Wayland

Wayland, a town in the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, is a rural suburb with mostly families as residents. It's very close to Boston, where there are a lot of activities and fine dining, as well as the Natick Mall, located in Natick, Massachusetts and one of the countries biggest and luxurious malls.

Understand

History

The Puritan Village

Wayland was the first settlement of the Sudbury plantation, established in 1638, and incorporated in 1639. Among the 60 original men, women, and children, were 15 Puritan families who had traveled in the ship Confidence from England. Bringing with them the English pattern of farming, with collective fields and grazing along with individual lots, they named their town Sudbury after the town in Suffolk, where their pastor Edmund Brown and some of their company had lived. The original settlement was clustered one half mile northwest of where the town center is now located. Wayland and Sudbury residents established the Sudbury Valley Trust in 1953 in part to protect these lands. Today Wayland is in the top 5 communities in the state in conservation acreage.

East Sudbury 1780-1835, renamed Wayland in 1835

The first US census in 1790 showed that East Sudbury was a farming community of 801 people in 112 houses. Today’s Boston Post Road ran through it on the way to Albany. Travelers stopped at the Corner Tavern where Old Connecticut Path split off down to Hartford, near today’s Old Coach Grill. The Pequod Inn stood at the intersection of the Post Road and the roads north to western Sudbury and Concord. Baldwin ’s tavern was near the four arch bridge over the river. The First Parish Church was built in 1815, complete with a bell by Paul Revere.

In 1835, the men attending a town meeting voted to change the name East Sudbury to Wayland, to honor Rev. Francis Wayland, President of Brown University, who was a friend of Judge Edward Mellen (whose law offices are found in the Wayland Historic District in a small white house at the intersection of Boston Post Road and Old Sudbury Road).

Get in

By plane

Logan International Airport is the closest airport to Wayland and has many flights every day from anywhere you can think of. Once at Logan, take the Mass Pike West for only about 25min until getting off at the Wayland exit.

By car

US-30 runs through the northern part of town, connecting Wayland to Weston and Sudbury. And US-20 runs through the southern part of town connecting Wayland to Natick and Framingham. You can also get to Wayland by taking the Mass Pike West from Boston and I-95 also has two exits (23-24-25 and 26) which bring you to either the southern or northern part of town.

By train

You can take the Amtrak train to Westborough route 128 station and then get on I-95 north to Wayland. You can also take Amtrak to South Station in Boston and then take the Mass Pike West to the Wayland exit. The T goes to Riverside, the last station on the green line, which takes you to I-95 so it is easily accessible to Wayland residents.

Get around

Wayland is mostly bustling with people traveling by car and bicycle. It is a small enough town for everything to be accessible by car or bike alone.

See

• The war memorial at the town building.
• Wayland Public Library, which has been argued to be Massachusetts' first public library.
• North Cemetery, resting place of Lydia Maria Child, a famous radical abolitionist.
• The Sudbury Militia passes through the town each year, re-enacting the march to Concord on 19 Apr 1775. They even begin their march at precisely the same time of day as the Militia did 200 years ago.
• Lake Cochituate. The Lake Cochituate watershed includes Beaver Dam Brook and Course Brook to the South that feed into South Pond from as far away as Ashland and Sherborn; Pegan Brook, now known as Pegan Cove, which also feeds South Pond; and Snake Brook that flows into the connector between North and Middle Ponds.  Ultimately Lake Cochituate drains through Cochituate Brook where it is joined by an un-named tributary before flowing into the Sudbury River. A great place to explore the wonders of New England’s natural beauty. 

Do

• Hannah Williams Playground . A favorite of all families, safe and tons of fun for kids.
• Wayland Town Pool, 258 Old Connecticut Path. Located on Old Connecticut Path, this newly renovated facility is a great place to bring kids and family. Reasonably priced passes are available to residents with slightly higher ones for non residents. The pool is open most days from 9AM-6PM with varying hours on Weekends. Swim classes are also available to members who sign up, cost is dependent on lessons. Overall a great place to get exercise and to have fun. 
• Cochituate ball field. A safe well kept large open space open to the public at all times. Often used for town recreational activities, this field is a popular destination for kids and others looking to spend time outdoors. Located in the heart of Cochituate, it is in walking distance of many town stores and fixtures. It is equipped with two full baseball diamonds as well as two full hardtop basketball courts. A place to bring children on a hot summer day or an autumn afternoon. 
• Wayland town beach. Located on Lake Cochituate, Wayland’s Town Beach is open to residents who must purchase beach tags.It is also home to the local Scout Troop (Troop 1 Cochituate) and to the Wayland-Weston Rowing teams. This well groomed beach is a great place to spend a day with family or friends. Located near Cochituate State Park, this is a prime spot to observe New England nature and wildlife. Day passes are available through the town Recreation department. 

Buy

• Elizabeth Lee Boutique, 234 Boston Post Rd, ☎ [phone]. An adorable woman's clothing boutique 
• The Natick Collection, 1245 Worcester St, ☎ [phone]. As mentioned previously above 

Eat

• Corner Stone Cafe, 236 Boston Post Rd, ☎ [phone]. Great breakfast or great pizza. 
• Liberty's Pizza, 116 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Founded in 1965, this small family-owned establishment features a traditional simple Italian menu which includes pizza subs, salads, and as an assortment of other dishes. They offer a local delivery service. It has been voted number one pizzeria by The Readers Choice Awards every year (since 2000). They do not accept Credit or Debit cards, cash only. 
• Einsteins Bagels, 44 Main St, ☎ [phone]. A great breakfast or lunch spot the supplies all kinds of bagels, wraps, and salads 
• Starbucks Coffee, 44 Main St, ☎ [phone]. A quaint Starbucks with the best coffee around. 
• JJ McKays, 171 Commonwealth Rd (inside the Cochituate Village Shopping plaza), ☎ [phone]. This traditional Irish pub features a variety of American cuisine such as burgers and sandwiches, as well as salads, seafood, poultry and meat entrees, pasta, soups, chowders and a selection of vegetarian, chicken and shrimp stir fries. It is known for its egg rolls. Free Wi-Fi. 
• Prime Bar, 131 Boston Post Rd, ☎ [phone]. A new steak restaurant in town, with a variety of high quality food. 
• Mels Cafe, 310 Commonwealth Rd, ☎ [phone]. The ultimate breakfast spot for sports teams, friends, and family. Great prices and family owned. 
• The Villa, 124 East Plain St, ☎ [phone]. Another Wayland family owned gem with tons of dinner and lunch options at low prices. 
• Whole Foods Market, 317 Boston Post Rd, ☎ [phone]. Popular chain of health food stores. Its high priced goods are mainly bought by the wealthier population on North Wayland. 
• Donelans, 177 Commonwealth Rd (Cochituate Village), ☎ [phone]. This family-run store supplies fresh groceries to most of Cochituate. Founded in 1948 in Littleton, MA by John E. Donelan, Donelan's opened its sixth store here in the summer of 1995. 
• Wayland Pizza House. A small pizzeria located in North Wayland, right off Boston Post Rd. This fine priced establishment offers thick crust pizza, calzones, and other traditional dishes. It’s a great place to grab a quick slice of pizza or sub. 
• The Coach Grill, 55 Boston Post Rd, ☎ [phone]. Once known as The Red Coach Grill, which opened in 1935, it is now owned by Back Bay Restaurant Group. The Coach Grill reigns as the classic steakhouse of the suburbs. Its laid-back atmosphere, attentive service and first rate steaks make it a popular destination for customers looking for a fancy night out. 

Drink

Sleep

Connect

Go next

Right outside of Wayland is the Natick Collection, one of the US's biggest shopping malls at 1245 Worcester Street, Natick MA. You can also take the T at riverside (off of I-95) into Boston and visit the harbor and all of the lovely shops and dining available in the city.

Routes through Wayland

Worcester ← Sudbury ←

W  E

→ Weston → Boston