Recreation & Entertainment
Walk or bike around the lake, wander in our woods and find a spot to sit and listen to the peacefulness of the forest. Wallis Cove abuts the Douglas State Forest, a popular 4,640 acre state forest offering a variety of recreational opportunities. Whitin Reservoir is private watershed district which means there are no public beaches or boat access. That means the lake is quiet, clean and very precious! (And, there are no sharks!)
In addition to enjoying nature, you can explore the greater Douglas area, which has plenty of kid-friendly activities, restaurants, local farms, golf, and antique shops.
Walking and Biking
A challenging, but doable goal, for most is to walk or bike around the lake! It’s one of those picturesque walks or bike jaunts that take you over the “causeway,” by a dam, through wooded areas with no houses, and by sprinklings of turn-of-the-century farms and lake houses, each unique. There are no big housing cookie-cutter suburbia homes, just a sampling of old and new Douglas residences.
Passengers in the occasional car or truck that passes might very well wave “hello.” Our favorite time of day to walk is early morning. Often there is fog on the water and very active wildlife. How long is it? Well, let’s say bring water with you and you’ll be happy to see the cabins again! A shorter version is to take a left when you come to Island Rd, walk to the causeway and turn back.
Miles and Miles of Forest Trails
Wallis Cove abuts the Douglas State Forest, which offers a variety of recreational opportunities. Visitors can enjoy swimming, boating and fishing on private Whitin Reservoir or nearby Wallum Lake. Hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking on miles of woodland trails. Douglas State Forest also includes a rare example of Atlantic white cedar swampland that can be explored along a swamp trail.
Photography
With the deep forest setting, there are ample opportunities to photograph animals.
Wander in our woods and find a spot to sit and wait. Listen, watch the woods come alive with many types of birds and other wildlife. We have a resident blue heron in our cove. Wild turkey are frequent visitors. You might spot an owl or a deer.
Especially early morning or late afternoon, we often find wonderful photos opportunities from the water in our kayaks. It can be quite an exploration!
Paddle and Swim in the Pristine Waters of Whitin Reservoir
This lake is private which means there are no public beaches or boat access. That means the lake is quiet, clean and very precious!
As a renter you are welcome to bring your own watercraft and motorboats which you can launch from our sandy beaches.
Our slow sloping sandy beach is perfect for children. Many say they learned to swim at Wallis Cove!
Big Bass Fishing
If you enjoy fishing, you’ll love the fishing here at Wallis Cove. You can fish directly from the shore and catch serious bass!
One couple who loves to stay in our guesthouse on Memorial Day weekend have a sweet story. She never fished and her husband taught her. She cast from the beach and within minutes had her very first fish. She was totally delighted!
See the latest fishing reports for Whitin Reservoir!
Water Fun Park Across the Lake
For a different kind of water day, you can head over to Breezy Acres across the water. It’s a fun-filled water park with a huge water slide on our lake!
Great Ice Cream and Child-Friendly Spots
Try the ice cream at the Family Convenience Center in Douglas. You can’t miss the big pink ice cream lady. The Convenience store also has gas, propane, beer and wine and other convenience type items.
For a great day with kids, check out West End Creamery for ice cream, mini-golf, animals and more. About 15 minutes from here. Complete that trip with a hike at Purgatory Chasm, which is right up the street from West End Creamery—it’s a must to “do” the chasm!
Great Restaurants
Breakfast Ideas
The Picket Fence in the center of Douglas has great service and food!
Lunch and Dinner Ideas
Try The Lodge in Webster. It has good food, good value! We also enjoy 85 Main in Putnam, CT as well as Vanilla Bean Café in Pomfret, CT (two more trendy adult type eateries).
Antiques
We LOVE antique shopping. If you do too, then you’ll love all the awesome possibilities around this area.
Find your way to Chepachet, RI. After checking out the antique stores in this historic very quaint town, enjoy a meal at The Tavern on Main, a historic building with many spooky stories!
We are 15 minutes from Putnam, CT, a very quaint center with the Antiques Marketplace and other antique shops and street café restaurants. Our favorite restaurant there is 85 Main.
Head to Uxbridge to the Bernat Antiques, a mill full of antiques! That’s about 15-20 minutes in the other direction from Putnam.
Golf
We’ve got three nearby golf courses: Blackstone National Gold Club in Sutton, Pleasant Valley Golf Club in Sutton and Blissful Meadows in Uxbridge, MA.
Local Farms
To complement your natural vacation, fresh summer produce can be obtained from Whittier Farms in Sutton. This is a favorite for us—a real working family-owned and run vegetable and dairy farm in a beautiful location with great vistas.
You might also visit, in the center of Douglas at the E.N. Jenckes Store run by the Douglas Historical Society.
Southwick’s Zoo
We are also near a wonderful zoo experience with over 500 animals of 100 species, many of them endangered, the Southwick’s Zoo in Mendon.
Necessities
Here is a list of local resources that might come in handy during your stay.
Grocery Stores
Price Chopper
2 Worcester Rd, Webster, MA 01570
Phone: 508-943-7232
Walmart
100 Valley Pkwy, Whitinsville, MA 01588
Phone: 508-234-9034
More Area Eateries
Panera Bread
2 Worcester Rd, Webster, MA 01570
Phone: 508-671-0110
Bistro Eighty Ates
172 Gore Rd, Webster, MA 01570
Phone: 508-949-8888
Website
Grille on Main
306 Main St, Douglas, MA 01516
Phone: 508-476-5661
Website
Mexicali
41 Worcester Rd, Webster, MA 01570
Phone: 508-461-5070
Website