Discover Norfolk: Nature, Trails and History

Norfolk reveals its special character where nature and history meet. At Houghton's Pond, an interpretive boardwalk leads gently to the beach and bathhouse. The paths around the pond are suitable for walking, cycling and horseback riding.

Wide-open landscapes and trails for different day plans

The Blue Hills Reservation stretches across more than 7,000 acres from Quincy to Dedham and from Milton to Randolph. In total, the area has 125 miles of hiking trails. A prominent landmark is Great Blue Hill: It reaches 635 feet and is the highest of the 22 hills in the Blue Hills range. This means the landscape can be explored both via extensive trails and through individual distinctive destinations.

Other natural areas also offer different possibilities. Borderland State Park has more than 20 miles of hiking trails ranging from moderate to strenuous. Visitors can fish at six ponds; the park also includes a historic mansion. Wompatuck State Park encompasses forests, streams and ponds across 3,526 acres. It has 12 miles of trails without motorized traffic as well as 40 miles of forest roads.

The Warner Trail can be accessed in Wrentham State Forest. The 30-mile hiking trail runs through Norfolk County to Rhode Island. Those who want to focus on wildlife observation can consider Bristol Blake State Reservation and Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary. Bristol Blake State Reservation covers ponds, swamps and fields across 140 acres of a former sawmill site; trails and boardwalks are used for wildlife observation. Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary has 2 miles of trails with access to open water, as well as observation opportunities on bridges and boardwalks. It borders the 140-acre Bristol Blake State Reservation and is jointly managed with the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

History and culture in Norfolk

For days focused on cultural history, the Old House at Peacefield offers a direct connection to the Adams family: Four generations of the family lived there from 1788 to 1927. The Visitor Center at Adams National Historical Park provides park information, an introductory film and booklets for the Junior Ranger program. The Stone Library contains more than 12,000 books that belonged to the Adams family. Adams Farm at Penn's Hill is also a fitting historical destination, with a self-guided Revolutionary Farm tour to the birthplaces of John Adams and John Quincy Adams.

In Canton, the Paul Revere Heritage Site includes a nine-acre park, historic buildings, waterways and dams. The MBTA Canton Junction station is within walking distance of the Paul Revere Heritage Site. For Adams National Historical Park, the MBTA Red Line and the Greenbush, Kingston and Middleborough/Lakeville commuter rail lines run to Quincy Center station. The Paul Revere Museum of Discovery and Innovation, or MoDI for short, offers four floors of interactive exhibits. In Quincy, the USS Salem, a heavy cruiser from the Cold War era, is docked at its home port, the former Fore River Shipyard.

Choose the right location for your accommodation

When looking for a holiday apartment in Norfolk, it helps to first determine the type of trip you want. For long days of hiking, the Blue Hills, Borderland, Wompatuck or the Warner Trail offer different focal points. Those who prefer wildlife observation can include the trails and boardwalks of Bristol Blake and Stony Brook in their plans. For a trip with a stronger cultural focus, the sites connected with the Adams family, the Paul Revere Heritage Site and MoDI are important points of reference. The documented location of Canton Junction and the rail connections to Quincy Center can also be taken into account when choosing a location, without implying that accommodation should be located in any particular area.

More places to consider when searching in Norfolk

For regional orientation, you can also explore Randolph, Dedham, Braintree, Brookline, Needham, Quincy, Wrentham, Norwood, Sharon, Weymouth, Foxboro, Plainville, Franklin, Stoughton, Milton, Wellesley, Walpole and Westwood.

For the higher-level travel overview: Massachusetts.