15 Best Things to Do in Tyngsborough (MA)

Straddling the Merrimack River, Tyngsborough is a city located along the MA/NH border and is recognized by the Green Arch Bridge.

It dates back to the 1930s and is adjacent to the old town centre, and is the only crossing over the river in both directions for several miles.

Located on Route 3, Tyngsborough - also spelled Tyngsboro - is the center of a commercial corridor with shops, tourist attractions, restaurants, an AMC Theater and Pheasant Lane Mall, New Hampshire's largest mall, a shopping mall.

Leave Route 3 a long way off, on peaceful city-owned preserve lands, and on more than 1,000 acres of forest and wetlands in the Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest.

1. The Butterfly Place

This unique experience is located on the Tyngsborough-Westford town line. Housed in an elevated greenhouse, The Butterfly Place is an indoor garden featuring hundreds of New England's exotic and native butterflies.

In a kaleidoscope of colors, these insects can be seen flying, basking on tree leaves, or drinking nectar from many flowers.

There is a 15-minute introductory video for an informative primer on butterflies and their famous life cycle, and you can see the eggs and caterpillars up close in the terrarium.

The butterflies share their habitat with koi fish and quail, and there is also a gift shop that sells books, butterfly gifts, and special opening and releasing equipment.

2. Parlee Farms

Located on 100 acres near the Merrimack River, this family farm began growing in 1987 and specializes in U-Pick fruits and flowers.

Parlee Farms has a long picking season for its fruit, starting with strawberries in mid-June and ending with pumpkins in late October.

Along with midsummer blueberries, peak times are August, September and October, when apple picking is in full swing.

There are more than 20 varieties available, from Honey Crisp to Golden Delicious. Just check the website to see what's ready before you arrive.

The farm stand is filled with farm-grown produce, desserts such as cider cakes, and homemade or locally made gourmet items, including maple syrup, honey, jams, sauces and dressings.

3. Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest

Southeast of Tyngsborough you can enter over 1,100 acres of woodland, consisting of moors, ponds, streams and vernal pools.

Spanning two neighboring towns, Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest has miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, as well as winter snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.

A network of fire roads and double track makes it a great place for easy mountain biking, while the single track system thrives on three hours of serious mountain biking.

The largest single body of water, Althea Lake, is located in the Tyngsborough section of the forest, with a car-roof boat launch on Althea Street.

4. Old Town Hall

Tyngsborough's most valuable historic building is the Old Town Hall, a magnificent wooden structure constructed in 1834.

As you can see, it was originally a church, built for the city's Baptist denomination, in a transitional phase between Federal and Greek Revival architecture.

The building was sold to the city in 1857, and served as the city's administrative headquarters until the 1990s.

These functions were moved after a termite infestation was discovered, and the structure underwent a multi-million dollar renovation in early 2010, reopening in 2014.

On the National Register of Historic Places since 2005, Old City Hall now has a ceremonial role, hosting civic events and private hearings.

5. Sullivan Farms Homemade Ice Cream

Located along the Merrimack River, with a beautiful grassy expanse out back, this bustling ice cream shop has been in business for more than a quarter century.

Sullivan Farms Homemade Ice Cream has more than 50 permanent flavors, supported by more than 30 other seasonal flavors, so there's always something new to try when you come by.

If there's one flavor you definitely need to try it's the vanilla fudge brownie, made with chunks of chewy brownie.

You can order a cup, cone, frappe, flute, sundae or banana split, and there's also a selection of frozen yogurts (95% fat-free) from blackberry to cookie dough.

6. Mascuppic Lake (Town Beach)

Just north of Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest, 209-acre Mascuppic Lake is a hive of fun during the summer months.

At this time of year, Town Beach is open on the west bank. The beach is located within a park and has more than 250 feet of sandy shoreline, as well as many amenities including a boat launch, a playground, picnic tables, a restroom, and tetherball.

Off the coast, the park hosts competitive youth baseball games, including three Cal Ripken youth baseball games.

7. Pheasant Lane Mall

There is a trade corridor along the Middlesex Road parallel to the Merrimack River where the line crosses into Nashua, New Hampshire.

At the top of the line is one of the largest malls in New Hampshire, with nearly 140 stores and services.

Pheasant Lane Mall opened in 1986, and an interesting challenge was making sure the entire mall faced the New Hampshire Line, where there was no sales tax.

When they discovered that the state line had been drawn incorrectly in their plans, the developers were forced to redesign the portion of JCPenney that crossed the border.

Among the many national and international chains in existence at the time of writing were Target, Apple, Toured, Foot Locker, Forever 21, Victoria's Secret, Sephora, Lush, Lego, and Build-A-Bear Workshop.

On the food side, you always have food halls like Subaru, Sarco Japan, and Auntie Ann's along with branches of Chick-fil-A, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dairy Queen, and Red Robin.

8. Sherburne Nature Center

Located just west of Lake Moscob, this city-owned conservation area is named after the local Sherburne family, who in 1999 created 80 acres of lush hardwood forest, meadows, vernal pools and a beaver pond.

Sherburne Nature Center has four distinct hiking trails, with parts of the boardwalk over damp terrain.

None of the trails are long or over steep terrain, so this is one of the few places in Tyngsborough where you can get a little dose of nature before heading back to your day.

There are plenty of benches and picnic tables, and the nature center hosts many educational programs and events throughout the year.

9. Max’s Country Golf

Located just a short drive south of Pheasant Lane Mall, Max Country Golf is a family entertainment center dedicated to golf.

The main attraction here is the 18-hole miniature golf course, in a theme park setting, with artificial rock formations, small country buildings, a river, and what is claimed to be the tallest man-made structure in the Northeast. waterfall.

To go along with it, you have bumper boats, baseball and softball cages, and a driving range with 50 teeing stations. For a sweet treat, Max Country Golf also has an ice cream stand serving homemade Richardson ice cream, not far away in Middleton, Massachusetts.

10. Long Pond Shores

The city owns another beautiful property on the west bank of Long Pond. From 1950 to 1994, the camp was called Kiwanis, a Girl Scout camp that was defunct until Tyngsborough acquired it in 2003.

Long Pond Shores is a pleasant, nearly 50-acre expanse of deciduous forest, with hiking and biking trails.

A newly developed accessible trail from Alden Road to the lakeshore, the property is also open for the disabled. There is a boat launch on the water as well as a selection of swimming areas.

11. Haystack Observatory

Tucked away on the Tyngsborough-Westford line is an interdisciplinary research facility of international importance run by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Founded in 1960, the Haystack Observatory consists of a radio science center, an ionospheric observatory, and a microwave astronomical observatory.

In her own words, Haystack's mission is "to develop technology for radio science applications, thereby studying the structure of our Galaxy and the larger universe, advancing scientific knowledge about our planet and its space environment, and educating scientists. I get to contribute to this." And future engineers.”

If you want to learn more about how MIT scientists and engineers explore the universe by studying radio waves, the Haystack Observatory hosts exciting open house events on the third Thursday of May and October each year.

12. Bell Trail

There is a 16-acre forest next to Tyngsborough Town Hall and the Public Library for a quick escape into nature.

The land was donated to the town in 1996 by Edward Bell, and is located next to a former mink farm. Occasionally, you may see a mink in the wild, descended from an escapee.

Under a canopy of hardwoods and evergreens, the mile-long trail meets original stone walls dating back centuries. The path is well marked, and is just the right length for a lunch break or family walk with young children.

13. AMC Tyngsborough 12

Adjacent to Pheasant Lane Mall, in a shopping center on the Massachusetts side, is an AMC complex that has been here since 1991.

The number of AMC Tyngsboro 12 screens was increased from six to twelve screens in 1996, and has evolved over time. Recent upgrades have outfitted all 12 halls with giant floor-to-ceiling screens, state-of-the-art audio technology and giant ergonomic chairs.

It has armrests that lift up to form a loveseat, so you can watch the latest movies from the comfort of your home. Tyngsboro is also home to a 30% discount on all apprentices every day before 4pm.

14. Tyngsborough Bridge

First completed in 1930 and then rebuilt in 1975, the cable-stayed steel bridge that crosses the Merrimack River at Tyngsborough deserves your attention, especially if you're interested in engineering.

It replaced the wooden Whipple Truss Bridge, which dated back to the 19th century and still has the longest span of any through-arch ribbed steel bridge in Massachusetts (547 feet).

The Tyngsborough Bridge is also the second oldest crossing of its kind in the state, and underwent a $19 million renovation in 2009, in part to re-engineer the steel girders, and replace the original lead paint.

15. Tyngsborough Block Party-by-the-Bridge

The city's love for its record-breaking bridge is clear to all at this annual event held at the end of summer.

On the last Saturday in August, nearby Tyngsborough Common is taken over by an entire village of craft vendors, food and drink and various stalls of other local businesses.

Children can meet the pets at the petting zoo, ride a pony, while there is an afternoon full of competitions and fun games for all ages.

You can enjoy hours of live music on the main stage, and the day ends with a fireworks display on the bridge at dusk.