The quaint New England villages of Hope Valley, Hopkinton City and Ashaway make up an area of small-town charm that is the town of Hopkinton. With its neighboring villages of Carolina and Wyoming in the town of Richmond, this area provides old-fashioned general stores, arts and crafts and antiques shops, product stands, and numerous freshwater ponds, rivers and streams.

The Wood River running through the center of Hope Valley is great for canoeing, kayaking and fishing. Other small lakes offer wonderful waterside activities as well as good fishing. The nature preserve at Ell Pond, where you can see steep bedrock erosion caused by the last glacier more than 10,000 years ago, offers visitors hikes through a forest of lovely hemlocks and magnificent giant rhododendrons. With its scenic views, huge rock outcroppings, amazing quaking bog and white cedar swamp, it is a place not to be missed.