Natick

Natick is home to miles eight through 12 of the Boston Marathon, with Framingham to the west and Wellesley to the east. In fact, “Natick” was the answer to a 2008 New York Times crossword clue: “Town at the eighth mile of the Boston Marathon.”

There are also a few big corporate headquarters in town, including Cognex and MathWorks, and there used to be a Hostess Factory, which was torn down to make the Natick Mall.

Apart from the mall, Natick has a vibrant downtown area with an abundance of family-friendly places to spend time. The The Boston Globe cites Natick’s vibrant downtown as a huge plus for living there — “Natick has a great downtown: broad streets, lots of stores and businesses, and, as a result of the [1870] fire, lots of impressive brick buildings. Check out Lola’s Italian Groceria for a great sandwich or Comella’s just doors away.”

Also in the downtown is the Natick Center Cultural District, which calls itself “the arts and culture hub of MetroWest.” The Cultural District is “home to more than 100 working artists, The Center For Arts in Natick, the Morse Institute Library, many independently owned businesses and cultural organizations, and an active Parks and Recreation Department, all contributing to a busy year-round schedule of arts and cultural events.”

But the Trip Advisor No. 1 thing to do in town is to go to the Natick Mall, which has plenty of places to shop, restaurants where you can grab a quick bite or sit and dine, and an American Girl Store.

For the history buff, the Museum of WWII Boston is in Natick and has a bevy of artifacts and exhibits. If you’d rather be outside, Natick has plenty of options, like the Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary and the Belkin Family Lookout Farm, which has been in operation since 1651.

Info from: http://realestate.boston.com/buying/2016/04/03/5-things-to-know-about-living-in-natick-ma/