Whether your kids go back to school this week or not until after Labor Day there is still a little time to sneak in a quick road trip and a little family fun. So, we have pulled together a dozen of our favorite day trips that are easy to pull off with almost no planning and included the approximate time it takes to drive there from most of the towns we cover. Go Find Your Family Fun®!
Massachusetts
World War II Park and Zoo - North Attleboro, MA {60 minutes away}
If you haven't been to North Attleboro's World War II Park and Zoo yet you are in for a treat! Less than an hour from almost anywhere on the South Shore this fun property is maintained by the North Attleboro Parks and Recreation Department and includes a great playground, huge beach-like sandbox, giant slide, interactive butterfly water structure, and a small zoo with deer and farm animals. Plus, it's all FREE! Read more in our article from 2014 here - https://ssboston.macaronikid.com/articles/5825dc1cdafd905530a1714e not much has changed.
Borderland State Park - North Easton, MA {60 minutes away}
From a sprawling mansion build for the Ames family in 1910 to beautiful ponds, an old farmhouse and LOTS of trails there is a lot to do and explore at Borderland. Families can tour the historic mansion, wander its grounds and imagine what it was like to splash in the former pool, play tennis, hike the trails, ride bikes, go fishing, play disc golf and more at this beautiful state park. Parking is $5 for Massachusetts residents. For more North Easton area family fun visit - https://bridgewater.macaronikid.com/.
Boundless Adventures - Berlin, MA {75 minutes away}
Boundless Adventures is an aerial adventure park that is conveniently located just over an hour away at 154 River Road West, Berlin (just down the road from the Solomon Pond Mall). or more information check out Macaroni Kid Lowell's complete article on their experience here - https://lowell.macaronikid.com/articles/5b73136a94e0065f3cc00cc4/empowering-inspiring-and-fun-a-moms-view-of-boundless-adventures.
Rose Kennedy Greenway via Hingham Ferry - Boston, MA {<30 minutes to the ferry plus 40-minute ferry ride}
Hop aboard the Hingham Ferry and take the 40-minute ride to Rowes Wharf in Boston. Then explore the Rose Kennedy Greenway including the splash pad, carousel ($3 a ride), free art cart with Boston Harbor Now and the Boston Harbor Islands Pavilion, try to get through the labyrinth at the Armenian Heritage Fountain watch pasta be made and explore the Boston Public Market. Don't forget to bring a picnic lunch or grab something to eat from the food trucks, Quincy Market or Boston Public Market. Bonus - the historic North End, Freedom Trail, New England Aquarium, Boston Fire Museum and Boston Children's Museum are all right nearby!
Boda Borg - Malden, MA {70 minutes}
Boda Borg is the epic team-based real-world gaming experience for ages 7 and up. It's a place where guests enter and move through innovative, mentally and physically challenging, frustrating, rewarding and downright addictive challenges, which Boda Borg appropriately calls Questing. Luckily for us, the only one in the United States is located less than an hour away in Malden MA. For more information check out Macaroni Kid Lowell's complete article on their experience here - https://lowell.macaronikid.com/articles/5b3bafb054696c111e4d1956/experience-the-quest-at-boda-borg.
Old Sturbridge Village - Sturbridge, MA {120 mins}
Old Sturbridge Village is an outdoor living history museum that shares with visitors what life was like in rural New England in 1830. Families can explore historic homes and learn about the variety of living quarters at the time, talk with costumed characters in the general store, learn about bank notes in the bank, help twist steel at the blacksmith shop, learn about red clay pottery and fire kilns, and so much more. For more information check out our full article on our experience here - https://ssboston.macaronikid.com/articles/5b42bb9daa2a8a110944d841.
Breakheart Reservation - Saugus, MA {60 mins}
Located just off Rt 1 and just a short drive north of Boston Breakheart Reservation has one of our favorite views - Boston! Breakheart Trail to summit Breakheart Hill is our favorite. There are also two large lakes with swimming at one of them, hiking, fishing, a nice visitors center and free parking. Bring a picnic or something to grill and make a day out of your visit.
NRT Sheep Pasture - North Easton, MA {30-60 mins}
Just on the other side of Brockton in North Easton, the Natural Resources Trust of Easton's Sheep Pasture is a great, free place to explore with kids! Open daily from dawn to dusk there are walking trails with information on the different ecosystems you see, great bird watching, farm animals to learn about and plenty of places for picnicking. For more North Easton area family fun visit - https://bridgewater.macaronikid.com/.
Pilgrim Memorial State Park and the Plymouth Waterfront - Plymouth, MA {30 mins}
Just minutes to an hour depending on where in our coverage area you live Pilgrim Memorial State Park and the Plymouth Waterfront are a fun outing to explore and learn about history. Through November they offer guided tours of the area, and there is a ranger on hand to answer questions at Pilgrim Rock. While you are there visit the Mayflower II Museum or just stroll through Plymouth hunting lobsters. For more Plymouth area family fun visit - https://plymouthma.macaronikid.com/.
New Hampshire
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center - Concord, NH {120 minutes away}
Just around two hours from the South Shore is the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center dedicated to astronomy, aviation, Earth and space sciences in a hands-on way that is perfect for kids to explore. Try your hand at landing a space shuttle, learn about energy and motion, infrared technology and the electromagnetic spectrum, and how people live and work in space. There is also a planetarium, cafe, and store. Find more Concord area family fun at https://concordnh.macaronikid.com/.
Seacoast Science Center - Odiorne Point State Park, Rye, NH {120 mins}
Less than two hours away is the Seacoast Science Center located withing Odiorne Point State Park in Rye, NH. The Seacoast Science Center is dedicated to learning about and exploring the ocean. Kids can get hands-on with their touch tank, learn about the Gulf of Maine, become a fisherman at Discovery Dock, learn about marine mammals and more. There is an additional admission charge to Odiorne Point State Park Memorial Day through Columbus Day, but don't forget to explore the park during your visit! There is a nature trail, lots of spots for a picnic and some interesting military history. Find more Seacoast family fun at https://seacoast.macaronikid.com/.
USS Albacore Submarine and Museum - Portsmouth, NH {130 mins}
This hidden gem just north of the Seacoast Science Center and Odiorne Point State Park and can be combined with a trip there for a full day of fun! The USS Albacore is a research submarine that was used by the US Navy to test features that are used on modern-day submarines. Families can take a self-guided tour of the submarine complete with first-hand accounts from the men who were stations aboard the submarine. Lie in the tiny bunk spaces, peek through the periscope, take the helm, see where the meals were made and served and more. Find more Seacoast family fun at https://seacoast.macaronikid.com/.
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Macaroni Kid South Shore Boston is a free weekly newsletter and website focused on fun family events and information in 13 towns on Boston's South Shore. We gather together all kinds of local family events and activities each week and add useful information about classes, family-focused businesses, book and product reviews, recipes, crafts, school and camp guides and more. We proudly serve families in Hanover, Norwell, Hingham, Cohasset, Scituate, Hull, Marshfield, Duxbury, Pembroke, Whitman, Hanson, Rockland, and Abington! Subscribe at ssboston.macaronikid.com/subscribe.
