Ludlow is a town in central Massachusetts, about a 15- to 20-minute drive to downtown Springfield.
Understand
With a visible and dynamic Portuguese immigrant community, Ludlow has a distinctive culture from its neighboring towns.
Get in
- I-90 (Massachusetts Turnpike), Exit 7
Get around
Ludlow is a good place for a scenic drive.
See
- Lupa Zoo, 42.1956°, -72.4893°. A small private zoo, including monkeys, bears, and farm animals. Open April to November. $9.50 adults, $6 children. 545 West St.
Do
- Soccer - Ludlow is famous for its soccer, so catch a game from the Western Mass Pioneers or Western Mass Lady Pioneers professional soccer teams. The Pioneers play in the USL Second Division while the Lady Pioneers compete in the USL W-League. Both teams play at Lusitano Stadium (dead link: December 2020) (400 Windsor St.) $9 adults, $6 children.
Events
- Festa at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. An annual community and religious festival over Labor Day weekend. It celebrates the religious and Portuguese community. They have live concerts and fair rides. The food is great!
Buy
Paulo's Department Store on East Street has clothes that shows Ludlow's rich Portuguese heritage.
Eat
The Portuguese food in Ludlow is definitely worth a try!
- Primavera Cafe Restaurant, 257 East St. 11AM-9:30PM. Amazing Portuguese food with a selection of wines to match. The restaurant is popular and can get very busy on weekends.
- Mateus Restaurant, 14 Worcester St. Great Portuguese food, with a good bar attached.
- Ludlow Central Bakery, 270 East St. A local bakery with traditional Portuguese breads and pastries.
Drink
Europa Bar & Grill on Center Street not only showcases a great mix of American and Portuguese foods, but also has a great line of beers. From beers brewed nationally like Budweiser, to local brewed beers like Wachusett.
Sleep
- Holiday Inn Express, Center Street (off of Exit 7).
Connect
Go next
- Springfield - the area's largest city and the Pioneer Valley's cultural and economic center features numerous events and tourist attractions, including the Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield Armory and 735-acre Forest Park.
- Agawam - Across the Connecticut River from Springfield, it features Six Flags New England.
- West Springfield - Across the Connecticut River from Springfield, it features New England's collective state fair, The Big E.
- Blandford Ski Area - Phone: +1 413-848-2860, E-mail: SSCSkiCom@aol.com. Run by the Springfield Ski Club, this small area focuses on teaching skiing and snowboarding.
- Amherst - Home of the Emily Dickinson Museum, the National Yiddish Book Center, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, UMASS Amherst, Amherst College, and Hampshire College.
- Northampton - A nationally known bohemian college town and LGBT mecca. Home to Smith College.
- Boston is about a 1 1/2-hour drive east from Ludlow. Note that traffic jams occur often as you get closer to Boston.