Top 15 Activities and Attractions in Acton, MA

Incorporated in 1735, Acton encompasses five loosely connected village centers. The most historical of these is Acton Centre, where the local militia congregated before proceeding to the Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775.

In response to the alarm sounded by Paul Revere and conveyed by one of his associates, Samuel Prescott, the Acton Minutemen spearheaded the advance to the Old North Bridge in Concord.

During this historic confrontation, Captain Isaac Davis of Acton (b. 1745) was the first officer to lose his life in the American Revolutionary War. Each year on Patriots’ Day, the Acton Militia rises early to replicate that march to Concord and partake in a reenactment of the battle.

Moreover, Acton is enriched with a wealth of undeveloped natural space. The conservation lands owned by the town encompass over 1,650 acres, distributed across various parcels of woodlands, wetlands, meadows, and a remarkable arboretum.

1. Discovery Museum

Blending science, nature, and interactive play, this distinguished children’s museum has emerged as a family destination following a multimillion-dollar expansion completed in 2018.

The Discovery Museum offers a variety of indoor and outdoor exhibits that promote exploration and experimentation, fostering qualities such as persistence and resilience, in addition to enhancing children’s emotional intelligence.

The interior features numerous STEAM experiences, all of which are open-ended, hands-on, low-tech, and interactive. Outdoors, the Discovery Woods offers an awe-inspiring giant Discovery Treehouse for a unique perspective on the forest ecosystem.

2. Patriots’ Day March

In the early hours of April 19, 1775, Isaac Davis led the Acton Minutemen from Acton Centre to confront the British regulars at the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

At this pivotal moment, Davis became the first commissioned officer to perish in the American Revolutionary War. To commemorate Patriots’ Day, observed on the third Monday in April, a reenactment of this march takes place, following the original trail as closely as possible.

The procession commences at the historic Isaac Davis Homestead (39 Hayward Rd) at 5:50 AM, beginning with a solemn ceremony of remembrance.

The Minutemen typically reach Acton Centre around 6:20 AM, concluding their journey at the Old North Bridge around 9:00 AM for a battle reenactment. The community is invited to join the Acton Minutemen on their march, engaging in a captivating piece of living history.

3. Hosmer House

Among Acton’s well-preserved Colonial-era structures is the Hosmer House, established in 1760 and notable for its uniqueness as a “double house.”

Under the iconic saltbox roof, one side features a traditional Colonial three-bay house with an off-center chimney, while the other adheres to a square design.

Constructed by Jonathan Hosmer, Jr., a mason, this house showcases his craftsmanship in the distinctive collection of fireplaces. Hosmer participated in the Battle of Bennington (1777) alongside his son, who tragically lost his life there at the age of 17.

The Hosmer House is currently owned by the Acton Historical Society, which occasionally opens the property to the public as a museum on select weekends.

4. Acton Centre Historic District

This quaint assembly of buildings surrounding a town green forms the historic nucleus of Acton, dating back nearly 300 years.

The small scale of Acton Centre is primarily attributed to the absence of water power for industry, compounded by the arrival of the railroad in the 1840s, which served the mill settlements in South and West Acton.

However, the existence of civic buildings and places of worship ensured the prominence of Acton Centre. Around the green, visitors can admire beautiful examples of Federal and Greek Revival architecture from the late 18th century to the mid-19th century.

The town’s memorial obelisk dedicated to the American Revolutionary War stands on the common, precisely where the militia assembled before their march into battle on April 19, 1775.

This space is encircled by the Congregational Church (1846), the Italianate Town Hall (1864), and Acton Memorial Library, which features Romanesque Revival architecture and was established in 1889.

5. Great Hill Conservation and Recreation Land

Situated behind the Discovery Museum is the largest single parcel of town-owned conservation land in Acton, featuring the prominent 358-foot Great Hill.

The variations in elevation around Great Hill give rise to diverse habitats, ranging from marshy woods and wetlands in the east to wooded uplands on the slopes.

Adjacent to the South Acton Fire Station is an expansive area designated for recreational activities and games, accompanied by a small pond and facilities for picnicking.

The main loop at Great Hill extends just over two miles, traversing brooks via wooden bridges and passing stone walls dating back to the 18th century, along with a potential Native American grinding stone located by the Piper Grove wetlands.

6. Bruce Freeman Rail Trail

Since the 2010s, a series of communities extending from Lowell to Framingham have been interconnected by a rail trail expected to span 25 miles upon its completion in the mid-2020s.

Acton is now fully integrated into the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, which repurposes the former Framingham and Lowell Line (1871) of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.

Ideal for families, the paved trail measures ten feet in width, featuring an additional two-foot shoulder on either side. There are five designated parking areas for the trail located in Acton, including at NARA Park, featured later in this compilation.

One of these parking areas is situated at Patriot Square (179 Great Road), where Pedal Power Bike and Ski provides all necessary bike-related equipment and services.

7. NARA Park

Short for Nathan Allen Recreation Area, this park located in North Acton is relatively modern, having been developed in the late 1990s.

A significant portion of NARA Park is occupied by a manmade pond, bordered by a multi-use trail that begins at the parking lot and connects with the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.

The pond’s beach welcomes residents and visitors alike from Memorial Day through late August, with a lifeguard present during the operational hours throughout the week.

Seasonal rentals for paddle boats or canoes are available, and a concession stand offers fast food and cold beverages. The amphitheater at NARA Park hosts Acton’s well-attended summer concert series on Friday evenings, in addition to various special performances.

8. Faulkner House

Recognized as the oldest existing Colonial residence in Acton, the Faulkner House (1707) was home to the Faulkner family for over two centuries across six generations.

This property has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1986, given its significance during periods of local unrest.

During Queen Anne’s War (1703-1713), Faulkner House served as a garrison to protect against Native American raids on the Massachusetts frontier, and later during the American Revolutionary War, it acted as an assembly point for Acton’s militia before their pivotal confrontation at the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

An open house is hosted in the afternoons on the fourth Sundays from May through October at this venue. On these occasions, visitors can also tour the nearby Jones Tavern (128 Main Street), established in 1732 and operated by the same organization, Iron Work Farm.

9. Acton Arboretum

As one strolls along Main Street, reaching this 65-acre conservation land that features a glacial esker, historic apple orchards, woodlands, ponds, and a range of exquisitely designed gardens is quite accessible.

Visitors can meander through a butterfly garden, herb garden, hosta garden, rhododendron garden, lilac fragrance garden, daylily garden, and a picturesque pond planting.

A notable trail, the Wildflower Loop, traverses the woodland, adorned in the spring and summer by a stunning variety of native wildflowers, while also featuring extensive boardwalk sections, a fern collection, a brook, and two historic farm ponds.

10. Nashoba Brook

This segment of town-owned conservation land comprises part of four contiguous parcels, totaling over 500 acres, which includes a section of the long-distance Bay Circuit Trail.

Adjacent to Robbins Mill, Camp Acton, and Spring Hill, Nashoba Brook serves as an entry point for an extended six-mile hike deep into the woods.

This area is particularly scenic, showcasing diverse riparian habitats alongside the unspoiled brook, which includes marshes, rapids, and tranquil waters.

In addition to its natural beauty, Nashoba Brook offers a wealth of history, featuring remnants of 18th-century mills, stone walls originally constructed by Native Americans, ancient cairns, and the enigmatic Potato Cave.

The history of this manmade chamber is unclear; it may have functioned as shelter for railroad workers in the 19th century, an 18th-century root shelter, or perhaps even a pre-Colonial ceremonial site.

11. Wills Hole/Town Forest

The parking area at NARA Park serves as a convenient access point for exploring another segment of town-owned conservation land, known as the contiguous Wills Hole and Town Forest.

This woodland area, which encompasses nearly 100 acres, comprises former granite quarries and features a two-mile yellow-blazed loop that connects with six distinct red spurs.

The loop primarily runs along elevated terrain atop a glacially-formed esker, ultimately leading down to Wills Hole, a notable quaking bog that hosts carnivorous plant species like pitcher plants and sundews, which ensnare, digest, and acquire nutrients from insects, amphibians, and small mammals.

12. Idylwilde Farms

Idylwilde Farms, established in 1925, is a favored destination for fresh produce, flowers, and gourmet specialty foods.

The farm cultivates many seasonal fruits and vegetables available in the store, including cabbage, cucumbers, Swiss chard, beets, tomatoes, and peppers, while also sourcing additional produce from local farms.

The on-site bakery produces a range of baked goods, from croissants and apple cider donuts to baguettes and muffins, while collaborating with local bakers.

A standout feature is the extensive selection of cheese and charcuterie, which includes over 200 varieties of cheese from around the globe, along with classic Italian delicacies such as capicola (both sweet and hot), sopressata, pancetta, and various salamis.

The deli offers an array of salads, soups, and sandwiches, featuring options for grilled sandwiches and paninis.

13. Theatre III

This highly regarded community theatre group operates within a unique venue housed in the former West Acton Universalist Church (1868).

The church was initially repurposed in 1925 by the Acton Women’s Club and subsequently sold to the West Acton Community Center in 1955, where community drama was nurtured through the Little Theatre Workshop.

This initiative ultimately merged with two other local arts organizations, The Community Dance Theatre and The Acton Community Chorus, to form Theatre III (named for its three founding groups) in 1968.

Over the course of more than fifty years, Theatre III has consistently won multiple EMACT DASH awards for its productions. Recent performances have included titles such as Calendar Girls, Matilda, Lovers and Other Strangers, and James and the Giant Peach.

14. Assabet River Rail Trail

The South Acton MBTA station serves as the northern terminus of an additional rail trail leading to Marlborough. As of the writing of this article, two long segments of the Assabet River Rail Trail had been finalized.

These segments extend 3.4 miles from Acton to the Maynard–Stow border, and 5.1 miles from Marlborough to Hudson, with a four-mile discontinuity in Stow and Hudson in between. The trail follows the route of the Marlborough Branch of the Fitchburg Railroad, constructed during the early 1850s.

Due to its connection with the train station in South Acton, the northern segment has proven to be a convenient option for commuters.

This picturesque trail meanders through farmland, historic brooks, and wetlands, culminating in a passage through downtown Maynard, where it crosses the Assabet River.

While this paved trail concludes at White Pond Road, an additional two miles of unpaved trail remains along the rail corridor within the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge.

15. Acton Bowladrome & Arcade

An entertainment staple in Acton since 1959, this family-owned bowling center focuses on candlepin bowling—a regional variation that originated in Worcester, MA, during the 1880s.

This format utilizes long, slender pins that present a greater challenge to knock down, especially when utilizing a small, handheld ball.

The Acton Bowladrome caters to family outings, league bowling, birthday celebrations, corporate events, and various special occasions, and features a 50-game arcade that is exceptionally popular for its numerous pinball machines.