Although the three most-visited tourist regions of Massachusetts — The Berkshires, downtown Boston and Cape Cod — receive the most press attention, there are three other regions of the state, all contiguous to each other, with plenty of history as well, where the fall colors are equally as gorgeous. And with less tourists to these other three regions, there is more room for visitors to drive, walk and bike. These three regions have their own specific names: North Central Massachusetts, Central Massachusetts and MetroWest Boston. Below is a brief itinerary for three days in the towns of  “undiscovered” Massachusetts.

Day 1: Central Massachusetts
Webster (population about 13,000) was settled in 1713 and named after Daniel Webster. It is small-town New England at its finest. You cannot miss beautiful Webster Lake, a.k.a. Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg by the early 18^th-century Native Americans living there. Webster’s Main Street Historic District is great to explore, and a visit to Samuel Slater Museum offers wonderful exhibits of Webster’s early textile industry and its importance to colonial America.

Samuel Slater Museum © Joanna Tricorache

In the city of Worcester, New England’s second-largest city after Boston, the original Worcester Art Museum opened in 1898 and continues to offer exhibitions from its permanent collection of 40,000 pieces of artwork, as well as rotating exhibitions. The region’s Blackstone River Valley offers a magnificent road trip following 48 miles of the Blackstone River as it drops 438 feet to sea level. Explore the historic towns and villages in what is known as the Blackstone National Heritage Corridor.

The 199-room Hilton Garden Inn Worcester is centrally located with a health club and indoor pool, just a five-minute walk to the DCU entertainment center and a half-mile to Worcester Historical Museum. The 110 Grill in Worcester is a New England restaurant chain covering five states, but you would never know it from this beautifully designed venue just a 10-minute walk from the hotel, complete with a large and very affordable menu.

Day 2: North Central Massachusetts
In the North Central region, 30 minutes from Worcester, is Icon Museum in Clinton. It is the only museum in the United States solely dedicated to Russian icons, and one of the largest private collections outside of Russia. It opened in 2006 and received accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums a few years later.

© Joanna Tricorache

Thirty minutes from Clinton is Fitchburg, which offers visitors an opportunity to view artwork at Fitchburg Art Museum. Some of the exhibitions available into 2025 include Africa Rising 21^st-Century African Photography, Discover Ancient Egypt and the amazing Sports Photos of Walter Iooss.

For a change of pace, rent a bike from Josh at Break Bike Shop in downtown Fitchburg and ride on the new Twin Cities Rail Trail, a flat asphalt bike or walking trail from Fitchburg to the town of Leominster (founded 1653), just 4 miles away. Most walkers and bikers go halfway, then return to Fitchburg for their car (lots of free parking is available at Break Bike).

The 187-room Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Leominster is just 15 minutes away from Gardner Ale House, conveniently adjacent to its Moon Hill Brewing Company. The Ale House is a full-menu brewpub serving everything from grilled ribeye and fresh seafood, to burgers, salads and, of course, Moon Hill beer.

DAY 3: MetroWest Boston
Downtown Boston is only 35–45 minutes from MetroWest destinations, but walking along the paths of Garden in the Woods Botanical Garden in Framingham is like being on another planet. Surrounded by New England native plants within 45 acres of wetlands, a brook and a pond, this serene location is a perfect start to the day.

Framingham © Joanna Tricorache

Continue to Framingham Centre Common Cultural District, the historic neighborhood of Framingham (founded in 1650) that still has the look and feel of a 17^th– to 19^th-century New England village with its rectangular grass common, churches, historic residential homes and the three 19^th-century buildings that house Framingham History Center.

A short drive from Framingham is Natick, where Natick Common, on South Main Street, is also a revitalized neighborhood with dining venues, boutiques, cultural institutions and lots of beautifully restored 19^th-century commercial buildings. A six-minute drive from the Common is South Natick Dam Park, where the Charles River flows quickly on its route to Boston Harbor, about 35 miles away.

The 251-room Verve Hotel Boston Natick, a Tapestry Collection by Hilton opened in 2020. This non-traditional, extremely colorful designed property features music of the past few decades as its artistic theme with weekly live music, hundreds of photos and lots of neon signage that celebrates the theme.