Transit
Home to Peter Pan bus lines, Springfield has daily bus service throughout the Northeast. Renovated Union Station hosts Amtrak and CTRail, providing long-distance and commuter rail. The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority operates 18 local bus routes from Union Station.
Valley Bike Share has bike rental stations throughout the city. Bradley International Airport (BDL) is only a 20-minute drive from Downtown Springfield.
Parks and Outdoor Activities
You'll find our amazing an parks system with 2400 acres of park land and forests. There are year-round educational and recreational activities in the parks, including ice-skating, sports leagues, and after school programs. Two public golf courses are owned by Springfield, with several private country clubs nearby. The Connecticut River, which separates Springfield from West Springfield, offers opportunities for rowing and boating, as well as a 3.5 mil bike trail.
The Naturalists Club presents lectures, nature walks, canoe trips and more. The Springfield Paddle Club offers members-only swimming and boating at the 11-acre Bass Pond. Bounce! Provides trampolining and laser tag. The Springfield Stars Club holds monthly star-gazing opportunities, as well as usage of the country's oldest operating planetarium (Seymour Planetarium in the Springfield Science Museum). The Springfield Garden Club provides activities for those interested in plants.
Hospitals
Springfield is home to Baystate Medical Center, the second largest hospital in the state, and Mercy Medical Center. There are generalists and specialists in private practice throughout the city.
Sites of interest
Basketball was invented in Springfield, which now hosts the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Springfield Armory National Historic Site is an oasis of nature in the heart of the city, and the Armory Museum highlights many manufacturing and engineering innovations from Springfield.
Springfield's South End features generations-old Italian specialty shops that sell and make many Italian delicacies -- Frigo's, Mom & Rico's, Milano's, La Fiorentina Bakery. There's even a bocce league.
The Farmer’s Market in Forest Park operates year-round; a smaller market occurs seasonally in Downtown.
Libraries
The Springfield Library system has nine branches which host many family activities, adult and teen book groups, spoken word recitations, and film series. All libraries offer free wireless access for patrons, and the city is also on a super-fast DSL line, making high-speed Internet available to every home.
Spiritual interest
Springfield contains a wide variety of churches, three synagogues, and several mosques and Buddhist temples.
Going green
Springfield was named the 4th Greenest City in America in a 2006 survey by Country Home magazine. The Eco Building Bargains Home Improvement Center, excellent city recycling program, pure drinking water, and solar powered energy at Springfield Technical Community College were among the reasons cited for our high ranking.