14 Best Things to Do in Hanover (MA)

15 Best Things to Do in Hanover (MA)

Founded about 300 years ago, this south coast city has an ancient center built by one of the city's first European families.

Now a museum owned by the Hanover Historical Society, the Stetson House (ca. 1700) paints a fascinating picture of city life in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Hanover's southern border is on the Indian River, which then becomes the North River at its confluence with Heringbroke.

In the 18th, 19th, and part of the 20th centuries, these banks were filled with factories producing everything from munitions to nails to reclaimed rubber.

Now, much of the riverfront is open to the public as the Hanover Greenway Trail. You can hike through beautiful stands of hardwood forests with faded traces of industry, stopping at rocky outcrops for stunning views.

1. Hanover Center Historic District

City Center Since its founding in the 1720s, downtown Hanover has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1996.

Rather than being a crowded city, it is made up of 40 acres of imposing public and municipal buildings, and centuries-old residences.

The oldest is the Stetson House (more on that later), which was likely built by the grandson of Hanover's first European settlers.

The first Greek Revival church (1863) stands on the site of the city's first meetinghouse, from 1727. There are also the Great City Hall, built in the Italianate style in 1863, and the Georgian-style Curtis Free Library from 1907.

2. Luddam’s Ford Park

For centuries, the Indian Head River was the power source for a variety of industries, from blacksmithing to mills to large rubber works.

Established in 1873, the latter was the largest factory of its kind in the United States, producing reclaimed rubber.

On the Hanover side of the river, the local conservation commission manages 22 acres at the mill site.

The land has a human history dating back, and served as a ford along the Old Bay Road between Plymouth and Boston, named after 17th-century leader James Lydham.

The park is one of the intersections along the Indian Head River, and is connected to the Hanover Branch Railroad, which takes you to the Hanson/Hanover City Line.

3. Starland Sportsplex & Fun Park

For a family day out, Starland Sportsplex & Fun Park combines New England's largest sports complex with nine indoor and outdoor attractions, plus an arcade containing nearly 40 games.

The Sportsplex offers facilities for basketball, soccer/futsal, volleyball, pickleball, lacrosse, baseball/softball/waffleball, and flag football.

As for the theme park, it includes laser tag, miniature golf, go-karts, bumper cars, a climbing wall, batting cages, an XD dark ride, and a EuroBungy trampoline.

There are two places to eat and drink, with a take-away counter for pizza, burgers and more, and an upstairs café serving freshly roasted bagels and coffee.

4. Stetson House

The Hanover Historical Society preserves this fine colonial residence in the Hanover Center Historic District.

The Stetson House was built in the late 18th century for Samuel Stetson (1673-1760) and remained in the Stetson family until the 1870s.

Much earlier, it is believed that the meetings that led to the founding of the Hanover Company took place in the house. Another fascinating detail about this two-and-a-half-story building is that it was briefly used for religious services after the town church burned down in the 19th century.

The Historical Society has created a variety of exhibits with rooms dedicated to maritime, agricultural, industrial and military history. You can go for a ride on a Saturday afternoon, and get many insights into the life and customs of the Stetsons.

5. Forge Pond Park

This wonderful public park combines championship-ready sports fields with large expanses of woodland for passive recreation. Forge Pond Park contains three fenced baseball fields, three softball fields and three multi-use fields.

They are located around a spacious grassy area, all complete with a pavilion with picnic tables and a concession stand that is open during events.

The impressive sports facilities include state-of-the-art equipment, including solar-powered and remote-controlled scoreboards.

If you visit Forge Pond Park on a typical day, you can spend hours exploring more than four miles of paved and dirt trails through the forest.

These connect to the Hanover Greenway Adventure Trail along the drinking water and Indian Head rivers. At the time we wrote this article, the National Fireworks property, which would normally be part of this network, was closed due to an unexpired law.

6. Hanover Farmers Market

When we compiled this list, the city's farmers market had only been in operation for a few years. However, it was already a large operation, with more than 30 vendors in busy weeks.

As always, the freshest fruits and vegetables come straight from area farms, but grass-fed beef, honey, cut flowers, salsa, cheese, fresh bread and baked goods, coffee, homemade sauces and shaved ice are also available.

Other vendors include artisans selling home decor, jewelry, candles, pet accessories and organic cosmetics, while local organizations also have booths. The market is held at Hanover High School on the third Sunday of the month, from May to November.

7. Indian Head River Trails

The two-mile linear stretch of property on the Hanover side of the Indian Head River is maintained by the city Conservation Commission and is part of the Hanover Greenway Trail.

The Indian Head River Trail stays close to the water's edge, occasionally giving you stunning views from some of the dramatic cliffs along its banks.

Probably the easiest route is Luddam’s Ford Park, the main route is provided by the Hanover Branch Railway, with small spurs to help you find the bank.

West of Luddam’s Ford Park you'll find the remains of the Waterman Tuck Factory, dating back to 1830, on a site with an industrial history dating back to the late 18th century.

8. Wildlands Trust – Tucker Preserve

If you're interested in learning more about the centuries of industrial history on the Indian Head River, you can head to Pembroke, where the Wildlands Trust maintains a large tract of land.

Long reclaimed from a hardwood forest of elm, ash, oak, birch and walnut, the property was once owned by the Klap Rubber Company.

Framing ancient stone walls speaks of the land's distant agricultural past, and there are interpretive signs detailing everything from old mills and fisheries to the river's Native American history.

There is a particularly beautiful spot near the back border of the reserve, where the river runs through a gorge and the site of an old dam.

9. Boston Bowl

Whether you're a competitive player or just looking for an activity with friends or family, Boston Bowl is part of our newest street and local series.

What's notable about the setup here is that you can choose between ten-pin bowling and candle bowling, which is a regional style with long, narrow pins and a short ball.

There are discounts all week, including Monday-Friday, from 9am-5pm, when games cost less than $6 at the time of writing.

The Boston Bowl Lounge is also reasonably priced, filled with vintage recovery machines, while DW Brewpub serves up plenty of comfort foods, including pizza with handmade dough and fresh toppings.

10. Herring Run Historical Park, Pembroke

In the southeast corner of Hanover, the Indian Head River merges with the North River. This waterway is especially important for herring and their large migration each spring.

Around April, thousands of herring swim up the North River and then into the Herring Brook, 12 miles from the spawning grounds at Oldham Pond and Furness Pond in the nearby town of Pembroke.

A great place to view this stunning landscape is Herring Run Historic Park. The channel here is particularly shallow and narrow, making it easy to spot the fish, which are about a foot long and silvery blue in color.

11. Crossroads Cafe & Deli

It has been listed as one of the best breakfast spots in Massachusetts by the likes of The Boston Globe and Crossroads Cafe and Deli at the intersection of Routes 53 and 139 in Hanover.

In a cozy, country-style setting, you can choose from a wide range of breakfast and brunch dishes, including omelettes, quiches baked fresh every day, and make your own sandwiches with cold cuts from Boar's Head.

The house special sandwich is especially popular during the holiday season in Plymouth County, and is filled with oven-roasted turkey and homemade stuffing.

12. Hanover Branch Rail Trail (Rockland Rail Trail)

The approximately eight-mile-long Hanover Branch Railroad was built in the mid-19th century, connecting Hanover Four Corners (southeast of the city) to the Old Colony Railroad in North Plymouth.

The line is primarily used to transport goods between several large organizations, and its creation goes to E.Y. Perry, who ran a technology factory in South Hanover.

You can walk along the railroad where it follows the Indianhead River (Indianhead Trails), but just west of Hanover the right-of-way has been converted into a paved railroad track.

It extends the width of Rockland and also cuts through parts of North Abington, for a total of about three miles. The eastbound track is located just off Market Street, on the Hanover/Rockland city line.

13. Hanover Day

Every June, the Hannover Cultural Council organizes two days of fun, culture, family fun and great food in Silvesterfeld.

Things start off on Fridays with the carnival and food trucks, and then on Saturdays you have a lot of things going on from morning to night.

In short, there's a juried art show, a vendor and craft fair, and live music all day long with a battle of the bands. Children will enjoy all kinds of games and rubber toys, while the carnival continues throughout Saturday.

There's a road race and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament for the competitive spirit, and the entire event culminates in a massive fireworks display.

14. New England Holiday Craft Spectacular

For more than two decades, the Starland Sportsplex in Hanover has been hosting an amazing craft fair the first weekend in December.

The New England Holiday Craft Spectacular is huge, featuring nearly 200 juried crafters and artisans.

For a small cross-section of what to expect - tapestries, quilts, candles, handmade jewelry, decorative pages, oil paintings, watercolors, wreaths, baskets, sashes, mosaics, metal crafts, pottery - there is far more than we can list here.

You can sample and purchase a variety of specialty food products, from fudge to honey, hotdogs, jams, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and dips.