Top Tourist attractions in Springfield, United States

(Note: I write these reviews in part for my own nationwide business clients, for travel and activity inspiration. Follow me for more! I’m a financial planner - CFP®️practitioner - with a focus on retirement wealth strategies, primarily serving business women and LGBTQ individuals. #VirtualPlanningCraftedWithCare®️)

Overall, this is a nice part of the entire museum complex. It was my first visit and my immediate impression is that it was a transportation museum, not exactly a history museum. It wasn’t what I was expecting. For old car and motorcycle enthusiasts, you’ll love it. I was more looking for city, state or American history, and there was absolutely some of that, great exhibits too, but it’s not the focus.

That said, the museum is well laid out, very clean, accessible restrooms and elevators. It’s pointedly welcoming of LGBTQ and diverse communities. I found the security/staff to be friendly.

This establishment is appropriate for people of all ages. Can accommodate mobility needs in terms of space and seating peppered around.

The cost is a bargain in my opinion. This is my first experience with a collection of museums all in a cluster with common parking. You simply walk from one to another at your leisure. If you spend time within a drivable distance, I would recommend a membership because chances are you’ll want to return.

We especially loved meeting the grinch. My daughter loved the marble run and the grinch movie and grinch cafeteria. We enjoyed seeing all sorts of motorcycles and airplanes and learned a lot about transportation and how it all recently evolved. It's also amazing how the early airplanes were built. Did you know Wright Brothers day is in December?

I'm a professional gunsmith and history buff, so of course I loved every inch of this place. The history of gunmaking in America is on display here. From the time of the nation's founding until 1968, technology was developed here and many of the guns that our military, and some allied militaries used were built on these grounds.

I was very fortunate to see the machines and tools used in manufacturing prototypes and production weapons, as well as many actual weapons on display. I know there used to be more in-depth tours available, and hopefully someday I'll get to experience that. But even in the spare 90 minutes I had to visit, I saw a ton of interesting things!

This was such a fun experience for me and my family. The zoo is not very big but the animals are sooo cute and the staffs were very friendly. Limited number of animals were only there but for kids it was really fun. There was park area for kids to play. Picnic tables for family or gathering. I would recommend it.

Free museum! Everyone should visit. When I was there they had a demonstration and the guy walked everyone out to the field and he fired blanks out of a Krag-Jørgensen rifle, a Norwegian designed rifle licensed to be built at Springfield Armory for the United States Army. It proved inferior to the Spanish Mausers during the Spanish American War and it was quickly replaced by the M1903 Springfield.

The museum has firearms from the Native American wars, WWI, WWII (German and Allied), experimental firearms, Vietnam, and current day.

The staff is very friendly. Despite me being young and looking out of place, Howie was a very nice man who shared his extensive knowledge with me and his experience in the military in the ‘80s.

I noticed that there are absolutely no Japanese firearms. They have American, British, French, Russian, Italian, German… no Japanese. I think the reason is because Japanese firearms like from WWII are very, very hard to come by, but I’m not an expert.

Small little Zoo but so worth the experience! The animals were well taken care of, had enrichment(s), cages were clean. Animals looked great! The price was decent considering it goes back into the zoo. Enjoyed it! I only posted a few animals but there were more...

Really freaking cool to see. So much bigger then I thought. The layout is fantastic. The people were so nice. We were there on a Sunday and they still had videos and speakers in their large theater. They had a nice little gift shop with lots of souvenirs.

I fulfilled a bucketlist 🪣 Springfield Armory Museum is a remarkable experience that brings American history to life. What a museum! I saw a super impressive collection of firearms and artifacts detailing the craftsmanship and innovation that helped define the nation’s military power. What made it AMAZING was how TOM and SUSAN explained each exhibit in detailed it was like a story was being told, From the earliest muskets to the iconic M1 Garand, capturing, pivotal, moments in the U.S. history. The dedication to preserving these artifacts is evident, making the museum a treasure trove for anyone fascinated by history, technology, and the stories of people who shaped America. It’s truly a must-visit destination. This is a MUST SEE when in Springfield! 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Exceed my expectations. One of the most renowned manufacturer of light arms. Definitely a place for army/history fans, and also an honorable memorial for America military industry. This museum is packed with history, and the exhibits are very well arranged. I learned a lot about gun manufacturing and was personally amazed by the creativeness and productivity of this armory and its staff. They are the one who provided the arms and strength for the Americans to stand against all tides during the great wars.

Free to visit. You can purchase their merchandise as a donation.

Photos below for an autumn day in Springfield.

Great place with so much to do & look at!
The price is a little steep especially if you have a big family, I did see some renovations coming which is exciting because it felt like a lot of it was the same since I was a kid & now I’m brining my kids here. Overall a fun outing!

Definitely a place you need to see, especially if you are interested in guns. I'm not super interested in guns but I do love history ! I brought my son and he enjoyed seeing the history of weaponry and all the amazing tools as well.

One of the coolest National Park Historic Sites in Massachusetts! Springfield Armory is absolutely worth visiting. The exhibits are awesome. There was also a ranger giving a presentation on arms that came from the Springfield Armory since the Revolutionary Wars. I got to hold a M1 Garand which was awesome! The history here is amazing!

Absolutely loved this museum! I'm not a big history buff but lived learning about the history of Springfield Armory.

It's amazing to learn how much of an impact they had in several wars and how diverse they were in times where diversity wasn't even a thing.

The gentleman that greated us as we came in was very knowledgeable and gave us a brief history. If you have ever thought about visiting, please do.

They operate off of donations and the gift shop. We are more apt to purchase merchandise or donate to a place that doesn't charge an arm and leg to visit.

I love this zoo and love that the histories of individual animals are given. A nice variety of animals and some that you're allowed to feed. The camel is a sweetie. She's new as my favorite big guy passed away recently.

Updated playground for kids this summer

One of my favorite places to go. Baseball diamond, basketball court, tennis courts, great playground that has accessible equipment/Swing for those with physical challenges. Has spray pad, picnic tables, a walking trail around the park and plenty of shady spots to just sit and relax, watch the kiddos, have a picnic, or all of the above!
I will get pics added soon

Beautiful lake for picnic, got place to sit and some amusement park. Got boats too. Big parking before main park. Close at 9PM. The dam itself isn't in very good condition and may smell during hot temperatures

Wonderful park with great scenery. The parking lot can fill up on special holidays/weekends though. Has a great trail loop that is about 3.5-4 miles BUT it can be hard to navigate the first time. It dumps you out in the middle of a neighborhood. Just keep straight up the hill and a school will be on your left. Keep going all the way down the hill and the trail picks up again at the bottom.

You might want to use All Trails navigation, as.therr are a couple other spots where you won't be sure which way to turn.

Lots of shade though for the trail loop and it's a wide path, so you won't feel like bikers are on top of you.

Highly recommend.

For a small local zoo to spend an afternoon it's a decent place to visit. I had to keep reminding myself that if it weren't for them, the animals there would most likely have been euthanize. For this I am grateful. The caretakers really do care for all the animals there. Paths were a bit muddy.

A great family centered zoo with a variety of global species. Has events during the year, including a couple that are for adults with wine and beer tastings.

You can buy grain cones to feed the barnyard animals, say hi to the peafowl walking around, and book birthday parties.

There are shaded areas to sit and rest and smooth paths for easy navigating.

This park was so close to my house that I come here often , even on a weekend you still can find some picnic table and grill. They also have an ice cream truck in the afternoon if you would like some refresh after a trailwalk. Love this place !!!

Under construction, can't wait for the new park, supper excited they made a new handball Court,just hope they don't take out the old one, that's a part of history

Nice park, swings, big field, nice trail, baseball field, enough parking, basketball court, work out equipment, sprinklers. Nice wood area to walk no rest rooms tho, seen portal potties tho

Wonderful place, tons of things to do, nice wooded trails to walk, ride, pond to fish, fields to play and lounge, no staff rushing you out before actual closing time because they want to go home.

We had such a great time here. It was so nice to find out many animals are rescues and while watching the handlers be so respectful of the animals as they fed and clean the animals areas was inspiring. We watched a handler give such love to a 3 legged fox and the fox just melted in front of her.

The price of admission is worth it for what appears to be a well placed and laid out & walkable zoo.

Not as beautiful as it used to be. People smoking weed and blasting music makes for it to not be kid friendly or family oriented

I like to run around the pond with the kids in the stroller, tons of turtles about on a warm day! I did see some used syringes on the side of the path once... so.. look out for that.

Now I am convinced Springfield is the city of firsts. Very interesting museum with a gallery upstairs specifically for Indian motorcycles, Smith, and Wesson history with a ton of guns, They even have Dr. Seuss’s car on display with the license plate grinch. there’s much more to tell about this museum. Definitely worth the trip no matter what you’re interest are.

So much fun! We love that Forest Park held this event for the kids (and grown-ups) to enjoy the Easter weekend.
The weather was chilly, but there were enough animals out at the zoo that the kids were in awe every time we moved from one enclosure to another.
Definitely look for other events throughout the year.

We love Nathan Ville we come from the other side of Springfield just to go there and when I lived in Chicopee, we used to frequent there too. It’s a very clean park.

One of the great museums in the Quad. Filled with so many wonderful exhibits, easy to spend a few hours here. Great place for families.

The park itself is small but has a nice view of the lake. Nice outdoor sheltered facilities for groups. The trail around the lake was itself uninspiring. A section of it goes through a residential area and is not well marked. For me, the better choice for a hike is to start at Wakefield park, walk to the Lake Accotink Marina, maybe have a light picnic lunch and then go back the same way. A more interesting time, in my view. Two cautions: 1. don’t go off the trail. I got a severe case of poison ivy just stepping to the side to let cyclists pass. 2.The trail can flood and be quite muddy (and the muddy water hides the poison ivy.).

Awesome trails that are well taken care of, but very busy especially when the weather is nice.

When making plans to come here with my three kids on a Sunday morning in December, I was unaware the playground had been updated. It was a very pleasant surprise when we arrived. At ten am on a mild December day, there was only one other family there and for a good period of time we had the place to ourselves. When we left around noon, it was a popular spot for other families.

In regards to the new equipment, I was thrilled to see what had replaced the older playground. My kids are ages 4, 7, and 11. The swingset has two traditional swings, one toddler swing, and one of the newer toddler/parent type swings. There are some game type pieces, and musical equipment, plus a little house/store area. The bigger equipment contains a very large curly tunnel slide and one of those rope climbing structures. There is no smaller tot lot type slides or climbing structures. My older two loved the slide and my 4 year old tried it with them eventually, even though she had reservations. It is totally dark at the top since it is enclosed and fairly long. I'm a big fan of the rope climbing structures for a wider age range, not to mention parent visibility if there are any issues. My 11 year old didn't immediately comment about being bored and spent a lot of time climbing around before our friends joined us. I appreciate playgrounds that engage the older kids like that.

One thing I hadn't seen before was the use of light on a playground. There are a few tall pieces with translucent colored panels that filter the light through to the ground when the sun shines through them. One of them will spin if a child turns it. I appreciate this extra dimension to engage the kids on a new level.

Since it is winter the closer bathroom and water fountains are closed. The bathroom above the playground is still open, but the water fountains up there are also off.

Before we went home, we stopped on the beach to admire all the birds. Geese are common there, but there were also sea gulls and two other types of birds that seemed possibly swan like and perhaps cormorants. The area to the left of the dock is full of trash, as per usual.

Great escape from the city
- Plenty of park area for activities
- Workout area
- Portable toilets 🚽
- Basketball court
- Baseball ⚾️ field
- Walking/Running area

We had a great day in the Springfield museums. I like that all of the museums are included with 1 entrance fee. The grounds/courtyard is just as engaging with their gardens & statues.

It is a serene, lovely park with great facilities and a breathtaking vista.
Perfect for a family picnic or afternoon walk in the park with young children.
The lakeside walk is well-maintained and clearly marked.
The trail is lined with numerous seats for seating.
There are beautiful picnic places beneath the towering trees. The trees create a large shade area so that you can rest from the intense summer sun.

This playground is really out dated. It was trash everywhere. needles on the ground in the grass. This Park isn't safe for children to play at. Only one working basketball hoop

Lake Accotink park in Springfield has a lot to offer. There is a lovely walking path, including an enclosed overpass to look down on the train tracks below. Accessibility note: the path around Lake Accotink has sharp inclines at times, and not all of it is paved. This may make it harder for people like me with mobility issues to navigate.
Of course, there is the lake itself, which is bigger than one might imagine. Individuals can rent paddle boats or get kayak lessons. There is wildlife to be seen if one pays attention. (See the turtle and heron pictures…)
For families with children, there is a carousel and miniature golf. There are pavilions that one can rent for parties, or other get-togethers, but there are also picnic tables for public use. There was even an ice cream truck near the pavilion while I was there. All in all, a very family-friendly place.

It was a great place to visit

Beautiful colors this week, mid to late October. Relatively empty, great place for a walk with friends, people playing basketball, some kids, sweet!

Love the free book exchange there.

Nice park all around . Outdoor exercise equipment is quite lacking and needs repairs. Can get in plenty of cardio , but you'll need to bring some sort of weights or it's only body weight exercises.

Nice open space,ball field,play scapes for the children and a splash pad. Paved walk the length of the entire field.

It was a nice place to be with the kids playing but now it's dangerous with the Puerto Rican shooting don't care about the kids

We love this park! There's so many different thing's to do here! The playground's, the splash/spray park(in the summertime obvi), basketball court, baseball field's and a path around the whole park that you can walk around. The splash/ spray part is definitely my son's favorite part! My family has gone there MANY time's, and will continue to go!!

Great open park that has a little bit of everything from kids playground, baseball field, basketball courts, tennis courts, excersise area and hiking trails. Super dog friendly and a great place to de-stress from the everyday. Plus super clean!!

They just added a sprinkler area to this park witch is amazing. It's so big and has a tennis court also. There is a basket ball court and an open field for whoever wants to play soccer, baseball, or even set up a volleyball net! The only thing I would say is that on the baby sing the rubber came off and there is a metal part sticking out that can cut your child. I will be going back to duck tape it 😁

Nice park but the splash pad needs to be re-done it's so old and rusted a lot of the sprayers don't work

Updates to the park have enhaced the experience Best time to visit is Sundays between 5am-8am

Nice place to clear your head, exercise or spend family time in the fresh air

Nothing but good things to say about this place. My first time here and very impressed. So much to see, my son loved it as did I. Drove from connecticut to check it out and definitely worth the drive.

Awesome park had a great time with my grandkids

Not the best place to spend a day, people like to throw their trash on the ground and school kids gather here to start fights. Its gotten bit better over the past 20 years but not by much. Living across the street from here you see a lot of things go down.

My girls love this place. The weeknight crowd in summer is great. Gets buggy real quick at dusk but you shouldn't be there that late anyway

This park is great. There are swings, sprinklers, something for everyone and it’s super easy to park nearby. There is a handball court here, but I will minus one star because there is only one wall and it doesn’t have any fences to stop the ball from rolling into the street!

The people here while it's light are open and friendly. Our church is investing in this mixed community and believe God for miracles of healing for many who believe with us! 🙏🇺🇸

Park us great for my young son's, especially now with the new playground. The only problem is that the toys get burning hot when it's too sunny out. But the park is wonderful if the playground is too hot to play on the water park is right next to it.

This was a very cool museum because I love cars and motorcycles and Springfield is the birthplace of the Indian motorcycle! Also, many people do not realize that Springfield MA is the birthplace of Friendly's Ice Cream, Brighams, Colombia bicycle, a hot bed of anti-slavery sentiment before the civil war, Peerlesa hand cuffs, Smith & Wesson gin manufacturers, and a whole lot more! This was a great museum to visit and it's not too big to get done in under an hour or two.

the City of Springfield has done so much to preserve and upgrade this lovely park this park has come a long way in the last 50 years if you visit a you'll never know that in the middle of the baseball field used to be a fountain and in the winter the old French kids used to play ice hockey there in the late forties and it became a Jewish neighborhood up until the late 60's where then the Hispanic community moved in untill todays date.
The park as for recreational enjoyment a basketball full court, monkey bars for the kids along with a water sprinkler system to keep them cool in the summer.
a fierce eyes baseball Court along with a handball court and in the summer the kids can enjoy a summer youth program helping detained the children of the community as well as providing lunch for the children there.
growing up in the north end of Springfield the park was very essential for me as it was a place to meet the new people who moved into the neighborhood and make new friends summer festivities included concerts fashion shows boxing basketball games movie Nights in the park so it was very family-orientated changed a whole lot throughout the years but the park remains in the same spot the center of chestnut Jefferson Dwight and Calhoun Street in fact Park was named after a doctor from Baystate Medical Center so there it is this was my view of counterpart from the 1970s to date thank you for taking the time to read my view on Calhoun Park in the North End of Springfield Mass this is Sam wishing you all to take care and have yourself a wonderful day.

The most ghetto park...active drug use and sales in direct contact with children. They have a summer food program and they don't stop doing it selling drugs right in front of the children..

Wonderful Nighttime Experience at Forest Park Zoo

We recently had the pleasure of visiting the Forest Park Zoo during one of their special nighttime openings in conjunction with the Bright Nights ride-through. What an absolute treat! It’s so rare to experience a zoo after dark, and it gave us a whole new perspective on the animals and their behaviors.

The atmosphere was magical, with the soft glow of lights adding to the charm. The animals were surprisingly active, making it an unforgettable experience. But what truly made our visit special were the incredible volunteers. They are the heart of the zoo! Their enthusiasm and genuine care for the animals shine through in every interaction. They were especially attentive to the children, answering questions with patience and sharing fascinating insights.

The Forest Park Zoo is a gem, and events like this make it even more special. If you get the chance to attend one of these rare nighttime openings, don’t miss it—it’s an experience like no other!

Nice neighborhood park. Good place to walk dogs. Nice playground space for kids.

Nice place to chill and eat Snacks on the tables.