Campus + Facilities | Intermediate Program

Explore Wellesley College!
For more than 20 years, Exploration has made its home at Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Located 14 miles west of Boston, the 600-acre campus includes a large lake, ponds, woodlands, an arboretum, and miles of foot paths. The College’s magnificent indoor and outdoor facilities provide the perfect setting for the intellectual, social, and recreational needs of the Intermediate Program.


PDF Map of the Intermediate Program
on the Campus of Wellesley College

Intermediate Program Map Our map highlights the residential, academic, and recreational facilities available to students during the summer. The map also indicates the location of our on-campus informational meetings in the winter and spring.
Your Space to Grow
Our courses make use of more than 40 classrooms across campus, including seminar rooms, art studio spaces, lecture halls, and performance areas. The Wellesley campus also has a variety of spaces for you to pursue your recreational interests while at the Program. Facilities include a lake for sailing, canoeing, and kayaking, tennis courts, an outdoor track, and athletic fields. The multi-million dollar athletic complex houses indoor facilities for track, basketball, volleyball, billiards, ping-pong, squash, and racquetball, as well as dance studios and a swimming pool.

Intermediate Quad

Your Summer Home
The Intermediate Program is based in Wellesley College residence halls, which surround a central quadrangle. The Quad is the hub of activity throughout the day — a place where you will gather for meetings, activities, and pick-up games of Frisbee and four-square. The Quad and common spaces in the residence halls are perfect places for talking and relaxing with friends and staff members, and checking out a wide range of activities. All residence halls, meeting spaces, Program offices, the infirmary, and dining halls surround the quadrangle, and classrooms and athletic facilities are located nearby.

The Vil The VilDuring the afternoon “Chill Time,” you can sign out to go into the town of Wellesley and check out a variety of coffee shops, restaurants, ice cream parlors, and more. You have the option to go into “the Vil” two days a week, where you’ll find our staff stationed throughout to help you find what you’re looking for.

Shops + StopsSome popular stops in The Vil include: White Mountain Creamery, College Square Pizza, Wellesley Booksmith, CVS, Starbucks, The Gap, Thunder Sports, Lemon Thai Cuisine, Rosie's Bakery, and more!
 

Driving Directions to Wellesley College
from the west
Take the Massachusetts Turnpike to Exit 14 (Weston). Take Interstate 95/Route 128 South for half a mile to Exit 21B (Route 16 West). Follow 16 West for 3.0 miles to a stoplight (5-way intersection) in the town of Wellesley; go straight through the light on Route 135 West. At the third traffic light turn left into the main entrance to Wellesley College. Follow signs for Exploration parking.

from boston and the east
Take the Massachusetts Turnpike to Exit 16 (West Newton). Follow Route 16 West for 4.7 miles, using the directions above.

from the north or south
Take Interstate 95/Route 128 to Exit 21B (Route 16 West). Follow Route 16 West for 3.0 miles, using the directions above.

In order to help families make travel arrangements for their children, Exploration has partnered with Colpitts World Travel. By booking through Colpitts, you can quickly determine how many other Exploration students are already on a flight and whether the flight arrives during our regular airport pick-up hours. If it does not, Colpitts can book travel between the airport and campus through another Exploration transportation partner, BostonCoach. Colpitts negotiates discounts with the major airlines and therefore, their pricing is very competitive.

We did quite a bit of research to make sure both companies could service our families worldwide, and because we are dealing with students under the age of 18, it was imperative that we find partners who would meet our high standards. Colpitts, a leader in the travel industry, will be able to assist families with unaccompanied minor paperwork as well.

Families are not required to use the services of either company, but if you would like to do so, you can book through the Exploration page of the Colpitts website. Alternatively, you can call Colpitts at 781.326.7800 and mention that you are calling for an Exploration Summer Program student. Families interested in livery service can reach BostonCoach directly at 800.672.7676. Please use Exploration account number #91030 with BostonCoach to receive a discounted rate.