My oldest son is a rising sophomore in high school and is a really good basketball player. Tomorrow I am driving up to Holy Cross for his first division 1 recruit visit. They have a lot of basketball planned tomorrow afternoon/evening and Saturday, and I don't know if parents are welcome to stay and watch them work out

Any suggestions about what to see or do and where to eat while we are there are welcome in case dear old dad is on his own

I already know not to bring any of my firearms with me, unfortunately.

The Worcester Museum of Art has a pretty cool collection of antique arms & armor.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/At...r_Massachusetts.html
Lots of museums and theaters in town. Lots of parks and forest area in surrounding towns. If you like old small town stuff take Rt. 9 west to Quabbin resevior. There are trails and things to see of towns flooded to create drinking water for Boston.(will be about an hour drive.) To bad Higgins armory is no longer open to public.

Not too far west is the long closed original Springfield Armory with a nice museum:

https://www.nps.gov/spar/index.htm

You can check to see if Polar Cola still has the huge inflatable polar bear on the roof (they're close by HC) but otherwise I pretty much always just drove through there as fast as I could.

I used to work there and live not too far from there. I really can't come up with any good ideas.

Purgatory Chasm in Sutton is nice, hiking and spelunking. Straight down 146.

Gambling your thing? Slots and tables at Lincoln Park in Lincoln, RI just down 146 as well.

Plainridge Park offers simulcast horse racing (maybe even live tomorrow), slots, and video tables.

Gillette Stadium has shopping, and the Patriots Hall of Fame.

Springfield offers the Smith and Wesson Academy

Traffic in and out of Boston is a NIGHTMARE currently. The main thoroughfare, I90 is down from 4 lanes to one into and out of the city.

I wish I had known earlier...we have plans already. Worcester (Wuh-Stah) is close to me and my range is equidistant to both.

You shouldn't bring your gat, but non-auto knives are a decent idea. Some of the town is a bit, um, questionable.

The one eleven Chop House is supposed to be really good but pricey. http://www.111chophouse.com

Get some Pizza at the wonder bar. you won't be disappointed.

Lot's of illegal aliens...

Never got off of holy cross tonight. Tomorrow I am going to drop him off and head down to Gillette. The patriots are having open camp practice tomorrow morning. We are patriots fans, so this is pretty much a unique opportunity.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

I was amazed at how many restaurants here close at 8pm. We had trouble finding something to eat after we left the workouts

Training Camp can be a madhouse, enjoy! It's fun when it is raucous. There are some really good eateries at Patriot Place, but if you head North on route 1 (turn right out of the complex) you'll soon enter Walpole, home of the Red Wing. Probably ~5 minutes on rte 1. You have to pass it and turn around by exiting right at Pine St and then turning left to get back to 1 (there are signs)

Their seafood is quite good.

Since you like the Pats, and you have an hour or so, The Hall at Patriots Place is a good stop- lots of memorabilia from over the years. It's right above the Pro Shop, at the Northeast end of the stadium. Practice is at the South end.

There's a Bass Pro there as well, with a nature trail that leads through a cranberry bog just behind the store. An easy walk, but fun to check out if you've never seen a cranberry bog.

quote:

Originally posted by sw4566:
The Worcester Museum of Art has a pretty cool collection of antique arms & armor.

Hadn't realized the WMA had taken over the Higgins Museum's collection.

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:
Not too far west is the long closed original Springfield Armory with a nice museum:

https://www.nps.gov/spar/index.htm

Definitely worth the drive. It's free, but don't walk by the donation box without contributing.

Good luck with Holy Cross...My Grandfather graduated from there in 1918 and in 1962 was inducted into the athletic HOF.

The Higgins Armory closed after 82 years but fortunately they integrated the Higgins Armory collection into the Worcester Art Museum. Probably the best kept collection of medievil knights armor in the U.S.