North Lincoln Street - Worcester, MA

Worchester's original name, given by the native Nipmuc people, was Quinsigamond. Europeans settled and left the area twice before a permanent settlement in 1713. The Worchester area became particularly important during the American Revolutionary War, when it was used to house stockpiles of weapons for the American forces. After America gained its independence, Worchester continued to grow steadily and secured itself as an important manufacturing city after the opening of the Blackstone Canal in 1828. In 1835 with the opening of the Worchester and Boston Railroad, it also became known as a transportation hub. Visitors explore local history at the Worchester Historical Museum, 4 miles from North Lincoln Street, and the annual Independence Day celebration commemorates the city's historic role in the Revolutionary War with a traditional fireworks display. The city of Boston, around 50 miles away, provides ample opportunities for even more annual events.

For a local bite to eat, residents head west to Highway 12 or east to Highway 70. Both roads feature an extensive selection of casual dining, including Asian and Indian food, American favorites and vegetarian options.

Worchester favorite Lou Roc's Diner, 3 miles away, serves breakfast and lunch. Along with diner staples like omelettes, pancakes and French toast, guests also dig in to the best corned beef hash in Massachusetts. Plates come piled high with generous portions, so you'll never leave hungry. Locals rave about Lou Roc's signature omelette, the Blackstone. This indulgent brunch treat comes stuffed with tomatoes, spinach, onions, cheese and thick, creamy hollandaise sauce.

Pomir Grill, just off of Interstate 290, brings the savory taste of Afghan food to the Worchester area. The kachalu bolani, a flaky pastry filled with potato and pan-fried, provides the perfect introduction to Afghan cuisine, and you'll want to follow it up with the kofta chalaw, a meatball dish served in traditional Afghan plum sauce with salad and rice on the side. After trying the tasty entrées, a serving of Pomir's homemade pistachio ice cream makes for the perfect finish.

Vegetarians in the area flock to Belmont Vegetarian Restaurant, where you can get meatless versions of traditional dishes like curry chicken, lamb, fish and barbecue. The pepper steak, made with textured soy protein and served with heaping portions of white rice and veggies, consistently tops the list of favorite dishes here. If you find yourself overwhelmed by the number of options, Belmont Vegetarian's friendly staff will prepare a sample platter for you, so you can try a little bit of everything.

For some great local music, a cold beer or cocktail and a thick and hearty meatball sandwich, head to local dive bar Vincent's. The interior features a Harlem Renaissance feel and local musicians play their best tunes as you kick back with a cold brew.

The Worchester Regional Transit Authority offers a fairly extensive bus system within the greater Worchester area. Although taking the bus from North Lincoln Street requires some walking to reach the nearest stop, it makes it possible to travel to most major areas of the city by bus.

Extensive as it is, the public transportation in the area doesn't provide for all residents' needs, particularly in light of the fact it can take up to an hour to travel 15 miles by bus. Around 10 percent of area workers walk or take the bus to work, with an additional 10 percent carpooling. The remaining 80 percent rely on private vehicles to get to work.

Bike lanes don't exist in the immediate vicinity of North Lincoln Street, but bike lanes do exist in many of the downtown areas of Worchester, and extensive bike and walk paths lie in the numerous parks in the area. Most areas within Worchester, including North Lincoln Street, feature sidewalks to make pedestrian travel safe.

Most businesses in Worcester provide their own parking, and residents typically park in private lots while at home. Metered parking covers parking needs in downtown areas.

With quick access to Highway 9 and Interstate 290, residents travel around the greater Worchester area with ease and can easily travel to Boston via Highway 9 or Interstate 90. The suburban nature of the area means you'll need to call ahead for a cab. Ride-share services, including Uber, serve the area, but expect to wait up to 15 minutes for your driver to arrive.

North Lincoln Street is well situated to take advantage of the over 1250 acres of beautiful parks located in the city of Worchester.

The city's largest park with over 482 acres of its own, Green Hill Park serves residents with amenities that include a golf course, a baseball field, two ponds, handball courts, playgrounds, a Vietnam veterans memorial section, an archery range, a picnic area and even a petting zoo. Extensive walk and bike trails wind throughout Green Hill Park and most of the other parks in the area, providing ample opportunities for exercise.

Each summer, Green Hill Park hosts the Cars of Summer event, with hot air balloon rides, kids activities, live car auctions, music performances, food, giveaways and over 1,000 retro and antique cars.

Unfortunately for dog lovers who enjoy giving their pooches some time off the leash, dog parks in the area typically limit membership to residents of certain cities. On the upside, most of Worchester's parks welcome leashed dogs as long as you stay out of the areas specifically off-limits to pets.

Cost of living in the Worchester area sits at around 12 percent higher than the average for the United States overall, but around 7 percent lower than the cost of living in the rest of Massachusetts. Expect to pay about $865 per month for a one-bedroom apartment. A Guinness on draft at local tavern Greendale's Pub costs $4, and residents typically pay about 2 percent more for gas when compared to the national average. You can travel from the North Lincoln Street area to the center of Worchester via bus for $1.50, and the transit authority sells unlimited day passes for $3.50.

For groceries, locals head just east of North Lincoln Street to Highway 70. Here, you'll find discount grocery store ALDI and Super Stop and Shop in the Lincoln Plaza area.

Each year beginning in the fall, the Boylston Hillside Farmers Market opens for business on the weekends with vendors that sell a wide array of products, including local wine, fruits and vegetables, honey, locally grown plants and even alpaca items.

Greendale Mall on Neponset Street features well-known casual fashion and discount retailers such as T.J.Maxx and DSW Shoe Warehouse.

Fashion lovers seeking a boutique experience will want to check out The Hidden Jewel on Shrewsbury Street, only about 3 miles away. The shop caters to those who enjoy sparkly and shiny accessories, including handmade jewelry, studded belts and decorative handbags, and also features hand-selected apparel in bright colors and bold prints.

Trunk and Disorderly, 3 miles from North Lincoln Street, features quirky vintage fashion finds from the Victorian era through the '90s. With frequent sales to keep your retail therapy experience affordable, this locally owned consignment shop stocks its shelves with new items such as purses, dresses, boots and jewelry daily.