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Visiting The Hopedale Parklands in Fall Article and photo by Eric H.
How much fun is it, however, when everyone ends up in the same place? Many popular New England fall tourist destinations bring about traffic jams and long event or attraction lines -- not to mention inflated admission prices and merchandise. While many of these beautiful areas and fun events are certainly not tourist traps, tourists can certainly feel trapped from the very thing they wanted to get away from on travel in the very first place: stress and crowds. If you are more inclined to the rest, relaxation and solitude sector of New England fall travel, most cities and towns have low-profile, often little-known spots to take in the wonders of autumn. The 275-acre Hopedale Parklands in Hopedale, Mass., is one such place. Hopedale is a quiet, friendly little New
England town
--situated centrally to Worcester Mass., Boston, Mass., and
Providence, R.I. -- and it gets even quieter at The Parklands. This
remote but accessible spot comes across as one of
the most beautiful spots you could ever imagine -- and no one really
knows about it, let alone those lucky Hopedale residents! Best
accessed from Freedom St. or Hopedale St., off Route 140, just beyond
the abandoned
Draper Building in the tiny downtown district, The Parklands acts more
like a vacation highlight than a suburban day trip destination.
On a sunny day, beautiful Hopedale Pond sparkles every step of the four
miles of
walking trails. One of those access paths is a carriage trail, best
described by writer Marjorie Turner Holman who states the scene
reminds her of the carriage trails in famous Acadia National Park,
Maine. Densely forested areas lend a true sense of solitude, not to
mentioned pleasing woodsy scenery -- and without a trace of modern day
noises that often intrude into our declining suburban and urban green
spaces.
On the outskirts of the Parklands, you'll find benches and picnic
tables, and a swimming beach (which can only be used when a lifeguard
is
present). The Hopedale Parklands doesn't seem to have a place in the high-profile travel guides, and that's OK. It's here for you and me and all others that appreciate discovering the true back roads and trails of New England.
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