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University (Crystal) Park, Worcester, MA

Photo: John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sports & Outdoors

University (Crystal) Park

A 14.3-acre Worcester park centered on Crystal Pond, with trails, a playground, courts, and a spray park.

965 Main Street, Worcester, MA · Worcester, MA

About University (Crystal) Park

This older Worcester park sits in a residential neighborhood beside a college campus. Crystal Pond lies in its middle; it once hosted swimming and skating, and today sees paddle boats and toy boat races. Visitors can walk the trails, picnic, and use the playground, basketball courts, and tennis court, which is also marked for pickleball. A spray park opened in August 2025. Locals often call it Crystal Park, though that name was never made official.

  • #park
  • #pond
  • #walking trails
  • #playground
  • #spray park

What's around here?

The closest stops to University (Crystal) Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Central Massachusetts

    No admission fee

    Worcester and the mill towns, lakes, and orchards around it, from art and science museums to Old Sturbridge Village.

    Transit: reachable by public transit

    1.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing

    Bigelow Monument

    Check prices

    Memorial on Worcester Common honoring a Revolutionary War Patriot.

    1.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Museums

    Worcester Art Museum

    Under $25

    A large art museum in Worcester whose collection spans ancient to modern works, with a notable arms and armor collection.

    Transit: reachable by public transit

    2.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sports & Outdoors
    Family Favorite

    Hopkinton State Park

    $25–$50

    Swim at a lifeguarded beach, paddle the Hopkinton Reservoir or hike 10 miles of forest trails west of Boston.

    15 mi awayMore like this

  • Sports & Outdoors
    Local Gem

    Callahan State Park

    No admission fee

    Walk, ride or mountain bike 7 miles of marked trails past open fields and ponds in a quiet state park near Framingham.

    19 mi awayMore like this

  • Sports & Outdoors
    Outdoor Adventure

    Garden in the Woods

    Under $25

    Walk winding paths past more than 1,000 kinds of New England wildflowers, ferns and shrubs in a glacier-carved woodland garden west of Boston.

    21 mi awayMore like this