15 Best Things to Do in Charlton (MA)

Charlton is a small town first settled by Europeans in the 1730s, located near the transition point between central and western Massachusetts.

Originally part of neighboring Oxford, the land includes two wonderfully preserved historic districts in the city's urban core on Main Street and the Northside Village Center.

Since 2017, Charlton has been featured as home to Treehouse Brewing Company, considered one of the best craft breweries in the world, with IPAs that rank among the best you can find anywhere.

Charlton is also just a few miles from the famous residential history museum, Old Stourbridge Village, and has its own delightful town farm at Fay Mountain Farm, where you can wander the lanes and buy fresh, seasonal produce.

1. Tree House Brewing Company

Ranked as one of the country's top breweries and known for its IPAs, Tree House Brewing Company was founded near Broomfield in 2011 and now operates five facilities.

It is a non-distribution enterprise, which means you have to go to the source to get the cans or pours.

Located in the Charlton countryside, the main brewery, distillery and coffee roaster is an understandable venue for craft beer enthusiasts, attracting lines on busy days.

The 53,000-square-foot facility opened in 2017 at a cost of $18.5 million, and has sparked a local debate about how best to manage the influx of visitors to the city.

As for the ales, you can make them for the main bar, which has more than 40 beers on tap at any given time, while cans must be ordered in advance.

2. Old Sturbridge Village

New England's largest museum is located minutes from Charlton in Sturbridge. Spanning more than 200 acres, this living historical attraction recreates rural New England at the turn of the 19th century.

Old Sturbridge Village features nearly 60 historic buildings, transported from around the area, while a number of costumed actors help bring ancient customs, crafts and crafts to life.

In the village you can visit beautiful old residences and businesses such as a law office, a tin shop, a hotel, a bank and a cider mill.

There are also working grist mills, carding mills, saw mills and a beautiful countryside with traditional agricultural and rural livelihoods.

You'll never have to wait long for the seasonal program from Fourth of July to Christmas Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village.

3. Fay Mountain Farm

The city acquired the 65-acre Fay Mountain Farm in Charlton's historic Northside Village in 2002.

About half of this charming estate consists of apple orchards, plus a pond, a 19th-century barn, blueberry and blueberry farms, and peaceful woods.

You can stop by the farm stand to purchase an array of seasonal fresh produce, including a wide variety of apples in late summer and fall. Also on sale are farm-raised meats, cheeses, and baked goods such as pies, turnovers, apple pies, and apple cakes.

Part of the fun of Fay Mountain Farm is enjoying the rural views on the trails along part of the Mid-State Trail.

4. Buffumville Lake

On the east bank of Charlton is a system of flood control projects developed by the US Army Corps of Engineers in the mid-20th century.

USACE still manages the 200-acre Buffumville Lake and the nearby Hodges Village Dam, opening up much of the Charlton and Oxford area for people to enjoy.

One thing you can do here is walk the bright blue paved trail around the edge of the lake, which is 7.2 miles long and has some great landmarks.

The day use area also has a 300-foot beach and picnic area with shelters and grills. You can boat on both sides of the lake, and if you fish here, largemouth bass and stripers are often biting.

5. Midstate Trail

Much of eastern and northern Charlton is traversed by a 92-mile hiking trail, which winds its way from the state line with Rhode Island in the south to the New Hampshire border in the north.

The thing that makes the Midstate Trail so accessible is that it uses footpaths on pre-existing public lands and country roads, so what better way to explore the area's famous rolling hills. There is no way.

The track enters Charlton just north of Lake Buffomville, skirts several ponds and passes Fay Mountain Farm on the Spencer Track.

6. Northside Village Historic District

You may want to take some time to explore this historic village center in Charlton, which first appeared in the 1730s at the junction of Stafford, Northside and Cemetery Roads.

Northside Village is protected as a historic district with just over a dozen buildings, and is rich in 18th and early 19th century residential architecture.

A prime example is the Ryder Tavern (ca. 1797), a stop on the Stagecoach Route between Worcester and Hartford, CT, known for hosting the Marquis de Lafayette, among others.

The building belongs to the Charlton Historical Society, and is open for guided tours on select days in the summer.

The oldest building in the area is Wheelock House (1735), while Waters-Morton House (mid-18th century) was the childhood home of William T. G. Morton, who is remembered for introducing ether as an anesthetic.

7. Capen Hill Nature Sanctuary

Adjacent to Treehouse Brewing Company is an 86-acre nature preserve, managed by a non-profit organization and open to the public for free.

Cabin Hill has a network of well-marked trails, on boardwalks through forests, meadows, and past ponds and wetlands. The shelter is community-focused, and hosts a number of educational programs throughout the year.

The nature exhibits, mineral exhibits, library, gift shop, and visitor center featuring live animals are not to be missed. Look for the annual Fall Festival in September with food, arts, and crafts in this beautiful setting.

8. Ronnie’s Seafood

Usually open from Good Friday to Columbus Day, Ronnie's Seafood is a summer institution in Charton, now dating back more than half a century.

This family business is all about New England-style seafood, whether grilled or fried. You have clam strips, fried clams, scallops, clam cakes, clam chowder, haddock, lobster rolls, popcorn shrimp, the list goes on.

Ronnie's Seafood also shines as an ice cream stand, offering over 30 flavors of hard ice cream with a wide variety of toppings if you want to create your own.

9. Charlton Center Historic District

Charlton's second historic district is the city's municipal core along Main Street.

Rather than being a commercial district, it is typically the center of a New England town, with municipal functions such as City Hall and Public Library, and an impressive collection of historic residences.

Most notable is the John Speer House (1798), built for Major General John Speer (1759-1816), who served in the Continental Army at the Boston Tea Party and the Battle of Bunker Hill.

The Overlook Hotel, built in the shingle style in the late 19th century, was the first architect-designed building in the center, and has been a retirement community for more than a century.

The Town Hall (1905) is designed in the Colonial Revival style, fronting Narrow Common, with a beautiful bandstand.

10. Buffumville Lake Disc Golf Course

Something that brings people from miles around Lake Buffomville is the East Shore Golf Course, considered one of the best in the area.

Starting on the right side of the dam, the course's 18 main holes test your accuracy with several water hazards, sharp elevation changes and some dense forests.

Everything is carefully maintained, from the concrete tees to the baskets, and signs indicating shots and hazards to avoid. The course also has a nine-hole loop option, ideal for less experienced players.

11. Wells State Park

Just outside the western limits of Charlton in Sturbridge lies a 1,400-acre state park that preserves the rugged landscape along the shores of Walker Pond.

One of the best things to do in Wells State Park is to hike the trail to the peaks of Carpenter Rocks, named after John Carpenter, who owned and operated a nearby sawmill. From here you can see the pond and valley to the east.

In the summer, Walker Pond is popular for paddle sports, while chain pickerel, yellow perch, largemouth bass and bluegill are species regularly caught in the lake.

The campground at Wells State Park has 60 sites and has beach access on the lakeshore.

12. Charlton Arts & Activities Center (CAAC)

Charlton Center houses a multi-faceted community center in a beautifully restored farm and barn. The Charlton Arts and Activities Center offers programs and classes for all ages, from drama to art and crafts, dance and music.

CAAC is also known locally for its annual events. The most anticipated of these is the Blueberry Festival, held in late July, which features more than 50 artisan vendors and non-profit booths, as well as children's activities and blueberry treats like shortcakes, ice cream, and cupcakes.

13. Bay Path Cemetery

A visit to Charlton Center is worth taking some time to see Bay Path Cemetery, which dates back to 1764.

Extended in 1812, it is the burial place of many of Charlton's prominent ancient families, and you'll frequently see names such as McIntyre, Weld, Towne, Ward and Harwood.

Among the most important burials are John Spurr (1748-1822), a participant in the Boston Tea Party, and John "Grizzly" Adams (1812-1860), a famous California mountain man known for training grizzly bears.

To the north are the stone walls of the old town pound which dates from 1837 and was used to house sheep.

14. Prindle Pond

One of the most beautiful small lakes in Massachusetts, Prindle Pond is a 76-acre man-made body of water southwest of Charlton.

The lakefront is open to the public on the eastern shore, where there is a park on a grassy slope, with parking and a boat dock.

The site is relatively undeveloped, and has some lovely mature trees for shade, while the view across the water at sunset is magical.

Located on more than 600 wooded acres on the West Coast, Prindle Pond Conference Center is designed to host numerous weeknight and weekend events focused on team building and learning about nature.

15. Heritage Country Club

Located in the rolling countryside of Charlton, it is one of the best public golf courses in central Massachusetts.

Founded in 1963, Heritage Country Club prides itself on offering the amenities and conditions of a private club, but with the affordability of a daily fee course.

The holes on this trail meander through a hardwood forest with natural terrain for sweeping views and challenging elevation changes.

This variation requires every club in the bag, and the greens are praised for being sharp and true, even in the spring.