Vibrant town 40 minutes from Boston
Foxboro is a Norfolk County town located 40 minutes from Boston. “Foxboro is a vibrant town with beautiful outdoor spaces such as playgrounds and hiking trails,” says Elisabeth O’Neill, director of the Boyden Library. Homes have large, grass-covered lots with natural shading from tall-standing elm trees. The heart of Foxboro is Patriot Place, housing Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots, and the tallest lighthouse in the United States. The lighthouse is the newest feature in the Gillette Stadium, allowing visitors a 360-degree view of the stadium from above. Patriot Place hosts regular events including comedy shows and couple’s painting classes at Muse Paintbar. For a trip into Boston, residents can hop on a train at Foxboro Station.
Ranch and saltbox style homes
Ranch-style and saltbox houses with garage and kitchen attachments line the streets next to large contemporary split-level Colonial Revivals. Homes in the area range in price from $450,000 to $800,000. Most homes line Central Street and condos go for $350,000 to $560,000 and single-family homes go for $400,000 to $850,000. Homes near Lake Mirimichi and Beaumont Pond sell for $625,000 to $950,000. Large builds can go for over $1 million.
Academic decathlon at Foxborough High School
Charles G. Taylor Elementary School, receiving an A-minus from Niche, serves students in kindergarten through fourth grade. Here they are introduced to a music curriculum that includes reading and understanding notation. Students continue to John J. Ahern Middle School, receiving an A-minus on Niche. At Foxborough High School, which also earned an A, students can participate in an academic decathlon, a contest used to qualify students, often seniors, for a televised quiz show in Boston.
Gilbert Hills State Forest and The Nature Trail
Residents hike, mountain bike or ride horses on the trails in Gilbert Hills State Forest or bring their children to Payson Playground. Nearby, The Nature Trail at Patriot Place leads visitors on a half-mile walk along a wood mulch trail across wetlands. Next door, The Ocen Spray Cranberry Bog utilizes the cranberry wetland system, allowing for seven acres of bright crimson, cranberry bogs.
Shopping and dining at Patriot Place
Near the stadium is Patriot Place, an outdoor shopping center with stores such as Hobby Lobby, Vineyard Vines and Bass Pro Shops. Visitors grab a bite at Axel & Byrne, a locally owned eatery that serves brisket, ribs and entrees made from old family recipes. Dinner is served at Scorpion Bar, a Mexican Cantina or Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse. For groceries and other needs, Patriot Place offers a Trader Joe’s. Rally Point Inn and Pub is a popular spot in town, a go-to for food, drinks and Wednesday night karaoke. Locals visit Foxboro House of Pizza for specialty pies or Citizen Crust for bowls, skewers and tacos.
Gillette Stadium and Boyden Library
Each Thursday from June to September, the farmers market sells fresh produce and hand-crafted items at Foxborough’s Town Commons. Drawing the biggest crowds is the Gillette Stadium, where visitors can catch a football game or see a favorite band. Next door, the Boyden Library is where locals check out the newest releases or use their library card to pick up a packet of seeds for gardening. The hope is that seeds from patrons’ gardens will be given to the library for others to use. Boyden Library hosts many regular events, including story times and virtual cooking classes. “It’s a wonderful, welcoming library that’s truly a resource for all residents,” says O’Neill.
Foxboro Station and I-95
Foxborough has commuter rail access into Boston’s South Station. TO get around town, residents walk or bike. For farther trips Residents use I-95, which borders the town.
