Fitchburg

Fitchburg's past as an important industrial center has bequethed it with an art museum of a size and quality that most people wouldn't expect to see in a small post-industrial mill town. Possibly because of this and lots of cheap real estate, there are a few art galleries in the city as well.

• Fitchburg Art Museum, 185 Elm St, ☏ +1 978-345-4207. Small, but larger than you would expect to find in Fitchburg art museum with a large collection of Egyptian and African art as well as a permanent gallery displaying the work and collection of the museum's founder. Much of the museum space is dedicated to a rotating exhibition. 

• The Rollstone Boulder, Fitchburg Upper Common. Local landmark that was blown up in the 1920s. Lovingly reassembled on Fitchburg Common. 
• Top Fun Aviation Toy Museum, 21 Pritchard St, ☏ +1 978 342-2809. Toy aircraft museum. 

• Coggshall Park, 65 Electric Avenue. A 300 acre Victorian era park with wooded walking trails, and lake with a fountain in it. 
• Boulder Art Gallery, 960 Main Street, ☏ +1 978 345-7000. Original art, vintage art, photography, prints, and sculpture located on the Upper Common. 

• Great Wolf Lodge indoor water park, 150 Great Wolf Dr, ☏ +1 978 343-9653. Large indoor waterpark with 15 different slides/pools. There is also an arcade, spa, and five different dining options. 
• Lanni Orchards, 294 Chase Road Lunenburg, ☏ +1 978 582-6246. Pick your own apples and buy some farm products at the store. 
• Stillman Dairy Farm, 991 Lancaster Ave, Lunenburg, ☏ +1 978 582-5533. Fresh milk and baked goods at the farm store. (updated Apr 2015)

Fitchburg doesn't have a lot of shopping options of interest to travelers. Some of the art galleries mentioned in the "See" section have works for sale and there is a gift shop at the Fitchburg Art Museum. Whitney Field Mall is in neighboring Leominster, but it is just a typical American mall.

• Andy's Sport Shop, 216 Daniels Street, ☏ +1 978 343-6330. Skiing and snowboarding equipment for winter, scuba gear for the summer. 

To be perfectly honest, Fitchburg hasn't experienced the dining renaissance that some other mid-sized Massachusetts cities have.

Fitchburg isn't a major nightlife destination, in part due to proximity to Boston and Worcester. The neighboring town of Westminster is home to Wachusett Brewing Co., the largest in Central Massachusetts.

• The Boulder Cafe, 880 Main Street, ☏ +1 978 345-0008. Enjoy the surprisingly good and very affordable selection of craft beer at this 80-year old bar that graces downtown Fitchburg's Upper Common. Lots of classic bar feel, including tin ceilings and well worn and slightly creaky wooden booths. The crowd is friendly, but be prepared to cheer on the Pats if they happen to be playing. 
• Destaré, 320 Main Street, ☏ +1 978 345-5734, gino@destare.com. Martini bar, nightclub. $$. (updated Nov 2015)

Fitchburg doesn't have many lodging options, but there are a few hotels just across the city line in Leominster.

• Great Wolf Lodge, 150 Great Wolf Dr, ☏ +1 978 343-9653. Hotel attached to Great Wolf Lodge Waterpark. $220/night. (updated May 2015)

Check out neighboring Leominster, head west towards the Pioneer Valley, south to Worcester or east into Greater Boston.