Submitted by Working-Efficiency44 t3_10ev51l in WorcesterMA
Hello everyone, I am coming to Worcester for an internship opportunity. I’ll be there for the entire summer. I am a college student in my junior year. My questions are: what are the best spots in town? How is the public transportation? How is the culture up there?
Thank you for this. Are the buses at least consistent in the city?
Consistently bad. They are usually timely enough, it's just that the routes that they run are very sparse and weekend service is rather limited. I highly recommend getting a car, if you can afford it, even a $2000 clunker.
Any good auto dealers up there?
Definitely, but I will be honest, I have had the same car since 2012, so I have no experience.
The bus system isn't too shabby. (compared to where I came from where there was only two buses that only went to Walmart and another that went to the local hospital) Where the buses don't reach, just use Uber/Lyft.
Yikes, if the WRTA is considered not too shabby by your terms, then where you came from basically had nonexistent transit.
They didn't hahaha one bus to Walmart and one to the local hospital.
Sounds legit.
Tell us a bit more about yourself. Do you play sports? Do you like live music? Are you a book nerd? I recommend going places where you will find others with common interests. We can help you narrow it down once we know a little more about you.
Yes we can tailor recommendations if you give us a bit of info about yourself.
Hey!
So I love music, sports (especially soccer), meeting new people, and I just enjoy going to new places.
Hmu when you’re in town. I have a team that plays multiple times a week pickup and competitive we are all recent grads or still in college
If it’s pickup soccer you’re talking about, I never turn down footy, or even basketball.
I play at teamworks in Northborough. It’s a great place to meet people your age for sure. Lots of us that play there are from Worcester.
Nice! I’ll put that down on my list!
As long as you’re a milan fan you’re always welcome 😃
I’m a Chelsea fan so you are not threatened 😂
I saw them Play in October at the San Siro see you on the field!
Ooof RIP lmao
Literally the definition of depression this season 😭
And my boys at Man Utd turning the tide, ah the prem league is beck to the way its supposed to be 😂
I remember when everyone was crapping on ten Hag because of how you all started and the Ronaldo situation.
See what happens when you let a good manager do what he wants 😂 we had Tuchel but he wasn’t given the freedom he wanted
Dawg I never wanted then to sign ronaldo back, I'm pretty sure they did only cause of the city rumors.
Yall def fucked up hiring a new manager, especially after buying the players that Tuchel wanted lol. Now you got Bohley just reading the sun and buying every name that pops up haha
Boehly is def on Career mode with us 😂 wouldn’t be surprised if we got Declan Rice too just cquse
Nah I think arsenal gonna sign him. They need to make up for missing out on that Mudyrk dude.
You know, I think Arsenal will miss out on them too. They got a good thing going and I don’t think they would want to make too big a move for someone like him
Mudryk is still young so they could easily sign him and not play him every game. Mudryk would’ve just developed there. Mudryk at Chelsea has to start immediately cuz of injuries, so it’s a $100 mil gamble. I think Mudryk will be great in the future, but that’s a lot of pressure on a young players shoulders
Yeah ik what you're saying, but it's like Liverpool rn, they have starters who are injured but they aren't buying anyone cause they won't be able to play the new signing when the full squad comes back. Same thing with Chelsea, I think you're going to have 100 mil riding the bench lol
I wish I had $100mil just sitting on my bench 😂 just wish it was in the a potential Ukrainian legend
Lmao another 45 mil
“It’s not about the money. It’s about sending a message”
Yeah to whom lol
You know, the joker had Batman so I guess we sending a message to Man City that we can spend loads of money and not win a champions league in the same season too 😂
That's what yall think it is but it's really like one of those npcs you just walk by when they're screaming at you in a video game. Chelsea being the npc, of course. 😂
😂😂I wouldn’t be surprised if we even signed some midfielder from Spain now
Shhhh, give it time, yall will have enough for 2 teams and a youth club eventually. Boehley just wants to create his own league.
Re: new places... If you've never been to New England but want to experience it I'd say the following for weekend trips... Rte 100 in Vermont: plenty of breweries and hiking in the green mountains. Cape Cod: it's a different world on the outer cape, whale watches, great beaches where you can see seals. Provincetown is a Mecca for the LBTGQ+ community, and it is fantastic for food, people watching, art, and music. Maine: the state is HUGE compared to the rest of New England. Acadia National Park is awesome but it's around six hours by car from Worcester. New Hampshire: White Mountains for hiking (leave Mt. Washington to the professionals), Lake Winnipesaukee for inland water sports, Hampton Beach has a huge boardwalk and a nice beach but be prepared to freeze your nuts off in the Atlantic Ocean.
Or... You could stay at home and bake the day away since pot is legal and dispensaries are everywhere!
Thank you for the comment. All of this is awesome. And Connecticut is catching strays now 😂😂
There's a reason why I didn't mention Connecticut...
If you’re into climbing (or up for trying it!) then there’s a really great community at CRG Worcester where you can meet people! GWLT hosts meet ups for hikes if you’re into the outdoors. Redemption Rock Brewing often have things like trivia nights and comedy shows which can be a great space to meet new people too (and if you’re over 21 they have good beer!) Ralph’s rock diner can be fun too if you’re into more of the bar/dancing scene. They recently had a 90’s karaoke night.
In terms of public transit, the WRTA is free to ride, and depending on where you’re based can be fairly consistent, especially along the main arteries, but it’s definitely worth using the live tracker on their website rather than trying on Google maps or their published timetable. If you’re wanting to get further afield, there’s a reliable train into and out of Boston, and busses to nyc too. For anything like exploring NH/ME etc or even getting away from the city for an afternoon, you’ll probably need a car (or make friends with someone who has one!).
Feel free to dm me if you have any other questions!
Woah you can go to NYC from there?! The southern guy in me is shook ngl 😂😂
It's about a 3.5-4hr drive via car or bus or about a 4 hr amtrak train ride.
You'd have to take the Grey hound to get to NYC but not a bad choice. I used to take them from Central ny to Worcester, added a couple hours to the commute but 0 driving and the ability to sleep. Certainly worthwhile adventure.
You can also get there by train. Union Station > Back Bay via commuter rail, and then Amtrak Acela to Washington Union Station. Not sure how much that would cost, but it's doable.
You’re way better off taking a bus than commuting back to Boston then down to NYC
Maybe, depends on the person, but it’s just not what you’d “have” to do as if there’s no other options
And I will say, the time isn’t that different if you take the Acela. Plus, trains are fun
OurBus is way better than greyhound and it's direct! More limited schedule though.
It’s a 2 hour drive to New Haven and an hour on the express train right into grand central station.
How is driving up there? I heard that there’s an intersection there that is god awful
Not great but you’ll adapt
Kelley Square got a makeover a few years ago. It's now just normal terrible and not a dice roll on your life.
Ahh I can deal with normal terrible
HA!!!! Kelly square once and may still have the distinction of being on the list of top 10 worst intersections in America. It was an adventure for sure, total chaos and just about everyone who drove through it were Massachusetts drivers to add to the demolition derby experience. I always told the uninitiated to close their eyes, take a deep breath and floor it. Saw a pedestrian once who was really drunk walk through the middle of the intersection. Wish I could have filmed it , this guy was like a stunt man, he came so close to getting killed but just kept going and flipping people off.
First time I went through I did in fact scream and floor it.
Polar park is home to the AAA affiliate to the Red Sox. There are plenty of bars/ restaurants downtown near city hall and more on Shrewsbury st. There is axe throwing, barcades, parks, and various recreational things.
Public transportation. There are city buses which are currently free. Union Station provides transportation to Boston via commuter rail. This is limited in hours and does not provide for a night out in Boston with a late night return to Worcester.
If this is your first time in New England, everything is basically equidistant to Worcester... Beaches mountains, though not accessible without a car.
How are the beaches up there? And what is your favorite food spot there? I love food and never had a lobster roll before!
No beaches in Worcester but mass and the rest of New England have nice beaches
Are you telling me that you don't count the lakefront beaches at Indian Lake?!
Nice! I’ve never been to New England, so I am looking forward to what you all have to offer!
What's fun is that in 2hrs driving you can easily be in 5 different states because all the New England states are small in land mass compared to other parts of the country. And in that 2hrs you can be at beaches either in MA, RI, or NH. You can also get to a multitude of mountains in MA or NH. Nowadays worcester is itself a bit of a foodie town. The state is also has a bunch of craft breweries and cideries, many are within easy driving of worcester.
Nice! I’ll definitely check it out!
Definitely check out Free Play Bar Arcade! Great place to meet people, tons of fun, great drink menu.
Is it like a retro arcade? Like pinball, Pac-Man etc?
Yes, $10 cover, every game is free. Air hockey, all the classics, live music some nights. Send me a DM went you come to town I can get some friends together.
Yo let’s go! I’ll hit you up fosho when I land!
I lived in Worcester for about 12 years. I left about two years ago, so I'm not currently up to date on everything, but I visited in October.
The Palladium usually has shows, and it's pretty central to the city (near the good end of Main st). There's a bunch of restaurants in that area that are nice. Plus that area is near other college kids, more specifically Worcester Polytechnic Institute. There likely won't be many students around at the time, but there will be a few. That area is going to be a decent place for you. Highland Street passes down through the college housing and past Elm Park which is pretty nice generally. It connects with Park Ave.
There's also a disc golf track across from Elm Park that's a nice hike. On that street there's a ton of restaurants and bars. As well as an awesome comic/toy shop (That's Entertainment). Definitely check out that street. One of my favorite places to get fried chicken is on the corner of Park and Chandler st, called BT's.
From there head up Chandler towards Main st, and you'll find a bunch of ethnic places to eat, like Africa/Jamaican. It's busy and that street sucks to drive on, and the pedestrians are fucking morons so be careful!
There is also Water St, which has a bunch of bars and restaurants. I don't know what's there anymore, but there's a ramen place. Near the end is Wings Over Worcester if you want late night, drunk chicken decent. Again, there's a bunch of bars, and good night life. Not sure how comfortable you feel being out at night, but it can be intimidating, as the area isn't the safest, but I only ever had one issue in the 12 years I was there, walking the streets after like 11pm. It's relatively safe if you're not an idiot.
You cn also head up Shrewsbury st, where there again are a bunch of restaurants. Great dinners on that street. That will bring you across the bright and out towards Shrewsbury (the town). There's a bunch of stuff out here as well. Definitely worth going out that way. That's route 9 and it will bring you all the way to Natick and Boston if you keep following it. There's a "fancy" mall in Natick, and again a lot of food.
There is also Union Station which will take you into Boston. Definitely worth hopping on the Trai. And checking out.
DO NOT DRIVE IN BOSTON. It's worse than NYC and it fucking sucks. It's a maze. Take the train and walk. Get an Uber while you're there if you need it, but avoid driving. The city is cool as fuck though.
As far as public transit, the public bus has always been solid. I took it for years while I was going to school for my associates and it may run late a few times, but it does well. I took ubers a lot there, and if you plan on going out drinking, take them. I only had an issue once in like 5 years I took them. Theyre great. Over all though, it's a very walkable city, but biking is very rough because there's a ton of hills.
Theres a ton of stuff to do there. Go on adventures, and even just walking around will lead you to something cool!
Uber is reliable and it costs only $7-$10 to get anywhere! Lyft, too. Come to scruffy murphy, we need this place to be more cool. But realistically, the good places might be.... um... the mercantile, lock 50, and... um... wan wang for chinese food, and... nu cafe is a good place to bring a laptop and drink coffee, and also... pho dakao is some badass vietnamese food and you should go to the boynton and also any place on shrewsbery st. Welcome to worcester!
Dang $7-$10 for Uber there? Least I paid where I’m at is $15-$20
If you're around in the summer you'll want to check out the Worcester World Cup. It's just lovely. There are pick up soccer games around but you kind of just have to find people playing in a park and ask them. I know wpi has some students who regularly get together to play. I saw you ask about beaches; Rhode island beaches are very good. Lots of surfing year round (wet suits are magic). And beaver tail park is really beautiful.
I never surfed before, I might have to give it a shot if I have the time!
Public transpo: bus or ride share. Best social places seem to be the bars on Shrewsbury street and sports venues at DCU center/woosox stadium. It seems rather chill here, I'm a transplant from Upstate NY. Where folks are kind but very introverted. People seem to want to engage in conversations more here than where I'm from (and it still catches me off guard when I am out and about).
Lots of hidden gems
stand on a street corner and hold a "homeless" sign
First thing I’ll do when I get there
Honestly always just assumed the only people who use the city busses are the homeless people. Never even considered it an option.
Lot of old. Lot of weird. But always an abundance of normal people of all races just using it to get to where they need to get. Prepare for an inner city bus ride and youll be fine.
I’ll make a documentary on my journey as a homeless man in Worcester
I went to Worcester State and some of my classmates used the bus from Brookfield to get to and from class every day. I could never do that and always admired that dedication lol
dpceee t1_j4u8zxs wrote
No one's really answered your public transit question. If you are expecting something robust in that department, you will be disappointed. There is the train station with Union Station, but that's the only stop in Worcester, the bus system leaves a lot of room to improve, that's the nice way of putting it. Without a car in Worcester, you will find doing a lot of basic things rather challenging.