Family activities in New England and attractions for kids

New England > All New England > Families and Kids > Family Activities

Try something new on a New England family vacation. From shopping at general stores and trading posts, to outdoor quests like whitewater rafting, whale watching, and hiking scenic trails, New England has a limitless selection of exciting, family-friendly activities to please kids and parents alike. Explore the beaches, farms, and amusement parks, or bring the kids on a train ride or sightseeing cruise. Plenty of family friendly lodgings welcome parents and kids with swimming pools, game rooms, discounted children’s meal, and group activities for the kids. Many lodgings have a variety of accommodations and public spaces to be perfect for family reunions.

Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks

1168 County Road Montpelier, VT, 05602 Phone: Toll-Free: 800-242-2740

The Morse family has some maple magic for your family

Here is a farm with 200 years experience the whole family will enjoy with scenic views, four season fun, and lots of maple syrup, jams, jellies and other goodies to discover. The Morse’s do it right in so many ways whether its showing you their maple syrup process or presenting displays and artifacts and a humorous educational video in the Woodshed Theater. There are monthly events. a nature trail, a country store filled with local crafts and gifts, and an outdoor farm life museum. The Ski Touring Center has cross country and snowshoe trails for sliding, snowmobiling and skating. Once sugarin’ time comes around in March, take part in their annual maple tastings. And don’t miss the sugar on snow.

America's Stonehenge

105 Haverhill Road Salem, NH, 03079 Phone: 603-893-8300

Let your kids explore the mysteries of America's history

Kids love mysteries, and that's what makes a visit to America's Stonehenge in Salem, New Hampshire, a great trip for your family. A half-mile trail through the pine woods leads to megaliths, stone chambers, a rock altar, and other strange artifacts. Were they built by colonial farmers or Native Americans? Or constructed by ancient people -- Druid priests, perhaps -- who left similar monuments all over great Britain. Adding to the mystery is the fact that you'll find megaliths of the same type scattered around New England. Our site, however, is one of the largest collections. What's more, many other sites are on private property, and off limits to visitors. So come visit our woods, and find out why they've left scholars confused for decades.

The Dinosaur Place at Nature's Art Village

1650 Hartford-New London Tpke. (Rt. 85) Oakdale, CT, 06370 Phone: 860-443-4367

Convenient, affordable and dinosaur friendly

Near Mystic Seaport and in the heart of Mystic Country, The Dinosaur Place offers indoor and outdoor fun for everyone. Mascot Monty welcomes you to over 50 acres of wetlands and woodlands. Raptor Bay, a man-made lake, has its own volcano, while dinosaur trails offer touch and learn activities. SplashPad is wet fun and New England’s largest such water park. Kids will love the a”MAZE”asaurus and Monty’s playground featuring SpaceNet’s climbing towers and three-dimensional swinging, vibrating and springing web. Discovery Depot’s indoor activity center lets you hunt for treasures beneath the earth. Nearby, affordable, family-friendly hotels offer discount packages with lodging, attraction tickets and even breakfast included.

Curious Kids - Mount Washington Auto Road - Gorham, NH

Mt. Washington Auto Road

Route 16, Pinkham Notch Gorham, NH, 03581 Phone: 603-466-3988

Take the family and stand above it all

For over 150 years, families and friends have enjoyed visiting the legendary Mt. Washington Auto Road, a one-of-a-kind experience offering ever-changing weather extremes and panoramic views as you climb to the highest peak in the Northeast.
Choose to drive your own car or take a comfortable, 2 or 3-hour guided tour led by one of our accomplished and dedicated guides. Adventure can be found all the way up to the 6,288-foot peak where, on a clear day, visitors can discover panoramic views spanning the mountains and valleys of New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, and north into Canada! Rain or shine, and included with your Auto Road ticket, the entire family will love the new interactive museum “Extreme Mount Washington” located on the summit, brought to you by the Mount Washington Observatory.

Railroad Museum of New England - Thomaston, CT - We are On Track for 2021!

Find more great activities & events on the VisitNewEngland,com Blog - Click here!

Old Sturbridge Village - More than a Museum!

Central Rock Warwick

275 West Natick Road Warwick, RI, 02886 Phone: 401-889-5452

Get yourself and you kids up and moving, enjoy some (overdue?) exercise for yourself, and build family bonds with a day or afternoon at Central Rock Gym Warwick, an indoor rock climbing facility that welcomes everyone. Kick it free-style and just spend some time messing around on the walls with your kids, or get more serious by joining a coach-led weekly climbing team. The 20,000-square-foot facility offers space for adult or kid birthday parties. Try staffed climbing, when experts take you out on high wall ‘top rope’ climbing in any area of our facility. Create a family outing tradition!

Spring Golf Course - Mt. Washington Valley Chamber - North Conway, NH

Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce

Endless list of activities, adventures to excite every family member

Your challenge isn’t going to be finding fun family activities in the Mount Washington Valley region – it will be persuading the family it’s time to go home. In the winter, ski, skate, snowboard or take a dog-sled tour. In the summer, go kayaking, check out a water park or go ziplining over the forest. Take a cog railroad trip up Mount Washington, squeeze through caves, tackle a corn maze, visit a family farm, a 600-game arcade or the country’s oldest continuously operated general store. Go see the bear show at Clark’s Trading Post, the elves at Santa’s Village or fairy tale characters in Story Land. Visit a weather museum, a nature center or an inter-active science museum.

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IT Adventure Ropes Course

40 Sargent Drive New Haven, CT, 06511 Phone: 203-812-9981

An adventure for everyone in the family at this fun, challenging ropes course

An adventure awaits family members of all ages at the It Adventure Ropes Course inside Jordan’s Furniture. The world’s largest indoor ropes course includes more than 100 exciting challenges, from crisscross angled rope ladders and zig-zag swinging beams to cargo nets and tricky bridges. And, zip rails that sit at heights up to 56 feet let you fly over a liquid fireworks water show from one end of the course to the other. A full-body harness and sling line keeps you connected the entire time. For children under 48 inches tall, there’s the fun Little It course, with platforms less than three feet above the ground and adult chaperones nearby to lend assistance if needed.

Kripalu Hula Hoop Kids 500x250 - Berkshires Visitors Bureau - Photo Credit Ogden Gigli

The Berkshires of Western MA

Renew your family's fun this summer in the Berkshires

With rolling mountains and forests, winding rivers and sparkling lakes, and scenic back roads that pass by fields and farmland, the stage is set for the world-class music, art, and theater that are the main attraction of summer in the Berkshires and the ideal location to bring the whole family. Locally grown foods are fresh and plentiful this time of year, the ingredients for the creative culinary treats that await you at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a picnic under the stars. A great way to spend time as a family is to get outside and the Berkshires has what you are looking for, from mountains and forests filled with hiking trails, swimming and kayaking fun plus a variety of aerial adventure parks. Pack up the family and get in some quality time this summer in the Berkshires.

Bluefish Girls 500x250 - Black Hawk Party Boat - Niantic, CT

Black Hawk Sportfishing

Sailing from the Niantic Bay Marina Niantic, CT, 06357 Phone: 860-448-3662 Toll-Free: 800-382-2824

Fishing excursions, nature cruises fun-filled activities for the whole family

It’s no wonder that dozens of the “regulars” at Black Hawk Sportfishing out of Niantic, Conn., are kids. Fishing cruises are fun-filled activities for the whole family, and there’s no minimum age for children. Experienced captains take you out on one of the fastest, safest and most comfortable boats of its kind in New England to catch everything from stripers and bluefish to cod, fluke and tuna. Bring a cooler or grab a burger, a soda and snacks on board. The kids might even get a chance to honk the horn or win a t-shirt! Or, if you’re not up for fishing, take a nature cruise, seal cruise, eagle-watch cruise or sunset cruise. Private charters for kids’ birthday parties are available.

Fun World

200 Daniel Webster Highway Nashua, NH, 03060 Phone: 603-888-1940

Be a Family That Plays Together

Arcades have been an entertainment choice for kids and families for generations and no wonder. Fun World has the formula covered. There's lots of physical activity for younger kids in a huge, multi-level playground with big slides and a ball pit, along with 30 tot rides. For older kids and teens, the blur of choices of arcade games is daunting, from Wave Motion Theater and six-player Galaxian Theater to sports games, dance games to classic air hockey and pinball. Tickets can be redeemed for prizes hundreds of prizes. Parents will appreciate the reasonable price for a full day for family fun. Naturally, Fun World sells pizza and other classic kid foods, so your gang can hunker here ’til everyone is too tired to move.

Lost River Gorge & Boulder Caves

1712 Lost River Road -- Route 112W North Woodstock, NH, 03262 Phone: 603-745-8031

Trek through a White Mountain wonderland at Lost River Gorge

Take your family on a journey beneath the earth at Lost River Gorge & Boulder Caves in New Hampshire's White Mountains. You'll find yourself exploring a spectacular wilderness wonderland formed millions of years ago by glaciers, water, and wild weather. Located on a preserve owned by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, Lost River Gorge is home to granite cliffs, spectacular waterfalls, rugged caves, and a river that plays hide-and-seek amid the rocks. Hike along a three-quarter mile boardwalk, or step off and explore the boulder caves, including the Sun Altar, Thor's Workshop, the Devil's Kitchen, the Lemon Squeezer, and the Judgment Hall of Pluto. Sturdy footwear and outdoor clothing are recommended. Open early May to mid-October.

Scott Farm

707 Kipling Road Dummerston, VT Phone: 802-254-6868

At its core, apple-picking at this orchard is the ultimate in great family activities

Years from now, when your kids are old enough to reminisce about their childhood, it’s a guarantee that one of the family activities they will remember most fondly is apple-picking. So start to create that memory today at the Scott Farm Orchard, a 571-acre farm where “pick your own” means gorgeous, ecologically grown heirloom apples and strolls through beautiful surroundings. The farm, in active cultivation since 1791 and now owned by landmark Trust USA and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, grows over 130 varieties of apples, including Jonagold, Gala, Honeycrisp (a kids’ favorite) and Fuji. Stop in at the Farm market, with pies from fresh-picked fruits, apple cider, pumpkins and other regional fare. Check the website for pick-your-own updates.

Bishop's Orchards

1355 Boston Post Road Guilford, CT, 06437 Phone: 203-453-2338

Find fantastic family fun and support your local farmer

Almost nothing beats family fun like picking up fresh produce right from the farm. Open year-round, Bishop's Orchards continues a 144-year tradition on 313 acres where you can pick strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, pears, apples, and pumpkins. The farm market has grown from a roadside stand to a wholesale supplier of fruits and vegetables to New York and New England. It’s also a thriving retail market, fully operating bakery, specialty food grocer and most recently, a winery. The kids will love the llamas, alpacas and goats and the G-Scale train with cars from the NYNH Railroad circling overhead. Get your farm fresh produce and an authentic farm experience at the same time. Look for the "big red apple" known far and wide.

Loon Mountain Resort

60 Loon Mountain Road Lincoln, NH, 03251 Phone: 603-745-6281 Toll-Free: 800-229-5666

Outdoor fun, recreation and inspiration in the White Mountains

Pick a season and bring the family to New England’s most-accessible mountain resort destination. In summer and fall, ride New Hampshire’s longest gondola skyride to the 2,733-foot summit for breathtaking views of the White Mountains and great food at the Summit Café. Explore glacial caves and walk a scenic nature trail. At the mountain’s base, ride a zipline across the Pemigewasset River, scale a rock wall, navigate the LogJam Maze, or climb a 30-foot-tall spider web. Bunyan’s Bouncin’ Backyard has a bounce house. In winter, big mountain skiing and snowboarding features 2,100 feet of vertical with three peaks of terrain for all abilities – including an award-winning progression of terrain parks and New Hampshire’s only Superpipe. There’s also snow tubing, snowshoeing, cross country skiing.

Face Painted Kids 500x250 - Clark's Trading Post - Lincoln, NH

Clark's Bears

110 Daniel Webster Highway (Route 3) Lincoln, NH, 03251 Phone: 603-745-8913

See a show, ride a train, try out a Segway - So much to do at this family amusement park

There’s so much to see and do at Clark’s Bears. On the seeing front, there’s the famous trained bear show, or Yandong's Chinese Circus with amazing acrobats, or the Pemigewasset hook-and-ladder fire station with its antique horse-drawn fire engines. On the doing side, there’s the White Mountain Central Railroad trip, the Anaconda Escape water raft ride, a rock-climbing wall, water blaster boats for those who don’t mind getting soaked, Merlin's Mansion for those with a mystical mind, and places to mine for gemstones and fossils. Food ranges from burgers, subs and pizzas to a dish of something special at the Peppermint Saloon ice cream parlor. Tickets include all rides, all shows, all day.

Shin Pond Village

1489 Shin Pond Road Mt. Chase, ME, 04765 Phone: 207-528-2900

We look forward to seeing you!

It’s four seasons of family fun at Shin Pond Village, a 100-acre family owned and operated recreational resort in the heart of Maine’s scenic Katahdin Region. Rent a snowmobile or an ATV and hop on to hundreds of miles of trails from the resort’s doorsteps. The trails’ unique terrain is part of Polaris Adventures, the first-ever national network of ride-and-drive experiences. At the resort, you can also go fishing (or ice fishing), swimming, canoeing, skiing, snowshoeing: Then come back to the resort with its campsites (four on a brook), RV sites, housekeeping cottages, guest suites and pondside homes. The resort also has a general store, laundromat, restaurant and “Loon’s Nest” room with satellite TV.

Mount Washington Cog Railway

Off Route 302 Bretton Woods, NH, 03589 Phone: 603-278-5404 Toll-Free: 800-922-8825

Children never forget a trip aboard the Cog Railway

Step off a Cog Railway coach and you'll find yourself atop the highest mountain peak in the Northeast. From late April through November our trains make daily excursions to the summit of New Hampshire's Mount Washington. It's a fascinating three-hour trip your children will never forget. Since the first climb back in 1869, the Cog Railway has always been seen as an engineering marvel, with the steepest track ascent in North America. Your journey will take you through several climate zones to the very top of the mountain, where you'll be able to send post cards that are postmarked from the summit. Visit the Weather Observatory, where meteorologists study some of the country's most severe winter weather. At the bottom, enjoy breakfast or lunch at our Base Station restaurant.

Launch Trampoline Park

920 Bald Hill Road Warwick, RI, 02886 Phone: 401-828-5867

What do most kids need? They need to move and they need a certain degree of silliness. Launch Trampoline provides both, in an indoor setting immune to changes in weather. Come and burn up some young energy on 11,000 square feet of huge jumping surface. Even better: you can bounce off the (angled) walls! This indoor trampoline park is suitable for all ages and fitness levels. If you or your kids run out of their own ideas for movement, options for activities include group exercise classes, trampoline dodge ball, and a foam pit. Great choice for active kids for a birthday party or family gathering. And, adults, don’t sulk – come hit the trampolines for your corporate event.

Canobie Lake Park

85 North Policy Street Salem, NH, 03079 Phone: 603-893-3560

Reopening on July 16th - Family fun, services and accommodations make this a grand day out

The whole family is well cared for at this historic fun park just 30 miles north of Boston. Start with 85 rides, indoor-outdoor games and an arcade, plus live entertainment on two stages and the Dance Hall Theater, special events and a dedicated Kiddieland area, and everyone will get involved and smile. A wide variety of delicious food is yours and available around the park in 20 great spots, while plenty of tax free shopping at numerous gift shops lets you fill up on souvenirs, keepsakes and more. There’s an ATM, lockers, available services for expectant mothers, and accommodations for all ages and physical abilities. Bring your own or rent a wheelchair, electric scooter stroller or double seat stroller. Canobie Lake Park was ranked as one of the 2018 top ten amusement parks in the U.S. by Time’s Money Magazine. Click here for 2020 park information.

Franklin Park Zoo

One Franklin Park Road Boston, MA, 02121 Phone: 617-541-5466

It truly is fun for kids (and adults) of all ages at this colorful, exciting zoo

Age is no barrier to the delights of the Franklin Park Zoo. Littlest visitors (ages 2 to 4) have fun in the Curious Cubs Playgroup; other activities kids love include breakfast with the animals, behind-the-scenes tours, the petting zoo at Franklin Farm, a Children’s Zoo for climbing and the outdoor playground with wildlife-inspired designs. And, of course, there are the animal environments, from the Tropical Forest with Western lowland gorillas and hyenas to the lions of the Kalahari Kingdom and the giraffes and zebras of the Savannah. Families love the butterfly exhibit, watching kangaroos and kookaburras along the Outback Trail and feeding the budgies in the Aussie Aviary. For dining, there are burgers, pizzas and plenty of picnic spots.

Androscoggin Valley Chamber of Commerce

961 Main Street Berline, NH, 03570 Phone: 603-228-0836

Let your family adventure begin in perfectly situated Androscoggin Valley

Nicely nestled between the White Mountains and the Great North Woods, Androscoggin Valley has the perfect adventure for every family. Ride your ATV through 1,000 miles of interconnected trails; explore gentle hills or steeper terrains on your road, mountain or fat bike; fish for trout; go on a moose tour; kayak or go rafting through the clear water of the Androscoggin River; or just seek out that perfect swimming hole (one has a 64-foot waterfall). In the winter, enjoy superb downhill and cross-country skiing, beautiful wooded dogsled trails and miles and miles of snowmobile trails. From Storyland and Santa’s Village to ziplines, museums and live entertainment, Androscoggin Valley is where your adventure begins, every season of the year.

Great Waters

54 N. Main Street Wolfeboro, NH, 03894 Phone: 603-569-7710

Visitors of all ages will be delighted at this series of concerts in a location worth exploring

Outstanding concerts in a tent set in one of New England’s loveliest spots: That’s great entertainment for everyone in the family. This season, Great Waters, which has been entertaining visitors to the Lakes Region for over 25 years, is holdings its concerts in a tent in the meadow of the spectacular Castle in the Clouds, where the views are breathtaking. This summer’s concerts include jazz, a Bee Gees tribute band, a comedy night, rock ’n’ roll, a Broadway spectacular and a free folk festival. There truly is something for everyone’s musical tastes. The picturesque Castle in the Clouds estate includes miles of hiking and walking trails, the historic Lucknow Mansion with exhibits, gardens – and a pond where the kids can feed the ducks.

Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort

37 Corey Road -- Route 43 Hancock, MA, 01237 Phone: 413-738-5500 Toll-Free: 800-882-8859

Have your own peak experience and bring the kids

Inspiring mountain scenery joins endless sky at the largest ski and snowboard resort in southern New England with 45 trails and 9 lifts. At its base, more family fun in grand and spacious suites and vacation homes that are all non-smoking with master BR and king size bed, flat screen TV, living rooms with queen size sofa beds, fully equipped kitchenettes and an outdoor heated swimming pool. The In Touch spa and exercise room provide personal attention and there is Wi-Fi access throughout the Inn and the village center. Shop then savor great food and beverages at Christiansen’s Tavern and John Harvard’s Brew House. Just a short drive away are Norman Rockwell’s Stockbridge, Williamstown, Bennington, VT, and the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Rocky Point Park

3275 Post Road Warwick, RI, 02886 Phone: 401-738-2019

Family fun comes easily at this park, whose very name, for Rhode Islanders, recalls a large, fabulous amusement park that entertained people with neon-lit splendor on this site for almost 150 years. The Rocky Point Park rides are gone, but families now enjoy walks along the elevate coast, picnics, playing on the wide fields, and fishing. A large, new fishing pier will offer plenty of space to cast a line off a planned 260-foot-long wooden walkway leading from the existing blacktop path out to a 21-by-111-foot main deck above the water’s surface.

White Mountains Attractions

Visitor’s Center at Exit 32 Off I-93 North Woodstock, NH, 03262 Phone: 603-745-8720 Toll-Free: 800-346-3687

Wonderful scenery; terrific lodging and dining

This vacation, make the White Mountains part of your trip. There's an exciting variety of things to see and do - for the individual and for the family, including the highly diversified man-made and natural attractions that make up this scenic and exciting part of New Hampshire. You can spend the entire day at one of the terrific family attractions; ride a slide, journey back in time or to a mountaintop, discover geological wonders, splash down a waterslide, visit the world of a child's imagination, or see the Old West and the North Pole. The distances between the attractions are short, the roads are scenic, and your vacation will be long on value and fun. To find out more, click on our website, or call us today at 1-800-346-3687.

Seekonk Grand Prix

1098 Fall River Avenue Seekonk, MA, 02771 Phone: 508-336-8307

Get the whole family behind the wheel

Here’s a great day out for the entire family – go karts on tracks designed with everyone in mind. The longest Family Track in New England gets you revved up through speedy straight-aways, hairpin curves and tunnels and two of you can now ride the new two-seater go-karts. The Slick Track will test your mettle, and there’s a new Rookie Track for the youngest and Kiddy Track and Beginner Track as they grow - so there’s never a time not to be driving your own cart. Bumper cars and boats stretch the envelope of fun and you can take on the family in a friendly game of mini golf. Rain or shine enjoy more than 60 of your favorite arcade games.

Harvard Peabody Museum of Natural History Kronosaurus Cambridge MA

Harvard Museum of Natural History

26 Oxford Street Cambridge, MA, 02138 Phone: 617-495-3045

A memorable & amazing journey into our world's history

For families, it’s hard to beat the 16 galleries in this museum displaying 500 taxidermy animals -- full-size elephant, rhino, hippo, tiger, bison, even a 15-foot giraffe -- not to mention huge whale skeletons. Don’t miss the skull of one of the first Triceratops ever discovered and the world’s only mounted skeleton of the 42 ft.-long Kronosaurus. Explore a timeline of Earth’s history, and admire 3,000 rare minerals and gemstones. Touch a meteorite from outer space. New and changing multi-media exhibitions showcase cutting-edge research. The museum is an easy 8-minute walk across the historic Harvard campus from Harvard Square with its popular shops and restaurants and MBTA station. The museum is connected to Harvard’s Peabody Museum, and one admission fee covers both museums.

Chuckster's Family Fun Park

Two Great Locations Chichester and Hooksett, NH Phone: 603-798-3555

True fun and games for everyone at these New Hampshire play parks

Fun for all ages is an understatement at New Hampshire’s two Chuckster’s locations. At Chuckster’s Ice Cream & Miniature Golf in Hooksett, you can tee off from inside a fire tower on a multi-level mini golf course (one of two huge courses) and, after 18 amazing holes, adjourn to the ice cream barn. At Chuckster’s Family Fun Park in Chichester, mini golf is one of 17 unique attractions, including a go-kart speedway, a 27-foot climbing wall, and Timbertrek where you go from tree to tree on everything from a horse saddle to a snowboard. Fun games include Balloon Blast, Shoot-N-Shower (foul-shot loser gets a watery surprise) and Light Frenzy. Need recharging? There’s ice cream, pizza, chicken wings and more.

Waterville Valley Resort

33 Village Road Waterville Valley, NH, 03215 Phone: 603-468-2553 Toll-Free: 800-468-2553

Fun knows no age restriction at this family resort in the mountains

It’s hard to imagine a place where families have more fun than at the Waterville Valley Resort. The alpine and Nordic skiing, of course, is fabulous – and convenient for families with easy shuttles, repairs and rentals. But there are also scenic trails to hike (one to a swimming hole) or mountain-bike, snow tubing and snowshoeing in the winter and swimming and all sorts of boating in the summer. At Town Square, there’s live music, food festivals, outdoor movies, campfires and skating, as well as shopping and great places to eat from Mexican restaurants to pizzerias. A Freedom Pass gets you into all sorts of activities, from tennis to scenic chair lifts, as well as terrific kid-centered activities at the Curious George Cottage.

Kayaks and Kids - The Briches Resort - Rockwood, ME

The Birches Resort

281 Birches Road Rockwood, ME, 04478 Phone: 207-534-7588 Toll-Free: 800-825-9453

Family activities in the great outdoors a specialty at this scenic lakeside resort

Family owned and operated for over 40 years, The Birches Resort, 11,000 acres on marvelous Moosehead Lake, knows a little something about family activities. For starters, all the resort’s activities originate at the resort. Whether you want to fish, swim, kayak, canoe, go whitewater rafting or for a sea plane ride, you don’t need a car to get there. Go hiking or mountain biking (or, in the winter, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing or snowmobiling) or arrange for a Jeep wildlife tour or moose safari. Take a nature hike or go mountain biking. Then relax in your yurt, cabin, cottage or private home rental (all pet-friendly). Cook your meals in your kitchenette or kitchen or join fellow vacationers at the resort restaurant.

Plimoth Plantation Family Activities Plymouth MA

Plimoth Patuxet (formerly "Plimoth Plantation")

137 Warren Avenue Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-746-1622

A compelling approach to history; a memorable visitor experience.

Plimoth Plantation is a world-class living history museum overlooking Cape Cod Bay. This immersive museum features costumed interpreters and modern day artisans throughout our award-winning exhibits, including the 17th Century English Village, Wampanoag Homesite, Plimoth Grist Mill and Mayflower II docked in picturesque Plymouth Harbor. Plimoth Plantation's hands-on, entertaining brand of living history is what has earned the museum it's reputation for delivering powerful personal experiences to guests of all ages from all over the world.

Please allow at least 3 hours to visit to Plimoth Plantation and about 45 minutes for Mayflower II.

Raft NH

196 Main Street Gorham, NH, 03581 Phone: 603-545-4533

Family fun a guarantee when you book this rafting adventure, perfect for all ages, levels

If your family has always wanted to try whitewater rafting, now’s the time, and Raft N.H. is the place. The rafting center is offering Class II rafting adventures for everyone age 6 and up, so they’re perfect for families. The run goes down a 2.5-mile section of the scenic Androscoggin River, below the Pontook Dam. It includes sections of milder rapids and calmer water, which means plenty of time to get in some swimming. The adventure includes a guide, safety gear, comfort gear, a small snack and transportation to and from your beginning point in Gorham. It’s a great way to experience the beauty of the White Mountains, the Great North Woods and the river as a family.

Argia Mystic Cruises

75 Steamboat Wharf Mystic, CT, 06355 Phone: 860-536-0416

Haul Away! Bring the whole family sailing.

Sail away aboard the traditional sailing schooner Argia for a journey into the past. The adventure begins as the Ship's horn blows and you depart from Mystic's historic Bascule Bridge, a national historic landmark. As the ship travels down the Mystic River, join the crew in raising sail the old-fashioned way...or lend a hand steering the ship! Morgan Point Lighthouse and the quaint fishing village of Noank greet you at the river’s mouth, followed by islands and peaceful sailing.

May 1st through mid-October, choose a day or sunset cruise aboard ARGIA!

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Beanstalk Adventure Ropes Course

50 Walkers Brook Drive Reading, MA, 01867 Phone: 781-942-9816

Taking Fun to New Heights!

Get the whole family active and make lasting memories while challenging yourself at Jordan’s Beanstalk Adventure Ropes Course. Your full body harness and sling line will keep you connected at all times while you explore two levels of exciting obstacles including zig-zag beams, spaghetti hand lines, angled rope ladders, crisscross walks and a Sky Rail® zip rail! In addition, little kids under 48” tall are able to explore the Beansprout ropes course, positioned close to the ground at more comfortable height. This smaller course allows children to build coordination, confidence, and have fun while their adult chaperones stay close by to assist.

Essex Steam Train & Riverboat

One Railroad Avenue Essex, CT, 06426 Phone: 860-767-0103 Toll-Free: 800-377-3987

Much more than a Choo Choo

Climb aboard the only steam train and riverboat connection in the U.S! Kids will enjoy riding in the vintage coaches alongside farms, ponds, and boat yards, and spotting swans, ducks, and egrets. The 12-mile, narrated roundtrip brings passengers to Deep River Landing, where the riverboat continues the adventure with a 1¼-hour cruise on the breathtaking Connecticut River. The steam train returns visitors to Essex station. Throughout the year, there are several special events specifically for kids: In April and May, Day Out with Thomas; mid-November through December, Santa Special (daytime) and North Pole Express (nighttime). Please check our website regularly for 2020 schedules and updates.

Vermont Teddy Bear Factory & Bear Shop

6655 Shelburne Road Shelburne, VT, 05482 Phone: 802-985-3001 Toll-Free: 800-829-2327

Family Fun at Vermont Teddy Bear!

A visit to Vermont Teddy Bear is the perfect family outing! Pack a lunch, come meet Ted E. Bear and take a factory tour given by one of our knowledgeable Bear Ambassadors. During the tour, you’ll see how our Bears are made and kids get to decode a secret Bear message. After your tour, stop in our Bear Shop and let the kids create their own Bear. Then relax outside with a well-earned lunch break at one of our picnic tables and toss a Frisbee around to finish off the perfect family day. All tour and store information is available on our website.

Battleship Cove

5 Water Street Fall River, MA, 02721 Phone: 508-678-1100 Toll-Free: 800-533-3194

An exciting family adventure in America’s naval history

Battleship Cove is now open from 9am-5pm daily! Please remember to follow our safety & social distancing guidelines!
America’s naval history inspires the whole family at this world class heritage museum in Fall River. Explore the world's largest collection of US naval ships including the mighty USS Massachusetts, the destroyer USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., and PT Boats used in the South Pacific. The sheer size and impression these ships and their stories leave is overwhelming. There’s the state-of-the-art special effects Pearl Harbor Experience, the only outdoor multimedia reenactment anywhere. Scouts and youth groups can participate in a year round maritime camping program, overnights, and family nautical nights with affordable camping on site. Whether a casual visitor, history buff, student, teacher or scout leader, everyone learns. Special exhibits honor our men and women in uniform then and now.

Castle in The Clouds

Route 171 - 455 Old Mountain Road Moultonborough, NH, 03254 Phone: 603-476-5900

Plenty to do for the whole family at this expansive estate

Indoors and out, there are plenty of activities to entertain and enlighten the whole family at Castle in the Clouds. Explore the 1920s mansion (kids can win small prizes in a scavenger hunt), including a basement tour that shows how the servants lived. Or, feed leaping rainbow trout (seriously!) at beautiful Shannon Pond, hike past water falls or, in the winter, cross-country ski or snowshoe over groomed trails. Grab some pizza and a cone at Cones in the Clouds in the summer, picnic in a meadow or soak in mountain views at the Carriage House Restaurant. Go for a winter carriage or sleigh ride or a summer horse ride (there are pones for kids under 8).

Bear Rock Adventures

545 Beach Road Pittsburg, NH, 03592 Phone: Toll-Free: 866-663-9777

Family-friendly ATV rides with Bear Rock Adventures

Pick your own adventure with customized ATV and side-by-side ride itineraries from Bear Rock Adventures, perfect for families and thrill-seekers alike, to experience Northern New Hampshire’s Great North Woods from a new perspective. Explore over 1,000 miles of Ride the Wilds interconnected trails on half, full, or multi-day excursions for prime family photo stops and wildlife spotting. Bear Rock Adventures provides a safe, turnkey way to ATV with the latest gear including safety helmets and goggles, cutting-edge GPS and Bluetooth technology as well as storage compartments for your gear, maps, picnic lunches and selfie sticks to capture the ultimate memory. Bear Rock Adventures is open now through September30th, 2018.

Save The Bay

Multiple Centers & Dock Locations Providence, Newport, Westerly, RI and Fall River, MA Phone: 401-272-3540

Enjoy great family fun and help protect an environmental treasure

Get the whole family involved in protecting, restoring and learning about one of the earth’s most diverse ecosystems: Narragansett Bay. Save The Bay offers several hands-on experiences for every age. Kids in grades K-12 can explore the 400+ miles of beautiful Bay shoreline, in and on the water, during Save The Bay’s week-long summer BayCamps. Take a trip to the year-round, beachfront Exploration Center and Aquarium at Easton’s Beach in Newport offering several touch tanks and close-up views of hundreds of local creatures. Climb aboard a vessel for a wintertime tour to see harbor seals in their natural habitat.
Boat tours depart from Newport, Westerly, and Providence RI.

Connecticut River Museum

67 Main Street, Steamboat Dock Essex, CT, 06426 Phone: 860-767-8269

Inside and out, lots to fascinate and entertain families along our riverbank!

There are so many things to do outside at the family-friendly Connecticut River Museum – winter cruises to see majestic bald eagles, sailing adventures aboard the 1614 replica ship Onrust, strolling the harborside grounds, walking to historic Essex Village for lunch – that you might forget to go inside. But don’t! The kids will love to examine the handmade tools used for fishing and hunting in and along the river, old navigation tools, the model train layout set up every fall, the three-story river mural that snakes up and down staircases and the model of the very cool Turtle, the first submarine to be used in combat (during the Revolutionary War).

Island Queen

75 Falmouth Heights Road Falmouth, MA, 02540 Phone: 508-548-4800

Sail away into your fabulous family vacation aboard this comfortable island ferry

Families have been enjoying the trip to Martha’s Vineyard via the Island Queen ferry for decades, and it’s easy to see why: The trip only takes 35 minutes, there’s a full-service snack bar, and the views are amazing. Kids under 4 sail free, and tickets are discounted for ages 5 to 12. Once on the Vineyard, there are beaches to paddle board from, bike trails to explore (you can bring boards and bikes on the ferry), fun shopping, a whaling museum – even the nation’s oldest carousel in Oak Bluffs. Back in Falmouth, you can launch your Cape explorations, visiting lighthouses, going to Cape Cod Baseball League games, concerts and plays, hiking, biking and swimming at some of the country’s most beautiful beaches.

Zoar Outdoor

Route 2 (Mohawk Trail) Charlemont, MA, 01339 Phone: 800-532-7483

Outdoor fun for everyone with this adventure center as your base

It's hard to imagine that you and the kids would not have a blast at Zoar Outdoor. For starters, look at all the things you can do: fly through the trees on a zip line canopy tour that gets up to 50 feet above the forest floor; go for an easy float or face whitewater rapids with a rafting tour; or rent a stand-up paddleboard or kayak and paddle down a river or around a lake. At the Zoar center in Wilmington, you can go mountain-biking or, in the winter, snowshoeing or skiing. Where to stay? Try our Hawk Mountain Lodge in the Berkshires, a renovated farmhouse suitable for up to 14 people. Want something more rustic? We have five tent sites, 11 cabin tents – and a yurt! – in our campgrounds surrounded by 80 acres of breathtaking wilderness where the kids can see hawks, owls and deer.

Berkshire East Mountain Resort

66 Thunder Mountain Road Charlemont, MA, 01339 Phone: 413-339-6617

For families it's easy - bring your kids and play!

There’s lots to do. Where do you want to start? Depends on the season. How about skiing or boarding or tubing, zip lines, white water rafting, or downhill mountain biking? Come check out and ride North America’s longest mountain coaster! We offer lessons and equipment rentals. We have a great family friendly place to stay right here while you’re enjoying all of the activities, the Crazy Horse Bar and Grill for lunch or dinner, a friendly staff and a commitment to being the best at whatever we do. We are just 2 hours from Boston, three hours from New York City.

Stepping Stones Museum for Children

Mathews Park - 303 West Avenue Norwalk, CT, 06850 Phone: 203-899-0606

Currently Closed - We look forward to seeing you again soon!

Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk, Conn., our mission is to inspires lifelong learning. We do that with fun and fascinating exhibits and outdoor spaces. Wander about our garden and listen while whimsical sculptures use sun, wind, and water power to produce musical sounds. In our Energy Lab kids are mesmerized by a raceway powered by water, or when balls are whisked away down a wind-powered maze. They'll learn about evaporation first hand by painting with brush and water, and then seeing their paintings disappear. We have exhibits designed for all ages ten and under, including toddlers and infants. Adults will be fascinated, too.

New Hampshire Campground Owners Association

Family fun outdoors (and in) at wide variety of N.H. campgrounds

Whether your family likes to fish, frolic in the surf, climb mountains, visit museums, shop on friendly Main Streets or just roast marshmallows around the fire, New Hampshire has the perfect campground for you. Explore the state’s great outdoors from your tent, RV, cabin – or rental unit – with a fall foliage hike, rock climbing, beach retreat or, in the winter, a snowmobile ride or ski run. Visit our website for a guide to a huge variety of campgrounds, from the forested north (where you can see bald eagles) to the villages and countryside of the state’s center to its 18 miles of Atlantic coastline. Many campgrounds feature areas for family play, from horseshoes and bocce to tennis, golf and hiking.

Whitewater Crew 500x250 - Crab Apple Whitewater - Charlemont, MA

Crab Apple Whitewater (MA)

Route 2 Charlemont, MA, 01339 Phone: 800-553-7238

Family Owned and Operated Whitewater Rafting Outfitter in the Berkshires

Click here for information about our 2020 reopening!
Crab Apple ran the first ever raft trips in 1989 on the dam controlled Deerfield River. The excitement continues on a wide range of full day and half day trips. Kids 8 and up can enjoy rafting trips on mild Class 1-3 rapids, teens on more aggressive Class 3-4 rapids, and those age 5 and up will have a great fun time in guided rafts or inflatable kayaks on mild whitewater. The guides are great with kids of all ages and help rafters explore the Deerfield sharing information about local history, wildlife and hydrology along the way. There’s great food, hospitality and service, the best equipment, and riverside base camps with the comforts and convenience to make your rafting adventure one that you’ll never forget.

Discover Quincy

Adams National Historical Park Visitor Center - 1250 Hancock Street Quincy, MA, 02169 Phone: 617-471-1700

Families valued by this historic South Shore city

From the home of one of the nation’s first families, the city of Quincy offers your family a variety of activities from which to plan a day outing or a long vacation. Take the trolley trip at Adams National Historical Park to see the home of John and John Quincy Adams, and the nation’s first presidential library, boat over to Boston Harbor Islands National Park, sunbathe at Wollaston Beach (or one of 10 other city beaches), fish from a pier or just relax at one of 52 parks, many with playgrounds, picnic areas and ball fields. Enjoy autumn colors strolling marsh-side and riverside trails. In the winter, go ice skating or try skiing or snow-shoeing at Blue Hills Reservation.

Harriet Beecher Stowe Center

77 Forest Street Hartford, CT, 06105 Phone: 860-522-9258

Families learn together about issues of the 19th and 21st centuries

Take advantage of the Family Tour option at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, where visitors learn how the author’s words changed the world – and will be inspired to do the same. At the center, which celebrates the work and ideas of the abolitionist author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” storytelling, photographs and historic letters help connect the past to the present. The Family Tour is for children 5 to 12 accompanied by an adult. Children and adults alike have praised the interactive nature of the tour, where conversations about social justice and issues of Stowe’s day, and of ours, are as important as the exhibits and the home’s beautifully preserved interiors. Outside, Victorian-era gardens are made to be strolled through and enjoyed.

Margate Resort on Winnipesaukee

76 Lake Streeet Laconia, NH, 03246 Phone: 603-524-5210 Toll-Free: 800-627-4283

Find your fun as a family when you stay at this picturesque lake resort

Families are the focus at The Margate on Winnipesaukee, on the shores of Paugus Bay, where guests have been treated like members of the resort family for 68 years. From your spacious family suite, you can plan your vacation by the lake. Go swimming or just relax by the water on the 400-foot private sandy beach, play lawn games or, after your grab-and-go breakfast in the courtyard bistro, head out to explore all the Lakes Region has to offer, from great skiing and ice skating in the winter to hiking and biking amid the fall foliage to summertime kayaking, fishing and canoeing. Check the website for the latest updates on Covid-19 temporary closures and to see when the pools and gameroom are opening.

Galaxy Montage - Blake Planetarium - Plymouth, MA

W. Russell Blake Planetarium

117 Long Pond Road Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-830-4470

Full-dome Plymouth planetarium a shining star for visitors of all ages

The sky’s the limit for visitors to the W. Russell Blake Planetarium, the only 4K full-dome planetarium south of Boston. As you sit back in angled chairs, you’ll gaze at a ceiling filled with stars and planets while learning to identify them and how to use a star map (that you can take home). It’s a spectacle of light and color not to be missed. Regular seasonal stargazing programs take advantage of the high-tech surround-sound system and jaw-dropping full-dome views.

Story Land

850 New Hampshire Route 16 Glen, NH, 03838 Phone: 603-383-4186

Every day is an unforgettable adventure!

Write your own tale of adventure with a day at Story Land! Every moment is an exciting chapter in your book of fun family memories. You’ll find your favorite Nursery Rhymes come to life along the pathways of Story Land. Experience an eye-popping kid friendly magic show at Loopy Lab and sing along with Daniel Tiger during his NEW Grr-ific Stage Show. Make a splash on the Bamboo Chutes, meet real-life storybook characters and scream aboard our thrilling roller coaster, Roar-O-Saurus. Have dinner with Humpty Dumpty and friends or sit with Cinderella at Tea Time. Uncover prehistoric fossils and enjoy an exciting array of games, shows and rides! There’s even a free kennel for your pooch. Then snuggle up together in one of the great family lodgings nestled among the scenic White Mountains.

Summer Dog Sled Muddy Paw Sled Dog Kennel & Raft Jefferson New Hampshire

Muddy Paw Sled Dog Kennel & Raft NH

32 Valley Road Jefferson, NH, 03583 Phone: 603-545-4533

A family sojourn never to be forgotten

There’s adventure ahead on land and water and the whole family is invited. Enjoy warm weather rolling dog sledding that’s educational and hands on. Meet the sled dogs, help the musher harness and hitch the team, enjoy the dog sled ride, and share treats with the sled dogs after your ride. Get out on the water with Raft NH, a family-friendly, rafting outfitter offering whitewater trips for ages 6 and up. You’re in for unforgettable mild to wild rafting! Check out the “Paws & Paddles” package and enjoy a daytime whitewater raft trip and an evening rolling dog sled trek for a full day of outdoor fun.

201 Powersports

29 Main Street Bingham, ME, 04920 Phone: 207-672-3773

Excitement awaits when you rent snowmobiles, ATVs and take to the trails

If your family is up for excitement, check out the fleet of top-of-the-line Polaris ATVs and snowmobiles for rent at 201 Powersports in Bingham and Jackman, Maine. Experienced guides will help you plan the perfect adventure, whether it’s an adrenaline-pumping trail through forests on an ATV or a full or half day spent exploring the terrain and wildlife saddled on a snowmobile. Spectacular outdoor scenery awaits once you check in, consult with an experienced guide, pick up your helmet and goggles and set out for family fun. Or, combine your ATV ride with a pontoon boat cruise on lovely Wyman Lake, perfect for swimming or just taking in the sights, like Houston Brook Falls.

Great Glen Trails

Route 16 at Pinkham Notch Gorham, NH, 03581 Phone: 603-466-3988

Outdoor Fun That's Just Right for The Entire Family

At the Great Glen Trails in Pinkham Notch, N.H., we offer adventures in all shapes and sizes. During the spring and summer you can set out on a hike, run, or bike ride on any of our scenic trails through New Hampshire's White Mountains. Or join us for a guided bird watching tour or a paddling trip on the Androscoggin River. In winter, the cross country skiing and snowshoeing is absolutely glorious. Our trail system of easy and rolling terrain allows skiers of all abilities to find the right level of activity, challenge, and fun. The trails are groomed with both double tracks and a skating lane and run through the forests at the base of Mt. Washington. And the SnowCoach makes everything accessible to all, with or without skis. It's the natural vacation plan for you and your family.

Southwick’s Zoo

2 Southwick Street Mendon, MA, 01756 Phone: 800-258-9182

Take the family into the wild right near home

New England’s largest zoo is opening April 21 for the 2014 season with an all new prairie dog digs, two toed sloths and cheetahs. Learn about your favorite animals at the Earth Discovery Center. You’ll find 115 species of animals large and small on foot, from the Woodlands Express train ride or high above on the Skyfari Sky Ride, Meet elk, native birds, painted turtles and toads, Step into the 35 acre deer forest, ride over the playful chimpanzees, stately camels, scary alligators, colorful zebra and ostrich. Enjoy a day’s worth of shows, animal encounters, a petting zoo, parakeet aviary and animal exhibits to take your breath away with big cats, white rhino, snakes, dragons, and WATCH OUT - the popular Madagascar Hissing Cockroach. Always free parking and handicap accessible.

Family Ride - Northeast AVT & Snowmobile - Gorham, NH

Northeast ATV & Snowmobile

325 Main Street Gorham, NH, 03581 Phone: Toll-Free: 800-458-1838

An adventure worthy of the entire family!

At Northeast Snowmobile and ATV Rentals, there’s family fun to be had when there’s snow on the ground or when the summer sun is in the sky. Rent a one- or two-person Polaris snowmobile and hit the largest trail systems and best terrain in the area. Or, when it’s dirt, grass and mud time, rent a Polaris side-by-side and access the nation’s best interconnected summertime ATV trail system. With both, you get jaw-dropping views of waterfalls, lakes, mountains and wildlife (sometimes even a moose or two); marked trails and friendly locals along the way, with lots of stops for eating. With snowmobiles and ATVs, you get an operational video, a free trail map, helmet and GPS.

Water Country

2300 Lafayette Road Portsmouth, NH, 03801 Phone: 603-427-1111

Something for everyone in the family

Here are 26 acres of affordable, family-friendly attractions and rides, great dining, places to host a party or event, or just hang out. Going on 30 years offering the cleanest, safest, friendliest and largest water park in New England, this landmark has what it takes for all day, summer long fun. Youngsters can conquer their first water slide, teens can take on more adventure, and the whole family can enjoy rides and slides, rivers and pools and exciting events. There’s lots of wet action on tubes and mats as you plunge through curves and tunnels and racing rapids or roll slowly on a raft. Parents and groups will enjoy the private picnic and cabana areas just made for family activities.

Spring Shopping Bloom 500x250 - Destination Plymouth - Plymouth, MA - Photo Credit Ashleigh MacAskill

See Plymouth

4 North Street Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-747-0100 Toll-Free: 800-872-1620

History is just the beginning!

Bring the family to Plymouth, MA for some unforgettable fun! Adults and children will enjoy their visit to Plymouth with a wide variety of activities on land and water. The Atlantic Ocean is a playground, and trips such as whale watches, lobster excursions and pirate adventures have proven popular with visitors. Beaches and parks offer families a place to relax and enjoy the great outdoors. Edaville USA is open year-round and features a restored narrow gauge train ride through cranberry bogs. Plimoth Plantation provides a living history museum depicting life in Plymouth in 1627. Please call 800.USA.1620, or visit our website to learn more about these activities and others to prepare for your trip to Plymouth.

Roger Williams Park Zoo

1000 Elmwood Avenue Providence, RI, 02907 Phone: 401-785-3510

Discover WILD Family Fun for Everyone

Roger Williams Park Zoo provides visitors the opportunity to see animals from all over the globe. Naturalistic surroundings are home to more than 100 species of animals including a Komodo dragon, as well as zebra’s, red pandas, African elephants, Masai giraffes, snow leopards, bears, anteaters, flamingoes, sloths, and more! Kids from two to 102 have the opportunity to feed giraffes, as well as an array of farmyard animals. For something slightly out of the ordinary, try our Explore and Soar area offering an exhilarating zip ride, a train excursion through the woodlands, and a camel ride. Visit the Zoo’s newest exhibit – Faces of the Rainforest – for an immersive journey through the depths of the jungle, a free-flight aviary, giant otter waterslide and more! The Zoo is open year round. For more information and hours, please visit rwpzoo.org.

Pilgrim Belle Cruises

Mayflower II, State Pier, 77 Water Street Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-747-3434

Plymouth by paddle wheeler – the calm, the stories

Being by the water makes being on the water all the more inviting and you can be at one of the most important historic American landmarks. Jump on this true paddle wheeler which has no conventional propeller and watch and listen as the big red wheels on the back of the boat propel it like the boats on the Mississippi. Once aboard, you’ll get the perfect introduction to Plymouth. Loaded with history, you’ll learn more about Pilgrims, famous shipwrecks, the role of the commercial fishing and lobster industries, two lighthouses, and Plymouth’s spectacular beaches. Relax amid the calming sound of the paddles as they swish through the water. Then sit back and enjoy those fabulous stories. Spoiler alert: the Pilgrims considered lobster to be “poor man’s food.”

Mystic Aquarium

55 Coogan Boulevard Mystic, CT, 06355 Phone: 860-572-5955

A must SEA for every family

A destination for kids of all ages, Mystic Aquarium provides families the opportunity to learn about their ocean planet all while having fun! With thousands of marine animals including beluga whales, penguins, seals, fish, frogs, alligators and more – Mom, Dad and each of the kids will have their own Aquarium favorite. Hands-on exhibits welcome curious children to touch sharks, stingrays and even some exotic reptiles. Daily complimentary sea lion shows provide a truly unique opportunity to see these fascinating animals up-close and in action. You can even take in a 3-D show at one of our two theaters. And, come face to claw with animatronic dinosaurs in ‘Jurassic Giants’ – that is, if you dare! Plus, special events and activities all year long make the Aquarium a destination worth revisiting often. SEA more at MysticAquarium.org.

Edaville Family Theme Park

5 Pine Street Carver, MA, 02330 Phone: 508-866-8190 Toll-Free: 877-332-8455

Your kids will love you when you take them to this exciting theme park

Want to be a hero to your kids? Take them to exciting Edaville Family Theme Park and be prepared to be appreciated! Ride through the cranberry bogs on Thomas the Tank Engine or on Edaville’s Diesel Excursion Train. Get spun around on the Scrambler or Tilt-a-Whirl. Catch a jaw-dropping view from the illuminated Big Eli Ferris wheel or let the little tykes enjoy rides on a helicopter, turtle, plane or flying elephant. There are over 90 rides and attractions, from the 20-plus animatronic dinosaurs in Dino Land to the rides and stage shore in Thomas Land. Lots of character interactions and plenty of places to grab a burger or old-fashioned candy, making this a true family treat.

Ice Castles

24 Clark Farm Road North Woodstock, NH, 03262 Phone: Toll-Free: 888-407-4054

A spectacular frozen fantasy for the young – and young at heart

Ice Castles in North Woodstock is a fun-filled winter activity that has everything a child – or a child at heart – could fantasize about: ice slides, mazes of tunnels, crawl spaces, frozen fountains, thrones and towers of cascading ice. This frozen fortress is the perfect place to make unforgettable memories as a family. But the fun doesn’t end when the sun goes down. In fact, there’s always a spectacular light show at night, as LED lights embedded inside the ice turn the castles from brilliant shades of blue, to vibrant red, purple, and green. Families are advised to buy tickets online in advance (you can spend as much time as you like once you’re inside), to dress warmly with boots, and to consider a small sled instead of a stroller for really little ones. There’s also a concession stand with hot chocolate, cider, and warm treats. Tickets are guaranteed to sell out each weekend - be sure to buy yours in advance at IceCastles.com!

Bruce Museum

One Museum Drive Greenwich, CT, 06830 Phone: 203-869-0376

Dinosaur tracks and mechanical banks: lots for kids to see at this lively museum

Advance reservation, with timed ticketing, is required. Masks are required, but must not have an exhalation valve or vent.
What is there for kids to see at the Bruce Museum, where art collections and science collections sit side by side? Through November 2020, the Museum's science exhibition, "Under the Skin," highlights a dozen recent discoveries through a combination of remarkable imagery and real biological specimens. And in December 2020, we open a wonderful exhibition featuring the captivating work of Maurice Sendak. Over at the museum’s Seaside Centereach summer, there’s a variety of family activities as well as a marine tank where kids can get a feel for some of the creatures that live in the region’s waterways.

Family Reunion on the Stephen Taber - Maine Windjammers - Camden, ME

Maine Windjammer Association

Sailing from Ports in Rockland and Camden, ME, 04843 Phone: Toll-Free: 800-807-9463

Family fun, relaxation, connection come easily on Maine windjammer cruises

Here’s a great way to reconnect with your family: Take a cruise (three, four or six days) aboard one of the sailing schooners of the Maine Windjammer Association. As you sail past lighthouses, onto remote islands with sandy beaches, into fun harbors and villages, past porpoises and seals, you’ll relax, play games, tell stories. You’ll go swimming or paddleboarding, or you’ll help with the sails. You’ll sit around a galley table together and feast on real down-home cooking (and hand-cranked ice cream!) or enjoy a lobster bake on the beach. You’ll look at the stars together. Theme cruises include whaling, hiking, seamanship, kayaking and storytelling, among others.

Morningside Flight Park

357 Morningside Lane Charlestown, NH, 03603 Phone: 603-542-4416

Flight fun for every age and skill level

This is family fun on a grand scale with activities and excitement to create memories that last a lifetime. This amazing flight park in the Connecticut River Valley in New Hampshire is your launching point to enjoy scenery you can see from the ground or high up on hang gliders, paragliders and zip lines. Bring the gang and stay in a variety of camping options from small cabins and platform tents to your own plot of ground with restrooms and shower facilities available to all campers. Get into a game of laser tag, kayak together, go fishing or swimming, light up a barbecue and have a picnic. Great for day long adventures or weekend getaways, birthday parties and family events.

Nonantum Resort

95 Ocean Avenue Kennebunkport, ME, 04046 Phone: 207-967-4050 Toll-Free: 800-552-5651

One of the region’s best family resorts has an unending menu of activities

Get to know each other again, you and the kids, at The Nonantum Resort, named one of the best family resorts in New England by Yankee Magazine. The comfortable, classic New England inn on the Kennebunk River has so many activities for children, they’ll find it hard to choose: arts and crafts, scavenger hunts in themed costumes, pulling up crab pots right off the dock. Activities for all of you include family campfires, dips in the pool, sing-alongs and s’mores under the stars. Take a boat tour right from the marina or a trolley tour right from the resort doorstep. Stroll into Dock Square for shopping or head farther afield to arcades, water parks, zipline parks, movies and museums.

Conway Scenic Railroad

38 Norcross Circle North Conway, NH, 03860 Phone: 603-356-5251

Ride into the past aboard the Conway Scenic Railroad

Enjoy an old-fashioned family experience that begins with a visit to our 1874 station in the middle of North Conway Village. Children of all ages will be transported back to a simpler time when passenger train connected towns and cities across the region. Travel in vintage railroad cars, some dating back to the 1920s. Go in style and experience our Premium or First Class cars. Children under four travel FREE in Coach on the Valley Trains, and well-behaved dogs are always welcome in Coach class (one dog per party).

Mayflower Photo - Plymouth 400 - Plymouth, MA - Photo Credit: Katie Mclaughlin

Plymouth 400 Inc.

6 Main Street Ext. - Post Office Square Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-812-2020

Mark your calendar now for family-fun activities to celebrate Plymouth’s 400th

Families who want to join in on the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the mayflower voyage and the founding of Plymouth Colony should make plans now for the plethora of events. They include cultural and arts festivals, a waterfront lobster feast, explorations of interactive exhibits at Plimoth Colony, a working 17th century English village, and the Wampanoag Homesite; tours of Mayflower II; a boat cruise around Plymouth Harbor; and a full slate of Thanksgiving events, including an illumination festival and the town’s famous parade. The anniversary’s opening ceremony in April will feature items placed in a time capsule; in June, a maritime salute to the Mayflower will involve wooden ships, working boats, yachts and other pleasure craft. Photo Credit: Katie McLaughlin

Goddard Memorial State Park

1095 Ives Road Warwick, RI, 02818 Phone: 401-884-2010

A sunny weekend any time of the year draws flocks of families to Goddard Park, Rhode Island’s most popular park (which is actually located at the end of a long country road). With its spacious lawns and forested walking trails, the park is a serene place, but it is also a place for family play. The park has 355 picnic tables, some with grills, where families enjoy restful gatherings. Eleven game fields and lots of open space invite kids for Frisbee and games. A sandy swimming beach is a big draw on hot days. The park also has a performing arts center for weddings and other family gatherings.

Stone Zoo

149 Pond Street Stoneham, MA, 02180 Phone: 617-541-5466

You and the kids will have a wild time at this multiple-environment zoo

Tell the kids you are going to have a really wild time, and let the Stone Zoo do the rest. Stroll through a series of environments bringing you up close and personal to animals from arctic foxes, reindeer and cougars to roadrunners, gila monsters and sloths. In the Caribbean Coast, feed the flamingos and play native percussion instruments; check out yak and snow leopards in the Himalayan Highlands and listen to the eerie calls of the gibbons and watch otters frolic in the Treetops and Riverbeds exhibit. Attractions include a children’s train, playground, hands-on Animal Discovery Center and nature play areas for children to climb into an oversized bird’s nest and build forts. The zoo has single and double strollers to rent.

EcoTarium, New England's Leading Museum of Science and Nature

222 Harrington Way Worcester, MA, 01604 Phone: 508-929-2700

Ready to Explore?

EcoTarium is closed for the fall and winter - see you next year!
From experiencing hurricane-force winds in The Arctic Next Door: Mount Washington exhibit to watching life below the surface in the Fresh Water habitat, there is so much to explore at the EcoTarium, Worcester’s unique indoor-outdoor museum. Meet live animals, watch exciting shows in the Alden Digital Planetarium: A National Geographic Theater, and try a variety of hands-on exhibits that examine the world around us. Then head outdoors for an easy hike along nature trails that include pond, meadow and forest environments, as well as endless play in the Nature Explore® Outdoor Exhibit. And while you are there, take a trek through the treetops on the Tree Canopy Walkway (seasonal). Rain or shine, summer or winter, there’s always something fun for the whole family to discover at the EcoTarium!

Visit the EcoTarium website for directions, events calendar, exhibit information and more.

Santa's Village

528 Presidential Highway Jefferson, NH, 03583 Phone: 603-586-4445

Pure Joy. Family Style. Every Summer.

Santa’s Village is Santa’s summer home in the White Mountains, and the only New England park listed by 2014 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards as one of the Top 25 Amusement Parks in the USA. With reindeer and elves, cookies and ice cream, a roller coaster, a log flume, a monorail, and plenty of other rides and activities, it’s everything you’d imagine Santa’s summer home to be. One low admission price covers an entire day of memory-making for families with young children. For over 60 years and three generations, from our family to yours – Santa’s Village is pure joy, family style. Seasons: Open Memorial Day weekend to Christmas.

Old Sturbridge Village

1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, off Route 20 Sturbridge, MA, 01566 Phone: 508-347-3362 Toll-Free: 800-733-1830

Kids will have a interactive experience at this re-created 1830s village

Old Sturbridge Village is open! Advanced ticketing required is required. Please visit our updated policies & procedures before reserving your visit.

Learning comes alive like never before at Old Sturbridge Village, where kids can try their hand at farming, get up close and personal with baby animals, take a horse-drawn wagon ride, walk through a covered bridge and see how everything from horseshoes to lanterns were made in the early 19th century. The 200-acre village is designed to transport guests back to a rural New England town of the 1830s – and it’s really an immersive experience. Costumed historians at schoolhouses, trade shops, farms and homes are happy to answer questions. There are nature trails through woodlands, pastures and along the river, with wildlife from great blue herons to mallards and turtles.

Funtown Splashtown USA

Route 1 Saco, ME, 04072 Phone: 207-284-5139

Closed for 2020. Stay safe. See you in 2021!

Whether you’re going to do family things all together or the independent little rascals always want to ride and romp by themselves, Funtown Splashtown USA presents plenty of opportunities. There's not one but two roller coasters to zoom around on - the classic wooden Excalibur or modern steel-frame Wild Mouse. The youngsters can enjoy such attractions as the Merry-Go-Round, the Classic Carousel and the Balloon Race, a mini-Ferris Wheel. With parents in the back and kids in the front, the Barney Oldfield Roadsters take you around a track. When it comes to fun on wheels, the action level is up to you - it can be as mild as Bumper Cars or Boats, or as adventuresome as the gas-powered Grand Prix Racers.

Worcester Art Museum

55 Salisbury Street Worcester, MA, 01609 Phone: 508-799-4406

Family-centered activities a particular specialty at this art museum

Looking for an art museum that will engage the kids as well as the adults? At the Worcester Art Museum, families are a top priority. That means new interactive elements in many galleries (some that involve iPads), special family guides, 20-minute “zip tours: that focus on one artist or work of art, scavenger hunts and other fun activities from drawing to designing your own jousting helmet. (The kids will love the chivalric arms and armor collection.) Special touch carts allow children to, yes, touch things in a museum! On community days, there’s art-making, storytime, demonstrations and music-making. The museum, with exhibits ranging from medieval to modern times, also has a quiet-time Family Nook.

Shelburne Museum

U.S. Route 7 - P.O. Box 10 Shelburne, VT, 05482 Phone: 802-985-3346

This super-cool museum on the edge of Lake Champlain is filled with unusual attractions that are sure to entertain every person in the family. Kids and parents will love the authentic paddlewheel steamboat Ticonderoga, which was a workhourse of passenger and cargo transportation on the lake for decades in the 19th century. Shelburne Museum is one of the nation’s most eclectic museums of art, Americana, and design, displaying 150,000 objects on 45 acres in 25 historic New England buildings. There's even a lighthouse. A full day of family fun waits here, May through October.

York's Wild Kingdom

Route 1 - Animal Park Road York, ME, 03909 Phone: 207-363-4911

York's Zoo is now open 10am-5pm daily! Amusement Park is closed for 2020 - See you in 2021!

African lions and Bengal tigers and, oh my, so much more for families to see and do at York’s Wild Kingdom, where kids and parents come to play. Observe animals from A (alligators) to Z (zebras) in beautifully landscaped exhibits, walk into the colorful Butterfly Kingdom, feed the ducks or take a paddle boat ride in the lake, pet African pygmy goats, feed a deer – and that’s just the animals! You can also ride a Ferris wheel, carousel or bumper boat, scream in a haunted house, play a round on the mini-golf course, get your swing down in a batting cage and sharpen your arcade-game skills. Bring a picnic lunch or feast from our snack bars, ice cream and fried dough stands.

Family activities in New England and attractions for kids

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