Nearby Attractions & Directions

From the Mass. Pike (I-90): Take Exit 9 (Sturbridge) to U.S. 20 West or take Exit 8 (Palmer) to U.S. 20 East. At the center of Brimfield, take S.R. 19 South, 4.5 miles to the center of Wales and Oak Haven (on your left.)
From I-84: Take Exit 70 (in Connecticut) - S.R. 32 North (Stafford Springs.) At the center of Stafford Springs, take S.R. 190 East for 1/4 mile, to S.R. 19 North. Oak Haven is located 2.75 miles beyond the state line, on your right.

GPS Coordinates: 42.06793, 72.22202

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Old Sturbridge Village (10 minutes) is a world-famous living museum which recreates life in a New England farm village of the 1830's. Over 40 restored buildings on 200 acres include craft demonstrations, museum displays and a working farm. Open year-round, with special seasonal events, easily a full day’s visit!

The Brimfield Antique Flea Markets (5 minutes), held on various weeks during the Spring, Summer & Fall, comprise New England’s largest antique flea market center, attracting visitors from around the world. It is truthfully said that, “If you collect it, you can find it at Brimfield.”

Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary (5 minutes), located in Wales and Monson, contains over 3,000 acres of rare wildflowers and indigenous wildlife. Featuring two museums and self-guided nature trails, Norcross is open year-round, with free admission.

Lake George (within walking distance), Lake George is a reservoir located just .4 miles from Oak Haven Campground. Fishermen will find a variety of fish including largemouth bass, white, perch, crappie and striped bass here. Please remember to check with the local Fish and Wildlife department to ensure the reservoir is open to the public, and that you have the necessary fishing license. Now what are you waiting for, get fishing!

Brimfield State Forest & Dean Pond (5 minutes). This rolling, heavily forested property has over 20 miles of roads and trails and is used primarily for hiking, walking, horseback riding and fishing. Dean Pond Recreation Area, located in the western portion of Brimfield State Forest, has a pavilion, comfort station, 100 linear feet of beach and picnic facilities. The roads are popular for equestrian use and related special events.

St. Anne’s Shrine & Museum of Russian Icons (10 minutes). The Museum of Russian Icons was founded in 2006 as a nonprofit educational institution by Massachusetts art collector and industrialist Gordon B. Lankton. Including more than 500 Russian icons and artifacts, the collection is the largest of its kind in North America, and one of the largest private collections outside Russia. Spanning six centuries, the collection includes important historical paintings dating from the earliest periods of icon "writing" to the present.

Stafford Motor Speedway (15 minutes). Stafford Motor Speedway is in business to provide a first class auto racing facility for racecar drivers, teams, fans, sponsors and advertising associates. They strive to maintain a professional racing environment with emphasis on safety and fairness and deliver a memorable motorsports experience to all guests at Stafford Motor Speedway,

Quabbin Reservoir (30 minutes). Quabbin Reservoir is one of the largest man-made public water supplies in the United States. Created in the 1930s by the construction of two huge earthen dams, the reservoir is fed by the three branches of the Swift River, and seasonally by the Ware River. Quabbin's water covers 39 square miles, is 18 miles long and has 181 miles of shoreline. When full, Quabbin holds 412 billion gallons of water. Since 1946, shore fishing has been allowed at the reservoir, and since 1952 a limited boat fishing program has been in existence. Please help preserve your fishing privileges and protect Quabbin's resources by following all rules and regulations.

Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary (30 minutes). Fans of Thornton W. Burgess are no strangers to the setting at Laughing Brook. The children’s author wove his tales around the wild animals that live there. The landscape has changed since Burgess called this land home. The “laughing” brook has at times become a roaring river depositing sand used later by turtles, and strong winds have downed trees leaving behind new shelters for salamanders.

Basketball Hall of Fame (35 minutes). Today, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is home to more than three hundred inductees and more than 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Located on the picturesque banks of the Connecticut River, the new museum is a fitting shrine to the game Dr. Naismith invented more than a century ago. The landmark structure is one of the world’s most distinctive monuments punctuating the Springfield skyline and stirring the spirits of basketball fans everywhere. Hundreds of interactive exhibits share the spotlight with skills challenges, live clinics, and shooting contests. And of course there is enough basketball history to impress the world’s most avid sports fans!

Springfield Armory - U.S. Armory Museum (35 minutes). For nearly two centuries, the US Armed Forces and American industry looked to Springfield Armory for innovative engineering and superior firearms. Springfield Armory National Historic Site commemorates the critical role of the nation’s first armory by preserving and interpreting the world's largest historic US military small arms collection, along with historic archives, buildings, and landscapes.

The MassMutual Center (Springfield Civic Center) (35 minutes). The MassMutual Center is conveniently located in downtown Springfield, Massachusetts, a venue that combines the best of big-city accessibility and services with small-town hospitality and affordability. Attendees can discover a rich array of dining choices, cultural attractions including some of the finest museums in the country, world-class entertainment (including concerts and events at the MassMutual’s own arena), famous college towns, historic villages, and short excursions to the rest of New England. And if you’re lucky enough to be here in fall, you’ll see our glorious fall foliage. Best of all, restaurants, and special attractions are all within walking distance of the MassMutual Center.

CityStage & Symphony Hall (35 minutes). The 2,611-seat Symphony Hall is home to Broadway-style theatre, top-quality children's programming, internationally-recognized speakers and numerous concerts and performances. Built in the early 1900s, the historic building underwent an extensive renovation in the fall of 2004. Patrons are enjoying refurbished seating, newly painted ceilings, walls and floors, new acoustical and decorative draperies and improved restroom facilities.

Six Flags New England and Island Kingdom Theme Park (45 minutes). New England's biggest, most popular theme park featuring dozens of thrill rides, shows, and activities (Agawam, MA). Six Flags New England is home to many rides and attractions, including Bizarro. It is 208 feet (63 m) tall and drops 221 feet (67 m) into a tunnel, reaching a top speed of 77 mph (124 km/h). It is considered one of the best steel roller coasters in the world according to the trade magazine Amusement Today, which awarded it the prestigious Golden Ticket award in 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. Island Kingdom offers a full day of fun in the sun for the entire family. The water park features more than a dozen waterslides including Cannonball Falls, a high-speed water slide complex and Shark Attack, the thrilling turbo water slide complex with "bite." Guests can float down two lazy rivers or splash around in Hook's Lagoon, an interactive, state-of-the-art water tree house filled with playful special effects including exploding water mines, bubbling springs and a 1,000-gallon bucket that periodically empties on unsuspecting heads.

DCU Center Arena in Worcester (45 minutes). For more than 31 years, the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts has been recognized as the gathering place for people to experience the finest in entertainment, sporting events and public functions. Hailed as one of the most successful entertainment and convention facilities in the nation, the DCU Center opened its doors in September 1982 with the legendary Frank Sinatra Inaugural Concert. Since that time, acts of all musical genres have found their way to the arena stage. From rock to rap, country to contemporary, millions of fans from all over the world have come to the DCU Center to see their favorite performers. The arena features annual appearances of the top family shows including Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Sesame Street Live, Disney On Ice, Harlem Globetrotters and The Wiggles among others. The DCU Center also plays host to a variety of sporting and entertainment events including NCAA Basketball and Hockey, Holy Cross Basketball, Professional Bull Riding, MIAA High School Basketball Championships, Disney On Ice, Monster Trucks and more.

Worcester Art Museum (WAM) (45 minutes). After 83 years, Higgins Armory Museum officially closed its doors on December 31, 2013. Only three months after the closing of Worcester’s Higgins Armory Museum, Knights! reveals the fascinating place of arms and armor in the broader context of history, storytelling, and art. This exhibition marks the first step in the long-term integration of arms and armor into the collection of the Worcester Art Museum. This process ensures that a treasure of national importance remains in Worcester and continues to delight future generations of museum-goers from within the city and across the region.