Discover Leicester

Leicester offers different ways to tailor your stay to your interests: wooded trails in Burncoat Park, local history in museums and the library, and guided walks and a Harvest Fair. There is also an offering centered around 1-wall handball. When looking for a vacation rental, you can consider whether nature, history, or an event day will be the defining feature of your stay.

Wooded Trails and Protected Landscape

Burncoat Park is a 115-acre park owned by the Town of Leicester and under the jurisdiction of the Conservation Commission. A large wooded area with trails defines the park. If you enjoy spending time on trails through a forest landscape during your stay, this offers a concrete connection to nature to consider when planning your trip. Its size and municipal jurisdiction also give an impression of the importance of the park as a public landscape in Leicester.

Burncoat Pond offers another perspective: the entire water body lies within an NHESP Priority Habitat. As a result, the beach area has protected status under Massachusetts regulations. This classification is of interest to visitors who care about the landscape and its protection; it describes the legal protection of the beach area.

Insights into History and Architecture

The Local History Museum at the Leicester Public Library collects, preserves, and displays items related to Leicester’s history and heritage. It is on the second floor of the library and is open during library hours. This makes it possible to combine a visit with a look at the town’s history, rather than getting to know Leicester exclusively through its parks and events.

The building itself is also part of the cultural picture: the Leicester Public Library is a notable example of Classical Revival architecture. At the Swan Tavern-Leicester Historical Museum, visitors encounter another part of local history. It is Leicester’s official historical museum and community center. May House, in turn, is a designated site of the Network to Freedom program. These different connections offer several ways to discover Leicester through local history and historic places.

Guided Walks, a Park Visit, and a Local Event

The Leicester Historical Commission offers guided walks in the villages and at various locations around Leicester. If you prefer exploring history on the move rather than in an exhibit, you can include these walks in your travel plans. The Commission’s “Driving Tour” brochure also guides tourists by car through Leicester to historic landmarks. This means you can choose between guided walks and a drive using the brochure.

An introduction to 1-wall handball is offered at Towtaid Park in the Cherry Valley neighborhood. The park is located at Church Street and Towtaid Street, off Route 9/Main Street. If you are interested in this sport, you can make it a focus of your visit. Nature trails, local history, and sporting activity thus offer different ways to shape your stay.

Another event on the calendar is the Leicester Harvest Fair. It takes place on the third Saturday in September at Leicester Town Common and is sponsored by the Leicester Arts Council. If you would like to combine your trip with this festival, you can take the date into account when planning.

Discover More Places

Sturbridge: Sturbridge, Gardner: Gardner, Westborough: Westborough, Westminster: Westminster, Millbury: Millbury, Athol: Athol, Grafton: Grafton, Leominster: Leominster

For the broader travel overview: Worcester.