FRAMINGHAM – We have good news and bad news.
The bad news: Summer is almost over, at least for those who go to school.
The good news: There are still plenty of great things to do without ever leaving Framingham before summer is over.
While the city is the 14th most populous municipality in Massachusetts, it offers a surprising number of recreational activities. Elaine Prue, director of Framingham’s Parks and Recreation Department, said anyone who is healthy enough to get outside should do so, especially in the pleasant late summer weather.
“We live in the Northeast, so we don’t know when it’s going to start,” she said. “We’re lucky to live in the Northeast, where there are four seasons, so it’s good to find an activity that you can do during the four seasons.”
Here are seven things to try in Framingham before summer ends:
Take a boat ride on the Farm Pond
Farm Pond in downtown Framingham spans 151 acres with an average depth of 6 feet and a maximum depth of 21 feet. For anglers, Farm Pond has produced largemouth bass, bluegill, perch and carp.
It also offers a barrier-free playground, bocce courts and hiking trails.
Farm Pond has a boat ramp (closest address is 94 Lakeview Ave.) and a rooftop boat ramp near 108 Dudley Road.
Take a hiking trip in Callahan State Park
1048 Edmands Road, Framingham
Callahan State Park in Framingham has more than 800 acres of parkland and is a true New England paradise.
Callahan State Park’s 11 kilometers of marked trails are ideal for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and walking. The park also offers acres of open fields and ponds, as well as about 24 acres of land for agricultural use.
Dogs must be kept on a leash in most areas of the park, but there are designated areas where they are allowed to run off-leash.
“Making hiking trails more accessible”: Callahan State Park partners with nonprofit to promote land management
Visit Garden in the Woods
180 Hemenway Road, Framingham
What happens when glaciers recede? You get 45 acres of botanical gardens with eskers, steep valleys with a stream, a pond and wetlands. Garden in the Woods, part of the Wayland-based Native Plant Trust, showcases native New England plants in a beautiful natural setting.
Tickets to the Garden in the Woods can be purchased at the Visitor Center:
- Adults (18-64): $18
- Seniors (65+): $15
- Youth (5-17): $8
- Active military personnel and their spouses receive free admission with a valid military ID. Veterans receive a 50% discount with proof of service.
- Native Plant Trust members at the Individual Garden Access level and above have free entry
Service animals, but not pets, are welcome.
Drink a pint at Jack’s Abby Beer Hall and Kitchen
100 Clinton Street.
Founded in 2011, this Framingham brewery has quickly become a staple in New England.
Jack’s Abby offers several beers, including Banner City, a pale lager that is the official craft beer of the Boston Celtics. Additionally, the beer hall and kitchen strives to create a community-oriented environment that showcases beer traditions with a modern twist.
The menu is also inspired by German influences and changes every few months depending on the seasonal produce.
Jack’s Abby Beer Hall and Kitchen is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 9 p.m.
Last call for food and drinks is 30 minutes before closing time. Beer will be sold until closing time.
“It’s crazy how far we’ve come”: The Hendler brothers celebrate their tenth anniversary as managers of Jack’s Abby
Local art at the Danforth Museum
14 Vernon Street.
The Danforth Art Museum at Framingham State University is located in the Framingham Centre Common. It displays more than 3,500 objects in all media.
Since its founding in 1975, Danforth’s permanent collection has featured examples of American art in all media from the early 19th century to the present.
The museum is currently hosting its annual juried exhibition showcasing some of New England’s finest artistic talent. The exhibition presents a wide range of media.
Entrance fees:
- Adults: $7
- Seniors 65 and older and Framingham State University graduates: $6
- Children under 13 years: Free
- Framingham residents: $6
- Pupils and students: $5
- Danforth members, North American Reciprocal Museum members, Framingham State students, faculty and staff: Free
The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 12:00 to 17:00.
Enjoy a historic dining car at Lloyd’s Diner
184 Brunnenstrasse.
Open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 5:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., this Framingham eatery has its own Wikipedia page, and stands out with its red facade on Fountain Street.
Opened in 1942 as Whit’s Diner in Orange, Lloyd’s Diner is an example of a quintessential New England restaurant: the dining car. Lloyd’s Diner reopened under the name Lloyd’s in 1990 when Richard and Joan Lloyd purchased the restaurant and moved it to Framingham.
The restaurant still serves its guests heaping portions every Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning. Cash only.
Retro restaurants: Searching for the classic dining cars in MetroWest, Greater Milford
Take a wagon ride at Eastleigh Farm
1062 Edmands Street
Set on a 100-acre former dairy farm, Eastleigh Farm is open Saturdays from 11am-8pm and Sundays from 12pm-7pm and features a menagerie of farm animals and the famous Moo Bus serving ice cream.
Eastleigh Farm is also home to Avenue C, a shop located in the historic dairy store that sells a wealth of merchandise, gifts and antiques. Avenue C also offers quality dairy products including milk and cheese.
Eastleigh Farm also offers wagon rides, which can be booked at eastleighfarm.wixsite.com/eastleighfarm/contact. According to the website, the wagon ride is the best way to see the farmland and animals, and learn about the farm’s history.
Eastleigh’s website states that the easiest way to contact staff is via email. Email [email protected].
