How to Staycation: 29 Family-Friendly Summer Attractions in New England

If gas prices have left your vacation plans feeling pinched, relax: Summer travel’s greatest pleasures can also be its simplest. Sink a putt. Grab a cone. Ride the carousel. Maybe even stay out past your bedtime. Across New England, the opportunities to turn a quick outing into a lasting memory are as varied as the destinations themselves.

29 New England Summer Attractions for Families

Connecticut Summer Attractions for Families

Brownstone Adventure Sports Park, Portland

Connecticut probably offers no better way to get creatively wet than a day at Brownstone. Ziplines that dunk riders into the water? Check. Cliff jumping? Sure thing. Wakeboarding? Yep. Floating obstacle courses of giant inflatables to bounce on and clamber over? Ker-splash! On a more sedate note, there are kayaks and paddleboards to rent; dry-land adventurers, meanwhile, can try rock climbing (safely belayed).

Danbury Railway Museum, Danbury

Danbury’s railroad era dates back to the mid-1800s, a proud heritage that animates one of New England’s premier collections of rolling stock—more than 75 pieces in all. Along with a handsomely restored 1903 station that holds museum artifacts and exhibits, there are a dozen or so locomotives (steam, electric, and diesel) and eight cabooses, plus a working turntable. Weekends from early spring through September are the time for regular half-hour train tours around the 10-acre rail yard, while hard-core rail fans over 18 can book half-day deluxe learning experiences dubbed “Hand on the Throttle.” Be sure to grab a selfie with the 38-foot-tall Uncle Sam in the parking lot.

Dinosaur State Park, Rocky Hill

State park visits don’t usually involve bringing plaster of paris. But it’s standard practice at this attraction built around dinosaur tracks that were first laid down more than 200 million years ago, when three-toed, claw-footed beasts tramped through what was then a sandy lake bed. Since the first fossilized prints were discovered in 1966, the site has yielded more than 2,600 in all—with some 750 now featured within the park’s Exhibit Center. As for that plaster? Bring it and other mold-making supplies to the outdoor Track Casting Area, and capture your own piece of the distant past to take home.

Mansfield Drive-In Theatre & Marketplace, Mansfield

It’s New England tradition to make the most of what you’ve got. So if you’ve got a 1950s drive-in movie theater, why not use it during the day, too? On Sundays from late March through mid-November, this 40-acre property hosts eastern Connecticut’s largest flea market, with 300-plus vendors hawking antiques and collectibles. As for the movies: There are three screens, the requisite snack bar (this one features homemade chili), and a single-price, all-you-can-fit-in-your-ride “Carload Wednesday” admission during the peak summer season.

Ocean Beach Park, New London

Few places say “old-fashioned day at the beach” like New London’s salty getaway perched at the point where Long Island Sound meets the Atlantic. There’s something for all ages: amusement park rides that include a classic Ferris wheel and a carousel; an Olympic-size pool and a giant water slide; dining options aplenty; and a patio bar overlooking the sea. All this plus a classic boardwalk against a sweep of white sand beach, and a stacked calendar of live entertainment.

Maine Summer Attractions for Families

Desert of Maine, Freeport

The Desert of Maine is a lot older than most of the state’s other tourist attractions—some 10,000 years older, to be a little less than precise. Glacial-era sand deposits lay hidden beneath the site until poor 19th-century farming practices and too many munching sheep stripped away vegetation and topsoil, exposing a mini Sahara. Entrepreneur Henry Goldrup bought the property for $300 in 1919, gave it its alluring name, and opened it in 1925 as a tourist attraction that’s grown over the years to include an 1800s farmhouse museum, train ride, mini golf, and glamping accommodations.

Dig Maine Gems, West Paris

Here’s a bucket-list experience that involves actual buckets. In West Paris, near the tourmaline-rich Mount Mica mine, amateur prospectors can sift through relocated mine material in search of garnet, lepidolite, and other minerals, including colored and black tourmaline. Dig Maine Gems can equip rockhounds with all the necessary gear: buckets, shovels, sifting screens. Or, you can skip the work and buy a prefilled bucket holding a selection of local and imported gemstones—but where’s the fun in that?

Katahdin Cruises, Greenville

Not all landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places stay in, well, one place. The Katahdin, built in 1914, is still a busy traveler on Maine’s biggest lake, having served Moosehead as a steam-powered conveyance to long-gone hotels, a log hauler, and now an excursion boat. Outings range from the popular two-hour Moose Island cruise to an all-day trip to the far northern reaches of the lake’s wilderness shores, and most tickets include admission to Greenville’s Moosehead Marine Museum.

Palace Playland, Old Orchard Beach

New England’s only oceanfront amusement park is the star attraction—not counting the ocean—of a town whose seaside-resort status goes back almost 200 years. Ride the carousel, enjoy the view from atop the Electra Wheel, whip through the curves on the Sea Viper coaster … then saunter among the shops and eateries that extend 500 feet seaward on Old Orchard Beach Pier, a Maine institution since 1898.

Seashore Trolley Museum, Kennebunkport

Take the kids for a ride into the early 20th century, when streetcars were the way to get around town. Handsomely restored cars from the golden age of electric transit—and from across the world—have found a home in Kennebunkport, a onetime trolley town on the Atlantic Shore Line. Hop aboard vintage equipment for a jaunt on the interpretive railway, peek into the restoration shop, and tour museum exhibits. Desire more streetcars? There’s a satellite campus in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Summer Attractions for Families

Buttonwood Park Zoo, New Bedford

Considered one of the country’s finest small zoos, Buttonwood has delighted visitors to southeastern Massachusetts with the scope and variety of its animal denizens since 1894. More than two dozen kinds of mammals, including bison and a red panda, join feathered and scaly species from around the world in a modern facility that’s perfectly sized for a day’s outing. Each day, the zoo posts a “keeper chat” schedule, giving visitors the opportunity to learn about animals from the folks who know them best.

Cape Cod Baseball League, Cape Cod

Three-time American League MVP Aaron Judge wasn’t always a Yankee. He once played for the Brewster Whitecaps, one of 10 teams in the venerable Cape Cod Baseball League (founded 1923). Drawing top college players from throughout the United States, the league’s 40-game regular season and August postseason showdown pack the stands at ballparks from Wareham to Orleans. Late afternoon and evening games are a great way to cap off a beach day and preview tomorrow’s stars.

Kimball Farm, Westford

If it’s a day of family fun you’re after, make tracks for Kimball Farm, where the amusements include a zipline, bumper boats, and an arcade. Its real claim to fame, however, is the colossal portion size of its homemade ice creams (also available at Kimball Farm’s outposts in Lancaster and Carlisle, Massachusetts, and Jaffrey, New Hampshire). Go old-school with grape-nut or frozen pudding, or try out a limited-time special like Berry Spangled Cheesecake—but either way, you may want to seriously consider the “small” or even the “kiddie” size.

Look Park Steamer Train, Northampton

No, the engine doesn’t actually run on steam. But it’s an accurate small-scale replica of an 1863 locomotive, and ever since the 1940s, kids have enjoyed its mile-long excursion through one of the Pioneer Valley’s loveliest parks. The train’s route circles the Christenson Wildlife Center, worth a visit after hopping off to see its pygmy goats, peacocks, and rescued raptors.

Real Pirates Salem, Salem

See and touch honest-to-goodness pirate treasure at this one-of-a-kind museum, named Massachusetts’s Best New Attraction by Yankee in 2023. You’ll also hear true tales of the infamous pirate “Black Sam” Bellamy and his crew, whose ship, the Whydah, remains the only fully authenticated Golden Age pirate shipwreck ever discovered. For a cut-above experience, book a guided tour with an authentically attired pirate.

New Hampshire Summer Attractions for Families

Canobie Lake Park, Salem

Here’s proof that a park doesn’t have to have a theme—unless the theme is fun. Since the days when patrons arrived by trolley, southern New Hampshire’s lakeshore amusement mecca has grown to match classic rides like its 1903 carousel, Yankee Cannonball wooden coaster, and 80-foot Ferris wheel with modern thrillers like the Star Blaster drop tower and the strobe-lit spinning cars of the Psychodrome. Arcade games? Canobie Lake Park has got those, too.

Canterbury Shaker Village, Canterbury

Strolling the grounds here, you feel relaxed, unhurried. There are nearly 700 acres of forest, meadows, and ponds with six miles of nature trails to explore, while more than two dozen buildings help tell the story of the members of the Shaker sect who lived and worked here for two centuries. Long after the last Shaker sister at Canterbury passed away in 1992, the village remains a tribute to a way of life that influenced generations to appreciate the beauty in simplicity.

Conway Scenic Railroad, North Conway

North Conway’s classic Victorian depot is the departure point for rail trips ranging from the hour-long Valley Train to the Mountaineer excursion through the Mount Washington Valley and Crawford Notch. For mystery fans, there’s a “Murder on the Rails” trip, and true aficionados can opt for the annual five-to-eight-hour 470 Club excursion that includes stops for photos of the train’s vintage diesel locomotives and 1950s passenger cars.

Flume Gorge, Lincoln

Wooden walkways guide you through an 800-foot-long gorge at the base of Mount Liberty, where a roaring waterfall sends clouds of mist between granite walls that stand up to 90 feet high. It’s easily the most enchanted spot in the already enchanted Franconia Notch, home to several beautiful lakes and waterfalls as well as the Old Man of the Mountain Profile Plaza, which pays homage to New Hampshire’s late, lamented “rock star.”

Isles of Shoals Steamship Company, Portsmouth

The nine islands that make up the Isles of Shoals are arrayed just half a dozen miles off the coast of New Hampshire and Maine, and each one has a fascinating history. Setting out from Portsmouth Harbor, the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company’s sightseeing cruise wends its way through the little archipelago, with narration touching on Celia Thaxter’s famed Appledore Island flower garden, lore of old-time lighthouses and hotels, pirates, and perhaps a ghost or two. Harbor cruises, Star Island day trips, and other excursions are also available.

Rhode Island Summer Attractions for Families

East Bay Bike Path, Providence–Bristol

Sights, sounds, and scents of the bay accompany your walk or ride along any or all of this nearly 15-mile shoreside path from Providence’s India Point Park to Independence Park in Bristol. Possible stops include photo ops, a Crescent Park Looff Carousel ride, wildlife watching at the Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium, and Del’s frozen lemonade at Colt State Park.

Flying Horse Carousel, Watch Hill

On most merry-go-rounds, the horses ride up and down. But these hand-carved, gaily painted steeds really do fly: Suspended from chains, they lift outward as they pick up speed. Believed to be the oldest operating merry-go-round of its kind in the country, the carousel (estimated to have been built in 1867) came to Watch Hill in the 1800s when, as the legend goes, it was abandoned by a traveling carnival. Happily, the horses have been at home here ever since.

Newport Classic Cruises, Newport

There’s water, water everywhere, as the Ancient Mariner said—and that’s especially true in Newport, a bona fide sailors’ heaven. Newport Classic Cruises offers day sails on the majestic schooners Adirondack IV and Madeleine, and the sloop Eleanor; the aptly named 1929 motor yacht Rum Runner II is also part of the fleet. Morning, afternoon, sunset, lighthouse, and cocktail cruises are among the choices, with Newport’s historic waterfront and legendary mansions seen at their best from the sea.

Roger Williams Park Zoo, Providence

How many tusks are on a babirusa? Find out at America’s third-oldest zoo, where some 800 animals representing over 160 species are featured in an urban park setting. Creatures both familiar and exotic inhabit authentic habitats, from savanna to woodland, and coastal to rainforest. There’s even New England’s only Komodo dragon—and don’t miss a chance to see Alice, Ginny, and Kate, the zoo’s three elephants, who will move to a new home with more pachyderm companions in 2027.

Vermont Summer Attractions for Families

Ben & Jerry’s Factory, Waterbury

Just 10 miles south of Stowe, sweet tooths flock to the only facility run by the world-famous Vermont-born brand that’s open to the public. You can see ice cream being made during what’s considered one of New England’s best factory tours, then hit the scoop shop for a shake, cone, or sundae, and stop into the Flavor Graveyard to pay your respects to long-gone Ben & Jerry’s flavors (known as “the dearly de-pinted”) such as Wavy Gravy and Rainforest Crunch.

Button Bay State Park, Ferrisburgh

Button, button, who’s got the button? Button Bay State Park does, and it’s fun to find them along the shores of Lake Champlain. Millennia ago, clay accumulated around pebbles and the stems of water plants; the hardened “buttons”—little discs with holes in their centers—were left. Discovering them is only part of the attraction of Button Bay, Vermont’s only state park with a swimming pool. Tent sites, lean-tos, rental cabins, and a nature center round out park facilities.

Island Line Trail, Burlington–South Hero

Who needs a boat to head out onto Lake Champlain when you’ve got a bike? For nearly three miles, the northern stretch of the Island Line Trail slices through the lake on an old railroad causeway. It includes a 200-foot gap of open water, but not to worry: A seasonal bike ferry allows you continue your ride to the island of South Hero. The trail originates nine miles south of the causeway, in Burlington, where Local Motion rents bikes right on the route. helloburlingtonvt.com; localmotion.org

Northern Star Cruises, Newport

Designed to resemble a 1920s passenger and freight steamer, the Northern Star takes passengers on Vermont’s only international voyage. Based in Newport, it plies the waters of Lake Memphremagog, most of which extends deep into Quebec along pristine wooded shores. Excursions on the trim 65-foot craft include scenic tours, Sunday brunch and Friday dinner cruises, and a four-hour trip that ventures 20 miles into Canadian waters, lunch included.

Okemo Adventure Zone, Ludlow

With all its options for summer fun, Okemo sometimes seems like a warm-weather draw with a ski area attached. The ticket to the mountain’s many attractions is the Adventure Pass, offering all-day admission to mini and disc golf, the Timber Ripper Mountain Coaster, a bungee trampoline, the Haulback Challenge Course with its rickety (not really) bridges, a sluice where “miners” can pan for semiprecious gems, a gorgeously scenic chairlift ride, and more.

This feature was originally published as “How to Staycation” in the July/August 2026 issue of Yankee.

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