There’s no better place to have a hockey or skating tournament in Massachusetts than the New England Sports Village. This state-of-the-art skating facility in Attleboro, Massachusetts, offers more than just a phenomenal ice rink. For instance, if you get too cold, you don’t need to go far to get a coffee or hot chocolate to warm up. The complex has its very own Dunkin Donuts on site!
In addition to the Dunkin Donuts, the New England Sports Village houses a restaurant and the Yogurt Beach frozen yogurt shop. You can definitely count on the team being well fed during a tournament at New England Sports Village! However, as awesome as the sports complex is, Attleboro and the surrounding towns are teeming with entertainment options and great restaurants that you should take your team to.
Things to Do
Capron Park Zoo
Going to the zoo is always a fun experience. Observing exotic animals that you’d normally never have the opportunity to see is one of the coolest ways to spend an afternoon. You and your team can do just that in Attleboro by visiting Capron Park Zoo.
The collection of animals at this zoo is extremely diverse. You’ll find animals from all over the world. Colorful reptiles like dart frogs and green tree pythons are sure to capture your attention. Watching the kangaroos, river otters, and various lemur species will provide you with some amusement for quite a while. Majestic African lions and Amur leopards are also on display. These animals and more are waiting for you.
Of course the animals are the main attraction at Capron Park Zoo, but they aren’t the only one. In the warmer months, your team can jump around and cool off at the splash pad water park. Concessions are also available, so there’s no need to figure out how you’ll get the team fed. Any teams visiting in the colder months are advised to call the zoo ahead of time to check if it’s closed due to inclement weather. 201 County St, Attleboro, MA 02703
BattlegroundZ.net
Make sure your team has a lot of reserve energy for this next attraction; they’re going to need it! BattlegroundZ.net is an adrenaline pumping, high action entertainment center that’s conveniently located near the New England Sports Village.
First on the list of things to do there is paintball. This is the most expensive activity and may be slightly unrealistic because of its price, but when comparing prices elsewhere, their rates for paintball are actually quite reasonable, especially when you factor in the cost for renting the required gear. Players must be at least 10 years old to participate. The games are held on an indoor turf field. Using bunker-like obstacles you must take cover and work as a unit to come out on top over the other squads. Games last 10 minute apiece, and four-hour unlimited game packages are available for purchase.
Airsoft is another team game offered at BattlegroundZ.net where instead of shooting paintballs, the weapons fire soft, plastic BBs. Rules are very similar to paintball. You must be 10 or older to play, and can come back into the game after a short respawn time once you get shot.
Two other games offered at BattlegroundZ.net are Lazer Wars and Dart Wars. You’ve probably played laser tag before, so this activity doesn’t come with as steep of a learning curve. Your team has 5,000 square feet to run around and play under the black lights. Dart Wars is played in a 2,400-square-foot arena where the weapons of choice are Nerf guns. Dart Wars has multiple game options you can choose from.
Archery Tag and dodgeball are the two newest additions to BattlegroundZ.net’s already impressive lineup. Both require players to be at least seven years old in order to participate. In Archery Tag, players shoot foam-tipped arrows at opposing team members to get them “out.” Dodgeball, a gym class classic, works pretty much the same way, expect players use colorful rubber balls as projectiles instead of arrows.
Once everyone is tuckered out from running around, the arcade is a perfect last stop. Boasting over 40 games like Guitar Hero, Skeeball, and Jurassic Park, the variety here is diverse enough to entertain everyone on the team. 100 Higginson Ave, Lincoln, RI 02865
McCoy Stadium
Buy your team some peanuts and cracker jacks as you enjoy a game of America’s national pastime. You don’t have to pay major league prices to watch a great baseball game at McCoy Stadium.
The team to root for is the Pawtucket Paw Sox. This team is a triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Their players leave everything on the field, every single game. Included with the Paw Sox game day experience are plenty of in-between inning entertainment that helps get the crowd into the game even more. On some nights, there are even firework shows after the game. Food can be purchased at the ballpark. A fan favorite is McCoy Stadium’s hot dogs. 1 Columbus Ave, Pawtucket, RI 02860
Breaktime Bowl & Bar
Chances are that you’ve been bowling before. But have you even been duckpin bowling? Probably not. There’s a place you and your team can play this variation of bowling any time, and it’s not far from the New England Sports Village. The bowling alley is called Breaktime Bowl & Bar.
The object of duckpin bowling doesn’t change, but the equipment does. The second you pick up one of Breaktime’s bowling balls, you’ll notice two things: it’s smaller and there are no finger holes. These changes spice things up a bit. If you want to bowl strikes, you’ll have to change up your technique.
Breaktime Bowl & Bar highly recommends that you call at least two hours in advance to reserve your spot at the alley. Each lane can hold up to six people. Any groups larger than that will have to reserve multiple lanes. The alley’s kitchen pumps out typical bowling fare like burgers, wings, hot dogs, pizza, and sandwiches that you can enjoy while you play. 999 Main St, Pawtucket, RI 02860
Escape The Mystery Room
At Escape The Mystery Room, it’s not your brawn that you need to depend on, it’s your brain. Your team has 50 minutes to come together and solve tricky situations and get out of the room.
There are nine total escape room experiences to pick from. Every one of them has a difficulty level and unique story. If your team is relatively new to escape rooms, one of the easier options like Superhero’s Adventure would be a better choice. For a tougher challenge, try Zombie Apocalypse. As far as pricing goes for escape rooms, Escape The Mystery Room is pretty cheap. Take advantage of its affordable prices when you’re in Attleboro. 999 S Washington St, North Attleborough, MA 02760
Places to Eat
Canova Italian Bar & Grill
No restaurant near New England Sports Village does Italian better than Canova Italian Bar & Grill. The star behind Canova’s success is its veteran chef. Bringing over 20 years of experience in the restaurant business is a priceless thing to have, and it shows in every one of Canova’s meals.
Don’t skimp on the extensive selection of pastas, and remember to try the homemade meatballs. Traditional chicken, fish, pork chop, steak, and veal dishes are some other deliciously tempting options. 88 Union St, Attleboro, MA 02703
Bliss
At Bliss, people come for the ice cream and stay for the food… and ice cream. It’s almost impossible to decide which flavor of ice cream you want because there are 50 of them! Lesser-seen ice creams like chocolate peanut butter cookie dough and campfire s’mores can’t be passed up. Bliss also serves sorbet, sherbet, and frozen yogurt. In terms of real food, Bliss is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 711 Park St, Attleboro, MA 02703
Papagallo Restaurant
You can’t fit the cuisine of Papagallo Restaurant into one or two categories. This establishment prides itself on cooking food from many different regions of the world. They make some Italian recipes like flatbread pizzas and chicken dishes; Hispanic favorites include dishes such as tortillas and Carne Asada. American and Asian cuisines are also represented at Papagallo Restaurant. For a variety like no other near the New England Sports Village, this is the place to go. 87 Pleasant St, Attleboro, MA 02703
The Breakfast Place
For breakfast and lunch, there’s nowhere like The Breakfast Place. This eatery is a true-blue breakfast joint that closes fairly early in the afternoon.
Start your day off right with one of their three egg omelets. Not a fan of eggs? The Breakfast Place serves French toast and pancakes too. Anyone eating on the lighter side will be pleased with the Lite Fare Menu, which features options like breakfast sandwiches and oatmeal. 187 Pleasant St, Attleboro, MA 02703
Attleboro may not be a well-known city like Boston, but you can bet that your team will have a great time on this trip. You get to be spoiled by playing at the New England Sports Village, have loads of fun at all of the exciting attractions in the area, and eat at some awesome restaurants.