Blackstone Valley Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

Map of Blackstone Valley

• 42.017778-71.5416671 Blackstone
• 42.320578-71.637992 The Boroughs
• 42.054167-71.743 Douglas
• 42.206944-71.6861114 Grafton
• 42.351667-71.8638895 Holden
• 42.130556-71.5416676 Hopedale
• 42.245833-71.9091677 Leicester
• 42.105556-71.5527788 Mendon
• 42.139722-71.5166679 Milford
• 42.193889-71.76055610 Millbury
• 42.027778-71.58138911 Millville
• 42.151389-71.6512 Northbridge
• 42.311111-71.92861113 Paxton (Massachusetts)
• 42.29593-71.7128514 Shrewsbury
• 42.15-71.76333315 Sutton
• 42.174444-71.60277816 Upton
• 42.077222-71.6317 Uxbridge
• 42.366667-71.78611118 West Boylston
• 42.271389-71.79888919 Worcester

• Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.

The nearby city of Providence has a large international airport and Worcester has a smaller national airport.

Route 146 is the main highway running north and south between Worcester and Providence. It intersects with I-95 and I-295 in Rhode Island and with I-90 (Massachusetts Turnpike) in Massachusetts.

The main method of transportation in this region is by car. The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) offers bus service to some parts of Blackstone Valley. Check the schedule for specific bus routes.

The Blackstone Valley is an excellent place to get a feel for the Industrial Revolution. The region is dotted with mill towns, many of which have preserved impressive examples of 19th century industrial architecture. There are also quite a few that are still used for manufacturing, although they are increasingly being converted to apartments. The Blackstone River is the central feature of the region. While you may expect this river, which made the Industrial Revolution possible, to be a powerful torrent of water, it's actually a fairly tranquil river lined with forests and wetlands. the hills above the river don't rise to any great height, but offer the occasional scenic overlook.

• The Blackstone Valley Bicycle Path which will run 48 mi (77 km) from Worcester to Providence. The path starts in Lincoln, Rhode Island and follows the Towpath along the Blackstone Canal, through Woonsocket to the MA state border. Hop on the path anywhere in between or schedule a bicycle tour.
• A Blackstone Valley Tour Package costs $350, which is based on double occupancy, and includes 2 nights' accommodations and requires a reservation. Bike, helmets and water are available for participants. Half day, one day and multi day packages available at varying prices.
• Blackstone Valley Scenic Railway Tours: from Cumberland, Rhode Island to Putnam, Connecticut, take a fall foliage and shopping excursion to Putnam for antique shopping, dining, and Putnam Fall Festival.

There are many different restaurants and diners in this region that offer many different types of food. Famous for family-style, all you can eat chicken dinners. Other restaurants offer a variety of cuisines, including Cape Verdean, Chinese, Colombian, Dominican, French, Guatemalan, Indian, Italian, Lebanese, Mediterranean, Mexican, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese. There are bakeries that offer Italian and Italian/American, Italian/French, Portuguese and Spanish inspired goods. Also, a variety of Asian, Cape Verdean, Dominican, Indian, International, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish markets are present in this region.

The Blackstone Valley is not a major nightlife destination since it is primarily a suburban area for Worcester and Providence. Bars exist, but are fairly utilitarian and mostly cater to their local regulars. There are a handful of breweries in the region, which are quite small and sell most of their beer on-site. Coffee culture in the region, to the extent that it exists, consists mostly of Dunkin Donuts. There are also a couple of Starbucks.

This is a fairly safe area. Visitors have little to worry about other than inclement weather in the winter.

Visit hip, cosmopolitan Providence

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