North Reading, Massachusetts travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

North Reading is a town of 15,000 (2020) in the southern part of the Merrimack Valley region of Eastern Massachusetts.

Middleton is a town with a population of 10,000 (2020).

2 things to do · 4 places to eat · 1 places to stay

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Best things about North Reading

Ipswich River Park

The town's central facility for recreation and youth athletics. Features a playground, tennis courts, skate park, running path, basketball court, picnic areas, horseshoe pits, etc.

Harold Parker State Forest

A 3,000 acres protected forest with hiking trails, swimming areas, etc.

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 81°F; winter lows dip to about 16°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Oct and Dec.

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 — 13 mi away. Directions
BOS Boston Logan International Airport, Boston — 15 mi away (major hub). Directions

By car, North Reading is easily accessed from Interstate 93 by Exit #39 at Concord Street or Exit #40 at Route 62 or from Interstate 95/Route 128 by Exit #40.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Sample 1-day itinerary

Day 1

Morning Ipswich River Park
Lunch China Cuisine
Afternoon Harold Parker State Forest
Dinner Horseshoe Grille

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

Understand

The area was first settled by European immigrants in 1651 when the town of Reading received a special land grant north of the Ipswich River. It was incorporated as the separate town of North Reading in 1853.

Nearby Middleton was first settled by European immigrants in 1659 and was incorporated in 1728. The town grew as a farming community, mostly due to its location on the Ipswich River, with homesteads of hundreds of acres. However, during the 18th century, Middleton also contained a vital ironworks industry. In the late 18th and to the mid-19th centuries Middleton was a vacation town to those who lived in areas such as Lawrence and Lowell.

Get in

By car, North Reading is easily accessed from Interstate 93 by Exit #39 at Concord Street or Exit #40 at Route 62 or from Interstate 95/Route 128 by Exit #40.

The MBTA Haverhill Line stops at Reading or Andover stations, to the south or north of town respectively.

Middleton lies just west of Interstate 95. There are exits off the highway in Boxford and in Danvers which provide access to the town.

See

The North Reading Historical Society maintains a number of buildings in town that are publicly accessible at various times.

Do

Do Ipswich River Park

The town's central facility for recreation and youth athletics. Features a playground, tennis courts, skate park, running path, basketball court, picnic areas, horseshoe pits, etc.

Maps