Overview
Wellesley is a city in Massachusetts in the Greater Boston area. It is a wealthy suburb and home to Wellesley College, Babson College and Mass Bay Community College. Wellesley includes the villages of Babson Park and Wellesley Hills.
4 sights · 3 things to do · 9 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 Wellesley
Davis Museum and Cultural Center at Wellesley College
Wellesley College Botanic Gardens (WCBG)
The Wellesley College Botanic Gardens consists of the Walter Hunnewell Arboretum, and the Alexandra Botanic Gardens. There is a 22 acre arboretum with over 500 species of woody plants and a century-old topiary garden. Th…
Elm Bank Reservation
The Elm Bank Reservation is the former estate of Benjamin Pierce Cheney (founder of American Express.) It got its name from the elm trees that were planted on the Charles River, which surrounds the grounds on three sides…
Elm Bank Horticulture Center (Massachusetts Horticultural Society)
(Route 16). Daily 8AM-dusk. A 36-acre horticulture and hands-on education center along the Charles River, with trial gardens, children's garden, and a restored 1926 Italianate Garden. Donation.
Wellesley Townsman
The town's newspaper, has listings of current events in its "Calendar" section.
Summer concerts on the town green
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.
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 — 12 mi away. Directions
- BOS Boston Logan International Airport, Boston — 15 mi away (major hub). Directions
Given that Wellesley is relatively close to Boston, please refer to the Get In and Get Around sections of that article for general transportation details.
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 Davis Museum and Cultural Center at Wellesley College, Wellesley College Botanic Gardens (WCBG), Morses Pond
- Lunch Amarin of Thailand
- Afternoon Summer concerts on the town green, Elm Bank Horticulture Center (Massachusetts Horticultural Society)
- Dinner Lemon Thai
- Evening Starbucks Coffee Shop
Day 2
- Morning Wellesley Townsman
- Lunch Wok Bar
- Dinner CK' Shanghai
- Evening Peets Coffee & Tea
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.
Get in
Given that Wellesley is relatively close to Boston, please refer to the Get In and Get Around sections of that article for general transportation details.
By plane
From Logan International Airport (BOS), you can take the free Silver Line 1 bus to South Station and transfer to Framingham/Worcester Line for $8, which has service about every hour on weekdays and about every two hours on weekends. You can also take a taxi (or rideshare).
Worcester Regional Airport is also relatively nearby.
By car
Wellesley is at the junction of Interstate 95 and Route 9. Route 16 also passes through town.
Taxi
- Veteran Taxi, Phone: +1 781-235-1600.
- Sun Taxi, Phone: +1-800-SUN-TAXI.
- Newton Yellow Cab, Phone: +1 617-332-7700.
By train
- Amtrak to Boston's South Station, then take MBTA's Commuter Rail Framingham/Worcester Line, to Wellesley Square.
Get around
Wellesley is a small town, and all points of interest are accessible from Main St. on foot.
See
See Wellesley College Botanic Gardens (WCBG)
The Wellesley College Botanic Gardens consists of the Walter Hunnewell Arboretum, and the Alexandra Botanic Gardens. There is a 22 acre arboretum with over 500 species of woody plants and a century-old topiary garden. Their collection includes White and English Oaks, lindens, tulip trees, bald cypress and Chinese Golden Larch, as well as azaleas, hollies, weeping cherries, lilacs, viburnums, and rhododendrons.
See Elm Bank Reservation
The Elm Bank Reservation is the former estate of Benjamin Pierce Cheney (founder of American Express.) It got its name from the elm trees that were planted on the Charles River, which surrounds the grounds on three sides. The site has several playing fields as well as a canoe launch. It is also home to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society
Do
Do Summer concerts on the town green
Do Morses Pond
A fantastic little beach, perfect for a day out in the summer. $5 per person per day for a beach tag. Children under the age of 10 will have to pass the "slide test" to use the water slide, and children under the age of 12 will have to pass a "deep end test" to swim in the deep end.
Learn
Buy
Eat
Eat Captain Marden's Seafoods
Lunch and dinner M-F 11AM-9PM, Sa 11:45AM-9PM. Breakfast: M-F 6:30AM-10:30AM, Sa 7AM-11AM. Sunday brunch 8AM-2PM. The Captain's motto? "Nothing fancy. Everything delicious."
Pizza
Chinese
Thai
Drink
Coffee
Sleep
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Stay Center for Executive Education at Babson
Go next
Boston has many sights and activities. Cape Cod is a little over an hour away.
Nearby
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Newton
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Wayland
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Waltham
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Framingham
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Dedham
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My experience
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