Westford, Massachusetts is a very quaint, suburban community located about 35 miles from Boston. The area is ideal for nature lovers and active ‘outdoorsy’ folks. With an impressive amount of wildlife and beautiful walking and biking trails along lakes, rolling hills, orchards, and land conservations, this is the ideal spot for a spring getaway.
Explore The Butterfly Place
The Butterfly Place is a one-of-a-kind experience offered when you visit Westford. Enjoy an afternoon roaming around the magical indoor garden filled with hundreds of free-flying butterflies. For only $14 per person or less (FREE for kids under 2!) you can interact with New England butterflies along with other beautiful tropical species from all over the world.
Observe from close-up as butterflies socialize with each other and their surroundings in a natural habitat while you get to walk among them. You may see other surprise animals like koi fish and quail birds who live among the butterflies at The Butterfly Place’s accommodating establishment.
You’re able to see all stages of a butterfly’s life from egg to caterpillar to cocoon with a staff member walking you through each stage. Make sure to go to the gift shop at the end of your visit and take home a butterfly hatching kit for yourself!
The Butterfly Place also offers birthday party, wedding, and other special event packages if you’d like to spend an important day surrounded by butterflies. They can accommodate parties of up to 100 people and you can enjoy a private space to take in the experience.
Take a Ride to Bobby’s Ranch
A staple attraction in Westford, MA, Bobby’s Ranch has been running since 1972. The family-owned and operated ranch was first started to keep their teenage son busy during the summer. What started as a shack with only two horses has grown into so much more in the last 50 years.
The rise of horse riding popularity in the late 1970s helped grow the ranch to what it is today. Father and son, Bob and Bobby, built each barn and indoor ring from the ground up until it was ready for use by the public.
Today, the original barn is home to horses that are boarded there by their families, and Bobby’s Ranch houses 5 of their own horses full-time and offers year-round horseback riding. If you are comfortable and knowledgeable about riding, you can take trail rides into the woods and through various fields. If you want to learn how to ride, Bobby’s Ranch also offers various lesson packages you can take advantage of including riding camps over the summer.
A Wild Experience at the Wildlife Sanctuary
Spanning over 420 acres and offering 3.6 miles of trails to explore, enjoy an adventure through the Nashoba Brook Wildlife Sanctuary. Additionally, you’ll be able to cross through a section of the town of Westford’s Richard Emmett Conservation Land named Emmett Woods. Richard Emmett wrote a book titled “Westford Bird Notes” about the 170 bird species he observed in the sanctuary, and the town named the largest plot of the conservation in honor of him and his dedication to the wildlife.
During your visit, you’ll be a guest in the home environment of hundreds of animal species including foxes, owls, songbirds, and hawks. Make sure to bring your camera to document the special moments you’ll get to experience with the wildlife, but please take nothing but photos or leave anything behind but your footprints.
A getaway to Westford can truly be a magical experience, and if you’re looking for ‘outdoorsy’ and nature-filled adventures, early springtime is the ideal time for you to visit.
