15 Best Things to Do in Norfolk (MA)
Norfolk is a rural, suburban town with a population of about 12,000, located in the upper Charles River Valley, on the southwestern edge of the Boston metropolitan area.
Norfolk's early history revolves around a religious dispute in the 18th century, which led members of the congregation to leave Wrentham and settle in North Wrentham.
By the Civil War, North Wrentham had enough infrastructure to incorporate as a city of its own, and it became Norfolk.
As it was then, Town Hill is the heart of Norfolk Municipality, and is also the location of Norfolk's MBTA commuter rail station.
Located within walking distance of Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots, Norfolk is known for its conservation land, hills carved hundreds of years ago, and picturesque mill ponds.
1. Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary
Norfolk is home to one of the Massachusetts Audubon Society's favorite sanctuaries. Surrounding a beautiful mill pond, Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary is a mix of woodland, open fields and an extensive wetland system.
It is crossed by an elevated trail that is over 500 feet long, giving you a great opportunity to observe the abundant wildlife that the swamp supports.
There is also the globally accessible Post and Rope All Persons Trail, with guides available in audio, Braille and large print.
Children will love the nature play area, while the preserve's gift shop, natural history exhibits, and nature center have a variety of programs.
2. Norfolk Farmers’ Market
Town Hill has had a summer farmers market since 2016. A vibrant community of vendors and customers has developed over the years, and with each new season comes a larger selection.
On a typical week, you can expect to find seasonal fruits and vegetables, pasture-raised meats, eggs, honey, fresh-cut flowers, fresh breads and pastries, and a wide range of handicrafts.
There are at least two live music performances during the season along with family activities and an ice cream truck when the weather is warm.
The market lasts from the beginning of June to the end of September, and is usually held on a Wednesday afternoon.
3. Lind Farm Conservation Area
This attractive, forest-protected property is located on the Norfolk-Wrantham town line. When you leave the North St. parking area, you'll be amazed at how far the single-lane trail network has grown, even with the addition of a new residential development.
The main loop, which wraps around the outer edges of the Lind Farm Conservation Area, is more than four miles long and is popular with mountain bikers.
One highlight is the unusually large vernal pool, which provides a habitat for amphibians including green frogs, wood frogs and vernal peepers.
4. The Tramp House
On Town Hill, next to the library, there is an interesting place dating from the second half of the 19th century.
In the years following the Civil War, thousands of traveling men traveled north along the railroad in search of work.
For a time, local residents gave them temporary shelter, but eventually the towns took it upon themselves to build “Trump Houses.”
There are only a few of these buildings left in Massachusetts, and the Norfolk Trump House, built in 1886, is preserved in beautiful condition and surrounded by beautiful landscaping.
5. Jane & Paul’s Farm
In recent years, when the owners were in semi-retirement when we wrote this article, Jane & Paul's farm was one of the last fruit and vegetable farms in Norfolk. In June, July and August, you can come and pick your own fruit.
Blueberries are especially popular, which are much larger than what you find in the supermarket, up to the size of a grape.
At the farm stand you will find a variety of other fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as herb plants for sale.
6. Gillette Stadium
If you need a reminder, the famous home of the New England Patriots is located ten minutes from downtown Norfolk.
Gillette Stadium was completed in 2002, coinciding with an amazing period in Pats history, during which they won nine conference championships and six Super Bowls.
The 65,878-seat stadium was undergoing its first major renovation project when we compiled this list, creating the largest outdoor video board in the United States.
MLS's New England Revolution also plays its home matches at Gillette Stadium, which will be one of the stadiums that will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
7. Patriots Hall of Fame
A few years after Gillette Stadium was completed, the Patriots Hall of Fame was opened as part of the Patriot Place development.
Combining video, audio and many hands-on exhibits, this high-tech interactive museum has also received a multi-million dollar update over the past few years.
Most important of all, you'll relive the moments that defined the Pats' extraordinary dynasty under Belichick and Tom Brady.
You'll learn about each of the team's 19 members (at the time of writing), reminisce about historic wins and losses, get the inside track on Belichick's playbook, and marvel at accolades including six Super Bowls. You will be surprised by: See the matrix.
8. Patriot Place
The shopping center adjacent to Gillette Stadium was opened in two phases in the late 2000s and is located on the site of the partially demolished Foxboro Stadium, the former home of the Pats.
Patriot Place transformed the stadium and surrounding area into a year-round destination, especially for dining and entertainment.
There is a wide range of restaurants for everything from New England-style seafood to hibachi restaurants, as well as a branch of high-end luxury theaters at Showcase Cinemas.
You also have a comedy club, a "draw and sip" studio, and locations for the likes of Bass Pro Shops, Trader Joe's, Ulta Beauty, and Victoria's Secret.
9. The Nature Trail and Cranberry Bog
What you might not expect at Patriot Place is the last remaining active cranberry bog in Foxboro. Located behind Bass Pro Shops, it produces berries as part of the Ocean Spray Cooperative.
Discovered via a half-mile nature trail, the swamp covers 16 acres and features boardwalks and interpretive signs explaining the unique process of growing and harvesting cranberries.
The trail is surprisingly varied, winding through the forest and crossing the creek that drains the swamp. If you go in the fall, you can be in time to see the harvest.
10. Norfolk Public Library
One of Town Hill's impressive buildings is the recently expanded Norfolk Public Library, with its shingle facades, gables, lantern and dome.
It is the site of the old North School building, which was built around the 1870s and moved to the site in 1898 when it became the firehouse.
The building was then used as a school again from 1926 until the 1950s, when the current library was built around it. A 19th-century schoolhouse was incorporated into the building, which survives today as the Jan de Heel Room, used for meetings and exhibitions.
In addition to offering many services and programs to Norfolk residents, the library is home to events like the city's farmers market, as seen, and the annual Cactus and Succulents Festival in September.
The Friends of Norfolk Public Library also hosts the largest book sale in the state each April.
11. Fore Kicks Sports Complex and Golf Course
Four Kicks, a chain of mega-sports complexes, has three locations in Massachusetts, one of which can be found southeast of Norfolk.
There is 85,000 square feet of indoor space for sports such as soccer, basketball, baseball, field hockey, lacrosse, volleyball, and more.
The complex is home to competitive tournaments, but is also open for visits, rentals and birthday parties. Golfers will be especially happy, as there is an indoor putting green ($12 for a large bucket), and a floodlit outdoor par 3 putting green.
12. Campbell Forest
This lush forest trail can be accessed on foot from the Norfolk MBTA station. Founded in 1972, Campbell Forest has a small parking area off North Street, and from there you can go on a loop hike that's just over a mile long.
As you head east, you'll come to a wetland in a creek watershed that eventually empties into the Stoop River.
There are sections of the trail over damp areas, and you can combine a visit to Campbell Forest with Stonebrook Wildlife Refuge, located a little further south along North St. Louis.
13. Norfolk Ice Arena
The ice rink has been serving Norfolk and many surrounding communities since 1995, and is open year-round. Norfolk Arena is family owned and operated, offering a variety of events for everyone.
Norfolk Frost Skating School offers lessons for a wide range of ages and levels, while there are all types of leagues, programs and general sessions for youth and adult hockey.
For skaters learning more advanced skills, there are also freestyle sessions several times a week.
Finally, if you're just looking for a relaxing place to spend some time on the ice, you can check the website for details on regular public skating sessions.
14. Norfolk Community Park
Families looking for activities for younger children will love this fantastic playground, which opened in 2010 near central Norfolk.
The Norfolk Community Park is officially designed for children ages 2 to 12, but may be better suited for younger age groups.
With a circular design, the playground is completely fenced and surrounded by a conifer forest. There are swings, climbing frames and slides as well as a large sandbox.
Surrounding the fence is a bicycle path that runs over a series of humps. There are plenty of shade spaces for parents, as well as picnic tables, with easy access to parking.
15. Noon Hill Reservation
A stone's throw away in Middlefield is a group of properties managed by Reservation Trustees.
The most important of these is Noon Hill Reservation, centered on a 370-foot hill, which you can climb for far-reaching views south to Gillette Stadium.
The slopes are covered in forests of pine, hemlock, birch and beech, and showy wildflowers bloom in the spring months.
At some point, the land was cleared for agriculture, but forests have since reclaimed it, with the stone walls serving as a reminder of what came before.
The Bay Circuit Trail passes through the reserve on its 230-mile route through the greater Boston area, skirting the banks of Holt Pond, which was built in the 1760s to power a mill.
