Overview
Framingham is a suburban city in Greater Boston, Massachusetts, with a population of more than 72,000 (2020). This former blue-collar manufacturing town is now a sprawling western suburb of Boston, known for its high density of white-collar technology and business professionals, as well as an ethnically diverse population.
11 sights · 10 things to do · 5 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés · 7 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Framingham
Callahan State Park
Millwood St., 820 acres of hiking, biking and cross-country skiing in northwest Framingham. Horseback riding, fishing or even a picnic are just a few other options as well. Callahan is also dog friendly. On a hot summer …
Framingham Town Common
The Town Common is the home to several historic buildings including The Old Village Hall, Edgell Library, the Framingham Historical Society as well and the Unitarian (First Parish) and Plymouth Churches. There are also v…
Framingham Town Hall
Intersection of Union Avenue and Concord St. Go in to the Framingham Town Hall just to see Framingham's history, or to get a schedule of events in Framingham coming up.
Village Hall
Great historic venue in the Greater Boston area. Built in 1834, it is on the list of National Register of Historic Places.
Village of Saxonville
Saxonville is a village in Framingham. The main road is Concord Street (Route 126) and branches out on to Central Street and Elm Street. The Sudbury River surrounds the village on 3 sides. Saxonville has some wonderful h…
Athenaeum Hall
Built in 1847, Athenaeum Hall was first the town hall. The building has also server as "a school, a jail, a hospital, a polling place, and a newspaper pressroom."
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 80°F; winter lows dip to about 18°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Mar and Nov. (climate data from nearby Wellesley)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- BED Laurence G Hanscom Field, Bedford — 15 mi away. Directions
- BOS Boston Logan International Airport, Boston — 22 mi away (major hub). Directions
Framingham has 2 exits on I-90 (Massachusetts Turnpike toll road). Exit 111, on the western edge of town (near Southborough town line), intersects with State Route 9. Exit 111 is near Staples, Inc. and Bose Corporation. Hotels near Exit 111: Econo Lodge, Motel 6, Residence Inn (Marriott), and Sheraton Hotel. Exit 117, on the eastern edge of town (near Wayland and Natick town lines), intersects with State Route 30. Exit 117 is near the Golden Triangle retail/business center including Shoppers World, Natick Mall, and TJX Companies, Inc. Hotels near Exit 117: Courtyard Inn (Marriott), Crowne Plaza, Hampton Inn, Red Roof Inn, Best Western, and Travelodge.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Village of Saxonville, Athenaeum Hall, Saxonville Fire Station
- Lunch Tavern in the Square
- Afternoon Saxonville Mills & Josephine Kochnowicz Clock Tower, Saxonville Falls and Dam
- Dinner Ken's Steak House
- Evening Jack's Abby Beer Hall & Kitchen
Day 2
- Morning Framingham Town Hall, Learned Beach on Learned Pond, Loring Arena Ice Skating Rink
- Lunch La Cantina Restaurant
- Afternoon Waushakum Beach on Waushakum Pond, Farm Pond Park
- Dinner Aztec Restaurant
Day 3
- Morning Framingham Town Common, Village Hall, Callahan State Park
- Lunch Samba
- Afternoon Nobscot Mountain, Garden in the Woods
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Framingham is the home of several major corporations, including Staples, TJX, Perini, Boston Scientific, and Bose Audio, and also is part of what is known as the Golden Mile, a large conglomeration of shopping malls and retail outlets. This is where the first mall in America was built.
Get in
By car
Framingham has 2 exits on I-90 (Massachusetts Turnpike toll road). Exit 111, on the western edge of town (near Southborough town line), intersects with State Route 9. Exit 111 is near Staples, Inc. and Bose Corporation. Hotels near Exit 111: Econo Lodge, Motel 6, Residence Inn (Marriott), and Sheraton Hotel. Exit 117, on the eastern edge of town (near Wayland and Natick town lines), intersects with State Route 30. Exit 117 is near the Golden Triangle retail/business center including Shoppers World, Natick Mall, and TJX Companies, Inc. Hotels near Exit 117: Courtyard Inn (Marriott), Crowne Plaza, Hampton Inn, Red Roof Inn, Best Western, and Travelodge.
Framingham is served by several state routes - from the north-south via Route 126 (Old Connecticut Path/School St/Concord St/Irving St/Hollis St), and from the east-west via Route 9 (Worcester Rd), Route 30 (Cochituate Rd/Worcester Rd/Pleasant St), and Route 135 (Waverly St).
By train
- Train operators:
- The MBTA provides commuter rail service from South Station, Boston to Framingham. Trains run approximately hourly, and at the half hour during rush hour.
- Route stopping at Framingham:
- Lake Shore Limited operating daily between Chicago and Boston or New York City. It makes stops at most stations along the route, though it does not stop at some of the smallest stations. Trains consist of train cars from both branches between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer). The trains split into separate branches between Albany (Rensselaer) and both Boston and New York City. Stops between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer) include South Bend, Elkhart, Waterloo, Bryan, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo (Depew), Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, and Schenectady. Stops between Albany (Rensselaer) and Boston include Pittsfield, Springfield, Worcester, Framingham.
By plane
Framingham is accessible only via Logan Airport in Boston. Travelers must take the Logan Express shuttle or private shuttle from the airport, or use the trains.
Logan Express Bus Service
- Logan Express Depot , Shoppers World Mall (Route 30), Phone: 508-872 5424. Operates 7 days a week, year round. One of the most hassle free ways to get to and from Framingham (and MetroWest) to Logan Airport in Boston $ Adult 1-Way Fare: $12, Adult Round Trip Fare: $22, Senior (65+) 1-Way Fare: $10, Senior (65+) Round Trip Fare: $18, Children under 12 free.
Get around
Place Tommy's Taxi
- Typically several taxis are waiting for arrivals from the airport at the Logan Express station.
See
See Framingham Town Common
The Town Common is the home to several historic buildings including The Old Village Hall, Edgell Library, the Framingham Historical Society as well and the Unitarian (First Parish) and Plymouth Churches. There are also various monuments and plaques throughout the Common.
See Framingham Town Hall
Intersection of Union Avenue and Concord St. Go in to the Framingham Town Hall just to see Framingham's history, or to get a schedule of events in Framingham coming up.
See Village Hall
Great historic venue in the Greater Boston area. Built in 1834, it is on the list of National Register of Historic Places.
See Athenaeum Hall
Built in 1847, Athenaeum Hall was first the town hall. The building has also server as "a school, a jail, a hospital, a polling place, and a newspaper pressroom."
See Old Danforth Street Bridge
This bridge was completely renovated and refurbished in 2003. The bridge also leads to the Carol J. Getchell Nature Trail.
See Carol J. Getchell Nature Trail
Named for one of the founders of the Friends of Saxonville, the trail runs along 1 mile of the Sudbury River.
See Saxonville Fire Station
The fire station was built in 1902 and is the oldest active fire station in Framingham.
See Saxonville Mills & Josephine Kochnowicz Clock Tower
The mill complex runs along Concord Street and turns left onto Central Street by the Sudbury River. Building #7 (on Concord Street) is the only original building to have survived the great fire of 1883. (All the other buildings are circa 1884 or after.) The Clock Tower is on Central street across from the Saxonville Falls Dam.
See Saxonville Falls and Dam
The dam was built on the falls to use the Sudbury River to power the mill turbines before the mill switched to steam power. Today it is used for flood control.
See Edwards Church & Edwards Cemetery
Edwards Church is one of the oldest churches in Framingham. The cemetery has an interesting array of headstones both "old" traditional headstones and newer headstones that are more pieces of a "artwork".
Do
Do Callahan State Park
Millwood St., 820 acres of hiking, biking and cross-country skiing in northwest Framingham. Horseback riding, fishing or even a picnic are just a few other options as well. Callahan is also dog friendly. On a hot summer day you will find dozens of dogs frolicking in and around Eagle Pond, near the South entrance on Millwood Street. There are no admission fees.
Do Cushing Park
Located near Farm Pond, it serves as a walking, running, biking, rollerblading and picnic area. It is dog friendly and no admission fees.
Do Farm Pond Park
This park provides walking trails, picnic / cookout areas, a playground, and the opportunity for swimming, fishing and non-powered boating along the beautiful Farm Pond.
Do Nobscot Mountain
in North Framingham. Nobscot Mountain and Nobscot Reservation provide over 1,000 acres of hiking, camping, and sightseeing, managed by the Knox Trail Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Beaches
Yes beaches in Framingham! (Framingham has 3 public beaches.) Resident permit ($30 per family) or $2 person, per day. (Non resident rates available).
Do Learned Beach on Learned Pond
Staffed from mid June to late August. Learned is a small beach located on a scenic pond.
Do Saxonville Beach
Staffed from mid June to late August. Saxonville beach is in the historic Framingham village of Saxonville on the Upper Pond of Lake Cochituate State Park.
Do Waushakum Beach on Waushakum Pond
Staffed from mid June to late August. Huge pond with view of the General Motors plant.
Buy
If you enjoy shopping, Framingham is definitely the place in eastern Massachusetts to visit. There is every major retail chain from Wal-Mart to Best Buy and more. The shopping district, nicknamed "The Golden Triangle", is located along Route 9 (Worcester Rd) in the eastern part of town and extends into neighboring Natick. The shopping district includes Shoppers World (on the border with Natick), a vast outdoor mall featuring 795,308 square feet of retail space.
Eat
Eat Aztec Restaurant
A small family owned restaurant serving great Mexican dishes. The menu is limited, but the food is more authentic than at the large Tex-Mex chains.
Eat Ken's Steak House
Of Ken's Salad Dressing fame. A local favorite.
Eat La Cantina Restaurant
Fine Italian cuisine.
Eat Samba
(Rt. 9). Steak and sushi are just a few selections on the menu. It is also a Hibachi style restaurant.
Drink
Drink Jack's Abby Beer Hall & Kitchen
Brewery specializing in lagers of all types. Jack's Abby has essentially proven that any style of ale you like, from IPA to Porter, can be made using lager techniques.
Sleep
There's a large selection of lodging, including:
Go next
Boston and Worcester are reachable by train. For day trips by car, try Plymouth, Cape Cod, or North Shore towns.
Nearby
Ashland
City / town · 14 listings · 3 mi away
Natick
City / town · 27 listings · 3 mi away
Wayland
City / town · 11 listings · 6 mi away
Wellesley
City / town · 24 listings · 6 mi away
Boroughs
City / town · 64 listings · 8 mi away
Marlborough
City / town · 9 listings · 8 mi away
Weston
City / town · 5 listings · 8 mi away
Medfield
City / town · 24 listings · 8 mi away
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