15 Best Things to Do in Clinton (MA)

This lively town north-east of Worcester was founded in the mid-19th century by two carpet-making brothers.

Half a century later, the landscape under Clinton changed forever when the Nashua River was dammed to create the 7-square-mile Wachusett Reservoir, the largest of its kind in the world at the time.

You can walk along the deck here for a great view, while the panoramic walkway over the dam is open to the public twice a year.

Since 2010, Clinton's population has increased by 15%, and the downtown area has a real sense of vitality, with exciting restaurants and shops, vibrant community events, as well as the arts at the Museum of Russian Icons. It is the best destination.

1. Museum of Russian Icons

In the southwest corner of Clinton Central Park is a first-class museum dedicated to Russian Orthodox icons.

Lincoln (1932-2021), a Clinton-based visual artist, built up a large collection of icons after first purchasing them in 1989 at a Moscow market.

It now amounts to more than 1,000 objects, ranging from the mid-fifteenth century to the present day, and appears in chronological and thematic order.

Perhaps the most important exhibits are the magnificent Royal Doors, designed in the 17th century to serve as an entrance to the high altar in the church.

The Russian Icon Museum hosts temporary exhibitions as well as touring shows drawn from its rich collections, and is home to the Center for Icon Studies.

2. Downtown Clinton

Clinton's sudden population growth since the early 2010s has helped provide the city with a central business district.

Much of Main Street has also benefited from a multi-million dollar revitalization project, renovating the sidewalks in 2021.

International cafes and restaurants, as well as businesses like Sunrise Boutique, have been around for decades.

You'll find The Vegan Nest Cafe, (54 High Street), Coffeelands (50 High Street), Taqueria El Amigo (1 High Street), Clinton Bar & Grill (27 High Street), and Olive (72 High Street). u), Simple Man are Salon & Grill (119 High St.), Thai Time (180 Church St.), to name a few.

Downton Clinton is also an American Historic District, filled with 19th-century commercial architecture, much of it in the Italianate style.

3. Central Park

Bringing together downtown Clinton is a park created in the early 1850s when city co-founder Horatio N. Bigelow donated four acres.

In the center is the beautiful Foster Fountain, gifted to Clinton in 1890 by wealthy resident John R. Kennedy. Foster, who owned a chain of clothing stores throughout New England.

Now the fountain here is actually a replica, cast using the original patterns in the late 1990s after it was destroyed in the 1938 New England Hurricane.

Central Park houses historical relics from the Spanish-American War and the Civil War, is a great place to stroll on a sunny day, and is the setting for community events like Clinton’s Olde Home Day in September.

4. Wachusett Dam and Wachusett Reservoir

You can't talk about Clinton without mentioning the enormous reservoir that opens to the southwest.

When completed in 1905, it was the largest public water supply reservoir in the world, at 7 square miles, and remains the second largest in Massachusetts.

The dam that blocked the river was also the largest gravity dam in the world and is still considered the largest hand-dug dam on the planet.

Since the reservoir remains essential to Boston's water supply, recreation is restricted, although the majority of the beach is open for lounging from April to November.

In Clinton you can head out along the Dyke Path, which runs along the top of the North Dyke for some stunning views, especially in the early morning.

There's also a beautiful spot at the foot of the dam off the St. River, with a fountain and grassy areas where you can enjoy a view along the Nashua River.

Twice a year, on the Sunday of Mother's Day weekend and the Sunday of Columbus Day, DCR also opens the walkway along the top of Wachusett Dam to visitors, and it's worth checking out if you're in town.

5. Clinton Historical Society

At the turn of the twentieth century, textile industrialist Francis T. Holder built this magnificent building in the heart of the city in honor of his parents.

The Holder Memorial Building was intended to be the headquarters of the Clinton Historical Society, which officially moved here in 1905.

The association conducts guided tours of this large building on Saturday mornings, or in conjunction with the association's programs and events.

There's plenty to discover inside, including artifacts and supplies from Clinton-era carpet making, hand presses, and a wide array of Civil War artifacts.

Everywhere are reminders of the wealth generated by Clinton's textile industry, along with decorative arts including Masonic ceramics, portraits, and sculpture.

6. Clinton Train Tunnel

When the Wachustus Reservoir was built at the turn of the 20th century, it required rerouting the Massachusetts Central Railroad at Clinton.

It included some major projects, including a bridge over the Nashua River below the dam and a 1,110-foot tunnel on the east bank.

The line was abandoned in 1958, and while the bridge was decommissioned a few decades later, the tunnel still exists, and is expected to become one of the 104 miles of Central Railway tracks within a few years.

Damp and forbidding, the tunnel was a local curiosity for decades, particularly among former researchers. At the time of writing, the building has been temporarily closed to preserve the railway track.

7. The Strand Theatre

When we compiled this list, the Strand Theatre had been permanently closed for a year or more due to the Covid outbreak.

This historic venue opened in 1924 as a vaudeville house and movie theater, and shined as a downtown entertainment venue until its closure in the 1970s.

After a period of dormancy, the cinema reopened in the 1990s as a combined movie theater and barbecue restaurant, with small tables with seating, a menu of American comfort foods, and a variety of beers and wines.

The Strand Theatre has been such a pillar of local life in Clinton that it's hard to imagine it won't reopen once the pandemic is under control.

8. New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill

Built on a snowy hill on the east bank of the Wachusett Reservoir, this pioneering botanical garden is the headquarters of the Worcester County Horticultural Society (1840), the third oldest of its kind in the United States.

Located just ten minutes from central Clinton, the New England Botanical Garden on Tower Hill features themed gardens, structures, and plant collections.

Along with the Stoddard Education and Visitor Center, there is an orange and lemonade greenhouse and a 14,000-square-foot conservatory.

Elsewhere, you will come across beautiful spaces and plantings such as the Cottage Garden, the Secret Garden, Pliny's Alley, the Vegetable Garden, the Wildlife Garden and the Regular Garden in the Italian Renaissance style, to name but a few, and the names are listed.

The Harrington Apple Orchard is exceptional, with 238 trees growing 119 heritage varieties of pre-20th century apples.

9. Davis Farmland

Dating back seven generations and nearly 180 years, Davies Farm has been open for a family day out since the early 1990s.

For children up to 7 years old, the Davis Farmland region is known for its large collection of heritage and endangered local breeds, from Poetou donkeys to highland cattle.

There are plenty of attractions just for kids, from giant slides to dinosaur fossils, innovative play structures and a giant splash pad that looks like an entire water park.

Classic seasonal farm activities are also available at the property, like fall apple picking, where you can also experience the Davis Mega Maze.

10. Bolton Orchards

At Bolton you will find a working farm with a wide range of fruit and vegetables, including 25 varieties of apples.

Bolton Orchards has had a farm stand since 1945 and, like the farm, has expanded significantly over time.

You can shop here for exceptionally fresh produce as the season comes, and there's a harvest schedule to let you know what's ready before you arrive.

The farm stand also has prepared deli foods like soup and homemade pizza, as well as a bakery that makes desserts like cider donuts, an ice cream stand, and locally roasted coffee at Red Barn Coffee. There are also shelves full of premiums. Specialty items are locally sourced.

11. Rauscher Farm

In 2008, the city acquired this diverse, 60-acre piece of nature on the north shore of Clamshell Pond.

The documented history of the site can be traced back to the mid-17th century, and there was a working farm there for generations before the town was purchased.

Habitats range from open water in conch beds to wetlands, forests, fenced grasslands and grasslands.

In summer, the meadows are important for ground-nesting birds as well as butterflies and bees, and there is a wonderful variety of wild flowers throughout the season.

12. Fuller Field

Organized baseball has been played at this location near the Nashua River at 560 High Street since at least 1878. This makes Fuller Field the world's oldest football stadium in continuous use, according to Guinness World Records.

One of the stars in the early days was future Hall of Fame player Tim Keefe (1857–1933), who played for the Clinton Baseball Club early in his career.

Local historian AJ Bastarache discovered the actual age of the stadium after looking at an old oilcloth survey map. Besides this venerable diamond, there is a small baseball field and a soccer field with bleachers.

13. Dexter Drumlin Reservation

This small preserve, located five minutes from Clinton, includes unusual terrain created by the retreat of glaciers at the end of the last ice age.

At 311 feet above sea level, the spoon-shaped Dexter Drumlin is a fine example of its kind, commanding stunning views of Lancaster to the east and northeast.

The property is owned by the Trustees of the Preserves and has a tributary to the Nashua River that forms a wet meadow on the west side.

You can reach the summit along a mile of winding footpaths, and come winter the slopes are perfect for skiing.

14. Clinton’s Olde Home Day

Old House Day, held in Central Park, is an annual observance that began in 1995 to commemorate Clinton's 150th birthday.

This event usually takes place on the second weekend in September and includes activities, games and entertainment for all visitors.

One of the most interesting scenes is bed racing, where teams push a bed on wheels down the road, while one of the passengers wears a helmet.

The schedule features live music, outdoor film screenings, drag, street performers, local food vendors, and artisans from all over New England.

15. Summer Sidewalk Fest

In August, Clinton celebrates its thriving city with an afternoon of entertainment, commerce and food.

Dating back over 50 years, this event has a different theme each year, and has its roots in the days of sidewalk sales that took over the entire downtown area.

The Summer Sidewalk Fest is a more modest event, but still a great showcase for the many thriving independent businesses downtown.

High Street is closed to street traffic, and you'll find concessions at several stores, as well as food trucks, live music, entertainment for the view, and craft beer from Clinton Sterling Street Brewery.