Blackstone Valley

Blackstone Valley is a region of Central Massachusetts extending from Worcester southeast toward Providence, Rhode Island. Wikivoyage extends the area to include some other towns of Greater Worcester.

Cities

• 1 Blackstone
• 2 The Boroughs
• 3 Douglas
• 4 Grafton
• 5 Holden
• 6 Hopedale
• 7 Leicester
• 8 Mendon
• 9 Milford
• 10 Millbury
• 11 Millville
• 12 Northbridge
• 13 Paxton (Massachusetts)
• 14 Shrewsbury
• 15 Sutton
• 16 Upton
• 17 Uxbridge
• 18 West Boylston
• 19 Worcester

Other destinations

• Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.

Get in

By air

The nearby city of Providence has a large international airport and Worcester has a smaller national airport.

By car

Route 146 is the main highway running north and south between Worcester and Providence. It intersects with I-95 and I-295 in Rhode Island and with I-90 (Massachusetts Turnpike) in Massachusetts.

Get around

The main method of transportation in this region is by car. The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) offers bus service to some parts of Blackstone Valley. Check the schedule for specific bus routes.

See

The Blackstone Valley is an excellent place to get a feel for the Industrial Revolution. The region is dotted with mill towns, many of which have preserved impressive examples of 19th century industrial architecture. There are also quite a few that are still used for manufacturing, although they are increasingly being converted to apartments. The Blackstone River is the central feature of the region. While you may expect this river, which made the Industrial Revolution possible, to be a powerful torrent of water, it's actually a fairly tranquil river lined with forests and wetlands. the hills above the river don't rise to any great height, but offer the occasional scenic overlook.

Do

• The Blackstone Valley Bicycle Path which will run 48 mi (77 km) from Worcester to Providence. The path starts in Lincoln, Rhode Island and follows the Towpath along the Blackstone Canal, through Woonsocket to the MA state border. Hop on the path anywhere in between or schedule a bicycle tour.
• A Blackstone Valley Tour Package costs $350, which is based on double occupancy, and includes 2 nights' accommodations and requires a reservation. Bike, helmets and water are available for participants. Half day, one day and multi day packages available at varying prices.
• Blackstone Valley Scenic Railway Tours: from Cumberland, Rhode Island to Putnam, Connecticut, take a fall foliage and shopping excursion to Putnam for antique shopping, dining, and Putnam Fall Festival.

Eat

There are many different restaurants and diners in this region that offer many different types of food. Famous for family-style, all you can eat chicken dinners. Other restaurants offer a variety of cuisines, including Cape Verdean, Chinese, Colombian, Dominican, French, Guatemalan, Indian, Italian, Lebanese, Mediterranean, Mexican, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese. There are bakeries that offer Italian and Italian/American, Italian/French, Portuguese and Spanish inspired goods. Also, a variety of Asian, Cape Verdean, Dominican, Indian, International, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish markets are present in this region.

Drink

The Blackstone Valley is not a major nightlife destination since it is primarily a suburban area for Worcester and Providence. Bars exist, but are fairly utilitarian and mostly cater to their local regulars. There are a handful of breweries in the region, which are quite small and sell most of their beer on-site. Coffee culture in the region, to the extent that it exists, consists mostly of Dunkin Donuts. There are also a couple of Starbucks.

Stay safe

This is a fairly safe area. Visitors have little to worry about other than inclement weather in the winter.

Go next

Visit hip, cosmopolitan Providence

Explore Boston's affluent suburbs in the MetroWest

Drink a Julius IPA in South County