Between Boston And Providence Is A Charming Massachusetts Town With A Casino, Shops, And Outdoor Fun

If you're driving between Boston and Providence, Rhode Island and looking for a fun stop along the way — or looking for a fun day away from either city — there's an appealing Massachusetts town you ought to pin on your map. Plainville, Massachusetts is the definition of a misnomer: this charming town is anything but plain. Here, you can partake in outdoor fun, peruse the independent shops, and even try your luck at a casino. Residents note that Plainville is safe, with a friendly town culture where everyone is a familiar face and neighbors know one another.

Part of the larger metropolitan area for both Boston and Providence, Plainville is easily accessible from either city. By car, Plainville is less than 45 minutes from the heart of Boston (depending on traffic, which can add to the time significantly, especially during rush hour). Meanwhile, Providence is even closer: under 30 minutes by car.

Much like its fellow Massachusetts town of Yarmouth Port, Plainville boasts numerous inviting village shops. If your idea of a great day of shopping means combing the shelves of a bookshop while sipping on a cozy beverage, you're in the right place: that's the name of the game at An Unlikely Story. In addition to selling titles, this delightful indie bookstore houses a café and an upstairs event space (cleverly named Second Story), which plays host to literary events, trivia nights, and more.

Historically, this building housed a market that was a beloved town space, and An Unlikely Story's owners Jeff and Julie Kinney (yes, that's the same Jeff Kinney who wrote the popular middle-grade series Diary of a Wimpy Kid) work hard to uphold this legacy by maintaining the bookshop as a community hub. Pop in to grab a bestseller or staff pick book, and stay for a coffee, snack, or lunch, or even an author talk.

If you're looking for more esoteric items, make your way to White Mountain Crystals. At this carefully curated boutique, you can shop for crystals, tarot decks, and other spiritually engaged wares. Visitors praise the impressive selection of crystals and the knowledgeable, helpful owner. 

And if it's gifts and housewares that you're after, there's also Effie's Shoppe. Here, owner Stephanie Bredberg (also known as Effie) stocks a thoughtful mix of gifts and home decor items sourced from all across the globe, and all gesturing toward Effie's self-described "farmhouse to funky" vibes.

If you feel like the odds are on your side, what are you waiting for? Pay a visit to Plainridge Park Casino to see how lucky you are today. While it may not be as state-of-the-art as Boston's luxe seaside Encore Casino, it's nothing to sneeze at. From 900-plus slot machines to electronic table games to live harness racing (April through November) and simulcasts, Plainridge Park Casino offers a wide range of activities for visitors aged 21 and up. There's the Sportsbook, where you can watch a game on a whopping 49-foot video wall, place bets on the outcomes in a kiosk, and nosh on classic pub food fare. Don't forget to check the casino's calendar of entertainment events to see if you can time your visit to catch live musical acts ranging from country to funk to classic-rock cover bands.

More interested in having fun in the great outdoors? Just a few minutes from the center of Plainville, you'll find Crystal Spring Preserve, a 36-acre Wildlands Trust site that provides serenity and verdant nature. Previously, this land was the Crystal Spring Center for Ecology, Spirituality, and Earth Education, run by the Roman Catholic Church's Dominican Sisters of Peace. Today, it's open to the public, and strolling its trails is a fun, active day out, though traces of its deeply spiritual understanding of the environment remain, like a spiral of stones designed to guide visitors in thinking about their place in the universe. Embark on an engaging one-mile loop trail that will take you through forest, meadow, and a variety of wildlife. But know before you go: though short, this trail is hilly, so wear adequate footwear — like one of these popular shoe brands for hikers.