can spend quality time in nature, in the fresh air, and maybe with your friends. So, in this article, we will discuss Parks in Worcester, MA.
Worcester, MA, is the second largest city in New England. This place has some great and beautiful parks. The biggest wildlife sanctuary in urban areas of New England resides in this city. But the tricky part is selecting the most suitable one for you. We’ve got you covered.
7 Parks in Worcester, MA
Here are the parks of this city, where you can plan your next visit. Maybe spend a weekend with your family.
1. Green Hill Park
This Green Hill Park is called a hill park because it is located on seven main hills of Worcester. Earlier, the estate of the country was owned by the Green family. This area covers 500 acres of land, making it the largest municipal park in Worcester. Even this park is mentioned in the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the must-visit parks in Worcester, MA.
The greenhouse of Green Hill Park has two ponds, a pavilion to relax, and some picnic spots for fun and enjoying the view of lovely surroundings. There is a zoo named Green Hill Park Farm, but unfortunately, it remains closed.
However, the golf course of this place is open for visitors to play golf. Also, a restaurant, clubhouse, and golf shop are located in this area.
2. Salisbury Park
You won’t find another park like this. It is just like a castle on a hill. It is located on the top of a known hill of Worcester, Prospect Hill. This features a small feudal-style castle. This small castle was built back in 1900; it is Bancroft Tower.
Stephen Salisbury III constructed this tower in honor of George Bancroft. George Bancroft was the Navy’s former Secretary and a great friend of the father of Salisbury. However, the tower remains open for visitors on October Sundays.
It is worth visiting Salisbury Park anytime during the year. In the spring season, visitors can experience hiking and a beautiful 360-degree view of the surroundings.
3. Institute Park
This park has a unique history and is one of the most beautiful parks in Worcester, MA. The land of this park was donated to the city in 1887. It is worth mentioning that the city used this land extremely well. This institute park is located near Worcester Polytechnic Institute near downtown Worcester.
There are walking paths alongside the Institute pond. Other attractions of this park are tennis courts, a bandstand, and a multi-purpose field. After one visit, you will surely feel like revisiting this area very soon to enjoy the vibe of the locality, specifically the bridges.
4. Cascades Park
This park was named after the cascading waterfall named cascading, which leads to Cook’s Pond. You will find some great hiking trails leading you to the Cascades area at this spot. The most popular one among those trails is Cascade Falls Loop Trail.
Walking on this trail is fun as it follows wild spring flowers and amazing waterfalls.
5. ELM Park
The land of this park was repurchased by the U.S. in 1854. Later, in 1888, this city added the land to the park as they bought Newton Hill. This ELM Park covers an area of 60 acres. Also, this park is mentioned in the National Historic Places register, as it was the first land purchase in the country.
The charm of ELM Park is those footbridges constructed over the pond. The structure of this footbridge is well restored. Visitors can add fun by playing on the tennis courts and enjoying the walking trails offered by this park. Besides this, there is a picnic area and a playground for visitors.
6. Hadwen Park
Another park in Worcester covered an area of 50 acres. Hadwen Park amenities include nature trails and a beautiful river that flows from Curtis Pond to Leesville. This is a historic park, and the park’s land was donated in 1902 by the park commissioner, Obadiah B. Hadwen.
This park is located near Webster Square at a distance of 2 minutes, across Curtis Pond. Besides hiking trails, this park in Worcester has basketball courts, playgrounds, and other play structures such as picnic areas. The playground is situated in the northwest direction of the park.
Worcester City earlier had two rope tow areas. The first was at Green Hill Park inside the golf course, and the other was at this park.
Closing Thoughts
This was all about parks in Worcester, MA. The list of parks doesn’t end here; Vernon Hill Park, Beaver Brook Park, Crystal Park (also known by its other name, University Park), East Park, and so on are some other beautiful parks in Worcester, MA.
These parks include amazing amenities such as athletic fields, baseball fields, a spray park, tennis courts, walking paths, a dog park, and so on.
Green Hill Park and ELM Park are must-visit. Green Hill Park is a diverse park and Worcester’s largest park. Beaver Brook Park offers the facility of the off-leash dog park, but ensure that your dog has a Worcester dog license.
Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology
