Winter friendly day trip in Worcester, Massachusetts starts with a fantastic breakfast at a famous dive diner. Stroll through a small yet surprisingly impressive museum that features ancient, medieval, and modern works. Consider exploring Greenhill Park. Finish your day with a Mexican dinner on a lake with excellent margaritas and food.
Worcester Art Museum
Built in 1898, Worcester Art Museum (WAM) is surprisingly well endowed and sits in the city center. It has both ancient and modern collections, offering wide appeal. It is handicap accessible. And best of all, it is free for children!
As you enter the museum, you are instantly greeted by a Renaissance courtyard, highlighted by an authentic ancient mosaic floor. Depicting figures from a Roman hunt, the floor and column lined courtyard around it are grand. Just off the center, there are rooms full of ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian pottery and statues. There is also French medieval monk Chapter House, with a cathedral style stone ceiling.
The museum also has a pan Asian collection, featuring Japanese, Chinese, and Hindu pottery and statues. I really loved the extensive carved jade display.
Upstairs you will mostly find painted works. I particularly love the European collection which includes works by Monet and many others.
The final showstopper at WAM is their impressive collection of arms and armor. WAM was able to acquire the vast majority of a former Worcester museum collection (Higgins Armory). When fully displayed, it will feature the largest collection of arms and armor outside of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC! They are working on renovating space to display the large collection. Meanwhile, visitors can still view tons of swords, daggers, and armory pieces. In fact, there is a please touch section for kids to try on some of the helmets!! Kids love this part and I suggest keeping it for last. I can’t wait to take them back when the full exhibit opens, expected in 2025!!
Greenhill Park
If weather permits, consider extending the day and getting the wiggles out at Greenhill Park in Worcester. This urban oasis offers nature trails, a playground, and a pond. It includes a small accessible farm, picnic areas, and restrooms. You will also find a Vietnam Memorial there. There is also a giant sledding hill. Stay tuned for a future blog about Greenhill Park. Greenhill Park – Worcester, Ma
Miss Worcester Diner
Consider heading here for breakfast before the art museum. Arrive with patience and a big appetite. It’s worth the wait outside this vintage rail car diner. The staff is quick and food is great. Coffee comes with endless refills. The interior is plastered with stickers and colorful regulars at the bar stools. Serving for over 70 years, this Worcester institution is legendary.
Miss Worcester is famous for homemade corned beef hash and countless variations of stuffed French toast. We finally tried the “crunchy french toast,” a cereal coated slice of french toast served with syrup and whipped cream. One slice is enough for 3-4 people to share as a dessert!
CASH ONLY
Cancun’s Restaurant
Cancun’s Restaurant, Grafton MA
Looking for a dinner detour on your way back to Boston? Warm and inviting Cancun’s is just a few minutes off interstate 90, state route 20, and state route 9. Located in central Grafton, MA, this colorful and family-friendly Mexican restaurant sits on pretty Lake Ripple. In the summer, they also offer seating outside.
The convenient children’s menu includes tacos, hamburgers, and fries, so even picky kids can be happy. Endless chips and salsa are complementary. The entrees are LARGE, fresh, and reasonably priced. Our favorites are the carne asada, sizzling fajitas, and burritos. Don’t forget to grab a well-balanced house margarita! Always a great time, we love it here!
Tips for Worcester Art Museum:
It took our family about 1.5 hours to tour the museum.
There are clean restrooms available and a coat rack.
There are small refreshments available in the Renaissance court. Food and drink are not allowed in the gallery rooms.
Current prices are $18 for adults, but children 17 and under are free!
There is free parking available at the museum and on the street.
The museum has events throughout the year such as shopping, after hours drinks, and music performances. I once saw an impressive Japanese Taiko concert there. Be sure to check their online event calendar.
If local, WAM also offers art classes for adults and kids. This is a great winter way to learn something new in a welcoming environment. WAM art classes
If the art gallery has inspired you or your children, consider these fun watercolor pens. Far less mess than traditional watercolors. This set comes with two markers that you fill with water. Use them for your washes and dilutions of the other markers. We love these, great for on the go watercolor painting! 48 Watercolor Brush Pens (#ad)
Worcester Art Museum – Google Maps
Miss Worcester Diner – Google Maps
Cancun’s Restaurant, Grafton, MA – Google Maps
Note: All images on this page are my own and cannot be reproduced in any way without permission from myself and the Worcester Art Museum.
As always, would love to hear about your experiences. Get out and go explore!
Kit@astrayfish.com
Astray Fish 
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