Johnny Appleseed Visitors' Center — Attraction in Lancaster

The Johnny Appleseed Visitor Center is located at a rest area just before the town of Leominster, you can think of this in someways as the gateway to Central Massachusetts.

Johnny Appleseed, or John Chapman was a real life folk hero who did plant apple orchards as he made his way to the Midwest. In Leominster you’ll find a marker where his home once stood, and various other reminders of his legacy.

The trees to the front of the rest area are grafted from Johnny Appleseed trees, but please don’t pick it gather them- they don’t make for good eating. Appleseed’s trees were more intended as a source for hard cider.

You’ll find Massachusetts “biggest Apple” in front of the rest area- you won’t be able to miss it. Inside is a rack of various travel brochures for Central Massachusetts and you can find some good tips.

Beneath the lottery counter is a collection of Johnny Appleseed memorabilia. The store here also sells local maple syrup & honey.

If you’re heading west on Route 2 this makes for a good stop to refresh and get a glimpse of...

The manager working at the visitor center is breaking the law and is a vicious and horrible person. it is marked as a rest area on state highway signage. I entered the establishment and was halfway to the restroom, and was met by this person and told that I must wear a mask. I was not wearing one due to an exemption. I informed the vicious manager that I am EXEMPT. She said THIS IS MASSACHUSETTS AND NO ONE IS EXEMPT in Massachusetts. When we told her that she is wrong, she told us TO LEAVE AND NEVER RETURN. She is violating Gov Baker's COVID-19 Order No. 55, Section 2, Exceptions. Her behavior was beyond acceptable as a WELCOME Center. Clearly this person is unstable and should not be dealing with the public in any way. She is unaware of the law and is in no position to be managing a welcome center on a state highway. Report her for discrimination. No one deserves to be verbally assaulted in this day and age of equal rights...

What kind of rest stop only provides bathrooms 9 hours a day??? I pulled in at 4:58 quite literally about to pee myself and the employee had already locked the bathroom doors. I ran to the edge of the lot and the perimeter is fenced in - not even possible to pop a squat in the woods. I drove with a face wipe in my hand ready to pull over on the side of the highway at rush hour, alone, female, and 20 years old, desperate to not pee my pants. Instead I (somehow) drove another 7 minutes to Best Buy and ran through their store to the bathroom (it’s in the back to the left btw). Shame on this place for pretending to be a respite but not even providing porta potties for travelers desperate for a bathroom, potentially putting customers at risk on...