So much to see & do in New England! After 10 years living there, it's one of my favorite places to explore.
Ben & Jerry's is my version of heaven! However, my 4 year old son did not find it as interesting. His favorite part was the bus- see the picture! The tour was very interesting and included free samples of their latest flavors. Tour guides are knowledgeable and funny, the story of B&J is interesting, and its a great way to teach older kids about responsible business. Word to the wise: call to make sure it is a production day. Otherwise, you are just looking at a boring empty factory floor. I don't recommend bring a stroller, there are stairs on the tour. Be prepared to hit the scoop shop, the samples will just wet your appetite!
An inflatable playground, my son was in his glory for hours! The bounce houses include one for toddlers, a basketball court, a giant slide, and a smaller slide. There's also an air cannon area, giant toys, race track with bikes, glitter tattoos and balloons for purchase, cafe with tables and chairs, and 2 private gyms with bounce houses for parties. Make sure you wear socks and bring water bottles. Leave your valuables at home, there's no lockers. There are couches and chairs for parents, but I encourage parents to bounce too! There are fast food restaurants across the street and a grocery store next door. You can come and go as you please but I recommend you eat after you bounce. Admission is for all day and babies and adults are free.
Dr Seuss Museum (part of the Springfield Museums)
Just opened in June 2017, this museum is magical for all ages! Full of colors, hands on activities, and life size characters, each room transports you into one of Dr Seuss' famous children's books. Springfield, MA, is Theodor Geisel's (Dr Seuss) hometown and a section of the museum shows how his books reflect the city. The second floor of the museum is created by his family and gives a glimpse of the man behind the books. Don't miss the basement for Seuss themed crafts and games and explore the statues outside of beloved Seuss characters! (created by his step daughter)
One great thing about the Springfield Museums is that for one price, you can spend all day exploring ALL 5 museums on property. Don't miss the Springfield History building across the street to see amazing vehicles and giant Hasbro games. Our other family favorite is the animals and dinosaurs in the Science building.
Arrive early to part in free museum lot instead of on the street. Get a timed entry ticket when you arrive. Bring your lunch to eat outside or try the Blake House cafe which has kids meals for reasonable prices.
So I was pretty nervous to go to Hampton Beach. I was worried about crowds, parking, & taking 2 teens along with a 4 & 11 year old. But it turned out to be a great day! We went on a Tuesday, after the famous Sand Sculpture Competition. Yes, it was busy, but not insane. Things to know when going- traffic is heavy, parking is expensive ($10-20), there is lots of shopping, the sand sculptures are awesome, and the water is cold! The beach drops off into a hill right before the water and the tide is always changing things. We sat as close to the water and a life guard as possible so I could see the kids. And when the tide went out, we just scooted our stuff down. The playground is one of the best we've been to- make time for it! Concerts at the band shell, police on horses, and yummy food. Bring money!
This was our winter family vacation but we are not skiers. We are water park & spa people! If you are too, then I highly recommend Jay Peak Resort. The water park, The Pump House, has a water slides, a children's water playground, hot tub, surfing ride, a lazy river, and a basketball/rock wall climb. It was nice and warm inside and very clean. My only complaint was that there wasn't an area to actually swim. We took Ryan to the childcare while we had a nice lunch and hit the spa. The childcare was free because we were staying overnight and it was wonderful! The restaurants were all wonderful and they had a variety, from deli and pizza to gourmet and elegant. It was all a bit pricey, however. The spa was simple and relaxing. Everyone was so nice, prices were typical for a vacation place, and they did a great job on massages & manicure. If you make this more than a day trip, the housing units are great. We stayed in the Golf & Mountain Condos. It was huge, with a full kitchen, had a fireplace and balcony, and was beautiful! The shuttle bus was easy and convenient to get around the resort. Perfect for a 2-3 day family vacation any time of the year. Make a note: You will miss the town of Jay if you blink.
Right off of 91 over the border in Mass, Magic Wings is an amazing butterfly conservatory. You walk through what is essentially an 8,000ft greenhouse filled with butterflies! There is a display explaining the life cycle of butterflies and the various types. If you are calm, some of the butterflies may even land on you! There are also some quail, fish, and a reptile display. Make sure you bring a camera! No strollers are allowed for the safety of the butterflies. There is a food court with undesirable food but yummy ice cream. I recommend you go next door to Monarchs Restaurant, a family place with decent prices and food. Also, wear layers in the conservatory. It is very wary and tropical inside. (combine this with a trip to Yankee Candle Flagship for an all day experience!)
Montshire is a great children's science museum for older children. The hands on exhibit topics range from animals to weather and everything in between. Kids were running from exhibit to exhibit with excitement. They do have a small toddler area which was like a tree house. My son's favorite things were the elevator with windows and the outdoor water exhibit in Science Park. The water exhibit is educational and fun to play in on a hot day. There are also a beautiful garden, nature trails, and park area outdoors. Go when its warm out and the water exhibit is open. Spend the morning indoors, bring a lunch or purchase one there, then enjoy the afternoon in the water and on the trails. Bring swimsuits and towels so they kids can get as soaked as they want.
A living history museum, this is a great family outing for all ages. You walk through an old town and explore the houses, businesses, farms, churches, and halls from the 1830's. Staff are in costume and can answer any question about the way of life. Almost every exhibit has a hands on component for children. There are demonstrations and activities every hour and you have to make a plan to catch them. Don't bother spending extra money on the crafts, there's plenty to do without it. The boat and stagecoach rides are worth the money because they are totally unique experiences. Take a lunch with you and have a picnic on the common in the center of town. Strollers are nice because it is a lot of walking, but you can not bring them in some historical buildings. Make sure to stop at the Miner Grant store or the Pottery shop for interesting souvenirs. Need a break? Go to the visitors center for air conditioning and the Kidstory play area. As with any museum, you have to ask questions, play games, and challenge kids to get them engaged at times. Plymouth plantation
UVAC has a competition lap pool, exercise gyms, and a warm water pool. But our favorite is their splash park perfect for children 10 & under! This mini water park has a water playground, a medium size water slide, a small lazy river that you float around, basketball, and a warm water pool for swimming. It is always warm and clean inside. My son's favorite thing is to wear a life vest and float around the lazy river. And around. And around. Skip the regular locker rooms, they have a family changing room and lockers inside the splash park area. There are picnic tables and a snack area near the lobby. Bring your own life vests if possible, they have a limited amount. Call ahead to make sure they don't have school groups that day- it gets loud & crowded if they do. I recommend going early in the day and making sure you leave by 3pm when after school groups arrive.
Let me say this- it is NOT just a candle store, don't underestimate it! Each room in this huge complex is a unique, detailed, and fun experience. Enter in the main front entrance and look up to see trains racing along the ceiling. Then you'll travel into a room overflowing with mini Christmas villages, a forest where it snows every 4 minutes, a Bavarian village with stops and a giant spinning Christmas tree (picture), a castle with moat and draw bridge, a candy shop with a life size tug boat, and Santas Workshop complete with toys, a gift conveyor belt, and Santa visits year round. The back half of the store has unique shops for adults, a food court with singing animatronic rednecks singing, candle making, a sports shop, and an actual candle shop. Look for their special events for kids over school breaks- we made notebooks with Santa for free over winter break. Skip eating at the food court. Bring a lunch and eat on the pretty grounds or go into town to eat at Wolfies for the best burgers! Bring strollers and take time exploring all the little details that makes Yankee Candle magical! If you have incredible willpower, you can escape without spending a dime. (combine this with a trip to Magic Wings for an all day experience!)
We went to Wild Kingdom in the off season so the Amusement Park was not open. It looked like fun for small children, though. However, we really enjoyed the zoo. Its not the largest zoo, but I appreciated how close you could get to the animals to really see them! They have the usual lions, tigers, and monkeys but also a petting farm and a place to feed the deer. (bring the hand sanitizer!) We liked the duck pond, the Butterfly Kingdom, and the prairie dog alamo. Don't miss the animal talks where they bring out animals for a close up look and the free paddle boat rides at the duck pond. There are picnic tables for lunch but go to Wild Willy's burgers for a fun lunch. Then go into downtown York, it is a cute little town to wander around. And of course, go the beach! I recommend the playground by Long Sands beach but Shorts Sand beach for swimming because it much less crowded and just as beautiful. The Nubble Lighthouse is fun to see and there are great ice cream places on the drive. This is also a great trip if you're looking to get away for a just 2-3 days.
Recently remodeled, we did the Family Package for Spring Break and it was a big hit! Price was right with the special package and all the meal extras included. Plus, for break they had campfires, comedians, and magicians at night. The rooms were basic with a mini fridge but not a microwave. The waterpark is nice but not huge. Water was warm, lots of slides, nice lazy river, fun wave pool, huge hot tub, cute toddler area, and clean locker rooms. The Hearth and Kettle restaurant was delicious and convenient. But there are also lots of restaurants in the immediate area that offer great kids deals- IHOP (kids eat free), Chick fil A (fun with a play area), Friendly's ($1.99 Kids meals).
We also explored the area. The Cape Cod Potato Chips factory tour is simple but free and interesting with yummy samples. Wandering through Hyannis is fun. (Ben & Jerrys please!) Watching the ships and ferries was relaxing. We went to Veterans Park where the beach was perfect for building sand castles, picnic tables were idea for lunch, and the playground was a blast! (too cold to go swimming) The JFK Memorial there was pretty but also a great history lesson.
The highlight was the Woods Hole Science Aquarium. I had no idea that Woods Hole is world famous for environmental and oceanographic research. There are research centers everywhere. This little aquarium is a gem! Upstairs, you can tour the research area, visit a touch a tank, speak with staff, and see behind the scenes. Right outside are the seals and you can see them being fed- we watched them for the longest time! And its all FREE!
Great Escape Lodge & Waterpark, Queensbury NY
