Recommended Places to Visit: Andover

Recreation

Arts and Crafts

Kidcasso Art Studio (chain)

27 Main Street

Beaches
Pomps Pond
~170 Abbot Street


Dams
Stevens Street Dam
~5 Stevens Street

Balmoral Street Dam
Haverhill Street near Riverina Road

Ballardvale Dam

15 Dale Street


Water Bodies
Clark's Pond
Clark Road near Chester Street

Hiking
Recommended:
Lupine Reservation
Lupine Road and Central Street

Baker's Meadow
Reservation Road near Pilgrim Drive

Goldsmith Woodlands
South Main Street near Old County Road

Harold Parker State Forest
50 Harold Parker Road

Haggett's Pond
274 High Plain Road

Ward Reservation
End of Prospect Road

Merrimack River Trail
End of Raven's Bluff

Tried:
Wilkinson Reservation
175 Woburn Street

Pole Hill
End of Marland Street

Sunset Rock
End of Hammonds Way

Amy Gordon Taft Reservation
Wildwood Road and Sagamore Drive

Mary French Reservation/Hammond Reservation
16 Korinthian Way

Serio's Grove
49 Lowell Junction Road

West Parish Meadow
129 Reservation Road

Den Rock Park
End of Stirling Road

Doyle Link
End of Candlewood Drive

Moncrieff Cochran Sanctuary
85 Chapel Avenue

Events
Andover Day

Museums
Andover Historical Society
97 Main Street

Addison Gallery of American Art
180 Main Street

Parks
Central Park
Bartlet Street and Chestnut Street

Architecture

Monuments

Wood Memorial Park
Lowell Street and North Main Street

See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil

27 Main Street

Places of Worship

Monastery of St. Clare
445 River Road

Faith Lutheran Church
360 South Main Street

St. Augustine Church
43 Essex Street

Andover Baptist Church
7 Central Street

Free Christian Church
31 Elm Street

South Church in Andover
41 Central Street

Christ Church
25 Central Street

Unitarian Universalist Congregation
6 Locke Street

First Church of Christ, Scientist
278 North Main Street

Sri Chinmaya Maruti Temple
1 Union Street

West Parish Church
129 Reservation Road

New England Bible Church
60 Chandler Road

Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church 

71 Chandler Road

St. Franciscan Center

459 River Road

St. Robert Bellarmine Church

198 Haggetts Pond Road

North Boston Korean United Methodist Church

244 Lowell Street

Ballardvale United Church

23 Clark Road

St. Joseph Church

20 Highvale Lane

Chapel at West Parish
210 Lowell Street




Schools
Phillips Academy
180 Main Street

Shawsheen School
18 Magnolia Avenue

High Plain Elementary School

333 High Plain Road

West Elementary School

58 Beacon Street

Andover High School

80 Shawsheen Road

West Middle School

70 Shawsheen Road

Town Facilities
Public Safety Department
32 North Main Street

Memorial Hall Library
2 North Main Street


Commercial Buildings
Kiley Law Group
342 North Main Street




Historical Buildings
Andover Town House
20 Main Street

Nathan Frye House
166 North Main Street

Woodworth Cadillac
339 North Main Street

Restaurants

Highly Recommended:
Indian
Raagini Indian Bistro
209 North Main Street
Recommended Dishes:
Strawberry Lassi
Goat Curry
Butter Chicken

Italian

LaRosa's

7 Barnard Street

Recommended Dishes:

Greek Salad

Rigatoni Bianco

Breakfast

CRACK'D Kitchen and Coffee (chain)

319 Lowell Street

Recommended Dishes:

Charcoal Latte

Tofu Scramble

Chicken Littles Pancakes

Acai Coco-nut Bowl

Western
Brasserie 28
2 Elm Square
Recommended Dishes:
Seared Foie Gras
Gianduja Chocolate Terrine
Sweet Potato Agnolotti

Japanese
Tokyo Steakhouse (chain)
560 South Main Street
Recommended Dishes:
Onion ala Japanese Soup
Beauty on the Beach
Kiwi Scallop Maki


Tried:
Breakfast

Boston King Cafe
16 North Main Street
Recommended Dishes:
Smoothie
Corned Beef Hash

Shawsheen Luncheonette
3 Lowell Street
Recommended Dishes:
Barn Yard in the Corn Field

Thai

Gati Thai Bistro

12 Post Office Avenue

Italian
Pizza Connection
38 Park Street
Recommended Dishes:
Big Mack Pizza

September 11th 2021: Spending the Day in Andover

 We spent the day in Andover today, 

See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil,
27 Main Street

High Plain Elementary School

West Elementary School

Andover High School

West Middle School

getting breakfast from Crack'D Kitchen and Coffee in town. It is pretty much a takeout place with seating.

We got the Charcoal Latte (Espresso, Charcoal Powder, Milk),

the Chicken Littles Pancakes (yogurt and apple juice),

the TOFU SCRAMBLE (Seasoned Tofu, Spinach, Kale, Avocado, Grape Tomatoes, Sweet Potato Hash, Quinoa Rice Blend)

and the AÇAI COCO-NUT BOWL (Açai, Banana, Strawberry, Coconut, Toasted Almonds, Cacao Nibs).

The latte was interesting in that it contained activated charcoal, but tastewise it was just alright. The acai was a little sour as well. However, the tofu was really tasty, as was the pancake. Overall, a pretty good meal to be had here, can see why they have a nother branch in New Hampshire.

Next while in the town center area, we stumbled onto the Kidcasso Art Studio, where we decided to give it a try by letting our little one do some arts and crafts.

Our little one got to etch a drawing on a styrofoam paper, then roll paint over it, before stenciling the drawing onto a piece of paper. Mini pompoms were then pasted on using glue as well as stickers. Overall though, not very exciting stuff, although our little one did have fun. 

From here, we had lunch at an upscale Italian restaurant nearby, LaRosa's, although it had the style of a cafeteria.

We ordered the GREEK Salad (Romaine, Crumbled Feta, Cucumber, Tomato, Kalamata Olive, Bell Pepper, Red Onion)

and the RIGATONI BIANCO (Beef, Pork, Veal, Mushroom, Sweet Cream).

The salad was okay I guess, although the pasta was pretty tasty. Overall, a pretty good meal here.

With that, a great day spent in the town of Andover.

July 31st 2015: Dinner at Raagini Indian Bistro, Andover

Today after work, I went with my friend to go check out the Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem NH,

before heading back to Andover for dinner at Raagini Indian Bistro.

We got the Strawberry Lassi,

the Goat Curry (Hunks of young goat meat with bone in a delicious curry sauce)

and the Butter Chicken (Pieces of boneless tandoori chicken cooked in a creamy tomato sauce enriched with cashews and raisins).

Pretty good stuff, especially the drink which tasted just like strawberry yogurt, although my friend thought Rang Indian Bistro in Stoneham was better.

April 25th 2015: Hiking and Mini-Golf in Northeastern Massachusetts

I started out early this morning with a Hike at the Ward Reservation in Andover. The path I took here is shown below in pink.

From the parking lot, I first headed the Bog Trail,

going to the end to view the Pine Hole Pond.

From here, I went to the red trail and headed over an open field, where there were pretty good views of the Boston skyline.

There was more to be had at the top of Holt Hill though.

From here, I walked all the way to the Beaver Wetland Overlook, where the views of the marsh were pretty decent as well.

After getting back to my car, it was on to the next hike at Doyle Link. The path I took here from the end of Candlewood Drive is shown below in pink.

Nothing much to see here though.

Next, I did a hike at Haggett's Pond. The path I took here from 274 High Plain Road is shown below in pink.

The views of the pond on this beautiful day were magnificent.

My last hike in Andover was a continuation of my exploration of the Deer Jump Reservation from before. This time, the path I took here is shown below in pink.

The views on my first leg from Fossen's Way to Nollett Drive were just so-so.

Only the views from the southern trail on the power lines on the top of the hill were awesome.

After another pretty good hike, I decided to head into Lawrence for breakfast at Carleen's Coffee Shop. A pretty busy place, I decided to go with the Hot Chocolate

 and the Southern Benny (two extra large eggs poached with sausage patties on grilled biscuits covered with a Southern Style Gravy).

Not bad, but nothing amazing.

From here, I visited other places in town,

Costello Park

Dr. Nina Scarito Park

Immigrant Place Park

Iglesia Bautista Biblica,

3 Green Street

Engine 7, 290 Park Street

Loft Five50

Manchester Street Park

St. Mary's Cemetery

United Riverside Congregational Church

Iglesia Evangelica de Lawrence,

61 Warren Street

St. Augustine Chapel, 128 Ames Street

Old Engine 8,

298 Ames Street

I was starting to get disappointed with the crappy city of Lawrence until I got to my last destination in town, Reservoir Park,

where the views from the park were amazing,

along with its tower on Tower Hill.

Finally done with the city of Lawrence, it was on to North Andover,

North Andover Housing Authority

where I visited the Museum of Printing, one of only 3 left in the country. Pictures I took here of the old printing presses, typewriters, Chinese printers and even MacIntosh computers follow.

After leaving the museum, I headed to Jimmy's Famous Pizza, a pizza takeout place with its own mini-golf area.

I got the Mac Daddy Pizza (Ground hamburger, mozzarella cheese, topped with lettuce, onions, pickles and special sauce)

and the BBQ Chicken Bacon Ranch Calzone.

The pizza would have been great, tasting like a Big Mac, if not for the raw onions in it. The calzone was pretty good though.

Next, I went on a hike at the Shawsheen River Trail. The path I eventually took to explore the area from Hawthorne Place is shown below in pink.

Initially, I tried to enter the area from Greene Street, but could not find the trail. I gave up and went to the Hawthorne Place side, and was luckier this time. It was only when I came out on the Greene Street side that I realized I had been looking in the wrong place for the trail. Nothing much to see here though.

My next hike was at Osgood Hill. The path I took here is shown below in pink.

From the parking area on Osgood Street near Prescott Street, I made my way to the shore of Lake Cochichewick for views of it.

From here, I decided to head to the top of Osgood Hill. While heading down the Osgood Hill Trail, I saw people hiking uphill from me on the Half Mile Hill Trail, so I decided to cut through the forest to get to the trail so that I did not need to go the long way around. At the open field area at the base of the hill that I came to, there were really good views southeastwards.

From here, I headed to the Stevens Estate

on the way back to my car.

From here, I headed to my next hike at Claypit Hill, going up the hill at 693 Johnson Street. There was nothing much to see here except for the radio tower.

My final hike of the day was at Boston Hill. The path I took to get to the 2 vista points in this area is shown below in pink.

Pictures of the various views from this area follow. Pretty nice hike.

Done with hiking for the day, I went to meet my friend for a session of mini-golf at Monster Mini-Golf. It was a close game, but I somehow managed to win. She still disputes the result. Pictures I took of the course, which was glow in the dark, follow.

After our golf session, we headed to Peabody for dinner at Joe's American Bar and Grill, located within the Northshore Mall. Pretty nice decor, to say the least.

For food, my friend got the Onion Soup Gratinee (swiss, mozzarella, croutons)

and the Jumbo Shrimp and Chicken Jambalaya (jumbo shrimp, pulled roasted chicken, andoullie sausage, rice, trinity vegetables, spicy Creole sauce),

while I got the Joe's Signature Burger (barbecue sauce, crispy pork belly, white cheddar, maple Cajun bacon jam, house-cured pickles, arugula).

Everything was delicious, especially the burger. Definitely one of the better ones I have had to date. For dessert, my friend just decided to get a drink, namely the Coconut Brownie (hot chocolate, Captain Morgan spiced rum, Malibu coconut rum).

Way too bitter for my liking.

By the time we were done, the mall was already closed, and we chose to call it a day. Still glad I won at mini-golf today. She wants a rematch some day soon.