Guertin Lab is part of the
Guide to Central Massachusetts Dining, Entertainment and Family Activities
Restaurants
Worcester offers a wide variety of dining options. The second largest city in Massachusetts is home to some of the area's best restaurants. Click here to view a list of restaurants in Worcester and throughout Central Massachusetts.
Nightlife & Local Breweries
The City of Worcester stays up late with live music, bars, dance clubs and plenty of late-night eats. Enjoy the revitalized Canal District, as well as the many establishments on Shrewsbury Street, known locally as "Worcester's restaurant row." Don't forget to check out one of our region's many famous diners!
Central Massachusetts is a hot spot for beer enthusiasts. There are more than a dozen local breweries for craft beer lovers.
Entertainment
Central Massachusetts has an eclectic music, arts and entertainment scene. The DCU Center is Worcester's arena and convention center complex located downtown. The facility hosts concerts, sporting events and family shows. The arena is home to the Worcester Railers professional hockey team and Massachusetts Pirates arena football team. Baseball fans can catch a Worcester Bravehearts game at Fitton Field, and beginning in 2021, the Boston Red Sox AAA affiliate - the Worcester Red Sox - will play in a brand new 10,000 seat stadium in Worcester's Canal District!
The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts is a 2,300 seat theatre that brings Broadway, world-class musicians, comedians and family shows to downtown Worcester. Recent performances include "Kinky Boots," "Jersey Boys," Jerry Seinfeld, Aretha Franklin, John Legend, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, Disney Jr. Live, Shen Yun, and Celtic Woman.
Another venue in downtown Worcester is the nation's finest pre-Civil War concert hall, Mechanics Hall. Recent performances include classical, jazz, The Boston Pops and world renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
The Worcester County Light Opera Company produces a wide variety of theatre works, from comedy to tragedy and contemporary to classical.
The Seven Hills Symphony provides free performances to the UMass Chan community throughout the year.
Attractions
Worcester Art Museum is home to over 38,000 pieces dating from 3,000 B.C. to the present day, and represents cultures from all over the world. Highlights include a Medieval Chapter House, the Worcester Hunt Mosaic, and the Flemish Last Judgment tapestry. WAM is also home to John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection, comprising two thousand arms and armor objects.
Another local gem is the Museum of Russian Icons located in nearby Clinton, MA. Housed in a 150 year old former mill building, it holds one of the largest private collections of Russian icons and artifacts outside of Russia, and the largest in North America.
History buffs should visit Worcester's American Antiquarian Society, with an extensive collection of printed materials from pre-Colonial to pre-Civil War eras.
The Ecotarium Nature & Science Museum, Southwick's Zoo, Wachusett Mountain Ski Area and Old Sturbridge Village are some other wonderful attractions throughout Central Massachusetts. There are also rail trails for cycling/walking/running, hiking trails, golfing, parks and more.