Archive · 2019-08-16

Attending CannaCon Northwest 2019? Use the following Springfield city guide when planning your trip. The word “Springfield” most often brings to mind the town in which the animated characters of “The Simpsons” live, but today we are talking about a different and non-fictional Springfield. As the third-largest city in Massachusetts and fourth-largest city in all of New England, Springfield is now home to the next CannaCon Northeast, Aug. 23-24, 2019.

Springfield City Guide: Around Town

We are excited for you to attend our conference, and believe you will have plenty to see and hear, taste, smell and touch during your time with us at the MassMutual Center --- but just in case you wanted to explore more of this self-proclaimed “City of Firsts” during your visit, check out the following Springfield, Massachusetts locations and attractions that might be of interest.

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Springfield is the official birthplace of basketball. It was invented in 1891 by P.E teacher James Naismith who was ordered to create an indoor game for his restless students during those vicious New England winter months when they could not play outside. Now he, and his game, and over 400 inductees to The Hall of Fame are honored and celebrated within this enormous 400,000-sf museum full of hands-on mini-games, shows, shooting challenges, and live skill exhibitions.  Bonus: the museum is nearing the end of their “60 Days of Summer” program which means extra special live appearances, autograph signings, giveaway days, and more!

The Springfield Museums

Within the Metro Center, in what is commonly known as “The Quadrangle”, there are a cluster of museums and cultural institutions, including the Springfield Museums. For the price of a single admission, you gain entrance to five separate world-class museums. These include:

D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts

Currently housing a pretty amazing exhibition called “Van Gogh for All”, the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts is also home to a comprehensive collection of American, Asian and European paintings, prints, watercolors and sculpture, and the largest holdings of lithographs in the nation.

Springfield Science Museum

With Natural Science, Anthropology and Physical Science collections, the Springfield Science Museum has a dinosaur section with Stegosaurus skeletons and a full-sized T-Rex and, a live animal center with realistic habitats that house fish, frogs, turtles and snakes, and a planetarium with the oldest operating star-projector in the United States.

Wood Museum of Springfield History

Known for its local history research facilities and it’s wide range of collections illuminating the history of the Connecticut River Valley, the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History contains the largest collection of Indian cycles and memorabilia in the world, more than 1,600 firearms with the largest collection of Smith & Wesson guns in the world, and vintage autos including a 1925 and 1928 Rolls-Royce roadster.

Smith Art Museum

The vast holdings of the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum include examples of lace and early textiles, a rare plaster cast collection, arms and armor, ceramics and bronzes, Chinese jade and ceramics, Middle Eastern carpets, and one of the largest collections of Chinese cloisonné outside of Asia.

The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum

It’s the funniest, chummiest, zim-zam-zoom-zummiest of all the museums. The Dr. Seuss Museum has 3,200-square-feet and two-stories of family-friendly exhibits, hands-on activities, memorabilia, and stories all honoring beloved Springfield native, Theodor Geisel aka Dr. Seuss. Perfect for kids, and kids at heart, and presented bilingually in both English and Spanish --- it’s like walking into a Dr. Seuss book where you can write on the walls, “fish” in McElligot’s Pond, and hear all of the sounds on Mulberry Street.  Admission also allows you to explore the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden and a gallery detailing the step-by-step process of how it was created. 

Forest Park

Springfield’s very own public park has 735-acres on the banks of the Connecticut River with duck ponds, a rose garden, an indoor skating rink, hiking trails, ball fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, bocce courts, a swimming pool and a picnic area. It is also home to the Forest Park Zoo which houses over 200 domestic and exotic animals and birds including large cats, bears, monkeys, kangaroos, zebras, camels and has its own learning center dedicated to promoting public awareness and respect for the animals and their environment. 

MGM Springfield

This grand hotel is home to a casino, comedy club, movie theater with luxury recliner seating, an arcade and bowling alley, spa and salon, as well as multiple restaurants and bars. Adult fun at its finest.

Six Flags New England 

The oldest amusement park in the Six Flags chain and the largest family theme park in New England features over 100 rides, shows, and attractions including eight thrilling mega coasters, and is home to Hurricane Harbor, a water park with nine tube slides and a 500,000-gallon wave pool. This thrill capital of New England is perfect for letting off some steam and screaming your guts out.

Club Quarter

The beating heart of Springfield’s nightlife for more than a century, there are 80-some bars, restaurants, and clubs in a district taking up several city blocks around Stearns Square. It’s said to be the place for singles in Springfield, so you might want to check it out. 

Join us for CannaCon Northeast

As you can see, Springfield offers a little something for everyone in this truly wonderful city. If you haven’t purchased your ticket to CannaCon Northeast, register now so you don’t miss a thing.

Springfield City Guide