Overview
Gardner is a city of 21,000 people (2019) in Massachusetts. Gardner is known as the "Chair City" and "The Furniture Capital of New England", due to its long history in furniture production.
4 sights · 3 things to do · 1 places to eat · 3 bars & cafés · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Gardner
Dunn State Park
Lake Wampanoag Wildlife Sanctuary
West Gardner Square Historic District
Downtown Gardner was developed as an industrial site beginning in the early 19th century. The area now boasts a concentration of late 19th and early 20th century commercial, civic, and industrial architecture. It was lis…
The Gardner Museum
Historic library building. It was given in honor of Levi Heywood, a prominent figure in the city's economically important chair manufacturing industry.It now houses The Gardner Museum which is dedicated to the city's his…
Mount Watatic
At 1,831 ft, is the second highest mountain in Massachusetts east of the Berkshires. Trailhead is off of MA 119 in Ashburnham
Smith's Country Cheese
Award-winning Gouda, Cheddar, and Havarti.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 84°F; winter lows dip to about 14°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Oct and Dec. (climate data from nearby Nashua)
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.
- ORH Worcester Regional Airport, Worcester — 22 mi away. Directions
- BED Laurence G Hanscom Field, Bedford — 37 mi away. Directions
- BOS Boston Logan International Airport, Boston — 53 mi away (major hub). Directions
Route 2 West From Alewife station in Cambridge will take you right to Gardner.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Dunn State Park, Mount Watatic
- Lunch Blue Moon Diner
- Afternoon West Gardner Square Historic District, Smith's Country Cheese
- Evening Gardner Ale House
Day 2
- Morning Lake Wampanoag Wildlife Sanctuary, The Gardner Museum
- Afternoon Red Apple Farm
- Evening Blueprint American Bar & Grill
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
History
Named in honor of Col. Thomas Gardner, the community was settled by Europeans in 1764 and incorporated as a town in 1785 after receiving land grants from the surrounding towns of Ashburnham, Westminster, Templeton and Winchendon. Dating from about 1805, it became a center for lumber and furniture industries. By 1910 it had 20 chair factories which produced 4 million chairs per year. It was also noted for silversmithing. The Gardner State Colony for the Insane pioneered the use of cottage residences. Gardner was incorporated as a city in 1923.
Get in
Route 2 West From Alewife station in Cambridge will take you right to Gardner.
If you're coming from the south, I-190 North to Route 2 West will bring you to Gardner.
From the West Route 2 East goes from the New York border in Williamstown to Gardner.
The closest commuter rail station to Gardner is the Wachusett Commuter Rail Station. From the station State Route 2 West will take you to Gardner.
Get around
The best way to get around Gardner and the surrounding region is by car.
There is some bus service in and around the area, provided by The Montachusett Regional Transit Authority; it's rather limited, though.
See
See West Gardner Square Historic District
Downtown Gardner was developed as an industrial site beginning in the early 19th century. The area now boasts a concentration of late 19th and early 20th century commercial, civic, and industrial architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
See The Gardner Museum
Historic library building. It was given in honor of Levi Heywood, a prominent figure in the city's economically important chair manufacturing industry.It now houses The Gardner Museum which is dedicated to the city's history.
Do
Do Red Apple Farm
Enjoy apple picking, cider, donuts, and local products at this orchard in the fall. Red Apple Farm is a big operation and gets very busy in the peak fall tourist season. So busy that they need parking attendants to direct the traffic. You can pick apples, take a hay ride, or feed some farm animals. The farm store sells a dizzying array of locally made products, most made right at the farm (jams, baked goods, syrup, cider, popcorn). They provide lots of free samples to entice you to buy. A cider doughnut is an essential fall experience. Outside, they have a grill and fire pit where you can order burgers, hot dogs, and a few BBQ options which you can eat in the covered picnic area.
Do Mount Watatic
At 1,831 ft, is the second highest mountain in Massachusetts east of the Berkshires. Trailhead is off of MA 119 in Ashburnham
Buy
Shop Terrapin Traders
Store in Downtown area with a selection of goods, crafts, gifts, clothing, books and a wide selection of New Age items.
Eat
Eat Blue Moon Diner
Worcester Lunch Car Company diner #815, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Classic diner food.
Drink
Drink Gardner Ale House
Bustling brewpub with eclectic comfort fare, microbrews & live music in a rustic, all-brick room.
Drink Blueprint American Bar & Grill
A bit off the beaten path, this bar in a strip mall has one of the best beer selections in the region.
Drink Wachusett Brewing Company
The region's largest brewery. Samples are offered in the tasting room and they give free tours on Saturday.
Sleep
Go next
If you head north you can take in the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire, and hike MT Monadnock.
Take Route 2 East to 190 South and head to the second-most populous city in New England Worcester.
Head west out of Gardner on Route 2 West and experience The Mohawk Trail one of the first Scenic auto-touring roads in the country.
If you take Route 2 West to 202 South you can go see the Quabbin Valley, and the largest inland body of water in Massachusetts, the Quabbin Reservoir.
Nearby
Westminster
City / town · 6 listings · 5 mi away
Ashburnham
City / town · 7 listings · 5 mi away
Fitchburg
City / town · 10 listings · 10 mi away
Princeton
City / town · 3 listings · 11 mi away
Worcester Hills
Rural area · 19 listings · 11 mi away
Rindge
City / town · 8 listings · 12 mi away
Leominster
City / town · 14 listings · 13 mi away
Quabbin
Rural area · 18 listings · 16 mi away
My experience
Write about your trip here. Notes save automatically in this browser as you type; back them up from My journal.