Downtown Springfield Springfield, MA

Dating back to the city's founding in 1636, Metro Center has been at the core of the city's success and growth. The National Armory produced the first muskets of the newly formed United States during the Revolution, representative of the skilled manufacturing the city became known for. The city boasts a long line of national and worldwide firsts in manufacturing, including the first gasoline-powered American automobile. Many also credit the area as the birthplace of basketball.

A number of museums exist in Metro Center, including the Springfield Science Museum, the George Vincent Walter Smith Art Gallery and Springfield Armory Museum. The area also has the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, which draws visitors from all over the world.

Regular arts and music events occur in Metro Center, including performances by the Springfield Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Hall and outdoor summer concerts at Stearns Square.

With few chain restaurants, most dining options in Metro Central provide a unique experience, with a range of ethnic cuisine, pizza places, cafes and pubs.

Theodore's Booze, Blues & BBQ dishes up more than just barbecue, with a number of soups, sides, and mains beyond the featured pulled pork, ribs, and other barbecue classics. As the name suggests, the restaurant features a full bar and a regular line up of music performances. For budding musicians, open mic night occurs every Wednesday night at 10 p.m.

The Student Prince Cafe and Fort Restaurant, a downtown institution for 80 years, serves German food such as house specialties Hungarian beef goulash and sauteed sliced veal. The cafe carries a rotating selections of German beers on tap, as well as wine and cocktails.

Red Rose Pizzeria, a family-owned restaurant for three generations, dishes up authentic Italian-style pizza, as well as pasta, grinders, and a range of chicken and seafood dishes. House specialties include the classic Margarita pizza, calamari, and an eggplant and broccoli pizza. For large groups or a lot of leftovers, try the 28-slice party pizza. Nightlife options center around Main, Taylor and Worthington Streets, with a range of establishments including restaurants with full bars, ethnic pubs, sports bars, dance clubs, music venues and adult entertainment venues. Local favorites include Paddy's Irish Pub.

While cars provide the majority of transportation in Metro Center, walking, biking, and public transit put a lot of destinations easily within reach. Connecticut Transit operates numerous routes in the neighborhood, while commuter bus and train service to Hartford operate from Main Street. Major roadways include Highway 5, Interstate 91 and Highway 20. Metered street parking costs 25 cents per half hour, while city-run lots cost $60 per month and up. Hailing a cab may be possible, especially at the train station and other central locations, and Uber has a few vehicles servicing the area.

Metro Center provides moderate to good walkability, with shopping, dining, museums, offices, government buildings and the train station within a reasonable radius. Most streets are safe for walking and biking, although dedicated bike lanes do not exist and some central areas may be unsafe late at night. A paved bike and walking trail runs along the Connecticut River, with a handful of other trails in local parks and by the Springfield museums.

A number of parks exist in Metro Center, although most have few amenities beyond shade trees, grass areas, paths, benches and picnic tables. Small parks include Emily Bill Park, Memorial Square, Gurdon Bill Park, Center Square, Merrick Park and Seussian Yertle Garden. Dog owners looking for an off-leash area head a few miles out of town to East Longmeadow Bark Park.

Located on the ground of the Revolution era Springfield Armory, Magazine Park and Armory Square provide open space with walking paths, benches and shade trees. The Connecticut River Walk and Bikeway stretches along the river through the neighborhood with vistas of the rivers in addition to a paved path.

Forest Park, the largest park near Metro Center, lies a few miles southeast and contains several mile of trails, multiple ponds, a grandstand, lawn bowling greens, baseball fields and large wooded areas. The park also houses the city's zoo, an ice-skating arena, an aquatic garden and a public swimming pool.

Armory Square, in conjunction with the Armory Museum, hosts events and festivals throughout the year, while Forest Park host numerous annual events, such as the STAR youth camp and the holiday Bright Nights at Forest Park presentation featuring an extensive Christmas light display.

Life in Metro Center costs about average for Springfield, with the average rent for a one bedroom residence running a little less than $750 per month. Bus riders in Springfield pay $1.25 per ride, while commuters to Hartford pay $9.50 each way via Amtrak trains and about $8 each way on Peter Pan Bus Lines. At the pump, a gallon of gas costs drivers about 10 percent more than the national average. Patrons of local pubs pay around $4 for a pint of beer.

While stores are scattered throughout Metro Center, the highest density of shopping occurs along Main Street, with another cluster of establishments just across the river in West Springfield along Highway 147. Boutique and specialty stores comprise a majority of the stores in Metro Center, with some shops catering to high end shoppers.

Castle Arms/Fishermen's Furs & Feathers specializes in gear for salmon fly fishing. Operating in downtown Springfield for over 60 years, the store stocks a large supply of feathers and furs, as well as threads and other equipment to make the perfect fly for your outing. The selection includes feathers from many rare birds, as well as antique fly rods and reels.

Frigo Foods sells a range of gourmet and specialty Italian foods, including homemade frozen lasagna and a large selection of imported cheeses and sausages. The store includes a small cafe with numerous meals to go in addition to lasagna. Here they sell Italian gourmet gift baskets and host cooking classes.

A number of small supermarkets line Main Street, while for chain grocery shopping, a short drive north brings shoppers to Costco and Aldi. The small stores include a number of ethnic groceries, featuring foods from Africa, Italy and Asia. Seasonal farmers markets at Tower Square and Forest Park supply farm fresh produce, meats and other goods.

Metro Center also houses many specialty food stores, as well as small butchers and bakeries. Among these, La Fiorentina Pastry Shop carries a handmade line of Italian pastries and other treats, including seasonal handcrafted and painted marzipan delicacies.