Recommended Places to Visit: Ashland

Recreation

Parks

Mill Pond Park
Myrtle Street and Pine Hill Road

Old Boston Marathon Starting Line/Marathon Park
~330 Pleasant Street

Hiking
Recommended:
Hopkinton State Park
164 Cedar Street, Hopkinton

Ashland State Park
Ashland State Park Road

Upper Charles Rail Trail Trolley Brook Section

101 Megunko Road

Tried:

Ashland Town Forest

131 Oak Street

Architecture

Monuments

War Memorial
Front Street and Main Street

Eldridge Plumbing and Heating
7 Metcalf Avenue

Town Facilities
Fire Station #1
151 Main Street

Waterview Lodge
250 West Union Street

The Residence at Valley Farm

369 Pond Street 

Ashland Public Library

66 Front Street


Places of Worship

Sri Lakshmi Temple
117 Waverly Street

St. Cecilia Parish
54 Esty Street

Federated Church of Ashland
118 Main Street

Restaurants

Highly Recommended:
Breakfast

2Mauro's Cafe (chain)
372 Union Street
Recommended Dishes:
Greek Salad

The "Pomp and Consequence" Benedict

Acai Superfoods Bowl

West Coast Benedict

Fit N' Trim

Italian

Erica's Ristorante

78 Front Street
Recommended Dishes:
Blood Orange Mojito

Linguine with Shrimp and Scallops

Tiramisu

Western
Oregon Club
117 Oregon Road
Recommended Dishes:
French Martini
Tiramisu
Pan Seared Cod
Sautéed Chicken Livers
Mushroom Vol Au Vent

Stone's Public House

179 Main Street

Recommended Dishes:

Pasta with Butter

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Japanese
Noodle City/Doragon Ramen
1 West Union Street
Recommended Dishes:
Chicken Wing Sampler
Thai Massaman Peanut Wings
Japanese Wings
Vietnamese Wings
Doragon Ramen
Seafood Ramen
Thai Ice Tea

Dirty Brown Sugar Black Milk Tea

Oden
Yum Yum Noodle Soup

Tonkotsu Ramen

Shrimp Tempura

Thai Green Curry
Tomato Ramen
Black Garlic Miso Ramen
Chicken Peanut Mazemen

Tan Tan Ramen

Tanmen Ramen

Ika Sansai Salad

Shrimp Wontons with Peanut Rayu

Kaeng Khiao Wan

Udon Noodle Soup

Crispy Chive Dumplings

Salty Limeade

Lobster Bao

Hanto (chain)
380 Union Street
Recommended Dishes:
Grand Marnier Prawn
Hae Dup Bob


Thai

Krua Khun Yah
325 Pond Street
Recommended Dishes:
Bangkok Duck

Tried:
Deli

Marathon Deli
12 Union Street

Recommended Dishes:

Smoke House

Latin American
Mexico City Taqueria
1 West Union Street
Recommended Dishes:
Mexican Style Tacos
Chimichanga Plate
Mexican Street Corn
Chocoflan

Italian
Sam's Bidino's Pizza
67 Pond Street
Recommended Dishes:
BBQ Chicken Pizza

Sam-Way and Pizza (closed)
67 Pond Street
Recommended Dishes:
Meat Lovers Pizza
Hawaiian Pizza
Pastrami Hot Sub

Nello's Cafe
300 Elliot Street
Recommended Dishes:
Roasted Vegetable Ravioli
Bruschetta
Chicken Tenderloin Marinara

Nick's Pizza and Grill
87 Main Street
Recommended Dishes:
Nick's Deluxe Hot Sub
Brazilian Pizza

August 9th 2025: Hiking in Ashland, Froyo in Hopkinton

 Today, we decided to go on a hike at the Ashland Town Forest in Ashland, where the path we took from 131 Oak Street in shown below in pink.

Nothing much to see here, except for signs of historical quarrying.

We ended our day, with froyo after a really hot day of hiking at Hop-Yo in Hopkinton,

getting the Strawberry flavor.

Not bad end. We shouldn't have come out into the sun to walk along the road at the end of hike.

April 21st 2023: New Places from Ashland to Hopkinton

 Today, on the way home, we passed through Ashland,

The Residence at Valley Farm

then Holliston,

Houghton Pond,
32 Westfield Drive

Linden Pond, 22 Linden Street

Holliston Dental Associates

Old Cutler School,
59 Hollis Street

checking out the Holliston Public Library.

We then headed into Hopkinton,

EMC Park

going on a hike at Braim Farm, where the path we took to check out the cranberry bog here is shown below in pink.

Absolutely nasty looking water body though. With that, we called it a day for exploring new places. Pretty productive I must say.

April 7th 2023: Spending Time in Ashland

 Today, after realizing at the Cushing Memorial Park in Framingham that it was too windy to be out at the playground,

Many Cultures, One Heart

We decided to head to the Ashland Public Library instead, which is pretty nice inside.

From here, we headed to Doragon Ramen in town for dinner, this time getting the Tonkotsu Ramen (Rich 18 hour pork & chicken bone broth | shoyu tare thick cut pork belly chashu | kikurage | takana | ajitama | scallions | nori),

the Thai Green Curry (Creamy Coconut Green Curry broth made with house chicken stock | choice of protein | green beans | wood ear mushroom | bell peppers | bamboo shoots | scallions | crispy garlic topping) and Shrimp Tempura (5 Jumbo shrimp in a light Japanese tempura batter, fried till crispy and served with Japanese tempura dipping sauce.)

Delicious as always, although we had to rush because of a large party coming into the small place soon after.

July 1st 2022: A Day of Hiking, Gymnastics and Eating

 Today, we started out with a hike in the town of Sterling, at Rocky Brook Conservation Area. the path we took from 127 Beaman Road is shown below in black.

After the dry waterfall at the start, 

the trails were pretty confusing, with us getting lost a lot, even going out to private property on Brookside Lane at one point. There was no kettle pond to be seen on trail B, and the wetland pond on Trail C was nothing much to look at either.

Definitely not worth the long hike. From here, we went to get a quick bite from two food trucks in West Boylston, getting a Agua Fresca (Jamaica, Hibiscus) from Mortar and Pestle at 110 Beaman Road

and a Lobster Roll 

from Captain Ron's Kitchen.

Not too bad for a quick bite.

After our little one's class at KidStrong in Westborough, where he had lots of fun, 

We decided to go to Doragon Ramen in Ashland for dinner, this time getting the Salty Limeade,

the Crispy Chive Dumplings (Thai Crispy Chive Dumplings made with glutinous rice flour and chinese chives. Served with Ginger Chili dipping sauce.),

the Lobster Bao (Fresh Maine lobster, scallions/celery, shallots, fresno chilli, black garlic sriracha aioli, little leaf crisp greens, steamed soft sandwich bao)

the Udon Noodle Soup (Traditional Japanese tsuyu broth | fresh udon noodles | shrimp tempura & kamaboko | baby bok choy | menma | matsutake bean sprouts and egg.)

The bao was the most expensive, though it wasn't anything special. The chive dumplings were really good, although they looked weird in a cubic form. With that, an end to a day of hiking, gymnastics and eating.

June 3rd 2022: More New Dishes from Doragon Ramen, Ashland

 Today, we decided to head to Doragon Ramen in Ashland, which we have been to quite a few times in the past.

This time around, we got the Ika Sansai Salad (Tender squid tossed with wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, red bell peppers, ginger, sesame oil and rice wine served over a bed of spring mix.), 

the Shrimp Wontons with Peanut Rayu (Shrimp Wontons in a umami packed peanut chili rayu, topped with scallions and slice of lime.),

the Tanmen Ramen (From the Midnight Diner Japanese TV Show! House chicken stock, fresh ground pork saboro, sweet green cabbage, carrots, crispy garlic, sesame oil and scallions.)

and the Kaeng Khiao Wan - Green Curry Ramen (Creamy Coconut Green Curry broth made with house chicken stock | pork belly chashu | summer squash | wood ear mushroom | snow peas | Thai basil | matsutake bean sprouts and nori.)

Excellent meal again here, especially the curry. Glad they keep changing their menu.

April 16th 2022: Fun with the Little One in Westborough and Ashland

 Today, while in Westborough,

Westborough Senior Center

we had an event at the Hastings Elementary School,

where the little one had lots of fun playing at the playground. 

Next, we headed to Ashland, passing through Southborough 

DPW Station #2 Annex,
2 Highland Street

on the way to the start of the new Upper Charles Rail Trail Tolley Brook Section at 101 Megunko Road.

A nice walk here

 with nice views of the pond here.

Not a bad day for spending time with the little one.