Lake Quinsigamond

It gets really hot in Worcester during the summer, and Lake Quinsigamond is a really nice place to cool off. If you like the hike, there are trails near the lake, but personally I just like to swim.

Purgatory Chasm

I’ve never been to Purgatory Chasm, but I also am not particularly outdoorsy. For people who enjoy hiking, climbing, etc, I hear it’s a lot of fun.

Greenhill Park

Greenhill Park is pretty big, and it’s a really pretty place to spend the day relaxing outside. You can’t swim in the lake, but I have seen people using small boats in it.

Savers

I had never heard of Savers before coming to Clark, but it is a chain so you might have been to one before. It’s a pretty big and well organized thrift store, so I think it’s worth checking out.

Elm Park

Elm Park is a really nice place to go for a picnic or to lie out on the grass, and it is also home to several events during the summer and early fall months. Currently, Elm Park is hosting “Art in the Park,” which involves art instillations strategically placed around the park. Every Thursday evening during from June – August, there are live music performances, and in July there is my favorite park event – The Ice Cream Festival: $5 entrance fee and you can eat as much ice cream (donated from several different companies) as you want.

Imperial Buffet

The best thing about this buffet is the sushi. Sushi at a buffet! It’s not the best sushi ever, but it’s pretty good and there are a ton of other buffet options (some really good, some not so good) so you’ll definitely leave full. I went for a friend's birthday dinner and it was a lot of fun.

Corner Grille

The Corner Grille pizza is delicious. If it was closer to Clark, I would go there all the time. It’s not too far away though, so I would definitely say its worth the drive. The Corner Grille is a little more expensive than Uncle Sam’s or Fantastics, but it’s cheaper than Flats. Like Flats, they have higher quality ingredients than many of the other pizza places around Worcester, and some of the combinations sound really interesting and delicious. The rest of the food looks really good too, I'm not sure I'll be able to resist dessert the next time I'm there.

Flying Rhino Café and Watering Hole

Most people I know love the Flying Rhino. I’ve been twice, and the first time I was not particular impressed, everything was good enough but not particularly memorable. They must have been having an off night though, because the second time, I loved what I ordered and everyone who I was with liked what they had as well. I tried to chicken cheese steak sandwich and it was delicious, I’ll definitely be getting it again.

Brew City Grill and Brew House

Brew City looked a little too sports-oriented for my taste, but I’ve been for lunch and food is really good. I tried the phantom gourmet approved chicken mac’n cheese, and it was delicious. True to their name, they also have a great beer selection, on tap and bottled.

Sole Proprietor

Everything at the Sole Proprietor is delicious; unfortunately it is also pretty expensive. If you want to go somewhere nice for dinner, I would definitely recommend it, though if you’re trying to go for parent’s weekend, make a reservation in advance. The Sole Proprietor also has the late night menu Thursday – Sunday, with a $6 menu, which I recently tried for the first time - and it was great! I went with two friends, and we split the "sole bowl" (a huge, blue drink with rum, pineapple and other yummy things), and three large sushi rolls. Including tip and tax, we each only spent $12.

$6 Tuesdays at Showcase North

I love going to the movies, but it has gotten so expensive that I rarely go anymore. Luckily for movie fans like myself, Showcase North has $6 Tuesdays. It’s a pretty big theater so they have a good selection, and if Tuesday’s don’t work for you, the matinee prices are pretty reasonable as well.

WOOBerry Frozen Yogurt

I absolutely love frozen yogurt, so I was so excited when WOOBerry opened over the summer. I was not disappointed, they have original, which is my personal favorite, as well as an ever-changing selection of other yogurt flavors, and a ton of toppings. Every day, they also have a couple of free toppings, but unfortunately if you go later in the day they have usually run out. The line is usually really long, but they handle it really well. It’s not exactly cheap, but the prices are pretty average for frozen yogurt.

Peppercorn’s Grille and Tavern

 I’ve always been satisfied with everything I’ve had at Peppercorn’s, but ever since I tried their Lobster Mac and Cheese, I get it ever time I’m there. They only have it on the dinner menu, and its very rich so I always split it with someone else, but it is seriously one of the best things I have ever eaten. Peppercorn’s is a little more expensive than I usually like to spend on a meal, but not so out of my price range, still, I usually reserve it for a visit from the parents. They are also connected to Wormtown Brewery, which in my opinion has a great beer selection, and if you buy a growler you can keep bringing it back for discounted refills.

Hacienda Don Juan

I’ve only ever ordered in from Hacienda Don Juan, so I don't know what the actual restaurant is like inside. Most of the food was really good, though some of my friends have been dissatisfied. I don’t eat red meat but I hear the steak tacos are great, but I have had the loaded nachos that they are delicious. You may want to have extra chips on hand if you order them, because there is so much stuff on them that they are pretty hard to eat.

Armsby Abbey

Though I’ve only been there once, I can’t say enough about how great Armsby Abbey is. Next time my parents are visiting, I’ll definitely be taking them. The food is pretty reasonably priced and really, really good, and they have pretty much every type of beer you can think of. The waitress was very helpful when I couldn’t decide what to get, and if you’re more of a cocktail person, I’ve heard they are really good. They only take reservations for parties bigger than six and it gets pretty busy, so if you go on a weekend be prepared to wait for at least a few minutes before being seated.

Worcester Art Museum

Since the outside of the WAM is so big, I was pretty underwhelmed the first time I went inside. Though the building itself is large, it seems as though a lot of it is used for office space and classes, and the collection itself is pretty small. I still think definitely think the museum is worth visiting, and if you are interesting in taking any art classes they have a variety available.

Karaoke at Ralph’s Diner

If you like karaoke but don’t like the idea of standing on a stage staring into a crowd, Wednesday night karaoke at Ralph’s Diner is definitely the place to be. They have a large song selection but because of the shape of the bar, everyone inside is not necessarily watching you. If you don’t like karaoke, it’s a really fun bar so you should check it out on another night. The beer is cheap, and they have a ton of events, which they advertise through their Facebook page.

Electric Tuesdays at Tammany Hall

I’ve only been to Electric Tuesday once, but I have friends who love it so much that they go almost every week.  Personally, I like dubstep on occasion but I do not really see myself going again in the near future. This is not to say I did not enjoy myself, it was a lot of fun, and many of the DJs are Clark students. I would definitely recommend checking it out at least once. $5, 18+.

Goodwill

            I went to Goodwill for the first time a couple of weeks ago to look for a Halloween costume, and they had a lot of great stuff. The window display, which is something that has never really caught my eye at a consignment shop, was a very well done depiction of a scene from Sleepy Hollow made from things donated to the store, and the front of the store was dedicated to items perfect for Halloween. Though there were a few odd items – such as an apron from Boston Market complete with nametag, my friend was also able to find the perfect dog suit for her Wilfred costume. The trip was a success and I will definitely be going to Goodwill again the next time I’m in the mood for shopping (which happens often) and don’t have a lot of money to spare (usually the case).

Nancy Chang’s Restaurant

            In my opinion, Nancy Chang’s has some of the better Chinese food in Worcester, but it is also most expensive than the average meal somewhere like China Lantern. If you are vegetarian, diabetic, or have a gluten allergy, Nancy Chang’s is definitely a place to check out because their menu has a section for each, as well as an extensive regular menu. I’ve been to the buffet several times during both lunch and dinner, and they always have the usual Chinese food staples such as fried rice, crab rangoon (which I only like there), and lo mein, as well as some less typical options, such as mussels. They also have a full bar, and if you like coconut I would definitely recommend the Coco Moco. Though it often is crowded during the dinner rush, they always have great service.

Spiritual Haze

While Clark does allow students to smoke hookah outside, New England winters do not exactly allow outdoor hookah to be a year round activity. So if you don’t have a hookah or its too cold to sit on the green, Spiritual Haze is a great place to hang out. Not only do they have reasonably priced hookah, but they also have delicious hummus and smoothies if you’re in the mood for a snack while there.

Banga Wednesday’s at Club U

I’ve never been to Banga Wedneday’s or Club U in general – if I were to judge a book by its cover, I would probably tell Clark students to stay away. Still, if you’re over 21 it’s free, and if you’re over 18 is only $3, so if you’re into dubstep it’s probably worth checking out.

Fantastic’s Pizza and Cafe

While the name says pizza, a lot of Clark students call up Fantastic’s when craving falafel. Personally, I think the best thing about Fantastic’s is the service; you wont find a friendly face behind another counter. Personally, I prefer it over Uncle Sam’s, but most Clark students have a favorite between the two.

Uncle Sam’s Pizza

Every month, Uncle Sam’s has a different sub and pizza of the month, which are discounted below their already low prices. Ranging from something you might want – like meatball, to things that I cant imagine people would actual order, like seafood, no one could argue that you wont get a good deal at Uncle Sam’s. The food is also very consistent, if you find something you like it will be the same the next time you order it.

Annie’s Clark Brunch

Some students have only been there for the 5:30 am opening after a night out, and if you try to go Saturday morning you might not be seated because it will be so crowded, but the point is, if you go to Clark, you’ve probably already been to Annie’s Clark Brunch. Super cheap and equally fast, plus the food is really good – it’s no surprise that Annie’s is a Clark favorite.

Blue Jean’s Pizza

Blue Jean’s claim to fame is the only real Chicago style pizza in Worcester. My personal favorite is the buffalo chicken with blue cheese dressing on the side – if that’s what you’re craving, don’t bother going anywhere else. The rest of their pizza is really good too, but it is slightly more expensive than some of the other places near Clark (still cheaper than Flat’s, though).

Wing it Up

Open until 1 Sunday – Wednesday and 2 Thursday – Saturday, Wing It Up is cheaper than Wings Over Worcester, walking distance from Clark, and their wings and sandwiches are really good. In my opinion, they are only lacking the fries department.