Saugus is a town in Greater Boston, Massachusetts, just north of the city. Its population is approximately 29,000 (2020), but despite its small size it has a long history lasting almost 400 years. The name of the town has its origins in the Algonquin language, meaning "great" or "extended."

Get in

By car

• Route 1/the Northeast Expressway. Coming in from downtown Boston, you will know that you’re in Saugus once you see a lot of commercial development directly along the highway. You can take the Essex Street or Main Street exits to access Saugus.

Route 107 is along Saugus's southeast.

By bus

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority operates buses from Boston and other parts of the Greater Boston area, including the 429, 426, and 430 buses around Saugus.

Get around

By car

A car can be very useful, as Saugus is more suburban and is more built up along route 1 and bus service does get infrequent at times.

By bus

Only the 429, 430, and 426 buses serve Saugus. The 426 runs along the southeast fo Saugus, the 429 serves along Route 1, and only the 430 goes to Saugus's center. Bus service can be quite infrequent at times, and some routes don't operate evenings or weekends.

See

• 1 Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site, 244 Central Street, ☏ +1 781-233-0050. Daily. Apr-Oct 9AM-5PM. Nov-Mar 9AM-4PM. Site of the first integrated ironworks in North America (1646-1668). It includes the reconstructed blast furnace, forge, rolling mill, and a restored seventeenth century house. 
• 2 Boardman House, 17 Howard St. A late-17th-century house. 

Do

• 1 Breakheart Reservation State Park, 100 Hemlock Rd, ☏ +1 781-233-0834. Sunrise-sunset daily. Breakheart Reservation is a 640-acre hardwood forest with jagged, rocky outcroppings, two fresh-water lakes, and a rambling section of the Saugus River. Fishing in Silver and Pearce Lakes, hiking the trails and birdwatching by the Saugus River are popular year-round activities. The supervised swimming area at Pearce Lake, one of the few fresh-water swimming spots north of Boston, draws crowds in the summer. Extensive biking and hiking trails with views of Boston and New Hampshire. Free. (updated Nov 2022)

Buy

• 1 Square One Mall, 1201 Broadway. Square One Mall is another Simon Mall on the highway in Saugus. It has shops, department stores and several restaurants. There’s plenty of parking available and it’s next to a shopping plaza which includes Stop & Shop, and Newbury Comics. 

Eat

• 1 Kowloons Restaurant, 948 Broadway. (Food Type: Chinese Polynesian Thai: Sushi available!) Kowloon’s Restaurant is one of the famous landmarks on Route 1 in Saugus. It mostly known for its tall building that you can see from the highway. Kowloons is great for any type of occasion. Lunch and dinner are served daily. There are several party halls located in the restaurant which makes it perfect for any party needs. They also have a comedy club inside the restaurant which makes it a great social place to go on the weekends. The inside décor is exciting and filled with water fountains and lights. This is not the best place to go if you don’t like large crowds or loud music. They also have live music on certain nights (inquire when calling for specific dates and times). Reservations are only taken for large groups. 
• 2 Kelly's Roast Beef, 595 Broadway, ☏ +1 781 233-5000. Kelly’s Roast Beef is considered to be the best place in the area to get a roast beef sandwich. They are a casual dinning environment where kids are welcomed. You order your food from a cashier and then choose a seat of your choice. There’s plenty of seating since it’s a large location. They offer food anywhere from the sandwiches to classic New England clam chowder. It’s a great place to eat on the run. They also have a drive thru available on location. It’s a great place to grab a quick, but delicious, bite to eat! 

Sleep

• 1 Red Roof Inn Boston-Saugus, 920 Broadway (Route 1), ☏ +1 781 941-1400, fax: +1 781 941-2024. 
• 2 Holiday Inn Express Saugus (Logan Airport), 999 Broadway (Route 1), ☏ +1 781 233-1800, fax: +1 781 233-1814. 

Go next

Routes through Saugus

Newburyport ← Peabody ←	N  S	→ Malden → Boston
Reading ← Wakefield ←	W  E	→ Lynn → Marblehead