Here’s a list of family-friendly day trips in New England that will keep the kids entertained all year long! There’s so much to see and do in Massachusetts and our neighboring states of New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island and Connecticut, and lots of fun destinations can be reached in 2 hours or less!
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Enjoy the Beach
Salisbury Beach, Salisbury MA
Crane Beach, Ipswich MA
Seacoast NH Beaches (Hampton Beach)
A Day at the Museum
Battleship Cove, Fall River MA
Discovery Museum, Acton MA
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst MA
Heritage Museum and Gardens, Sandwich MA
New Bedford Whaling Museum, New Bedford MA
New England Pirate Museum, Salem MA
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem MA
Salem Witch Museum, Salem MA
Wenham Museum, Wenham MA
Children’s Museum of NH, Dover NH
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, Concord NH
Seacoast Science Center, Rye NH
SEE Science Center, Manchester NH
Providence Children’s Museum, Providence RI
Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum, Rocky Hill, CT
Imagine Nation Museum, Bristol CT
Get Outdoors!
Amusement Parks
Edaville Family Theme Park, Carver MA
Six Flags New England, Agawam MA
Canobie Lake Park, Salem NH
Clark’s Trading Post, Lincoln NH
Mel’s Funway Park, Litchfield NH
Santa’s Village, Jefferson NH
Storyland, Glen NH
Lake Compounce, Bristol CT
Quassy Amusement Park, Middlebury CT
Funtown Splashtown USA, Saco ME
Water Parks
Breezy Picnic Grounds and Waterslides, Douglas MA
Water Park of New England, Danvers MA
Great Wolf Lodge, Fitchburg MA
Hurricane Harbor Water Park, Agawam MA
Water Wizz, East Wareham MA
Castaway Island Water Park at Canobie Lake Park, Salem NH
Candia Springs Adventure Park, Candia NH
Water Country, Portsmouth NH
Whale’s Tale Waterpark, Lincoln NH
Lake Compounce Crocodile Cove, Bristol CT
Quassy Beach and Saturation Station, Middlebury CT
Animals & Wild Things
The Butterfly Place, Westford MA
Buttonwood Park Zoo, New Bedford MA
Capron Park Zoo, Attleboro MA
Davis Farmland, Sterling MA
EcoTarium, Worcester MA
Franklin Park Zoo, Boston MA
Look Park, Florence MA
Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory & Gardens, Deerfield MA
New England Aquarium, Boston MA
Southwick’s Zoo, Mendon MA
Stone Zoo, Stoneham MA
The Zoo in Forest Park, Springfield MA
Roger Williams Park Zoo, Providence RI
York’s Wild Kingdom, York Beach ME
Destination Cities/Towns
Kennebunkport, York & Ogunquit ME
Make History Come Alive
Freedom Trail, Boston MA
Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield MA
Lowell National Historical Park, Lowell MA
Minute Man National Historical Park, Lincoln MA
Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge MA
Pioneer Village, Salem MA
Plimouth Plantation, Plymouth MA
Canterbury Shaker Village, Canterbury NH
Strawbery Banke, Portsmouth NH
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
Edaville Family Theme Park, Carver MA
Larz Anderson Auto Museum, Brookline MA
Conway Scenic Railroad, North Conway Village, NH
Hobo Railroad, Lincoln NH
Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad, Weirs Beach NH
Essex Steam Train & Riverboat, Essex CT
Railroad Museum of New England, Thomaston CT
New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks CT
Seashore Trolley Museum, Kennebunkport ME
Gardens
deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Lincoln MA
Garden in the Woods, Framingham MA
Green Animals Topiary Gardens, Portsmouth RI
Tower Hill Botanical Garden, Boylston MA
Farms & Orchards
See our Fall Farm Guide for local orchards, pumpkin patches and corn mazes
Belkin Family Lookout Farm, Natick MA
Berlin Farms, Berlin MA
Gore Place, Waltham MA
Great Brook Farm State Park, Carlisle MA
Mass Audubon Drumlin Farm and Wildlife Sanctuary, Lincoln MA
Smolak Farms, Andover MA
Charmingfare Farm, Candia NH
Applecrest Farm Orchards, Hampton Falls NH
Outdoor Adventures (ziplining, alpine slide, treetop canopy)
Berkshire East Mountain Resort, Charlemont MA
Jiminy Peak, Hancock MA
RambleWild Adventure Park, Lanesborough MA
TreeTop Adventures, Canton MA
Boundless Adventures, Berlin MA
Zoar Outdoor, Charlemont MA
Gunstock Adventure Park, Gilford NH
Alpine Adventures Zipline Canopy Tours, Lincoln NH
Attitash Mountain Resort, Bartlett NH
Bretton Woods Canopy Tour, Bretton Woods NH
Cranmore Mountain Resort, North Conway Village, NH
Loon Mountain Resort, Lincoln NH
Take Flight! Aerial Adventure Course and Zip Tour, Kittery ME
Cruises & Maritime Adventures
Whale Watches and Deep Sea Fishing, Gloucester MA
Isles of Shoals Ferry, Portsmouth NH
Lake Winnipesaukee boat cruises
Click on the map below to access our interactive Google Map that shows 130+ Day Trips and Road Trips, all within 2-3 hours (some much less) from Lowell MA!
Lowell Macaroni Kid is a free weekly newsletter and website focused on fun family events and information in the greater Lowell area.
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