AROUND TOWN RECOMMENDATIONS

 

Bowling: Sign up and your kids bowl free this summer.  The local Woburn bowling center participates in this program

http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/

 

Free Fun Fridays: free admission to a ton of local museums, zoos, etc. Check the schedule here:  http://highlandstreet.org/freefunfridays.html

 

Free/reduced price museum tickets: Reserve through Winchester Public Library:  http://www.winpublib.org/museum-passes

 

Outdoor Activities

 

Audobon Society Wildlife Sanctuaries, all over Eastern MA (includes Drumlin Farm and Habitat listed below)

http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries

 

Boating in Boston (rentals in Stoneham, Wakefield, and more)

http://boatinginboston.com

Boston Harbor Islands:  The library offers passes to Boston harbor boat rides to the different Boston Islands. We went to Spectacle Island last year which offered a treasure hunt, boardwalk, walking path to top of hill views of Boston Harbor and a small snack bar.  The beach there was more for exploring vs. swimming.  Can check out full schedule and Islands here:  http://bostonharborislands.org/visit-island

 

DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum. One of our favorite outings.  It’s located in Lincoln – about a 25 minute drive.  We bring a picnic lunch and wander around the Sculpture Park.  Since it is modern art – and often bizarre – the kids have a really good time with it.  

http://www.decordova.org

 

Davis Family Farm - Sterling, MA

Get up close and personal with farm animals.  Pet a calf, hold a bunny, milk a goat, ride a pony.  Outdoor sprinkler park, corn maze and laser tag.  Parent input - younger kids love the farm animals and sprinkler park.  It's an hour drive so plan to spend some time here.

https://www.davisfarmland.com/dffa_wp/

 

Drumlin Farm

http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/drumlin-farm

 

Duck Boat Tour

http://www.bostonducktours.com

 

Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum

 

Franklin Park Zoo

http://www.zoonewengland.org/FranklinParkZoo

 

Habitat, Audobon Society, Belmont. Trails, ponds, kids camps.

http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/habitat

 

*Harold Parker State Forest

http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-north/harold-parker-state-forest.html

 

Kimball Farm, Ask for the 5 for 5 deal. Can pick 5 different activities. Go early lot fills up fast. Can choose from batting cages, bumper boats, driving range, mini golf, pony rides, etc.

http://www.kimballfarm.com

 

Lobster boat tour http://www.capeannharbortours.com/lobstering.html

 

Maritime Gloucester http://maritimegloucester.org/

 

Middlesex Fells Reservation

 

http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-north/middlesex-fells-reservation.html

 

*Minute Man Trail

http://www.minutemanbikeway.org/Pages/Introduction.html

 

Public Garden, Swan Boat Rides

http://swanboats.com

 

Smolak Farms - http://www.smolakfarms.com

 

Spot Pond in Stoneham has great kayaking programs, rentals, lessons - http://boatinginboston.com

 

Stone Zoo-http://www.zoonewengland.org/stonezoo

 

USS Constitution Museum

 

Wright-Locke Farm - Dont forget their Summer Family Farm Night Series! http://www.wlfarm.org/family-farm-nights/

 

Walden Pond

http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-north/walden-pond-state-reservation.html

 

*Parks  Pack a lunch and travel to these playgrounds outside of Winchester for a while!

 

*Beaver Brook Reservation Splash Park and Playground

http://www.bostoncentral.com/activities/water/p1102.php

 

*Robbins Farm Park in Arlington.  This is the playground with the two long slides built into the hillside.  You can also see the Boston skyline from the top of the hill.  There is usually a good breeze there, so kite flying can be a fun option as well. http://www.robbinsfarmpark.org/

 

*North Point Park in Cambridge (off Education Street), bordering the Charles River.  This playground has three different sections plus a sprinkler park.  You can also follow the path a short way to stand over the place where the Duck Boats launch into the water.  The on-the-street parking is a little difficult, but it’s worth it.

 

*The Esplanade Playspace in Boston, right on the Charles River near the Hatch Shell.  This is great for slightly older kids.  It has a zip-line and a very tall spider-web climbing structure with a slide.  You can park either on-the-street or under Boston Common and walk over on the Arthur Fiedler Bridge.http://www.bostoncentral.com/activities/play/p2270.php

 

*Stoneman Playground on the Esplanade, right on the Charles River, but just before Massachusetts Ave.  We park on Beacon street (easily) and then take the Fairfield Footbridge over Storrow Drive.  This is a perfect playground geared for younger children – there are two sections, one for older & the other for younger children. http://www.bostoncentral.com/activities/playgrounds/p971.php

 

*Boston Common Frog Pond.  This is a wading pool (or skating rink, in the winter).  Across the path, there is a big playground.  This playground gets very crowded and there are lots of kids running around.  It’s also fun to walk around Boston Common from there.  If you are lucky, you can find on-the-street parking (particularly on or near Charles Street onBeacon Hill).  Otherwise, parking at the Boston Common Garage is pretty reasonable & very handy. http://www.bostoncentral.com/activities/playgrounds/p971.php

 

Beaches

 

Crane Beach, Ipswich. Our favorite beach with kids. An inlet of water forms a little “river” that is perfect for younger kids to build and play in.

http://www.thetrustees.org/places-to-visit/northeast-ma/crane-beach-on-the-crane.html

 

Nahant, Beach and Heritage Trail

http://www.nahant.org/recreation/default.shtml

 

*Pigeon Cove in Rockport – not a classic beach experience per se, but an awesome romp on the rocks.  Huge boulders make up this shoreline, so lots of jumping and bounding.  For the 1st/2nd graders who just learned about water/ecosystems, lots of tidal pools with “wildlife” too.  Only caution: some of the paths down to the shore have poison ivy lining them, so stay on path, know what it looks like, and/or wear ankle socks. Great to bring a picnic lunch, and of course there’s ice cream and taffy on Bear Skin Neck in Rockport afterwards!

http://www.capeannmass.com/rm/secret.html#pc

*Sandy Beach

http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-boston/mystic-river-reservation.html

 

Wingaersheek, Gloucester. Great with kids. It is very shallow so you can walk really far out and still not be over the kids’ heads. There is also a sand bar that you can out on during low tide, and rocks to climb on with tidal pools among them. It’s just beautiful!

http://www.gloucesterma.com/Wingaersheek-Beach.cfm

 

*National Parks--they are always free!

 

Freedom Trail, Boston

http://www.nps.gov/bost/index.htm  

 

Saugus Iron Works, Saugus, right here, can't miss it, how iron was forged back in the day by scottish prisoners who then challenged stodgy social structures

http://www.nps.gov/sair/index.htm

 

John Adams birthplace, Quincy, fantastic gardens, also has the original bible that freed slaves gave John Quincy Adams as a gift for representing them in court

http://www.nps.gov/adam/index.htm

 

Salem Maritime National Historic Site, Salem, visitors center, custom house where Nathaniel Hawthorne worked, historical merchant ship that shows how the US was born with globalization

http://www.nps.gov/sama/index.htm

 

Lowell National Historic Park, Lowell, includes Boat ride with real locks

http://www.nps.gov/sama/index.htm

 

Boston African American National Historic Site, (walking tour in beacon hill that explores boston's history with slavery, abolitionism, and segregation)

http://www.nps.gov/boaf/index.htm

 

Rainy Day Activities

 

5 Wits Adventures

http://www.5-wits.com/foxboro/index.htm

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Bodaborg  Challenges

http://bodaborg.com/north-america

 

Boston Children’s Museum

http://www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org

 

Clay Dreams, Arlington, pottery painting

http://www.claydreams.com

 

CoCo Key Boston Indoor Water Park

https://www.cocokeyboston.com

 

Discovery Museums in Acton

http://discoverymuseums.org

 

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

http://www.gardnermuseum.org/home

 

Lego Land

http://www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/boston/

 

Little Einstein's Workshop - Located in Burlington, this place has a large variety of building toys (from legos to rainbow loom).  Good for rainy days - be sure to check hours for open studio:  http://www.einsteinsworkshop.com/

 

MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collection

 

Museum of Fine Arts

mfa.org

 

Mudflat Studio  - Somerville

Pottery classes for younger children and teens.

http://www.mudflat.org/index.htm

 

Mucky Kids Studio:  Located in Cambridge, this place is worth the drive.  They have open studio Thurs, Fri and Saturday.  Kids get their choice of 6-7 rotating craft projects:  http://www.muckykids.com/

 

Museum of Science

http://www.mos.org

 

New England Aquarium

http://www.neaq.org

 

One Stop Fun:  Although a bit of a drive (about 40 minutes) this indoor play space in Westford is worth the drive.  They have 2 story tunnels and a large space so kids can run off a lot of energy.  They also have free Wi-Fi and a snack area

http://www.onestopfun.com/gymmania.aspx

 

Peabody Essex Museum

pem.org

 

Plaster Fun Time, Reading. Painting plaster sculptures

http://www.plasterfuntime.com

 

Sky Venture - Nashua, NH  - skydive in a wind tunnel, surf indoors, run in a hamster ball.  Parent input - my children went skydiving in the wind tunnel and had a blast.  There is an instructor inside the wind tunnel helping them fly safely.  Check Groupon first to see if there is a discount coupon as it is pricey.

http://www.skyventurenh.com/

 

Sky Zone - Everett - Indoor trampoline park.  Parent input - great place for kids to get some energy out.  Birthday parties are well-run.

http://www.skyzone.com/everett

 

Wenham Museum. Great for the younger set--our kids love it! Lots of different set-ups of model trains, as well as a toy/doll museum, a very thoughtful “play room” that always has a new theme, and then temporary exhibits that change every few months in a main gallery. Also great to combine with a trip to Crane Beach or Russell Farms on a nice day!

http://www.wenhammuseum.org