Wakefield, Massachusetts is a scenic town 10 miles north of Boston. Wakefield has preserved much of its historic New England appearance and is recognized for its strong community involvement, quality school system, thriving businesses, public library, and for beautiful Lake Quannapowitt, which plays host to countless outdoor festivals and benefit activities each year. Walkers and joggers circle Lake Quannapowitt's shores year round, and in the warmer months, boaters set sail from the nation's oldest inland yacht club.
Understand
Get in
By plane
Accessible by flights into Boston Logan International Airport (BOS IATA), which is about 30 - 45 minutes away by car.
By car
Wakefield is off route 128/I-95. The town spans from Exit 38 to Exit 42. Any of the five exits will take you into the center of town.
By rail
Wakefield is served by MBTA commuter rail from Boston.
- 1 Wakefield railway station, 225 North Ave.
Get around
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The easiest way to get around is by car. There is no public transportation. If you are active, a bike is also a good choice.
See
Wakefield is home to the beautiful Lake Quannapowitt. The lake is 3.5 miles around, which makes it ideal for the daily run or walk. At the head of the lake, there is Wakefield Common, which has a park and a gazebo, where many events, such as concerts and Independence Day festivities, are held.
- 1 Col. James Hartshorne House, 41 Church Street. Located on the shores of beautiful Lake Quannapowitt, the Colonel James Hartshorne House was built in 1681 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Throughout its life it has served as a private residence, a tavern, and a tenement for icehouse workers for the adjoining Morrill-Atwood Ice Company.
Do
- 1 Breakheart Reservation, 100 Hemlock Rd, ☏ 1 781 233-0834. Open year-round, dawn to dusk. Breakheart Reservation is a 640-acre hardwood forest with jagged, rocky outcroppings, two fresh-water lakes, and a rambling section of the Saugus River. Fishing in Silver and Pearce Lakes, hiking the trails and birdwatching by the Saugus River are popular year-round activities. The supervised swimming area at Pearce Lake, one of the few fresh- water swimming spots north of Boston, draws crowds in the summer.
Buy
Eat
- 1 Kippos Roast Beef, 117 Water St.
- 2 Dockside Restaurant Wakefield, 1099 Main St, ☏ 1 781 245-0200.
Drink
Sleep
- 1 Four Points by Sheraton Wakefield Boston Hotel & Conference Center, One Audubon Road, ☏ 1 781 245-9300. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Sheraton Colonial features meeting space capable of accommodating 450 people and 280 guestrooms with HD flat-panel televisions, Sheraton Sweet Sleeper bedding and Shine by Bliss bath products.
- 2 Clarion Inn, 595 North Avenue, ☏ 1 781 245-6100, fax: 1 781 245-2904. Formerly the Best Western Lord Wakefield Hotel and the Clarion Inn. Features meeting space capable of accommodating 100 people and 87 guestrooms. The Inn is on the shores of Lake Quannapowitt.
Connect
Go next
| Routes through Wakefield |
| Peabody ← Lynnfield ← | N   S | → Reading → Weston |
| Chelmsford ← Reading ← | W  E | → Saugus → Lynn |
| Haverhill ← Reading ← | N  S | → Melrose → Boston |