5 Day Trips Near Boston To Do Before The Kids Go Back To School

Boston is filled with lots of great things to do with the kids. From the swan boats to the Museum of Science, there is no shortage of activities. If you are looking to escape the city for even just a few hours, here are some top day trips that are within a short drive. Whether you are looking for a historic adventure or thrill ride, the kids are sure to love these adventures.

Plimoth Plantation
137 Warren Ave.
Plymouth, MA 02362
(508) 746-1622
www.plimoth.org

Head south on Route 3 to Plimoth Plantation located in Plymouth, Massachusetts, where you can see what life was like when the Pilgrims were around. Here, you can take a look at the farming community known as the English Village where costumed guides demonstrate their cooking techniques. At the Wampanoag Homesite, Native Americans create hand carvings that are offered for sale in the craft center. Nearby, be sure to check out the Mayflower II, where you can walk aboard a replica of the vessel that sailed to Plymouth in 1620, and dine at The Lobster Pot, home of their famous fried lobster.

EcoTarium
222 Harrington Way
Worcester, MA 01604
(508) 929-2700
www.ecotarium.org

If you're looking for a full day of adventure, head west to EcoTarium in Worcester, an indoor/outdoor museum the kids are sure to love. Here, they can climb through treetops, meet some wildlife (think snakes, hedgehogs, hawks, scorpions and chinchillas), take a walk on a nature trail and watch a movie at the planetarium. Kids will love the DinoTracks exhibit where they can walk over life-sized dinosaur footprints. At the Water Planet exhibit, little ones can have fun with the Tidepool Spin Browser where they can check out life underwater.

Ramblewild
110 Brodie Mountain Road
Lanesborough, MA 01237
(844) 472-6253
www.ramblewild.com

If adventure is what the kids seek, Ramblewild has got them covered. The aerial adventure obstacle course located in the Berkshires is designed for kids seven and older. Each visitor is strapped into a harness as they scale trees at various heights from a wooden platform 10 feet above the ground. The adventures here include climbing rope ladders and cargo nets, as well as gliding through the forest on a zip line and high wire.

Related: Summers Essential Bucket List

Cape Cod Inflatable Park
518 Main St. (Route 28)
West Yarmouth, MA 02673
(508) 771-6060
www.capecodinflatablepark.com

One of the best places for a day trip near Boston is Cape Cod. From the small local craft shops, delicious oceanfront seafood restaurants and popular sandy beaches, Bostonians come here for a peaceful respite from the city. In West Yarmouth, the three-season Cape Cod Inflatable Park offers dry and wet adventures, a separate area for toddlers, an on-site restaurant (Shark Bites Café) and discounted packages with the adjacent Cape Cod Family Resort if you are having so much fun you choose to stay the night. Water rides here include California Wave, Jaws, a Log Flume and AirBorne.

Old Sturbridge Village
1 Old Sturbridge Village Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
(508) 347-3362
www.osv.org

Another historic place to take the kids this summer is the classic Old Sturbridge Village, which features lots of fun activities where kids can ride a horse-drawn stagecoach, see a shoemaker at work, check out a musket firing demonstration or take a riverboat ride. There is a working farm where you can watch a milking demonstration, meet the animals and help the farmers. Head over to the craft center and see how they make brooms, try your hand at dipping a pair of candles, forging an iron hook or making a tin ornament, or take a guided walk around the Center Village. There is also an on-site restaurant, gift store and bake shop.

Related: Best Day Trips From Boston