Make the Most of Summer

25 Places to Take Your Kids in New England Before They Grow Up

By Maria Olia

Whether enjoying the big city buzz that is Boston, spending carefree days at the beach or enjoying action -packed outdoor adventures, there really are tons of awesome things for families to do in New England during the summer.

But what are the essential experiences you want your kids to have growing up here? As you make your summer vacation plans, here’s a list of 25 places in New England that are not only fun to visit , but are important to do with your kids before they grow up. All will make memories that your kids (and you!) will remember for a life-time.

1.      Go on a Swan Boat Ride (www.swanboats.com) in Boston’s Public Garden. Then visit the brass Make Way for Ducklings Statues (at the Charles and Beacon Street Park entrance) for a photo-op.

2.      Follow that trail-the Freedom Trail (www.thefreedomtrail.org) that is! You can do it on your own, but the National Park Service Rangers (www.nps.gov/bost) give free daily tours that are entertaining and educational. Don’t forget to visit the USS Constitution in Charlestown too.

3.      Take your kids to a Red Sox Game (www.redsox.com ) at Fenway Park-nuff said!

4.      Pack up the car and head to the beach. New England boasts some of the world’s best coastline and it is hard to pick just one beach, but the 40 mile stretch of sand that is the Cape Cod National Seashore (www.nps.gov/caco ) is spectacular.

5.      No city celebrates the Fourth of July like Boston. Take a picnic dinner and celebrate Independence Day (www.july4th.org)withthe Boston Pops and fireworks on the Esplanade.

6.      Remember watching movies in the family car beneath the stars ? Drive-in movies are still a thrill for kids. On the Cape, the Wellfleet Drive-In (www.wellfleetdrivein.com) is an American icon. Road –trip!

7.      Watch the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean at Rock Harbor in Orleans on Cape Cod. Absolutely gorgeous!

8.      Drive to the summit of Mount Washington (www.mountwashingtonautoroad.com) for the views and hiking. Get that cool “This car climbed Mount Washington” sticker for the family van.

9.      An excursion to Plimoth Plantation (www.plimoth.org ) gives kids an honest glimpse into Native American culture and the true history of the First Thanksgiving.

10. Watch a minor league baseball game on a soft summer night. The Cape Cod Baseball League (www.capecodbaseball.org ) is the country’s premier summer college league that grooms the MLB stars of tomorrow.

11. The hills are alive with the sound of music at Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (www.tanglewood.com). “Tanglewood on Parade” and “Film Night” are yearly events and popular with families.

12. Plan a trip to Story Land (www.storylandnh.com). Generations of New Englanders have visited this quaint theme-park and your kids will remember it fondly too.

13. Pick your own strawberries, blueberries, and apples. You can follow the growing season and do all three at Tougas Farm (www.tougasfarm.com ) in Northboro.

14. Go fly a kite on Georges Island (www.bostonislands.org). Explore historic Fort Warren too. You will need to take a ferry- but getting there is half the fun!

15. Introduce your kids to the theater of nature and go bird watching at the Parker River Wildlife Refuge (www.fws.gov/northeast/parkerriver/ ) on Plum Island in Newburyport.

16. Paddle a canoe along the historic Concord River. Your goal? A short row to Old North Bridge, site of the “shot heard ‘round the world”   Rentals at South Bridge Boat House (www.canoeconcord.com ).

17. Wrestle and eat a whole boiled lobster. It doesn’t matter where-in Boston, on the Cape or up North in Maine- it’s all good!

18. Bike along the Cape Cod Rail Trail (http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/southeast/ccrt.htm). It’s more than 20 miles from Dennis to Wellfleet, paved and car-free. Bring your own bikes or rent at several shops located along the way. Get an ice cream when you are finished-you deserve it!

19. Take the kids on an urban adventure in Boston’s Chinatown. Try to go on a Sunday and have a Dim Sum for lunch. China Pearl (9 Tyler St.) is always a good bet.

20.  Camp under the stars in a tent at Maine’s Acadia National Park (www.nps.gov/acad/ ).

21.  New England kids are so lucky to have the Children’s Museum (www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org ), the Science Museum (www.mos.org) and the New England Aquarium (www.neaq.org) right in their backyard. Visit all three often throughout your kid’s childhood.

22. Go fish! Houghton’s Pond (http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/metroboston/houghtonsPond.htm)in Milton is stocked with trout and is a legendary first-time fishing hole for kids. 

23. Go on a whale watch. Whale watch excursion boats leave from the North Shore, Cape Cod and Boston. Seeing a whale up-close is an experience your kids will never forget.

24. Head North. Take a family hike in Vermont’s Green Mountain National Forest (www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/greenmountain/ ) and discover “secret” swimming holes and stunning views.

25. For a dose of culture, introduce your kids to the treasure trove of masterpieces at the Museum of Fine Arts (www.mfa.org) in Boston.

Maria Olia is the author of the “Little Black Book of Boston” (Peter Pauper Press) and the mother of four children.