Overview
Worcester Hills is a primarily rural area with scattered villages in Central Massachusetts.
10 things to do · 2 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 2 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Worcester Hills
The Barre Cross
A large cross and message visible from the air, also serves as a park.
Moore State Park
A peaceful 400-acre retreat in the heart of central Massachusetts, Moore was the site of grist and saw mills from 1747 through the early part of the 20th century. There are trails that let you explore what remains of the…
Rutland State Park
300 acre state park with swimming facilities.
Carter & Stevens Farm Store
Dairy farm that sells its milk on premises. There's also a petting zoo, homemade ice cream, and an outdoor BBQ in the summer. You can also pick up some of the farm's produce.
Cooper's Hilltop Dairy Farm
Primarily a place to get milk and cream. The farm store sells other local products and they make their own chocolate milk as well.
Westfield Farm
Producer of around 1,500 pounds of Chevre every week.
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 — 13 mi away. Directions
- BED Laurence G Hanscom Field, Bedford — 38 mi away. Directions
- BDL Bradley International Airport, Hartford — 47 mi away (major hub). Directions
A car is necessary to visit the Worcester Hills. There is no major airport less than an hour away and no public transportation into the region aside from an infrequent Worcester RTS bus serving Leicester. The southern portion of the Worcester Hills is accessible via MA Route 9 from east or west. MA Routes 122 and 122A run northwest from Worcester into the region, both connecting to MA Route 2, the major east-west highway in the northern part of the state.
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 Moore State Park, Carter & Stevens Farm Store, Westfield Farm
- Lunch Two Chefs
- Afternoon Heifer International Farm, Leicester Triple Drive-In
- Dinner Hot Dog Annie's
- Evening Stone Cow Brewery
Day 2
- Morning Rutland State Park, Cooper's Hilltop Dairy Farm, Ashland Farm
- Afternoon Kettle Brook Golf Club, The Barre Cross
- Evening Rapscallion Brewery & Taproom
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
While the Worcester Hills are not quite an up-and-coming dining destination, there are surprising finds scattered throughout the region. You can find refined Mediterranean food in tiny Barre or visit some of the restaurants run by ambitious chefs trying to lure diners out of Worcester.
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
Understand
The Worcester Hills are a large exurban area located in the hills west of Worcester. They are primarily rural wilderness or farmland with scattered villages. Unfortunately, the countryside is starting to get broken up by low density housing developments as the availability of cheap land has proved tempting for people looking to set up their own estates.
Worcester Hills consists of the bulk of the following towns & villages:
- Barre – Occupying the northwestern corner of the region, Barre is known mostly for its picturesque town common.
- Hubbardston – Sparsely populated town east of Barre
- Leicester – Semi-suburban town just west of Worcester
- New Braintree – Sparsely populated farming community with fewer than 1,000 residents
- Oakham – Home of Oakham State Forest and not much else
- Paxton – Village adjacent to Worcester and the location of Moore State Park.
- Rutland – One of the bigger towns, but not much here besides Rutland State Park
- Spencer – The largest town in the region, was and still is in some sense a manufacturing town.
Get in
By car
A car is necessary to visit the Worcester Hills. There is no major airport less than an hour away and no public transportation into the region aside from an infrequent Worcester RTS bus serving Leicester. The southern portion of the Worcester Hills is accessible via MA Route 9 from east or west. MA Routes 122 and 122A run northwest from Worcester into the region, both connecting to MA Route 2, the major east-west highway in the northern part of the state.
Get around
A car is the only practical option for getting around the Worcester Hills. The area is several hundred square miles and attractions are fairly far flung.
By car
Route 9 traverses the southern section of Worcester Hills, passing through Leicester and Spencer. Route 122 runs from Paxton to Barre, facilitating northwest-southeast travel within the region.
See
The Worcester Hills are a largely forested region, broken up by the occasional farm, orchard, or village. There is natural beauty to be found in all seasons, even the stark depths of winter when the forests are buried under a thick blanket of snow. Spring and summer are more amenable to visitors who aren't excited by the prospect of single digit temperatures and deep snow drifts. The forests and fields come back to life in mid-April and are in full bloom by May. Like the rest of New England, the forests explode with color in autumn starting in late September and peaking in mid-October. There aren't many specific attractions to be seen here, but be on the lookout for sweeping views of the surrounding countryside when traversing the hills and ridge lines of the region.
Do
The Worcester Hills are filled with opportunities for hiking in the regions state parks and state forests. During winter, snowshoeing is also an option. There are quite a few farms in the area, some of which you can visit and see cheese and other products being produced on-site.
Do Moore State Park
A peaceful 400-acre retreat in the heart of central Massachusetts, Moore was the site of grist and saw mills from 1747 through the early part of the 20th century. There are trails that let you explore what remains of the mill village as well as some that loop around a large open meadow at the top of a hill. There is also a trail that brings you to an old quarry and along the shore of the largest of the mill ponds. Moore State Park is only about 25 minutes from the center of Worcester and is a good spot for anyone seeking a quick escape from the city.
Do Cooper's Hilltop Dairy Farm
Primarily a place to get milk and cream. The farm store sells other local products and they make their own chocolate milk as well.
Do Ashland Farm
10th generation farm with 200 acres of vegetables, pumpkins, and livestock. All available for purchase at the farmstand.
Buy
There aren't a lot of stores in the Worcester Hills and not even any areas concentrated with them, but you can find some interesting shopping opportunities scattered around the region's farms.
Eat
While the Worcester Hills are not quite an up-and-coming dining destination, there are surprising finds scattered throughout the region. You can find refined Mediterranean food in tiny Barre or visit some of the restaurants run by ambitious chefs trying to lure diners out of Worcester.
Eat Two Chefs
Small, simple, and affordable bistro.
Eat Hot Dog Annie's
Classic country hot dog stand
Drink
There are not many nightlife options in the Worcester Hills other than stargazing. Most restaurants will have a bar and beer lovers should be sure to track down Spencer Abbey Trappist Ale, made by the monks of St. Joseph's Abbey.
Drink Stone Cow Brewery
Craft brewery located on a hilltop farm outside of Barre. The taproom is expansive and there is ample outdoor seating and a children's play area for use in warmer months.
Drink Rapscallion Brewery & Taproom
One of Central Massachusetts' brewing pioneers maintains its production brewery and a taproom in Spencer. They also have a pub in nearby Sturbridge and a restaurant in Acton.
Sleep
Go next
For a more cosmopolitan setting, try Worcester to the east or go further into the hills to explore the Brookfields.
Nearby
Quabbin
Rural area · 18 listings · 7 mi away
Princeton
City / town · 3 listings · 8 mi away
Westminster
City / town · 6 listings · 11 mi away
Ashburnham
City / town · 7 listings · 11 mi away
Gardner
City / town · 16 listings · 11 mi away
Spencer
City / town · 30 listings · 12 mi away
Brookfields
Rural area · 24 listings · 12 mi away
Worcester
City / town · 126 listings · 15 mi away
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