Game On!

Photo via Omar Ramadan / Pexels. Courtesy of MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau

Start planning now for this unbeatable June vacation! Seven FIFA World Cup 26™ matches are coming to Foxboro, MA, and nearby MetroWest Boston is ready to celebrate! Escape on a summer road trip, and you too can be part of the fun.

JUNE 11-14

June 11:

Kick things off in Marlborough, home to one of the MetroWest Regional Fan Zones showing four matches on a jumbotron from June 11-13 during the opening weekend of World Cup. This free 3-day festival showcases a beer garden featuring Lawson’s Finest Liquids, food trucks, arts & crafts and other vendors, soccer-themed activities, entertainment and more. Celebrate with fellow fans as you watch Mexico vs. South Africa at 3pm, then explore the rest of what Marlborough has to offer, including their Cultural District, where shops offer unique locally-made goods. Walk their floating boardwalk, explore Ward Park, or visit their indoor amusement park, paint bar, or trampoline park. Stay overnight at one of MetroWest’s many hotels, offering a great night’s sleep that won’t break the bank.

Grist Mill Wayside. Photo courtesy of MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau

June 12:

Explore the American Heritage Museum where your visit begins in a WWI trench listening to a nurse’s account from the Western Front while bombs explode above you and the floor begins to shake. This astounding collection of historic aircraft, tanks, and classic cars includes immersive exhibits that will engage the whole family.

Have lunch at the Wayside Inn, the oldest inn in America, and take photos in front of the historic grist mill, chapel, gardens or pond. Did you know that the grist mill is the one featured in the Pepperidge Farm logo (they used to grind all their grain here!)? Afterwards, wander the adorable shops of downtown Hudson, the town voted Best Main Street in America. Take a cooking class at Duck Soup, then browse their many local products, from handcrafted cutting boards to Goodnow Farms Chocolate, winner of more international chocolate awards than any other maker in North America. In the evening, head back to the Fan Zone to catch the USA vs. Paraguay at 9pm.

Brazil Fan Zone. Photo courtesy of MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau

June 13:

Spend the day discovering the beauty of New England’s native plants at the enchanting Garden in the Woods. Wander along woodland trails with a babbling brook, lily pond, family activity area, and multiple gardens that make up this 45-acre hidden gem. In the afternoon, get ready to cheer for back-to-back games in the Fan Zone. Watch Brazil take on Morocco at 6pm. Couldn’t get tickets to see Haiti play Scotland in Foxboro? Watch it in the Fan Zone instead at 9pm! Music, entertainment, and activities abound in between matches, keeping the whole crew going until 11pm.

TCAN performance. Photo courtesy of MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau

June 14:

Spend the morning hiking, swimming or boating through the three pretty linked ponds that make up Cochituate State Park; you can even rent a pedal boat or sailboat right on site! In the afternoon, head to Natick for either a little retail therapy at the Natick Mall, the largest mall in New England, and some family fun at Bosse Pickledom, Level99, Immersive Gamebox or Puttshack, or explore Natick’s charming Cultural District with boutiques full of artisan-made goods, a ton of public art, and TCAN, a fantastic theater in a restored fire station. Try a flight of cider and great BBQ at Lookout Farm or some fantastic tapas at Zayith and talk about what a great trip this has been!

Photo via Omar Ramadan / Pexels. Courtesy of MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau

JUNE 24-27

June 24:

Franklin’s Fan Zone kicks off at 2pm on June 24. Enjoy their free festival with a beer garden, food trucks, a wide variety of vendors, live music, and interactive activities, from inflatables to photobooths. Catch Switzerland vs Canada at 3pm and then the much-anticipated Scotland vs Brazil match at 6pm. Go wild cheering for your favorites while the whole family stays happy with so much to see and do (not to mention, eat and drink!) Check in to the lovely lakeside Warren Conference Center & Inn or the Doubletree Milford for a super comfy night to give you energy for the next day’s fun.

Dean College. Photo courtesy of MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau

June 25:

Spend the morning wandering through Franklin’s Cultural District looking for all the painted ladybugs and take a tour of lovely Dean College (a proud sponsor of the Fan Zones!), then grab lunch and head to the Zone for its opening at 2pm. Explore the vendors, dance to the live music and watch Ecuador vs. Germany at 4pm and Tunisia vs Netherlands at 7pm. Try a craft beer, cocktail, or wine from one of the local producers and enjoy a beautiful summer night.

Unity Farm Sanctuary. Photo courtesy of MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau

June 26:

Check out the contemporary and historic works, plus new exhibitions, at the Danforth Art Museum, a charming little museum with a great collection in the heart of the Framingham Centre Common Cultural District, then go on a scavenger hunt for all 32 public art heart sculptures in the city using the free SmartGuide App. Afterwards, pop over to Dulce D Leche for homemade gelato or decadent chocolates, then visit Unity Farm Sanctuary, where you can book a tour to meet their 225+ rescued farm animals (plus, snap adorable selfies!). After a casual dinner at Zaftigs or an upscale one at Buttercup, catch a show at Hopkinton Center for the Arts. This lively creative hub offers a variety of hands-on art workshops as well as live music, theater and dance performances.

Lion at Southwick’s Zoo. Photo courtesy of MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau

June 27:
Start the day at Southwick’s Zoo getting up close and personal through Keeper Talks or Animal Encounters with some of the 900 animals that call the largest zoo in New England home. Let the little ones take a turn on the carousel or ride the train through the North American Wetlands for a view of the elk and trumpeter swans. In the afternoon, rent a paddleboard or kayak on-site to explore Hopkinton State Park’s natural beauty, or try your luck at Plainridge Park Casino, where you can play the slot machines or cheer on your favorite horse at their live harness racetrack. Grab dinner at Prezo Grille & Bar for American favorites with a twist or indulge in a ramen bowl from Doragon Eatery while you plan more MetroWest adventures.

Discover more attractions, dining, and places to stay in the region’s free visitors guide at www.metrowestvisitors.org/guide.

For MetroWest Regional Fan Zone information, including how to register for free tickets, visit www.metrowestvisitors.org/world-cup.