Groton: The Little Town with Everything You Could Want from a Vacation

Sponsored by Destination Groton

If you’re waking up in Groton, Massachusetts, and you’re not a Grotonian (or great friends with one), you’re likely a guest at The Groton Inn. It’s the sole lodging establishment in this town of 11,000 and a fine one with a long history, although it was all freshly rebuilt, post fire, in 2018. 

Hopefully your room overlooks Gibbet Hill, one of the swarm of glacial drumlins that are Groton’s most distinguishing geologic feature. With a muffin and a cup of tea from downstairs, settle into an Adirondack chair out back and gaze up at cows grazing on the hill (a scene from Greta Gerwig’s Little Women was famously filmed atop this ridge), or opt for a rocking chair on the inn’s broad front porch looking out on Main Street.

As you rock or recline, you may be thinking, “Ahhh … I have found the sort of sleepy New England town where I can simply exhale and do a whole lot of nothing … maybe pop into and out of some cute shops.” And you’d be right. And you’d also be so utterly wrong.

Because Groton is easily one of the most culturally rich, intellectually stimulating, culinarily authentic, and energizingly outdoorsy destinations you’ll find in New England. And this rebel town, which sent minutemen and militiamen to repel the British at Lexington and Concord, and again two months later to deliver a defiant message at the Battle of Bunker Hill, still feels at the forefront of what’s possible when people band together to create and preserve beauty and happy pursuits for all. 

A Deep Sense of History

Groton may not have national-park rangers or costumed guides in tricorn hats roaming its streets, but you’ll still sense important things happened here. And you’ll have local historian Josh Vollmar available 24/7 to tell you all about them. Well, not Josh himself—a guy’s gotta sleep! But you can hear Josh’s voice and his thoroughly researched, thoughtfully composed words any time thanks to Destination Groton’s free Revolutionary War sites audio tour, created in commemoration of America’s 250th birthday. It’s available right on your cell phone.

There are 10 walk-to sites clustered in the heart of town and six more within a short drive, and when you complete the tour, you’ll know a ton about the role Groton and its citizens played in the struggle for independence. Vollmar’s captured not only the impact of well-known heroes like Groton-born Colonel William Prescott, who memorably commanded revolutionary troops at the Battle of Bunker Hill, instructing them, “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes,” but also of Black residents who joined the fight for freedom they’d not yet tasted and a militia of women who, dressed in their husbands’ and brothers’ clothes, intercepted Loyalist spies and shut down the Brits’ secret communications network.

America’s Revolutionary era isn’t the only chapter that comes to life in Groton. Visit the Boutwell House, built in 1851 for then-governor of Massachusetts George S. Boutwell and now home to the Groton History Center. Boutwell went on to serve as treasury secretary under President Ulysses S. Grant. On a tour, you’ll see the bed where Grant slept when he visited Groton in 1869. Imagine waiting in line with 3,000 people to parade through the house and momentarily grasp the surprisingly delicate hand of the man who ended the Civil War with a handshake.

An Arts Powerhouse

There’s something in the rhythm of life in this one-traffic-light town that has attracted an inordinate number of creative types. For visitors, this means inspiration and entertainment in wild abundance. There is visual art everywhere you turn, from NOA Gallery‘s installations at The Groton Inn to imagery carefully hung on the walls of Blackbird Cafe. The public library (eighth oldest in the state) has a gallery; Lawrence Academy has a gallery (reopening in the fall of 2026); Groton School has two. And they’re all free to explore.

Paul Matisse, grandson of Henri, is among Groton’s luminaries. Now in his 90s, he’s still a presence in town, and his Kalliroscope Gallery, in a church he turned into his home, is open by special arrangement.  

The shops in town are maker focused, too, and it’s a joy to stop and smell the floral art at Lavender, to find handcrafted housewares among the offerings at Coco Home and Welcome Home, and to browse the upcycled vintage and artisan-crafted gifts at the multi-vendor shop Glorie Dayz.

Inspired by all you’ve seen, you’ll want to jump into the arts scene at Prescott Community Center, where “learn, create, play” is their invitation to everyone. So much happens under the roof of this former public school. Try a pottery class at Old School Clay and Ceramics. Make a stained-glass treasure at Periwinkle Art & Glassworks. Pick up a pencil to do some creative writing. Move your body in a ballet, yoga, or strength-training class. Take the stage on Open Mic Night the second Friday of every month. Book a headshot session with master portrait photographer Kathryn Costello, who’s trained her lens on famous figure skaters and dancers. (Lily + James, a stylish clothing boutique two blocks away on Main Street, can outfit you for your moment in front of the camera; FACETSetc on Hollis Street has handcrafted jewelry to give your look added sparkle.)

And now … the star cultural attraction: Groton Hill Music Center. Opened in 2022, this strikingly modern, acoustically superb performance palace built with timber and fieldstone to evoke the surrounding agrarian acreage will wow you from the moment you turn onto its gently winding entry road. Home to a music school and two world-class venues, it’s a glorious environment in which to spend an evening with the resident Vista Philharmonic Orchestra or visiting headliners like Tab Benoit, I’m with Her, and Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers.

A Farm-Powered Dining Scene

From popular breakfast spot Salt & Light café to always-crowded Italian BYOB standout Filho’s Cucina (attached to Groton Market, where you can select a nice bottle of wine), the restaurants in Groton all benefit from the profusion of fresh produce. Even New Englanders are surprised by how much grows here, in a suburb that’s still well within metropolitan Boston’s sphere.

The Herb Lyceum, best known for its envy-of-all greenhouse and garden wedding venues and 185-year-old Birch and Stone guesthouse for bridal parties, is still at its heart a farm. It’s owned by the Gilson family, Mayflower descendants who send 300,000 four-inch herb pots out to retailers each year.

If you’ve arrived at The Groton Inn on the late side, you’ll be delighted to discover the property’s Forge & Vine has a warm welcome for you, with a menu that reflects what’s seasonally available and a raw bar showcasing East Coast oysters and other sea fare. Or for something cool and sweet, Tully Farms, a sixth-generation-owned family farm in neighboring Dunstable, has just opened its first Tully Farms Scoop Shop right in the center of Groton.

The epitome of farm to table awaits you at Gibbet Hill Grill. Wear comfy shoes and plan to arrive a half hour before your reservation so you can set out on a self-guided walking tour of the restaurant’s own farm operation. It’s an insightful look at the agricultural history of Gibbet Hill, which stretches back to 1645, as well as sustainable practices used in cultivating the vegetables, fruits, herbs, flowers, and honey that compose dishes as colorful as they are healthful and delicious.

A Place To Exercise Your Recreational Rights

Time outdoors is integral to any perfect vacation, and Groton shines on a grand scale here once again. This is a town that has fought for its natural resources for decades. Visitors today benefit from the legacy of Marion Stoddart, whose environmental activism not only cleaned up the Nashua River, which runs through Groton, but led to Massachusetts’ landmark, first-in-the-nation Clean Waters Act in 1966.

Rent a canoe, kayak, or SUP from Nashoba Paddler, and you can paddle for hours, up or down river. Or bring bikes and ride a stretch of the 12.4-mile Nashua River Rail Trail, which is also open to walkers and, in winter, cross-country skiers. The town-owned Groton Country Club is open to the public with a nine-hole golf course, reservable pickleball and tennis courts, and a heated, Olympic-sized pool. Groton Publick House, a traditional pub, is right there with cold craft beer and hearty eats when you come off the course or courts or out of the cool water.

There’s a wonderful story behind the General Field Conservation Area, one of many preserved tracts in town that beckons to walking enthusiasts. A communal growing area with roots in the 17th century, this large parcel boasting views of Mount Wachusett was threatened with development, but in 2006, Groton Conservation Trust members rallied townspeople to raise a whopping $19.4 million to save the land for continued agricultural use and the enjoyment of all. This land trust is also the keeper of the Forest Bells, an installation by Paul Matisse at Blackman Field and Woods. Find them, and ring a tune all your own for an audience of trees.

Of course, you’d be remiss if you left Groton without hiking to the top of Gibbet Hill. Park at Gibbet Hill Grill and walk downhill toward the road to find the start of the path, which is short and easy to navigate, but, as you’d imagine, all uphill. En route to the summit and its panoramic vistas, which are at their most resplendent when fall colors pop in mid-October, you’ll see the ruins of Bancroft’s Castle, a 1906 stone structure that’s been in its current state since Fourth of July fireworks set it aflame in 1932.

Historically farmland, Gibbet Hill once looked destined for residential development, too, until Groton native and GeoTel Communications founder Steven Webber stepped in. At any time of day, but particularly as sunset paints the sky a rosy orange and the surrounding countryside darkens with purple shadows, you’ll feel thankful Grotonians care so much for their town and its legacy … and that they want to share it with you.

A Small Town on the Cusp of Even More

Groton is fertile ground in more ways than one, and there’s buzz around town about several coming attractions. Beloved chef Will Gilson, who grew up at his family’s Groton herb farm and caters the weddings there in addition to running his Cambridge restaurant empire, is set for a highly anticipated new opening in his hometown: Puritan Tavern. Watch for this cozy, elevated-casual gathering spot to open around September 1.

And the formation of the Elizabeth Goldring–Otto Piene Foundation has hopes running high that the art farm where the couple long created magic—she as a poet and visual artist known for her interactive Eye/Sight installations, her late German American husband for his helium-filled Sky Art, kinetic Light Ballets, and Smoke and Fire Pictures—will be conserved and more frequently accessible to artists and the curious public … as if Groton wasn’t already bursting with things to do! As locals like to say … “Groton, enjoy the experience.”

Follow Destination Groton on Facebook and Instagram for news about all that’s happening in town.

Kim Knox Beckius

Kim Knox Beckius is Yankee's travel & branded content editor. A longtime freelance writer/photographer and Yankee contributing editor based in Connecticut, she has explored every corner of the region while writing six books on travel in the Northeast and contributing updates to New England guidebooks published by Fodor's, Frommer's, and Michelin. For more than 20 years, Kim served as New England Travel Expert for TripSavvy (formerly About.com). She is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and is frequently called on by the media to discuss New England travel and events. She is likely the only person who has hugged both Art Garfunkel and a baby moose.

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