Regional Guide
Our Visitor Center
Route 2 Westbound
Lancaster, MA
Between Exits 35-34
(978) 534-2302
Be sure to visit our Johnny Appleseed Visitor Center when you’re in our neck of the woods. Located on Route 2 West in Lancaster, Mass., between exits 35 and 34, it’s chock-full of helpful brochures and locally made crafts, books, jams and jellies, giftware and souvenirs of all kinds. Our trained staff and volunteers will enjoy welcoming you to the Center, and providing you with customized travel advice and “insider information."
We are open 7 days a week, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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Welcome to Johnny Appleseed Country Tourist Center
 Leominster Trolley Tour
On Saturday, May 18th, Tour Leominster's History from the Leominster Historical Society 17 School St. Leominster. $20 per person. Call (978) 537-5424 for reservations. For more information, click here.
Time to Get Outside!
It is that beautiful time of year when winter is definitely gone, but it is not really hot out yet. So what are the best outdoor activities we have to offer in Johnny Appleseed Country? Well, we have compiled a list for you to check out.
1. Parks. We have SO many parks in the area where you can visit for the day. One example is Coggshall Park (pictured left courtesy of Dorothy Miller). Take the kids and a picnic lunch and spend the day outside! For a complete list of parks in the area, check our Parks page.
2. Hiking. The mountains and waterways in Johnny Appleseed Country make visiting us well worth it! From the Midstate Trail to several highly elevated lookouts including Mt. Wachusett and Mt. Watatic with views all the way to Boston, we offer an option for every hiking lover. We have listed some area hikes for you on our Hiking page.
3. Biking and Other Ways to Use Wheels. We hate to brag, but we do offer some of the best mountain biking in all New England at Leominster State Forest. More information is available on our Mountain Biking page. We also have three paved bike trails for road bikers and rollerbladers (find out more here). And another way to use those wheels? How about skate boarding? We have five skate parks in our area, including the Ryan C. Joubert Skate Park in Fitchburg, which is the largest in New England! Click here for our Skate Parks page.
4. Canoeing and Kayaking. Waterways, waterways, waterways, we have PLENTY of those in Johnny Appleseed Country! Bring your own canoe or kayak or rent one when you get there! Nashoba Paddlers in Bolton and Northfield Mountain in Northfield both offer rentals. Click here for other places offering canoeing and kayaking.
5. Disc Golf. What is disc golf you ask? Well, it's a special frisbee you can use to throw into a chain linked basket. You have a par to try to meet just like in golf. Many of the area courses offer nine or eighteen hole courses and they are free to play. You do need to BYOF-Bring Your Own Frisbee. You can use a regular frisbee, but a special Disc Golf frisbee will allow for better accuracy. Click here for a complete list of courses in the area.
6. Golf. And then of course, there is golf-mini, Par 3, and full nine or eighteen hole! Play Par 3 Golf at Lancaster Golf and get ice cream afterwards! Or visit the driving range or mini golf course at 202 Fun in Orange and pratice your swing at the batting cages or go for a ride in the go-carts afterwards. Click here for a complete list of golf courses in our area.
7. Horseback Riding. We have several places in the area where you can go out horseback riding for the afternoon. Click here for more information.
8. Wildlife. And yes, we have plenty of wildlife out in the country! Everything from ducks to geese to beavers to deer and more! Wachusett Meadow (part of Mass Audubon) offers great hiking trails as well as a few ponds and a huge field of wildflowers with animals everywhere! Click here to find more wildlife areas (includling hunting and fishing).
Whatever option you choose, we hope you enjoy your day outdoors in Johnny Appleseed Country! And feel free to stop by our Visitor Center on Rt. 2 for more specific information.
Follow us on acebook for updates on area events.
We are looking for your photos of Johnny Country!
 We need great shots of our area related to country life. Events such as fairs, farms and other outdoor activities are perfect! If it's a hidden gem in North Central Mass, take a picture for us! Let's show all of Massachusetts that people have seasonal fun in our backyard! Click here to submit photos.
Your image could be the cover of an upcoming Johnny Appleseed Guide! There will a prize for the best photo. Email photos to burnette@massweb.org.
Calling All Volunteers!
Are you interested in learning more about Johnny Appleseed Country while serving your community at the same time? Then volunteer some time at the Visitor Center on Rt 2 between Exits 35-34 Westbound. For more information, click here for our flyer or please contact Diane Burnette at (978) 534-2829 or email burnette@appleseed.org.
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