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Great Things To Do in New England

It’s nearly impossible to tally the number and range of great things to do on a singles or couples or family getaway to New England. Especially when you consider the variety of places and experiences in these six states: from mountain snow sports to dune tours, big-city nightclubs to dinners on the farm. Each state has its own geography, culture, and atmosphere.

Some pleasures — like a fine spa treatment or a day on the beach — are common to all states. Some are unique. Vermonters love their maple season; Rhode Islanders cherish their ethnic dining in Providence, RI, the capital, and their Newport, RI mansions. Browse the ideas below and begin exploring.

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Castle in The Clouds

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

Visit Castle in the Clouds, part of the National Historic Landmark Lucknow Estate

One of the best parts of visiting Castle in the Clouds is the variety of fun, interesting things to do. It starts as soon as you get out of your car with a trolley ride up to the 1913-1914 Lucknow Mansion. It is there that you will explore our premier historical museum, including everything from the original furnishings and vintage clothing to the basement, where you will get a glimpse into servants’ lives. Step outside into the gardens or head to the Carriage House Exhibit Gallery. There are hiking trails, more than 200 programs and events, and a meadow available to rent for events and weddings.

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Mount Washington Cog Railway

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

Exciting ride aboard a cog railway culminates in breathtaking views atop Mt. Washington

Fun, educational – and thrilling – the historic Cog Railway up to the summit of majestic Mt. Washington, NH is a great adventure for passengers of all ages. The colorful trains are powered by biodiesel or steam locomotives, traveling 5 mph past forests, ravines, wildlife (including the occasional moose or bear) and through three climate zones to reach the breathtaking summit. There, on top of the Northeast’s tallest peak, you can explore an interactive weather exhibit or look out over the mountains from the rooftop observation deck. You can also send a post card from the summit post office. Travelers will enjoy the commentary from train engineers and brakemen and brakewomen. Parking is free, and there are food courts or cafeterias at both ends of your exciting journey. Trains operate from late April through November.

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Argia Mystic Cruises

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

Embark on a 2-hour day-sail or sunset sail

May through mid-October, choose a day or sunset sail aboard the sailing ship ARGIA! Discover islands, lighthouses, and traditional windjammer sailing, right from down-town Mystic, Connecticut. ARGIA accommodates up to 49 guests for public or private day or evening sails down the historic Mystic River to Fishers' Island Sound. Sail in smooth and protected waters aboard this Coast Guard licensed vessel.

Relax as you sail by scenic coastlines, take a turn at the helm, or help the crew hoist and trim the sails. Pack a picnic and a bottle of wine (or order snacks from us when you book) to make this excursion truly memorable.
Departures Daily (May thru mid-October) at:

9:30am
Noon
3:00pm (½ hr. earlier in October)
6:00pm (½ hr. earlier after Labor Day, 1 hr. earlier in October)

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Visit the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts

Destination Berkshires: Create Your Summer Itinerary

Make the Berkshires your summer destination, where all paths lead to fun! Get outdoors on a hiking trail, bike path, or mountain lake and leave your cares behind. Pack a picnic lunch filled with bakery fresh sandwiches to share under a shady tree before heading off to enjoy live theater or music. Bask in the aura of days gone by at gilded age mansions and museums. Find farmers’ markets and independent crafters tucked into the 30 towns and 2 cities throughout the County. You can truly create your own Berkshires experience, again and again. Find us on Facebook @Visit the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts and Instagram @visittheberkshires.

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Block Island Ferry - 866.783.7996 - Click Here to Sail Away!

Hanging 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

Sail into your next great adventure aboard one of nine romantic windjammers

Is there a sailor in your soul? Or are you seeking a serene escape with extraordinary scenery, food and accommodations? Then book a cruise aboard one of the nine awe-inspiring vessels of the Maine Windjammer Association. Sail for a couple of days or a week through the waters of Penobscot Bay, exploring fishing villages, enjoying a lobster bake on a remote island, coasting past lighthouses and the nests of bald eagles and osprey. Cabins are comfortable, home-cooked meals are first-rate and activities range from paddle boarding to island exploring. Some cruises are themed for grandparents and grandkids, for painters, for knitters, for photographers; others are designed to go where the wind dictates. End your days on deck enjoying songs, games, stories and starry skies.

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Newport Vineyards

909 East Main Road (Route 138) Middletown, RI, 02842 Phone: 401-848-5161

Fine food, great wines, craft beer and a fun atmosphere: That’s a perfect day at the vineyard

A beautiful day or lovely evening in the vineyards by the sea, enjoying exceptional farm-to-table dining, sipping delightful wines — or a fine local brew: Doesn’t that sound like the perfect thing to do? At Newport Vineyards, you can experience all of those things — and book a winery tour and tasting as well. After your tour, settle outside in an Adirondack chair near the vineyards or inside in the brewery space or in The Overlook, with views of the winemaking area and vineyard and enjoy wine, beer and food made on the premises with the freshest ingredients. Check the website for special events from yoga to holiday weekend celebrations and the spring Festival, with tastings, music, grape stomping and pie-eating contests!

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Paddy's Beach Club

159 Atlantic Avenue Misquamicut, RI, 02891 Phone: 401-596-2610

Fun in t he sun: It’s time to take a trip to popular, lively club on Misquamicut Beach

Sun’s out, surf’s up: Time to head to Paddy’s Beach Club where a great day by the water awaits. People who flock to Paddy’s love the atmosphere at the lively club as much as the entertainment (check the website for a schedule of bands, DJs and beach dance parties) and the fun food-and-drinks menu. Reserve a cabana or a chaise lounge on Tikki Beach (if you’re over 21), or take the family to the opposite side of the beach to play and soak up the rays at Misquamicut Beach, RI. Food options range from hearty apps like calamari and Irish nachos to bigger plates like street tacos, lobster rolls and burgers. The drinks menu is as fun to read as it is to sample, from the Shark Attack to the Island Rum Punch.

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Sam Adams Squared - Greater Boston CVB - Boston, MA

Meet Boston

Information Centers on Boston Common and Prudential Towers (Center Court) Boston, MA, 02116 Phone: 888-733-2678

With so much history, and so many activities, vibrant Boston has something for every visitor

You cannot be bored in Boston. See a show, catch a game at Fenway Park, take a film or foodie tour of the town, ride on a duck boat or Swan Boat, eat in a four-star restaurant with a harbor view or by a food truck in the gorgeous Greenway. Kids will love the Tea Party Ship & Museum and nearby Children’s Museum. Art-lovers will feast on the Monets at the Museum of Fine Arts or the Venetian courtyard in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Shoppers will enjoy perusing pop-up markets, the fashions and galleries along Newbury Street and the kiosks of Quincy Market. And history buffs will happily stroll the Freedom Trail from the Common out to the USS Constitution or the Black Heritage Trail.

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Find Great Theater and Music throughout New England on our Performing Arts pages!

Climb NH's Mount Washington by train! The Mt. Washington Cog Railway

Sweet Sunset - Lakes Region Association - New Hampshire

Lakes Region Tourism Association

61 Laconia Road Tilton, NH, 03276 Phone: 603-286-8008 Toll-Free: 800-605-2537

Bustling Lakes Region is a playground for every type of vacationer, every season of the. Year

Why settle for one type of vacation when you can have every type of getaway in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. You want outdoor sports? There’s skiing, snowmobiling, ice skating, zip lining, golf, tennis, biking and kayaking — just for starters. You’d rather have a quiet, relaxing time? Book a cottage (with a porch) by a private beach, go on a lake sail or boat tour, have dinner aboard a train as it winds its way through the woods. There are concerts and plays, farms to visit, museums that celebrate everything from arcades to American history. There are attractions like Clark’s Bears and Santa’s Village and parks, trails and sanctuaries that bring you close to nature. The region really is a playground for all seasons.

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Plimoth Patuxet Museums

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

Museum featuring a variety of hands-on experiences to acquaint visitors with 17th-Century life

You need to set aside at least a day to explore the interactive Plimoth Patuxet Museums. See the 17th century come to life in the 17th-Century English Village, where interpreters may ask you to help with 17-century chores or to participate in a muster drill led by Capt. Miles Standish. Learn about Wampanoag culture and lifeways at the Historic Patuxet Homesite. There’s quick service dining in the Plentiful Cafe, and you can see reproductions of early crafts being made in the Craft Center. In Plymouth Harbor, you can go aboard Mayflower II, a full-scale reproduction of the original ship that brought colonists to Plymouth in 1620. Then walk along the path beside Town Brook to the Plimoth Grist Mill to watch cornmeal being ground. Named the Best Open Air Museum in the United States by USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards!

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Ocean House Resort

1 Bluff Avenue Watch Hill, RI, 02891 Phone: Toll-Free: 877-346-9442

When you stay at this oceanfront inn, you’ll need a list to decide among all the activities, attractions

When you arrive at the Ocean House, take the time to make a list: There are so many different things to do on and off the inn’s 13 gorgeous acres of oceanfront property. There’s the private white-sand beach, with cabana service and surfing and paddle-board lessons, the tournament-level croquet lawn, putting green and shuffleboard court. There are movies in the screening room, children’s day and evening programs, bikes to take out to explore Watch Hill Village’s shops and galleries, and a heated indoor saltwater lap pool. Go for a sail on a yacht, or just relax in your spacious room, suite or cottage. Nearby activities include a carousel, lighthouse museum, theaters, wineries, casinos and hiking trails. Ocean House was recently named to Forbes Magazine's list of "Most Luxurious Hotels & Spas", and is one of the top 100 hotels in the world among Travel + Leisure readers.

Visit our sister property - Weekapaug Inn

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Flag Boy - NH Highland Games - Lincoln, NH

NHSCOT & NH Highland Games Festival

Loon Mountain Resort - 60 Loon Mountain Road Lincoln, NH Phone:

Get Your SCOT On!

Don’t miss NHSCOT’s signature event, the NH Highland Games & Festival – always the third weekend in September! Held at Loon Mountain Resort in Lincoln, NH, this three-day celebration is one of the largest cultural events in the Northeast and showcases the traditions and history of Scotland through heavy athletics, cultural activities, music and entertainment, food and drink, and more! Participate in a Try-It class like street curling or learn something new at one of our seminars. Fun for all ages with kids programming and opportunities to shop in Vendor Village. You don’t have to be Scottish to enjoy this signature event presented by NHSCOT – visit our website for details and to purchase tickets today!
The 2025 NH Highland Games & Festival is on September 19-21 - Check the website for tickets & more info!

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Greater Merrimack Valley

61 Market Street, Unit 1C Lowell, MA, 01852 Phone: 978-459-6150

Wide variety of activities, from concerts and theater to unique shopping and dining, in this vibrant area

Whether your idea of fun is Brahms or a local brew, you will find much to enjoy in the activities of the Greater Merrimack Valley. The Lowell Philharmonic Orchestra, the Lexington Symphony and the Groton Hill Music Center offer an array of classical, pops, jazz and chamber music concerts. Catch a vibrant, contemporary play at the Merrimack Repertory Theater, go on a snowshoe tour at the deCordova Sculpture Park & Museum or visit the masterworks at the Whistler House Museum of Art. Dine, shop, see a film or listen to a concert at lively Mill No. 5 in Lowell. Take a trip through the history of the graphic arts at the Museum of Printing (check out their typewriter collection), or grab a brew at Lord Hobo Brewing Company’s Woburn taproom.

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Town of Bethlehem

Whatever your favorite activity is, you’ll find it in and around Bethlehem

Are you ready to hit the slopes — or the antique shops? Are you up for a hike through forests – or would you rather experience a mountain journey on a cog railway? Is your idea of great riding on board a bike – or a snowboard? Whatever your favorite activity is, you’ll find it in the Bethlehem, NH region of the White Mountains. You’re close to ski resorts, Nordic skiing and snowmobiling trails, two scenic golf courses, networks of hiking and biking trails and so much more. Visit Santa’s Village or Story Land, a water park or picturesque gorge. Take in a film at one of the country’s oldest continuously running movie theaters, choose from a variety of restaurants and cafes, have fun at an old-fashioned festival or fair.

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Great Things To Do at Lake Compounce - Bristol. CT

Lake Compounce Amusement & Water Park

185 Enterprise Drive Bristol, CT, 06010 Phone: 860-583-3300

From single-day adventures to weekend getaways, Lake Compounce has been the place for great family escapes for generations. With uniquely themed attractions of all shapes and sizes, America’s first amusement park offers endless fun for everyone. Fill your day with surprises at the one park where the smiles are bigger, the laughs last longer and the memories are forever.

Join us for the Ultimate Season of Family Fun with unforgettable events all year long! From summer splashes to Halloween thrills and dazzling holiday lights, there’s something for everyone to experience. Mark your calendar and get ready for a season packed with fun!

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Rhythm Cider

22 South Mountain Drive Lincoln, NH, 03251 Phone: 603-745-7550

Creative ways, from tours to dining with a view, for cider-lovers to sample new offerings, old favorites

At Rhythm Cider, they love to say the brand is all about creativity — new tastes, a new restaurant, and new ways to get to know how these fresh, handcrafted ciders are made. You can visit the cider and wine Tasting Room at the Seven Birches Winery in the expanded RiverWalk Resort. Or, you can book a tour of the production facility, where you’ll have a chance to talk to a winemaker or cider maker and sample their fine wares, leaving with a souvenir glass. Finally, you can enjoy a wonderful lunch or dinner at the brand new Rhythm Tap & Grille. Sip wines and ciders, sample the food offerings from shareable starters to steaks, burgers and seafood and take in the breathtaking views of the Pemigewasset River.

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Island Queen

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

An ocean of fun things to do when you ferry from Cape Cod to Martha’s Vineyard

If you think getting from the Cape to the Vineyard is just another boat trip, think again! The Island Queen, the passenger ferry from Falmouth to Oak Bluffs, MA, offers scenic views of the Cape and Vineyard Sound from its picture window lounge and open decks. Once you get to Oak Bluffs, visit the Flying Horses carousel and the colorful gingerbread cottages. Visit Edgartown, MA for great dining and shopping. Explore the red cliffs of Aquinnah, MA. Go sailing, fishing and kayaking. Back in Falmouth, take advantage of its gorgeous beaches, science aquarium and scenic bikeway. And don’t forget to explore the Cape’s beaches, unique towns and villages. Tour the Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory, grab a lobster roll by the bay, go on a whale watch. So much fun to be had!

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Girl Watching Flamingos at Roger Williams Park Zoo, Providence, RI - Credit PWCVB

Go Providence

1 Sabin Street Providence, RI, 02903 Phone: 401-751-1177

From great restaurants and shops to award-winning arts venues, museums and zoos, Providence has it all

What’s your pleasure when you’re on vacation or want to spend a day in the city? Dining in a great ethnic restaurant? Shopping for that one-of-a-kind item? Hiking in a city park with a botanical center and waterfall? Visiting elephants and giraffes at a zoo? Exploring intriguing neighborhoods on a foodie or history tour? In the Providence, RI area, you can do all that and so much more! Award-winning theater, sports events and concerts, funky boutiques, museums that celebrate natural and regional history – this walkable city has it all. Check the website for events from festivals and parades to comedy nights and restaurant weeks. Thinking of staying a couple nights? There are plenty of lodging options, from charming bed-and-breakfast inns to hotels with spacious suites and indoor pools. For more info, visit GoProvidence.com

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Granite State Rail Bikes

15 Veterans Square Laconia, NH, 03246 Phone: 904-870-4273

Fresh air, beautiful Lakes Region scenery all part of the rail bike experience

Get some fresh New Hampshire air and take in some gorgeous Lakes Region views as you pedal along the tracks at Granite State Rail Bikes. The 5-mile round trip from the Laconia, NH Railroad Station, which opened in 1892, meanders through Belmont Woods, over a trestle bridge spanning the Winnipesaukee River and Durkee Brook, and along the western shore of picturesque Lake Winnisquam. Experienced guides at the front and back of the group will spin the bikes around halfway through, giving you a chance to relax on benches on the lake shore. Riders are spread out, so you can go at your own pace along mainly flat terrain. Granite State also offers special trips for larger groups and picnic lunch trips. Trips are held early May through late October.

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Sunset over the Lake - Androscoggin Valley Chamber - Berlin, NH

Androscoggin Valley Chamber of Commerce

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

Every single season in the Androscoggin Valley offers exciting things to do and see

Every season is the perfect season in the Androscoggin Valley, NH, where the north side of Mt. Washington and the Upper Androscoggin River meet. In the winter, this wonderland is a celebration of alpine and cross-country skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. You can go snow-tubing, sleigh-riding and dog-sledding. Spring means fishing, kayaking and canoeing. Summer brings golf, scenic gondola rides whitewater rafting, local theater and live music. And, in the fall, it’s time to hike or bike or zip line through the trees bursting with color. Don’t miss RiverFire in October, with bonfires along the river and hundreds of carved and lit pumpkins. Horseback riding, moose tours, camping and glamping and quaint New England towns to stroll through: It’s all happening in this place where adventures never end.

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Block Island Ferry

304 Great Island Road Narragansett, RI, 02882 Phone: 401-783-7996 Toll-Free: 866-783-7996

Your island adventure is waiting for you when you book the Block Island Ferry

Sail off to an island adventure when you take the Block Island Ferry from Newport or Narragansett, RI [Point Judith] to Old Harbor on Block Island. Whether you’re going for the day or an extended vacation, you’ll find a full slate of fun things to do, from parasailing, kayaking, surfing, and paddle boarding to visiting an exotic-animal farm, hiking nature trails, going horseback riding and biking. Walk out to a lighthouse, or just relax on a beautiful beach at sunset after a classic New England dinner. In Point Judith, stroll the streets of charming Galilee. In Newport, RI, take a mansion tour, or go on the Cliff Walk. Ferries have full bars and beverage and food concessions, and leashed pets are allowed on open decks.

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Santa's Village

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

Before you visit Santa’s Village, you might want to make a list – and check it twice

You might want to make a list (and check it twice) before heading to Santa’s Village, the amusement park extraordinaire in the White Mountains. There are so many rides to choose from, including a Ferris wheel, Reindeer Carousel, flume, tube slide, bumper cars, roller coasters, trains and monorails shaped like sleighs. Over on the water park side, there are three-story twisty-turny slides, a splash pad and enough interactive fun to keep the kids entertained for hours. Families can rent cabanas or tiny suite retreats. You can visit with Santa, stop by the barn to feed the reindeer, go on a scavenger hunt or visit a bakery to decorate your own gingerbread man. Stop by the blacksmith’s shop for a sized-just-for-you souvenir ring.

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Milky Way Galaxy - Blake Planetarium - Plymouth, MA

W. Russell Blake Planetarium

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

Plymouth planetarium provides perfect evening for star-gazers

Look up! It’s the night sky in all its glory, but can you identify the constellations? Head to the W. Russell Blake Planetarium, where you can sit back and let the experts show you how to identify planets, bright stars and constellations. In this full-dome planetarium, a DigitalSky projection system provides a full-screen image that covers the room’s entire ceiling in the mysteries of the universe. While enjoying breathtaking views and spectacular surround sound, you’ll learn about astronomy and perhaps how to use a star map (you can take it home). The planetarium also has regular features for kids and explorations of the natural world below the skies.

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Mount Washington Auto Road

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

All year long, special adventures, and awe-inspiring tours, are offered on this mountain road

Every season of the year offers a new adventure for visitors to the Mt. Washington Auto Road. In the summer and fall, load the audio tour app and drive yourself up to the summit of the highest peak in the Northeast. Or, take a two-hour guided tour, a curated mountain experience with knowledgeable guides. On specific days, you can drive your four-wheel ATV. Take a special sunrise or sunset tour for awe-inspiring views. A hiker shuttle offers one-way shuttle service, either up or down from the summit. Customized group tours also are available. In the spring, there’s the additional Spring Adventure Tour to see how the road is cleared. And in the winter, don’t miss the narrated Mt. Washington SnowCoach tour to the sub-arctic tree line.

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New Helicopter Aerial View - Bird’s Eye View Helicopters - Middletown, RI

Newport Helicopter Tours

45 America's Cup Avenue Newport, RI, 02840 Phone: 401-843-8687

See Newport from above – and beyond.

Bird’s Eye View Helicopters / Newport Helicopter Tours is a thriving family-owned business that has not only provided safe, professional and thrilling tours of the greater Newport, RI area for 75,000 people over the last 24 years, but also offers the best helicopter charter and aerial photography service in the region. We fly the Robinson R44, the most popular helicopter in the world. Our Viper Red helicopters are purchased brand new and meticulously maintained in-house, so we are intimately aware of all aspects of the aircraft and their safety. Be assured that all of us are fully committed to you having a superior experience. If you see us flying overhead on your next trip to Newport, don’t just wave, come fly with us to see Rhode Island as you’ve never seen it before.

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Warwick Office of Tourism

3275 Post Road Warwick, RI, 02886 Phone:

39 miles of coastline, endless shopping, world-class dining & more in Warwick, RI

Warwick is Rhode Island’s second largest city, conveniently located in central Rhode Island and is easily accessible off Interstates 95 & 295. Warwick is also home to Rhode Island-T.F. Green International Airport and the InterLink inter-modal commuter train station. With 16 hotels, endless shopping, entertainment, and world-class food scene you can’t go wrong. Enjoy time by the water kayaking, fishing, hiking or chilling with good book. History buffs can explore the Clouds Hill Museum or visit Steamship Historical Society of America, while foodies will enjoy fresh seafood, small-batch beer at Apponaug Brewery on the Pawtuxet River or Proclamation Ale with a video arcade. This alluring coastal city is conveniently situated and just a stone’s throw from Providence and Newport, RI as well as South County making it the perfect base from which to explore all Rhode Island has to offer.

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Ice Castles

24 Clark Farm Road North Woodstock, NH, 03262 Phone: Toll-Free: 866-201-1726

Your moment of imagination, exploration and magic awaits at Ice Castles

This immersive experience built entirely from ice enchants visitors with its captivating photogenic appeal. Escape into a world of frozen caves, maze-like tunnels, fountains and ice-carved slides. Ice Castles in North Woodstock is built by hand using hundreds of thousands of icicles that are grown, harvested, and planted every day to create the acre-sized interactive attraction. And the effect is heightened at night when LED lights frozen inside change colors in perfect synchronization to music. You don’t have to be a fan of “Frozen” to find the whole experience magical. Remember to dress warmly, but in case that's not enough there's an on-site concession stand serving up hot chocolate, apple cider, and warm treats!

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Seven Birches Winery

River Walk at Loon - 22 South Mountain Drive Lincoln, NH, 03251 Phone: 603-745-7550

Wine-lovers, experienced and novice, will love this winery’s tours, atmosphere

Seven Birches Winery is the perfect activity for wine-lovers, whether you’re a novice or just beginning your love affair with wine. Located inside the lovely Riverwalk Resort at Loon Mountain, the winery offers intimate meet-the-winemakers tours of its production facility, where you can see how local fruits and European grape varietals are handcrafted into very special wines. Or, just opt for a tasting off the wine menu. Knowledgeable staff will be happy to help you with a choice or order up a flight for true sampling. In the nearby Lincoln Village Shops, the winery’s Atrium Wine Bar offers tastings in a rustic atmosphere as well as easy access to the region’s finest shops and restaurants.

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Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train

3 Crossing at Riverplace North Woodstock, NH, 03262 Phone: 603-745-3500

Scenic train ride aboard vintage cars serves up another memorable experience: a five-course meal

The only thing better than traveling on a vintage, restored 1950s rail car as it rumbles through the scenic Pemigewassset River Valley would be if they served meals on board. And on the Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train, they do just that – in great style. As you are served your five-course gourmet meal in elegant surroundings, you’ll travel south from the charming North Woodstock station through woods, over three trestle bridges, through the Jack-O-Lantern Golf Course and a Christmas tree farm. And your meal (the menu changes regularly) is not to be forgotten, with appetizers like cold-smoked salmon and stuffed dates and entrees like chicken Florentine and grilled pork tenderloin. There’s also a full bar. The two-hour train excursion is offered May through October.

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Brewery Tour 2019 - Woodstock Inn, Station & Brewery - North Woodstock, NH

Woodstock Inn Brewery

135 Main Street North Woodstock, NH, 03262 Phone: 603-745-3951 Toll-Free: 800-321-3985

Take a tour or just relax at this brewery’s bar, pub or patio with a good meal and a great beer

Come see why the Woodstock Inn Brewery is the place to be, four seasons of the year, in scenic North Woodstock, NH. Serving up superior craft beer for more than 25 years, the brewery offers visitors daily brewery tours seven days a week, as well as a great dining experience for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The tour offers tastings in addition to a behind-the-scenes look at how the distinctly New Hampshire beers are made. Dining at the warm, welcoming Main Bar, cozy Tap Room, lively Brew Pub or, in season, on the dog-friendly patio at the Dam Bar is an experience not to be missed. Check the website for the schedule of live music and to sign up for dining in one of the brewery’s igloos!

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Funtown Splashtown USA

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

In the air, on the ground, in the water: Fun is everywhere you turn in this exciting park

Fun things to do in the air, in the water and on the ground: That’s what you’ll find everywhere you turn in Funtown Splashtown USA, where you can zip around in Maine’s only wooden roller coaster, fly through the air on the Flying Trapeze ride or in a kiddie helicopter, zoom down a corkscrew slide or splash around in a pool. It really is like two great parks in one. You can also play arcade games, go “prospecting” for fossils and relax at the tiki bar, beer garden, ice cream shop, candy store or cafe. Everyone has fun here, from folks gliding down the log flume to thrill-seekers plummeting down a 60-foot chute into a water pool to little tykes loving the old-fashioned carousel. A family owned and operated business, Funtown Splashtown puts guest safety first. Please review our health safety guidelines prior to your visit.

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Scenic RailRiders

188 Sewalls Falls Road Concord, NH, 03301 Phone: 603-931-1700

Check this off your bucket list: riding the rails along the Merrimack in a custom-built “bike”

At Scenic Railriders, they ask this question: When’s the last time you did something for the first time? You have the opportunity to do just that when you reserve a trip on the custom-built Rail-Bikes of Scenic Railriders. You’ll pedal along 6.2 miles of scenic abandoned railroad tracks, passing over bridges and along the Merrimack River. The two- and four-seat “bikes” are custom-built, for all ages, and can be joined together for larger groups. No helmets are required, and child seats can be strapped right onto the Rail-Bike seats for little ones. The trip, which lasts about an hour and 45 minutes and is led by guides at the beginning and end of the “bikes,” includes two turn-around points where you can stretch your legs and admire the scenery.

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Lyman Orchards

32 Reeds Gap Road Middlefield, CT, 06455 Phone: 860-349-1793

Centrally located within 30 minutes of Hartford, Waterbury, and New Haven, CT, Lyman Orchards is a must-visit destination for all ages with plenty of events happening year-round. With nearly 100 varieties of pick-your-own fruits from June to October, it's perfect for family or corporate outings. Explore the seasonal Sunflower or Corn Maze, offering fun and beautiful views. The Apple Barrel Farm Market provides fresh local produce, handmade pies, and delicious sandwiches, while the 1741 Pub & Grill offers tasty meals with a view. Golf enthusiasts can enjoy three award-winning courses. Lyman Orchards blends tradition, nature, and recreation, making it an ideal spot for outdoor fun, farm-fresh flavors, and scenic beauty.

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Mountain Club on Loon

90 Loon Mountain Road Lincoln, NH, 03251 Phone: 800-229-7829

Every season at this mountain resort comes with fun, exciting activities for all ages

You want to have some peak experiences when you’re on vacation? Then you’ll want to stay and play at the Mountain Club on Loon, the year-round resort and spa where every season has exciting activities. In the winter, of course, there’s skiing, snowboarding and tubing at New Hampshire’s largest ski resort — right outside your door. Spring means mountain biking, fishing, hiking and ATV riding. Summer brings kayaking, canoeing, swimming, tubing, boating and golf. And spectacular autumn means hitting foliage trails by hiking and biking – and perhaps taking a moose safari! There’s great shopping and dining year-round. And you’ll come back every day to comfortable, spacious accommodations from rooms with hot tubs to suites with full kitchens and everything in between.

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America's Stonehenge

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

Ponder the mysteries of ancient North American history

You don’t need to travel to Great Britain to see those marvelous megaliths and ceremonial meeting places of ancient peoples. Similar wonders exist at America’s Stonehenge in coastal New Hampshire. A maze of manmade chambers, walls and gathering sites, it begs the question: Was this all assembled by an ancient Native American culture or by migrant Europeans? The self-guided Stonehenge trail (after a 10-minute introductory video) is about a half-mile, although the property includes 105 acres of trails, perfect for winter snowshoeing (in January and February, you can snowshoe by candlelight and warm up later with hot chocolate). Kids can participate in a simulated archaeological dig at the learning center, and there are plenty of picnic areas. Oh, and seven alpacas.

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Liberty Hill Farm & Inn

511 Liberty Hill Road Rochester, VT, 05767 Phone: 802-767-3926

Recharge, relax and reconnect at this farm inn, with a full slate of engaging activities

Yes, there is wi-fi at the Liberty Hill Farm & Inn, but you’ll be surprised how infrequently you use it – because there are so many fun things to do! Family-friendly farm activities include exploring the hay loft, milking a cow (or bottle-feeding a calf), picking berries or veggies for that evening’s dinner – or just cuddling a kitten in the barn. In the winter, grab some snowshoes or skis from the inn and head out on the trails. In the summer, go swimming or fly-fishing for trout or salmon. Walk through fields of wildflowers or just hunker down in a porch rocking chair to read or, at night, to watch the stars come out. Fabulous home-cooked meals are served around a big dining room table.

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Rafting Trip - Crab Apple Whitewater - West Dover, VT

Crab Apple Whitewater (VT)

289 Handle Road West Dover, VT, 05356 Phone: 800-553-7238

Outdoor fun for all experience levels

Looking for an unforgettable outdoor adventure in Vermont? Crab Apple Whitewater delivers just that with exhilarating rafting trips on the scenic West River. The 8-mile journey features Class II to IV rapids, offering just the right mix of excitement for both beginners and experienced rafters. Available in the spring and fall, these trips are great for families (minimum age is 11) and include all necessary gear like helmets, lifejackets, and top-quality self-bailing rafts. With experienced guides and stunning natural surroundings, it’s one of the best ways to experience Vermont’s beauty.

Crab Apple has been operating since 1983, and also has locations in Maine and Massachusetts.

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Sailing Past a Lighthouse - Lighthouse Cruises - New London, CT

Cross Sound Cruises

2 Ferry Street New London, CT, 06320 Phone: 860-444-4620

Come home with fabulous photos after one of these fascinating lighthouse cruises

If you’re looking for a great way to spend the day that’s a little out of the ordinary, Cross Sound Cruises has you covered: Take one of their three two-hour lighthouse cruises, out of New London, CT and Orient Point, NY. You’ll ride in comfort in a beautiful catamaran, with an air-conditioned lounge, large outside decks and full snack and bar service. And the views: spectacular! You’ll pass by many of the region’s most-photographed lighthouses, from New London Harbor Light, one of the original 12 colonial lighthouses, to Watch Hill Light, whose construction was authorized by President Jefferson, as well as by historic forts and picturesque resorts and homes. Each tour has an experienced guide who will regale you with lighthouse histories as well as fascinating tales of the sea.

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Conway Scenic Railroad

38 Norcross Circle North Conway, NH, 03860 Phone: 603-356-5251 Toll-Free: 800-232-5251

Conway Scenic Railroad offers a choice of excursions recreating mid-twentieth century railroad travel

Since 1974, Conway Scenic Railroad delighted visitors by recreating the thrill of rail travel in its golden age. The railroad’s classic excursion is the one-hour round trip on the Valley Train that traverses the former Boston & Maine Conway Branch between North Conway and Conway, NH. For a longer, more scenic adventure take the Mountaineer for its 4-4.5 hour journey on the historic Mountain Division through the Mt. Washington Valley and over New Hampshire’s Crawford Notch. Trains board at the unique Victorian railroad station built in 1874, which is located at the center of North Conway Village. Trains offer three classes of travel each featuring distinct experiences aboard vintage rail passenger cars. In the winter take a trip on the Snow Train, or travel over Crawford Notch on the Winter Mountaineer.

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Whitewater Rafting - Mt. Washington Valley Chamber - North Conway, NH

Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce

The seasons change, and the fun never ends, for visitors to Mt. Washington Valley

Every season is a reason to visit the mountains of New Hampshire. Surrounded by the White Mountain National Forest and home to the highest peak in the Northeast, outdoor adventure abounds with hundreds of trails to get you to a rushing waterfall or a mountain summit. Relax at a spa, museum, coffee shop, or bookstore, enjoy live theater and music, ooh and ahh at stunning vistas, and check out the great events and attractions for the whole family. When you’re hungry you be thrilled will all the options to choose from. We have cozy eateries, stylish bars, Irish pubs, elegant dining, and more. Shopping is tax-free in New Hampshire, and with over 200 name-brand outlets, boutique, and specialty stores it’s no surprise that North Conway, NH is world renowned as a shopping destination. Click above to visit our website or call our friendly concierge at 800-337-3563 for more info on first class lodging and exciting events to plan your next adventure!

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Jonathan's Ogunquit

92 Bourne Lane Ogunquit, ME, 03907 Phone: 207-646-4777

Farm-to-table dining at its best in southern Maine

At Jonathan’s Ogunquit, you can look forward to more than a wonderful, one-of-a-kind farm-to-table meal. You can also expect a one-of-a-kind experience, from tables looking out onto gorgeous gardens studded with whimsical statues to the restaurant’s entrancing 600-gallon fish tank. If you are there on a show night, you’re in for a treat. Concert series musicians have included July Collins, Arlo Guthrie, Tom Rush; comedians include Paula Poundstone and the topical Capitol Steps troupe. But, mainly, it’s about the food in this casual-fine dining restaurant, where you might start with Boursin stuffed mushrooms, work your way through an entree featuring lamb raised at Jonathan’s farm and end with the legendary creme brulee.

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Old Sturbridge Village

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

Re-created 19th-century village is more than a museum – it’s an interactive experience

Old Sturbridge Village is so much more than a museum! Visitors feel they have traveled back two centuries, with hands-on experiences, exhibitions, animals and architecture that perfectly re-create a New England town in the 1830s. Explore the 40 historical buildings on our peropety in Sturbridge, MA, ask questions of costumed historians as they cook by a fire, make cabinets, create pottery and operate a sawmill and cider mill. Visit with heritage-breed sheep, cattle, chicken and pigs and walk through heirloom gardens. Take a horse-drawn wagon ride or take in live musical performances or talks. Walk through a covered bridge and stroll along the banks of the Quinebaug River, keeping an eye out for a great blue heron. Dine on comfort food in the charming Bullard Tavern, or enjoy lighter fare in the Ox & Yoke Cafe.

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Hampton Beach Village District

115 Ocean Boulevard Hampton Beach, NH, 03843 Phone: 603-926-8717

Live music, fireworks, beach activities, casinos: No one gets bored at Hampton Beach

Even a partial list of great things to do at Hampton Beach, NH is a pretty long list: You can enjoy live music or comedy at the historic Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom; or enjoy Skee-ball and pinball machines in giant arcades. You can go surfing, paddle boarding and swimming off the beach or just finally finish that book under an umbrella. You can arrange for a deep-sea fishing excursion or whale-watching trip. You can rent a scooter or bike, practice yoga on the beach, visit candy shops and ice cream emporiums. Live music and entertainment is everywhere, from taverns and restaurants to the Sea Shell amphitheater, and fireworks are a regular occurrence. Special events range from the Children’s Festival, the sand sculpture contest and the Country Music Fest.

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Inn at Tanglewood Hall

611 York Street York Harbor, ME, 03911 Phone: 207-351-1075

Seaside activities are abundant with this comfortable, scenic inn as your launching pad

Although you may never want to leave the cozy, elegant 1880s Inn at Tanglewood Hall, there is plenty to do once you leave your four-poster bed or your rocking chair on the wraparound veranda. Walk along the York Harbor, ME Cliff Walk, watch lobster boats and sloops come in and out of the harbor. Catch a sunset over Nubble Lighthouse. Stroll along the streets of York Harbor village to York Harbor Beach, ME. Or, enjoy the surf at Long Sands or Short Sands beaches. Need more ideas? Go whale watching, kayaking, hiking or biking. Or head farther afield (but not too far) to the Kittery Outlets; dine in foodie-centric Portsmouth, NH; visit Stonewall Kitchen; check out the lovely Maine coast towns of Ogunquit and Kennebunkport, ME.

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Mark Twain House & Museum

351 Farmington Avenue Hartford, CT, 06105 Phone: 860-247-0998

See the 19th-century home where Mark Twain penned some of his greatest works like Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Explore the Mark Twain House & Museum and reconnect with one of the nation’s most beloved authors, who wrote about Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer in this very house. Daily tours take visitors through the richly decorated rooms in the Victorian home, many featuring the exotic interiors of Louis C. Tiffany & Co. Museum artifacts, including period furniture, photos, paintings, and books by Darwin, Hawthorne, and others with margin notes written by Samuel Clemens. Visitors can see a film by Ken Burns, check out rotating exhibits, shop in the well-stocked museum store, and sample local food in The Nook Farm Cafe.

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Cross Sound Ferry

2 Ferry Street New London, CT, 06320 Phone: 860-443-5281

Fast, Scenic & Efficient Way to Travel between New London and Long Island

Cross Sound Ferry offers a fast, scenic, and efficient way to travel between New London, CT and Long Island, NY, with or without your car. The trip across Long Island Sound takes about an hour, and offers panoramic water views and the opportunity to spot lighthouses and historic harbors along the way. Onboard amenities include climate-controlled indoor seating, an outdoor observation deck, a full-service snack bar, and clean restrooms. The ferry accommodates travelers with bikes, pets, and vehicles, making it ideal for day-trippers and extended vacations alike. With frequent daily departures and reliable service year-round, Cross Sound Ferry transforms a simple trip into a relaxing and memorable part of your New England journey.

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Naswa Resort

1086 Weirs Boulevard Laconia, NH, 03246 Phone: 603-366-4341 Toll-Free: 888-556-2792

Your Lakeside Playground in New Hampshire

The NASWA Resort on Lake Winnipesaukee offers endless lakefront adventure – it’s no wonder they’re celebrating their 90th season! Guests can soak up the sun on the resort's private sandy beach – the largest on Lake Winnipesaukee, NH – enjoy complimentary paddleboards, kayaks, or take a cruise on the resort’s beautiful 34’ boat across the shimmering lake. The NazBar & Grill serves up waterfront dining with live music, while the Blue Bistro offers casual resort dining with lake views. Guests enjoy complimentary dock space, Campfire’n S’mores Mondays and Wednesdays, Tie Dye Tuesdays and Thursdays, discounts to area attractions like boat charters and mini golf, and so much more. With comfortable one and two-bedroom accommodations, stunning lake views, and endless summer activities, The NASWA Resort promises a getaway packed with memorable moments.

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Point Sebago Golf Resort

261 Point Sebago Road Casco, ME, 04015 Phone: 207-558-8000 Toll-Free: 800-655-1232

Choices are almost endless for ways to have fun, or just relax, at full-service resort

Indoors, outdoors, planned, unplanned: There are so many things to do at Point Sebago Resort that part of every morning will be spent making hard choices! Do you want to tackle the 18-hole championship golf course, hit the tennis or pickle ball court, take on the new waterpark obstacle course, go fishing, take a kayak out on the lake? There are organized activities with professional counselors for the kids, and an over-21 lounge for adults, with pub fare, pool, darts and plenty of TVs to watch the big game. Whether you want to walk in the woods, catch some live entertainment, chat around a campfire or just relax on a mile-long sandy beach, this rustically elegant resort, set on 775 acres, has an activity perfect for you.

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Discover Quincy

City of Quincy Welcome Center - 1259 Hancock Street Quincy, MA, 02169 Phone: 617-471-1700

From bikers and beach-lovers to shoppers and skiers, everyone has a great time in this welcoming city

Hikers, bikers, history-lovers, shoppers, foodies, beach-goers: What do they all have in common? A great time in Quincy! As the City of Presidents, Quincy offers visitors many ways to celebrate the country’s heritage, including the homes and birthplaces of John, Abigail and John Quincy Adams and the Stone Library, the nation’s first presidential library. The Presidents Trail takes you past homes of the Quincy, Adams and Hancock families, through neighborhoods with fabulous ethnic cuisine, and into the downtown shopping and dining area. Or, head to one of several inviting beaches, go hiking or biking or golfing, enjoy local theater and the symphony, take a harbor cruise, catch a rugby or soccer game. In the winter, go skiing, snowshoeing or ice skating in the public rink.

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Block Island Express

2 Ferry Street New London, CT, 06320 Phone:

The Easy, Scenic Way to Reach Block Island

Start your Block Island adventure with the Block Island Express, where the ferry ride itself feels like part of the vacation. Departing from New London, CT or Orient Point, NY, the high-speed ferry offers a smooth 90-minute cruise across scenic waters. Relax in comfortable indoor seating or head to the open decks for panoramic views of sailboats, lighthouses, and the Long Island Sound. Onboard, the Cross Sound Deli serves up sandwiches, snacks, craft beers, and specialty cocktails, making it easy to unwind. For a great deal, try the Thursday Night Dinner Run from New London, with half-price fares and an early evening departure. Once on the island, spend your day biking, beach-hopping, kayaking, and dining under the stars.

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Secret Staircase - House of the Seven Gables - Salem, MA

The House of the Seven Gables

225 Derby Street Salem, MA, 01970 Phone: 978-774-0991

Get inspired about history, and literature, when you visit this beloved many-gabled home

Nathaniel Hawthorne was inspired enough by visits to the Salem, MA waterfront home built by merchant and shipowner John Turner that he wrote a novel, “The House of the Seven Gables”. Today, visitors are inspired by the architecture and artifacts of that same house, called the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion and one of the country’s most beloved historic homes. The house, part of the House of the Seven Gables property, has survived with many of its original period features spanning four centuries of American architectural history. Take a tour of that house as well as Hawthorne’s birthplace and two 17th-century homes and gorgeous seaside gardens with summer and fall plantings. On the property is also the Kids Cove, located in the Counting House, where hands-on activities teach kids about Salem’s rich maritime history.

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Full View - IT Adventures Rope Course - New Haven, CT

IT Adventure Ropes Course

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

The perfect adventure is waiting for you at world’s largest indoor ropes course

Adventurers of all ages will find their perfect thrill-providing attraction at the It Adventure Ropes Course inside Jordan’s Furniture in New Haven, CT. The state-of-the-art fun facility — the largest indoor ropes course in the world — lets kids and adults soar through the air on integrated zip rails, conquer cargo nets and zigzag swinging beams and navigate more than 100 obstacles guaranteed to get your adrenaline pumping. There is no set path: You can follow your own route and directions. There’s also a separate climbing feature, with four unique walls to try: Astroball, Amazing, Hexed and Big Cheese. At the Little It ropes course, even the littlest thrill-seekers can try out their skills on platforms just three feet off the ground, with adults able to pitch in as needed. Group rates are available for birthday parties, field trips, private functions, and corporate retreats.

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Worcester Art Museum

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

Museum’s collection, exhibitions offer visitors opportunity to surround themselves with beauty, inspiration

From art made thousands of years ago to works being created today, the collection and special exhibitions at the Worcester Art Museum urge visitors to travel across time, past borders, to experience the stunning works of the Impressionists, the grand fireplace of a 12th-century priory brought from France stone by stone, decorative American arts from the 17th to 19th centuries and so much more. Meet your new favorite artists, ask questions, go on a scavenger hunt. Watch as your kids are mesmerized by trying on a piece of knight’s armor from the Higgins Armory Collection or try out tools used to create art. Enjoy lunch in the Cafe in the awe-inspiring Renaissance Court, or listen to music on a summer evening in the courtyard beer and wine garden.

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

Crab Apple Whitewater (MA)

2056 Mohawk Trail Charlemont, MA, 01339 Phone: 800-553-7238

Family-owned rafting business gives you a perfectly tailored adventure

Crab Apple Whitewater, a family-run company now spanning three generations, brings decades of know-how to your next rafting adventure. With whitewater rafting trips on the Deerfield and Millers Rivers in Massachusetts, trips range from gentle to exhilarating—perfectly suited to your group’s energy and experience level. Choose from full-day or half-day rafting excursions, or let younger adventurers (ages 5 and up) hop into inflatable kayaks known as Funyak. Knowledgeable guides enhance the journey with fun facts about the region’s wildlife, water systems, and history. Back at base camp, unwind with changing rooms, a snack bar, paddle board rentals, and a patio overlooking the scenic Deerfield River.

Crab Apple has been operating since 1983, and also has locations in Maine and Vermont.

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

Black Hawk Sport Fishing

Sailing from Cini Memorial Park Niantic, CT, 06357 Phone: 860-448-3662 Toll-Free: 800-382-2824

It’s a great day when it’s spent out on the water in search of fish — or fireworks

Is there a better day than one spent out on the water? At Black Hawk Sport Fishing, they have several ways for you to make the most out of that experience of being out on a fine boat on a beautiful New England day. Experienced captains and crew can take you in search of fish from stripers and sea bass to cod and fluke. (The mates will fillet and clean your catch if you wish.) Or, you can book a specialty cruise in search of gorgeous sunsets, spectacular fireworks, adorable seals or magnificent eagles. Kids are welcome — sometimes they even get to beep a boat horn or score a free T-shirt. A galley has burgers, hot dogs, snacks and beverages. Private charters are available.

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Chuckster's Family Fun Park

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

Golf, zoom around a go-kart track or fly through the air!

You might not really hit a hole-in-one on the giant mini-golf courses at Chuckster’s two New Hampshire locations. But you’ll feel like you did after spending time at these fun-filled activity parks. In Hooksett, NH, tackle the 18-hole Fire Tower or Cave courses then let the winner buy cones at the ice cream barn. In Chichester, NH, if golf isn’t your thing, no worries: there's 16 different games & attractions to choose from! There’s the go-kart speedway, and the brand new 265-foot Zipline where you can zip through the trees 10-35 feet off the ground, our new & unique Klime Wallz courses, an enormous new bumper boat pond with waterfall and fountain! Or bounce and flip up to 18 feet on the Jumpster. Feeling competitive? How about ChucksterBall, Frantic Hoops, or Shoot-N-Shower (guess what happens to the loser)? It's a full day of fun, with and without water or golf!

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Connecticut River Museum

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

Put this on your to-do list: learning about a great river, then sailing its waters

Learn about the Connecticut River, then take a cruise to get up close and personal to what The Nature Conservancy has called “one of the last great places in the Northern Hemisphere.” Marking its 50th anniversary, the Connecticut River Museum features exhibits that explore the great river’s history as well as its importance to the region’s heritage and future. Annual exhibits include a holiday train show and, from January through March, an exhibit on “The Eagles of Essex.” Public cruises aboard the 64-foot eco-tour boat RiverQuest include themes from the area’s wildlife to lighthouses, birding with special opportunities to see eagles and swallows, spring and fall foliage and sunset cruises. Or, sail aboard the Onrust, the re-creation of a 1614 vessel that sailed the river during the early Age of Exploration to get a taste of history.

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Spring View - Mountain Top Inn & Resort - Chittenden, VT

Mountain Top Resort

195 Mountain Top Road Chittenden, VT, 05737 Phone: 802-483-2311

So many things to do at this mountain resort all year round, you’re going to need a long list

If you’re not a list-maker, you need to become one before you head to Mountain Top Resort, where there are just so many things to do! In the winter, this resort perched on a central Vermont mountain, surrounded by meadows and a pristine lake, offers cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, horse-drawn sleigh rides, sledding and its own ice rink for skating. In the warmer months, you can ask for a picnic lunch to take on a scenic hike or head to the private beach for kayaking, paddle boarding and canoeing (or just finishing that book from your lounge chair). Go fishing, play disc golf, get up a game on the sand volleyball court, take clay bird shooting lessons. And don’t forget horseback riding at the equestrian center. (See? We said you’d need a list!)

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The Steamship Authority

Ferry voyage to the islands off Cape Cod is the just the beginning of your adventure

Taking one of the Steamship Authority ferries to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, MA is part of the fun of getting to the islands. With fabulous ocean views, full-service bar and snack service and free wifi, it’s a comfortable, enjoyable voyage from Hyannis, MA (for Nantucket) or Woods Hole, MA (for the Vineyard). And then there are the islands! The sophisticated charm of Nantucket is seen through its cobblestone streets with boutiques and restaurants, historic homes and scenic harbor. Visit its whaling museum or observatory, go kayaking or sailing. On the Vineyard, there are the amazing red clay Aquinnah Cliffs, a lighthouse tour, arboretum and the gingerbread cottages of Oak Bluffs. Both islands are known for pristine beaches, great golf, miles of hiking and biking trails, wildlife refuges and lively arts scenes. For more information visit SteamshipAuthority.com.

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Scott Farm

707 Kipling Road Dummerston, VT, 05301 Phone: 802-490-2865

Over at the farm, they’re up for some fun-filled activities this year

There’s a lot happening at the farm! At Scott Farm, there’s everything from monthly crêpe nights to tastings to concerts (check the website for dates and times), as well as Heirloom Apple Day on October 12. And, of course, the farm is once again the happy site for picking your own apples and peaches. Stop by the Farm Market, where offerings include fine fruits, homemade baked goods and cider, as well as Vermont products from cheese, maple syrup, and honey to pottery and wooden cutting boards. Plan for lunch or just a pleasant break at Pippin’s Café, where the menu includes sweet and hard cider, coffee, baked goods, sandwiches and, sometimes, even delicious open-faced pies.

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Stanton House Inn

76 Maple Avenue Greenwich, CT, 06830 Phone: 203-869-2110

Greenwich, and this inviting inn, offer a variety of attractions, activities for visitors

The warm hospitality, luxurious accommodations and convenient location make The Stanton House Inn the perfect headquarters for your fun getaway or vacation. At the inn itself, there’s a seasonal outdoor pool and lawn games as well as a book-and-games-stocked library and gorgeous gardens to stroll in. You can walk to upscale dining and shopping in Greenwich or take a short train ride into New York City. In the other direction, it’s a pleasant drive to Mystic, with its famous aquarium and maritime attractions. There are beckoning beaches and a variety of state and local parks with hiking trails, playgrounds and tennis courts. The inn’s hosts will be happy to recommend everything from garden tours to where the most picturesque mansions are located.

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Sip at 1620 Wine Bar

The Shoppes at Village Landing - 170 Water Street Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone:

Calling all craft cocktail connoisseurs and wine aficionados!

Sip at 1620 Wine Bar in Plymouth, MA is your go-to spot for relaxed vibes and unforgettable flavors. This cozy, speakeasy-like lounge offers a delightful blend of award-winning wines and custom-crafted cocktails, each created by their bow-tie wearing, expert mixologists. Sip’s food menu is a playground for your taste buds, featuring small plates like chicken parm sliders, braised short ribs, and the ever-popular Lobster Rangoon. Whether you're in the mood for a self-guided wine tasting, bespoke cocktails, or live music, Sip has it all. Enjoy live performances from local musicians every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Exclusively 21+, this charming venue ensures an adults-only experience. And if you’re coming with a group of six or more, be sure to snag a reservation.

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Flume Gorge

852 Daniel Webster Highway (Route 3) Franconia Notch, NH, 03251 Phone: 603-745-8391

As you walk this loop trail, you’ll be awe-struck by massive gorge, waterfall – and a covered bridge

Visit Flume Gorge and prepare to be amazed. The natural gorge extends 800 feet at the base of Mt. Liberty, with 70-to-90-foot walls of Conway granite that began to form millions of years ago. Walk the 2-mile flume trail, a loop that takes about an hour and a half to complete, and view Table Rock, a massive section of granite; Avalanche Falls, a 45-foot waterfall that roars as Flume Brook enters the gorge; and glacial boulders that weigh over 300 tons. A boardwalk lets you get up close and personal with the area’s flowers, ferns and mosses, and the covered bridge across the scenic Pemigewasset River is one of the oldest in the state, built in 1886.

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Great Glen Trails

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

It’s four seasons of fun adventures at this White Mountains outdoor center

Every season is a fun season at the Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center, at the base of the Mt. Washington Auto Road. Spring, summer and fall are perfect for kayak cruises. Take a clinic, go on a wildlife tour (keep an eye out for moose and eagles) or go on a sunset cruise. Get out the bike, or rent one of theirs, and enjoy well-marked carriage roads through the forest and meadows, past scenic rivers. Hiking is a joy, with breath-taking views everywhere. Dogs, and strollers, are welcome. In the winter, there’s cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and old-fashioned snow tubing down Tubing Hill. Or, take the Mt. Washington Snowcoach to the tree line on the auto road. The center’s base lodge has showers, lockers and a cozy fireplace.

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1620 Winery

55 Cordage Park Circle Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-746-3532

Lovers of wine (and cocktails and tapas) will find two ideal spots with the 1620 Winery at Cordage Park and the 1620 Wine Bar on Plymouth, MA’s waterfront. The Cordage Park location is a historic winery offering private tours/tastings for groups of 10+ (with advanced reservations). The waterfront location is a cozy cocktails and tapas restaurant and wine tasting room. This year-round destination features a glowing fireplace in the winter and a sunny patio in the summer. Guests can enjoy a full menu of tapas, creative cocktails and of course, all vintages of award winning 1620 Wines.

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Hiking & Waterfall - Twin Mountain-Bretton Woods Chamber - New Hampshire

Twin Mountain-Bretton Woods Chamber of Commerce

P.O. Box 194 Twin Mountain, NH, 03595 Phone: Toll-Free: 800-245-8946

In this fun-filled region of the White Mountains, there is no such thing as being bored

You know what no one ever says when visiting the Twin Mountain-Bretton Woods, NH area? “I’m bored.” That’s because there are so many amazing activities and attractions, four seasons of the year. In the winter, there’s alpine and cross-country skiing, snow-tubing, skating, snowmobiling and snowshoeing. Spring means horseback riding, bird-watching, driving up or taking a tour up to the Mt. Washington summit. In the summer, there’s kayaking, canoeing, swimming, golfing, fishing and boating excursions. Then fall, with all its fabulous colors, means hiking to waterfalls, biking along rivers and along mountain trails. Whether your idea of fun is taking a drive along the Kancamagus Scenic Byway, zip-lining through the forest, snowboarding in a ski resort or engaging in some tax-free shopping, your adventure awaits in the White Mountains.

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Save The Bay

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

From seal tours to touch tanks, Save The Bay has lots of activities for explorers

Start with this: seal tours! And if that’s not enough, the environmental nonprofit Save The Bay also offers lighthouse tours, nature cruises and the Hamilton Family Aquarium where you can meet sea stars, dogfish sharks and sea urchins. Lighthouse Tours are offered June through October, while Nature Cruises and Seal Tours take place October through April. The organization’s Bay Center in Providence, RI offers public, Bayside walking trails, a kayak launch and fishing platform, while the year-round Hamilton Family Aquarium in Newport, RI offers dozens of exhibits featuring local species.
Boat tours depart from Newport, Westerly, and Providence RI.

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Town of Bethlehem

Discover Bethlehem’s breathtaking views, endless adventure and thriving arts & culture

Discover Bethlehem, N.H., a place that beckons and welcomes. Whether you’re an empty nester or a family of five, there’s something here for everyone! Spend a day on the mountains skiing and snowboarding or go hiking, fat tire biking, snowshoeing on scenic trails around town. In the summer, play golf at one of two championship courses, ride our extensive mountain bike trails or scenic roads, hike trails throughout the White Mountains, or head to a live performance, outdoor concert, movie, or local art opening. Bethlehem’s quaint Main Street offers artisan craft, vintage finds, locally-made products, and much more. Enjoy a delicious meal at local restaurants or a beer at the brewpub before relaxing at a local hotel, inn, campground or cottage. Conveniently located near iconic attractions including Bretton Woods, Franconia Notch and The Cog Railway.

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Whitewater Trip 500x250 - Crab Apple Whitewater - The Forks, ME

Crab Apple Whitewater (ME)

3 Lake Moxie Road The Forks, ME, 04985 Phone: 800-553-7238

Adventure at every turn – rafting, paintball & more

Choose your adventure at Crab Apple Whitewater: Journey down the Kennebec River, with Class II to IV rapids, for beginners and pros, as well as jaw-dropping scenery. Over at Dead River, guides will lead you through the ultimate rush of continuous Class IV and V rapids. Heart-pounding drops and huge rolling waves will be run expertly, followed by time among smaller rapids where you can get out and float. Back at base camp, enjoy standard and premium lodging options, a pub and restaurant, a heated outdoor pool, paintball, and other activities. It’s all waiting for you after your journey down the Kennebec or Dead River, each with its own thrills and challenges. Breakfast is included with all rafting and lodging packages.

Crab Apple has been operating since 1983, and also has locations in Massachusetts and Vermont.

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The Dinosaur Place at Nature's Art Village

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

On the hunt for something different to do? Spend the day with the dinosaurs!

Here’s something different to do: Spend the day with dinosaurs! They are everywhere at The Dinosaur Place at Nature’s Art Village, from the T-Rex Tower, with 2 1/2 stories of challenging features and obstacles to the A-MAZE-asaurus maze with a slide through the giant mouth of a T-Rex to the dueling T-Rex water cannons at the exciting Splash Pad. But most of the dinos — more than 60 of them, all life-sized — are waiting for you along a 1.5-mile nature trail. The park also includes playgrounds, an 18-hole mini-golf course, an antiques market, fun shops with everything from crystals and shark’s teeth to home items, a creek where you can pan for fools gold nuggets, and a replica silver mine where you can dig for crystals and minerals.

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NEOC

30 Twin Pines Road Millinocket, ME, 04462 Phone: 207-723-5438 Toll-Free: 800-766-7238

At NEOC in Millinocket, ME, guests can whitewater raft the Penobscot River, hike or snowshoe scenic trails, paddleboard across Millinocket Lake, and join moose and wildlife tour guided by registered Maine guides. In summer, families can explore Baxter State Park, fly-fish for brook trout and salmon, or mountain bike sustainably built trails. In winter, the center offers snowmobile rentals, cross-country skiing, and ice fishing expeditions. Guided tours are available for all experience levels, and most rafting trips include a riverside barbecue lunch. Equipment rentals and full-day gear packages are available on-site. Lodging options range from cabin tents and bunkhouses to full-service cabins with kitchens and fire pits. The River Drivers Restaurant offers locally sourced meals to refuel after your adventures.

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Destination Plymouth Lobser Tales Plymouth MA Credit Kindra Clineff

See Plymouth

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

Whatever you love to do on vacation, Plymouth can provide it — and so much more

(To find more great things to do while visiting Plymouth County, MA, see our Destination Plymouth page.)

What do you like to do on vacation? Steep yourself in a region’s history, enjoy the great outdoors, relax by the water, do something you can’t do anywhere else? A vacation in Plymouth checks all those boxes and more! Go on board the Mayflower II, see Plymouth Rock and the interactive villages and homesites at the Plimoth Patuxet Museums. Or plunk your umbrella down on one of many picturesque beaches. Go on a pirate cruise, or a whale-watch. Take a fast ferry to Provincetown or tour the harbor on a paddlewheel boat. Enjoy the rides at Edaville Family Theme Park, go fishing, walk on the harbor’s breakwater jetty, go hiking, take a ghost tour at night, go sea kayaking or, in the winter, ice skating or cross-country skiing. Please visit our website to learn more about these activities and others to prepare for your trip to Plymouth.

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Aquaboggan Water Park

980 Portland Road Saco, ME, 04072 Phone: 207-282-3112

Slide, splash and play all day

Aquaboggan Water Park in Saco, Maine is a summer favorite for thrill-seekers, casual floaters, and everyone in between. Speed down high-adrenaline slides like the Yankee Ripper and Stealth V half-pipe, or keep it chill in the giant wave pool. While the older kids are experiencing Aquaboggan's thrill rides, the younger set will enjoy toddler-size fun with slides, climbing gym and a shallow pool where they can splash and play. Off the water, test your skills on the 18-hole mini golf course or rev things up at the Grand Prix go-kart track. From high-speed excitement to relaxing lounge chairs, picnic spots, or cabanas, Aquaboggan offers a full day of fun for all ages. It’s your vacation in a day. And when the sun sets, head over to Aquaboggan’s iconic Saco Drive-In — one of the oldest in the U.S.—for a movie under the stars.

Opens for the 2025 season on June 28th

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Kid's Ticket - Granite State Scenic Railway - Lincoln, NH

Granite State Railway

64 Railroad Street Lincoln, NH, 03251 Phone: 603-745-2135

Scenic train excursions provide special fun for passengers each season of the year

The Granite State Scenic Railway offers fun things to do each season of the year. From late May through October, the train’s popular 80-minute round trip from Lincoln, NH, the southern entrance to the gorgeous White Mountains region, takes passengers in vintage train cars through the woods and along the meandering Pemigewasset River, spying kayakers, swimmers and fishermen enjoying the waterway. In fall foliage season, sit back and marvel at the explosion of colors — or take the special train to the New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival on Oct. 26. When the snow flakes begin to fall, it’s time for the Santa Express, which runs weekends beginning the Friday after Thanksgiving through mid-December. Kids get a gift, families get cookies and everyone can meet Santa and Mrs. Claus on board the festive train.

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Morningside Flight Park

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

Flight park is ready when you’re ready to soar into your next great outdoor adventure

Soar into an adventure at the Morningside Flight Park, one of the country’s most complete flight parks, with hang gliding, paragliding and powered paragliding as well as zip line tours, and several fun on-land activities. The property’s gently elevating slope makes it a perfect training ground for hang gliding and paragliding beginners and pros. Go tandem gliding with an instructor, learn to paraglide or to power paraglide. The zip line course features four zip lines and a fifth taking you back to the ground and two suspension bridges designed so almost everyone can do it. One- and two-hour laser tag sessions occur in a woodsy area, and camping options include platform cabins, a summit cabin and sites for your own tent. Go swimming, fishing or just relax and enjoy the view.

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A Morning in Maine

3 Park Drive Rockland, ME, 04841 Phone: 207-691-7245

Sailing Tours on Beautiful Penobscot Bay

Enjoy the Maine Coast’s beauty from the deck of Morning in Maine. Relax and watch the seabirds and harbor seals as the ketch glides through the waters of Penobscot Bay… or lend a hand in sailing the boat!

On most Maine sailing trips we see Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse, Owls Head Lighthouse, and historic schooners. Take a two-hour cruise, a sunset cruise, a science cruise with a science educator or a six-hour trip out to Monroe Island, ME to go beachcombing or hiking and then back to the boat for a lobster picnic lunch.

The boat accommodates 21 passengers and can fill up quickly, so make your reservations early! Or, reserve the whole boat for your private event!

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Salem Witch Museum

19 1/2 Washington Square North Salem, MA, 01970 Phone: 978-744-1692

Immersive exhibits at with trials museum shed light on a dark period of New England history

Explore the history of the infamous witch trials when you visit the Salem Witch Museum. The museum, which opened the doors of its renovated historic church building in 1972, brings to life the stories of the 20 women and men executed as a result of the 1692 trials. The immersive exhibit includes 13 life-size stage sets with figures, dramatic lighting and narration. A second exhibit, “Witches: Evolving Perceptions,” looks back at the meaning of the word “witch” through time and the evolution of stereotypes and scapegoating. Presentations occur every half-hour, and visitors should plan to spend an hour in the museum. A gift shop features items from apparel and locally made treats to spell books and tarot cards. There is parking nearby in several garages.

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Bishop's Orchards

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

Food, fruit wines and fun: At this popular farm and orchard, they serve up all three

Once you visit Bishop’s Orchards, you’ll want to make it a regular stop on your things-to-do-list. There’s the pick-your-own season, which starts with sweet, juicy strawberries in June and goes through to pumpkins at Halloween. There are activities for kids, from hay mazes to book clubs. There are wine tastings and trivia nights and live music nights at the Little Red Bar(n), where you can also enjoy charcuterie boards and house-made barbecue from the BBQ Shed. Take your glass of farm-made fruit wine or hard cider out to the patio or sit under the sail-cloth tents. There’s the Creamery (three words: Sea Salt Caramel), open year-round. And then there is the year-round farm market, with a huge selection of fresh produce, prepared foods and world-famous pies.

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Lake Morey Resort

82 Clubhouse Road Fairlee, VT, 05045 Phone: 802-333-4311 Toll-Free: 800-423-1211

You have to keep coming back to experience all the great things to do at this resort

Maybe one of the reasons people keep coming back to the Lake Morey Resort for their vacation is that you can’t possibly do all the fun things the resort offers in one visit! Start with the 18-hole golf course all the lake activities: kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming, tubing and waterskiing. Then there are the winter activities: ice skating along the resort’s 4.5-mile trail, snowshoeing, sledding, marshmallow roasts. Throw in some fun indoor activities like billiards, movies, trivia and bingo nights, table tennis. Add in a heated indoor pool, health club with a sauna, yoga, tennis and pickle ball. And then there’s live music and seasonal activities for kids and families. Hike to nearby lakes, falls and mountains with amazing views. You can see why you have to keep coming back!

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Southwick’s Zoo

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

Adventure Awaits at New England’s Largest Zoo, Southwick’s Zoo!

With animals to visit, rides to take, goats to pet, and deer to feed: It’s a full day of excitement at Southwick’s Zoo. With more than 850 animals, explore New England’s Largest Zoo! Visit the petting zoo with pygmy goats, walk through the 35-acre Deer Forest where you can feed fallow deer, and visit the EARTH Discovery Center where you can meet animal ambassadors and watch live presentations. Soar above the African Plains and Deer Forest in the Skyfari Sky Ride or take the Woodland Express Train through the North American Exhibit to get a closer look at elk and trumpeter swans. Work your way through the Rainforest Adventure Maze and zip through the air on the Soaring Eagle Zip Line. Your next adventure begins at Southwick’s Zoo!

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Essex Steam Train & Riverboat

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

Lots of ways to experience adventures on this steam train and riverboat, and all of them are fun

You have a lot of options at Essex Steam Train & Riverboat, and all of them are fun. You can take a train ride through the Connecticut River Valley on vintage cars pulled by a steam locomotive. You can take a cruise along the Connecticut River on the Becky Thatcher, a Mississippi-style riverboat. Or you can do both, traveling along the rails to Deep River Landing, boarding the boat, then going back to Essex on the train. Or, you can experience vintage luxury, and fine dining, on the dinner train for lunch or dinner excursions. And, if that’s not enough, there are plenty of area activities, including the Goodspeed Opera House, hiking at Gillette Castle State Park and shopping and dining in Essex Village and Chester Village. Please check our website for current train & riverboat schedules.

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Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad

154 Main Street Meredith, NH, 03253 Phone: 603-279-5253

Travel by train along the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee three seasons of the year

There are many ways to enjoy Lake Winnipesaukee in the spring, summer and fall, but one of the most unusual is to see it by train. The Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad offers one- and two-hour round trips along the lake’s shore: From one side of the train, you’ll see impressive panoramic lake vistas; from the other side, you’ll see the gorgeous homes along its shores. The two-hour trip leaves from Meredith, NH; the one-hour excursion departs from the historic boardwalk at Weirs Beach, NH. Bring your own picnic lunch to enjoy on board. In the fall, the train offers four-hour foliage trains that stop in Plymouth, NH for a buffet lunch and in Ashland, NH for a tour of the restored train station. And there’s a Turkey Dinner Train with a complete catered turkey dinner.

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The Old Country Store; Old History Stage

You can buy treats and trinkets of all kinds at the Old Country Store on Whittier Hwy. in Moultonborough. And if you have all your senses tuned up, you might feel the stories of long ago in this place, built in 1781 on land given to Jonathan Moulton for his service during the Revolutionary War. The place also has served as a library and a post office and has hosted town meetings. Today, go there for candles, toys, shoes, local products, kitchenware, and penny candy, with a pickle barrel, maple syrup, and a good dose of John Deere merchandise. Kids will love it. 603-476-5750

Maine Brewers Guild Personalized Beer Tours - Great Things To Do

Create a Personalized Tour of Maine Breweries

Maine Brewers Guild, representing beer brewers statewide, wants beer drinking travelers to explore and enjoy the vast and varied beauties of the state. The guild has created an excellent site where you can build a self-guided tasting trip with a bit of targeted help. Go to the plan your route page and make some choice based on region, brewery offerings (tastings, tours, food, outdoor seating, family friendly) and then click to create a Google Map of your personalized Maine beer tour. Brace yourself for explorations of city pubs, hidden hideaways, restored mills and old barns. It’s a beautiful place.

Bridgham & Cook Ltd. - Freeport ME - Great Things To DO

Visit the Maine Coast for British Shopping

Britain’s BBC has discovered and reported the pleasures of a visit to Portland and its nearby neighbors of coastal Maine. For Anglophile shoppers, the BBC has reported its approval Bridgham & Cook, Ltd. at 123 Main Street in Freeport. The shop sells British foods - teas, sweets, biscuits, preserves, and condiments - in addition to numerous English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh goods, clothing, accessories, and gifts. Scott’s Porage Oats, Thursday Cottage Curd, Barbour tartan purses, Bronte Moon Dales Scarf, and much more. Fun and unique shopping on Maine’s coast! Open daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 207-865-1040

Bushnell Park on Trinity Street in Hartford, CT

Beautiful Oasis in the City

Bushnell Park on Trinity Street in Hartford is a wonderful public sanctuary that merits a full-day visit. The park is home to a carousel that dates from 1914 – the golden age of these structures that combine artistry, magic, and simple fun. For people who love the artistry of nature, Bushnell Park is an urban arboretum of rare and native trees. Visitors can pick up a brochure and take a self-guided walk of magnificent trees from many parts of the world. The park also has beautiful fountains, statues, a pond, and a performance pavilion. The park offers free tours of the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch and hosts many public events. Open: May to mid-October. Phone: 860-232-6710.

Northwest Park & Nature Center - Windsor, CT

Year-Round Fun in Nature and a Coffeehouse, Too

Located on Lang Road in Windsor, Northwest Park & Nature Center is a 473-acre recreational facility that has the virtue of staying open and lively throughout the year. There is a nature center, 12 miles of trails to enjoy during the winter and summer, maple sugaring, a Coffee House Concert Series that brings live music to listeners, and more. Annual events include Country Fair, pancake breakfasts, maple sugaring demonstrations, owl prowls, holiday wreath-making workshop and other forms of fun for all ages. Nice outdoor activities for parents and kids. Phone: 860-285-1886

Ladies Cruising - Stonington Borough - Stonington, CT

Stonington Borough Connecticut

Nature, history, food and the sea all celebrated in historic Stonington Borough

In Stonington Borough, you can get acquainted with nature, history, the ocean and good food, all in the same trip. Take a harbor cruise, walk the seawall at Stonington Commons, let the kids splash in the water at duBois Beach, enjoy a glass of wine at Saltwater Farm’s WWII-era hangar, now transformed into a winery. Go boating, fishing, kayaking or paddle boarding. Walk the trails of the Dodge Paddock & Beal Preserve, with panoramic views of Little Narragansett Bay. Visit the nation’s first Lighthouse Museum or a sea captain’s house. Take a self-guided walking tour of historic Stonington, shop its eclectic boutiques and galleries or sit down for a fine meal with a water view at one of many welcoming restaurants and cafes.

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford - CT Great Things To Do

Wadsworth Presents a Mix of Art and Entertainment

The marvelous Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford is a grand place to visit, particularly after the mid-decade overhaul of the galleries. Permanent and changing exhibits are always worth a fresh visit. This museum leads the way in providing events and entertainments to showcase and enhance exhibits. These may include films, talks, live music, even Sunday brunches. There’s always something to enjoy. 860-278-2670.

Drive and Nibble; Drive and Sip

There’s no reason to be craving fine chocolate, cheese, or wine on a visit to the Granite State. The state’s tourism and farming people have creating a marvelously helpful and also beautiful brochure -- available as a pdf -- of New Hampshire’s Wine, Cheese, and Chocolate Trails. A simple and useful map heading the brochure is followed up by detailed listings of wineries, vineyards, cheese makers and chocolatiers. Drive and taste, drive and nibble, year-round. Fall brings bright foliage but all the seasons have great visuals from the car.

Hanover Region Is Full of Interesting Things to See and Do

Hanover is home to Dartmouth College and it has a fun business district of good, casual dining and cool shopping for books, clothing, and art. If you love fine furnishings, Simon Pearce in Hanover designs elegant glassware, handcrafted by artisans. Saint Gaudens National Historical Site in Cornish will school you in the work of one of America’s greatest sculptors. Theater is live at the 800-seat, historic Lebanon Opera House in Lebanon. Regional artists display work at Gilded Edge, a gallery in Lebanon. The Enfield Shaker Museum in Enfield welcomes you to explore a society of people living a unique and low-tech way of life for hundreds of years.

Dive Into the Life of the Mind at the Athenaeum

St. Johnsbury Athenaeum at 1171 Main Street in the northern Vermont town of St. Johnsbury has many great daily activities for adults and kids who want to explore the life of the mind. One example is the Frist Wednesdays series, where experts ramble about interesting topics. Recent topics were Vincent Van Gogh and the Books He Read and Bierstadt’s “Domes of Yosemite,” and the Creation of an American Icon. You can ekep uo with many other topical or quirky subjects by watching the Athenaeum’s Events page.

World’s End in Hingham - Photo Credit Trustees of Reservations

Out in the Woods, in Sight of Boston

For a romantic walk in a leafy woods, visit World’s End in Hingham, a nature preserve tucked into the end of a curve of shoreline that sweeps southeast from Boston. Rolling hills and rocky shorelines offer views of the Boston skyline, while tree-lined carriage paths make delightful walking trails. The 251-acre landscape includes rocky shores, broad hillsides, and open fields bracketed by woodlands. The property is ideal for walking, picnicking, jogging, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, or simply enjoying the outdoors. It is managed by the admirable Trustees of the Reservations, and open to the public for walking year-round.

Rocky Neck Art Colony in Gloucester MA - Great Things To Do

Artist Colony Is Vibrant in Gloucester

Rocky Neck Art Colony in Gloucester is the oldest working art colony in the country, and has been luring artists to its picturesque shores for more than 150 years. Today the area is still home to many working artists and to galleries showing paintings in all media, as well as batik, photography, jewelry, prints, sculpture, ceramics, and fine gifts. A convenient walking tour of Rocky Neck, along East Main Street, includes information about three dozen galleries and studios on the Neck. A new book about the artists and history of the region, titled Rocky Neck Art Colony 1850-1950, by Judith Curtis, is available.

Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge in Middletown - Great Things To Do

Immerse Yourself in Bird Life at Sachuest Point

At 240 acres, Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge in Middletown is important stopover and wintering area for migratory birds. Nature- and bird lovers know this rocky peninsula as the place to see colorful harlequin ducks, loons, eiders, gannets, and, in winter, snowy owls. A walk on the three miles of trails around Sachuest Point reveals several habitats, including salt marshlands and steep rocky shorelines around the perimeter. Elevated observation platforms along the trails provide unobstructed views. The visitor center is an ideal way to begin or end a trail walk; creative exhibits tell you all about the land and creatures you will be traversing. You can get a permit for nighttime fishing.

Meet Vermont's Covered Bridges

Few structures in America combine architectural ingenuity, economic necessity, and romantic idealism better than the covered bridge. Covered bridges flourished in the United States in the 19th century. Pennsylvania has the greatest number of covered bridges, and Vermont, with about 104 covered bridges, has the highest number relative to the state’s size. In Southern Vermont, some highlights of the many covered bridges include the Bridge at the Green (Arlington Bridge) in Arlington and the Henry / Burt Bridge in Bennington, which is a short distance from the rebuilt Paper Mill Bridge and the Silk Bridge. Covered bridges offer a wonderful opportunity to stop, take pictures, dip your feet in the river, and even to picnic.

History Along a River Trail

New Hampshire Heritage Trail is a 230-mile walking trail across New Hampshire from Massachusetts to Canada. Plymouth’s portion of the Heritage Trail, a 5.6-mile loop with 16 points of interest, begins at the Railroad Depot, constructed in 1909 for the Boston and Maine Railroad. Other highlights are a cottage where Robert Frost lived while teaching at Plymouth Normal School and Silver Cultural Arts Center, once a stop on the underground railroad. Park at the Plymouth Regional Senior Center on Green Street. The trail begins north of the Senior Center, past the District Courthouse. Follow the brown Heritage Trail directional signs. 603- 536-1001.

Taste of New Haven Food and Drink Tours - Great Things To Do

Find Food Adventure with New Haven Food Tours

Most of us know that New Haven is famous for its original and authentic pizza, but there is so much more for your palate to enjoy there. Taste of New Haven Food & Drink Tours hosts culinary walking culinary tours of this delightful, historic city. Experienced tour guides lead guests on tours with names and themes like Theater District, Canal Quarter, Goatville, Wooster Square, Pizza and Pints Bike, New Haven Symphony, Latin American Tapas, Pizza Lovers, Live To Eat, Theater District, Latin American Tapas, and On 9. Tours usually last 3 to 4 hours, although the Pizza Lovers Tour and the Pizza & Pints Bike Tour are 6 to 7 hours. Gift certificate available for a unique present. You also may book a private tour! Call and check the website for 203-710-3710.

Bridge of Flowers Is Like Nothing You’ve Ever Seen

The Bridge of Flowers was once a decrepit railroad bridge, before it fell into the hands to local gardeners. They draped the bridge in living gardens of flowers, shrubs, and trees that delight people from spring to fall. It’s a walk through a gorgeous garden above a rushing river with a lovely town on the side. The bridge is in Shelburne Falls, off Route 2 (the Mohawk Trail). It spans the Deerfield River and connects the towns of Shelburne and Buckland. It is generally open to the public from April 1 - October 31.

Starting June 21, 2024, the bridge will be closed for repairs until further notice. For updates and information on the upcoming Art Exhibit and Sale (Aug. 17-18, 2024) to benefit the Bridge of Flowers, click here.

Great Things To Do in New England

The Old Country Store; Old History Stage

Create a Personalized Tour of Maine Breweries

Visit the Maine Coast for British Shopping

Beautiful Oasis in the City

Year-Round Fun in Nature and a Coffeehouse, Too

Wadsworth Presents a Mix of Art and Entertainment

Drive and Nibble; Drive and Sip

Hanover Region Is Full of Interesting Things to See and Do

Dive Into the Life of the Mind at the Athenaeum

Out in the Woods, in Sight of Boston

Artist Colony Is Vibrant in Gloucester

Immerse Yourself in Bird Life at Sachuest Point

Meet Vermont's Covered Bridges

History Along a River Trail

Find Food Adventure with New Haven Food Tours

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