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Friendly Crossways Massachusetts Conference Center has been providing quiet, comfortable, affordable New England retreat facilities since 1947.
Conference & Retreat Organizers:
Please hotlink from here to our Massachusetts Friendly Crossing retreats center home page
What is Friendly Crossways?Situated in central Massachusetts apple country, this smoke-free hostel and conference center has been a special place for retreats, seminars, conferences, and workshops since 1946. First licensed in 1947 by American Youth Hostels (now Hostelling International-USA), and a member of the international youth hostel association. It also provides inexpensive accommodations for individual travelers on a budget. Ok, we're not necessarily one of the five most famous hostels, but we're the second longest running one in the US!
Friendly Crossways is conveniently located near the intersection of Rte. 2 and Rte. 495 in the town of Harvard, only 30 miles northwest of Boston. We're in a peaceful, rural location along the Johnny Appleseed Trail with easy access to hiking, biking, skiing and canoeing. Church leaders, church youth groups, health organizations, elementary and high school field trips, and other environmental, educational and nonprofit companies are just some of the groups who have benefited from our services, facilities and reasonable rates.
A century-old New England barn and farmhouse has been renovated to accommodate up to 70 people in a combination of dormitory and private rooms. We have large and small meeting places, and a big kitchen. Groups can make communal cooking and clean-up part of their conference activities, or our chef can provide healthy, family-style meals.
We're open throughout the year, and it's a beautiful place during all the seasons, even winter!
Mary Helan and Keith Turner know what owning a hostel is like as they are second-generation managers, having taken over the reins from Mary Helan's parents, Martin and Anne Vesenka.
Things to do:NOW: is the perfect time to pick your own apples at local orchards (Westward Orchards (978/456-8363), Carlsons Orchards (978/456-3916) and Doe Orchards (978/772-4139) in the town of Harvard. )& wineries ( Nashoba Valley Winery in Bolton. )
Thirteen miles from Friendly Crossways, you can take a Literary Tour of Louisa May Alcott's and Ralph Waldo Emerson's homes, and Thoreau's Walden Pond and Lyceum, and visit the site of the "shot heard `round the world" in Concord; browse through the DeCordva Museum and Sculpture Park in Lincoln; check out suits of armor and American art in Worcester; and visit Lowell, home to national museums featuring the American Industrial Revolution and American Quilts.
An hour's drive leads you to north of Boston to Gloucester, Rockport and Newburyport for whale watching, windswept beaches, or turn back the clock at Salem and its historic Peabody Essex Museum, Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge MA or Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth NH. Of course there's loads of things to see in Boston.
Much of New England, including the seacoast from artistic Portland, Maine to America's Home Town Plymouth Rock and Cape Cod's white sand beaches in Massachusetts and the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, Green Mountains of Vermont and White Mountains of New Hampshire can be reached in less than two hours.
For children, there is a neat "Leathers" park and climbing structure about 5 miles away in Littleton; and the Discovery Museums, seven miles away in Acton. The National Plastics Center and Museum in nearby Leominster has lots of cool hands-on activities and neat information appropriate for both children and adults. The Davis Farm in Sterling has a petting zoo and crop maze and a whole lot more. Great Brook Farm Park in nearby Carlisle has a working dairy, icecream stand, and walking paths which are used for cross country skiing in the winter. The Hands-On Art Museum encourages visitors to create!
NEFFA (New England Folk Festival Association) is 45 minutes away in Natick in April. The FREE Lowell Folk Festival is 20 minutes away and held the last weekend in July. There's also the Three Apples Storytelling Festival held this October 15-17, right here in Harvard. Wachusett Moutain holds several fall festivals featuring kids, beers, classic cars and R&B, and downhill skiing (not all at the same time). Berlin Orchards has pick-your-own fruit and fruity festivals. Nashoba Valley Winery has festivals and features their wines in their own restaurant.
For other things to do in and around Havard check out the U.S. City Directory
Once you're here you can drive 25 miles to Alewife MBTA subway station, park all day for $4, and take a 20-minute subway ride to Cambridge or Boston and avoid the hassle and expense of driving/parking in Boston.
Foreign guests may obtain special AMTRAK train rates. Order Rail Passesfor the northeastern region of USA from Mac America Travel Now!
For More detailed directions from major highways, Logan airport and by train, please see Location & Directionspage.
Other HI-Hostels in New England
Other HI-Hostels in USA and Worldwide
Other budget accommodation information
The Hostel Handbook - All the
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and
Hostels Guide Hostelz.com - The only worldwide hostel guide with photos, unbiased reviews, and online booking for hostels and budget hotels.
Office Hours: 5 pm - 10
pm
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Last modified:Friday, 05-Nov-2004 23:16:06 EST