Family Friendly Outings Archives - Page 2 of 4

BeanStalk™ Adventure Ropes Course – Reading, MA

May 092016

As a former Jordan’s Furniture employee, I can personally attest to the fact that they truly enjoy keeping their customers happy. The owners, Barry & Eliot had a vision of making visiting the stores more than just furniture shopping – they wanted to make it an experience for the whole family. Now that Barry has retired from the family business, Eliot has kept the family fun aspect of the stores going strong. I worked at the Avon, MA store, which is the home of MOM (the Motion Odyssey Movie Ride), Enchanted Ice (an indoor skating rink) and the Boston classic, The Enchanted Village. Families come out in droves for those attractions, but if you are a local you know that each store boasts at least one fun family attraction. In the Reading store, they have the BeanStalk™ Adventure Ropes Course and I was able to head there to check it out with my family last weekend.

Disclosure: My family received complimentary tickets for the course in order to provide an honest review of our experience. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way.

The BeanStalk™ Adventure Ropes Course is a 32-foot tall, 2 level ropes course (12 feet or 24 feet up) complete with 30 exciting activities including zig-zag beams, cargo nets, angled rope ladders, crisscross walks and more. Participants choose their own path through the elements and go at their own pace. No two obstacles are the same! The ropes course is also equipped with a Sky Rail zip line connection measuring 69′ long. which costs $2 more to ride.

My boys have done rope courses before, so they already knew to empty their pockets before the employees helped them put their safety harnesses on, but for those of you who have never done a course like this – you do need to empty your pockets so nothing falls out on the people on levels below you. And no, cameras are not allowed on the course, either. Continue reading »

A Visit to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in DC

May 022016

A Visit to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in DC

Many of you know that my family recently visited Washington DC for the second year in a row. Last year we found that a week in DC just wasn’t enough time to be able to see and do everything that we wanted to, so we took the kids back again this year over their April school vacation to we could see the stuff we missed last year. Madame Tussauds Washington, DC was high up on our list and I am so excited that we were able to squeeze in a visit this year.

**My family and I were provided complimentary admission to Madame Tussauds in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way**

Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Washington DC is definitely not your typical museum. I had been to the Madame Tussauds wax museums in Vegas and NYC sans kids, but I when I found out there was one in DC – I knew my boys would love it and I was dying to take them there. Continue reading »

Taking the Hahvahd Tour

Apr 112016

Taking the Hahvahd Tour

I’m a Boston girl. Always have been and always will be. It’s no secret that I love living here and whenever I meet someone who is not from around here, as soon as they find out where I’m from I inevitably get asked the same question: “Can you say park the car in the Harvard yard”? Seriously – it happens every single time. It fun to play along, though, because we know how cool our accent is around here and we love to bust out the Boston whenever we can!

For the record, there are no “R’s in that statement whatsoever. It’s paaaahk thuh caaaaaah in the Haaaahvid yaaaaad.

Even though there are no R’s to be found, there is tons of IQ at Harvard and my husband Chris and I learned all about it when we took the Hahvahd Tour last weekend.

Harvard tour18

The award-winning tours of America’s most prestigious University are led by current Harvard students. Harvard student guides greet you right in Harvard Square. which is where the tour leaves from. The tour is scripted to be an entertaining, theatrical experience – you’ll have fun learning about Harvard! Continue reading »

Ride the Polar Express at Edaville

Dec 132015

Inspired by the hit movie, this holiday favorite comes to life as you and your family take a ride on The Polar Express. Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, families are sure to enjoy their trip to the North Pole, complete with hot chocolate and cookies served on board the train.

My family had a chance to ride the polar Express at Edaville last week and I want to tell you all about it.

**Disclosure: We received complimentary tickets to ride the Polar Express in exchange for our honest review. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way**

Our train was scheduled to leave the station at 6 pm, but we noticed that people were lining up early (like around 5:30), so we lined up, too. There was a Thomas Christmas train running the same night, but they had the Polar Express riders on one side of the platform and the Thomas riders on the other. It was clearly marked, so we knew exactly where to go. Plus, there were employees there to switch out our tickets from the printed ones we had to the golden tickets we needed to board the Polar Express, so they were able to direct people. Continue reading »

The Festival of Lights at Edaville Railroad

Dec 082015

Edaville USA is a modest theme park located in Carver, MA with cranberry harvesting and railroading as its two main themes. It is a really fun family attraction which features about a dozen or so amusement rides including a Ferris Wheel, carousel, bumper cars and more. Each admission includes a five mile train ride through the cranberry bogs on their property. It’s one of New England’s largest displays of Christmas lights and our family looks forward to going every year.

**My family received complimentary admission to Edaville in order to experience the Festival of Lights for ourselves. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way**

In fact, I grew up going there with my parents, sister and brother and I am happy that it’s still around for my own children to enjoy. Continue reading »

We Loved Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey LEGENDS

Oct 272015

I recently had the chance to take my family to the circus and it was the first time I had been to see it in about 30 years. The last time I saw a Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey production was with my parents, brother and sister in Boston. My brother was really little at the time (maybe 4 or 5) and at some point during the show a clown was shot out of a cannon. The loud noise sent my poor little brother in to hysterics so badly, that we all actually ended up having to leave the show. He just wouldn’t calm down until we left. But such is life, right?

Anyhow, when I found out that Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey LEGENDS was coming to the TD Garden in Boston, I was excited to take my kids. I just knew that they would love the show and I was right.

Disclosure: My family received complimentary tickets to see LEGENDS from the folks at Feld Entertainment. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way. Continue reading »

Haunted Happenings in Salem!

Oct 192015

The Salem witch hunt was indeed a real-life horror story. In case you need a refresher, twenty innocent people were put to death during the Witch Hysteria of 1692, leaving Salem forever branded. Actually, these days many people refer to Salem as “The Witch City.”

The people of Salem totally play up their spooky reputation to tourists, too. In addition to the town’s normal bewitching attractions, Haunted Happenings run for the entire month of October and draws nearly a quarter of a million people to the city. This year, my family was among Salem’s visitors and today I want to tell you about all the fun we had there.

**Disclosure: I received a complimentary media pass to all of the locations mentioned in this post in order to tell you about our experience in Salem. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way.

Since we had the kiddos with us, we kept our visit to Salem family friendly (well, as family friendly as the murders of 20 innocent people can be I suppose). Here are all the things we did while we were there:

The Salem Witch Museum
The main presentation is based on actual trial documents. Visitors experience the drama of that dark time though thirteen life-size stage sets, figures, lighting and a stirring narration as they are witness to the web of lies and intrigue of the Salem Witch Hunt.
In our second exhibit, Witches: Evolving Perceptions, live guides take you through changing interpretations of witches, the truth behind the stereotypes, witchcraft practice today and the frightening phenomenon of witch hunting.

The Salem Witch Museum is located at 19 1/2 Washington Square and is open daily, year round: 10:00am-5:00pm, but they do have extended hours on select dates in October, so be sure to check their website before you go. Continue reading »

Your Complete Guide to Six Flags New England Fright Fest 2015 #FrightFest #Thrillitup

Oct 152015

Fright Fest 2015 at Six Flags New England is in full swing. Like in the past, this year they have some seriously awesome haunts that are guaranteed to make everyone’s hair stand on end. This year there are over 20 chilling attractions and over 200 petrifying characters. When you’re there, be sure to enter the Big Top and experience the all-new Slasher Circus 3D. If you love getting scared by sinister clowns, this is the attraction for you. The clowns make it their mission to terrify people as they roam through this 3D attraction.

**Disclosure: My family and I were invited to experience media day at Six Flags New England and received complimentary admission. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way.

If you have little ones, don’t worry – there is something for everyone at Six Flags New England this Halloween season. Here’s the full Fright Fest breakdown. Continue reading »

5 Reasons Why You Need To Go To King Richard’s Faire

Oct 062015

Hear ye, hear ye! It’s that time of year again. For two months every fall, you can travel back in time at King Richard’s Faire in Carver, MA. Spread out over 80 acres of woods, King Richard’s Fairs is the place to be if you want to fully immerse yourself into a day in the life of someone back in the 1500’s.

**Disclosure: My family and I received complimentary admission to King Richard’s Faire in order to tell you about our experience there. All opinions are strictly my own and we not influenced in any way.

If you’ve never been to a renaissance festival, you’re missing out on a chance to travel back in time to the 16th century. I could probably list out a million reasons why you should check it out, but today I am going to tell you my top five! Continue reading »

#Win a Family 4-Pack of Tickets to KidsFest at Wachusett Mountain September 19-20 #Giveaway

Sep 032015

Doesn’t two days of music, food and fun for the entire family sound like fun? If you answered yes then the 25th annual KidsFest at Wachusett Mountain is exactly what you’re looking for. It’s being held September 19th & 20th from 10-5 and it’s going to be an entire day of FUN for everyone.

Let’s talk about my favorite part first shall we? Food! At KidsFest there is going to be sampling by more than 50 Market Basket Vendors! You will be able to enjoy sample foods on the spot, like burgers, hot dogs, pizza, ice cream, snacks and more… or take pre-packaged foods home with you.

While you snack, you can watch some of these amazing shows: Continue reading »

10 Tips For Visiting Hersheypark

Aug 302015

Many years ago, I took a road trip with three friends. We made several stops along the way and Hersheypark was one of them. That road trip was long before I had kids or was even married for that matter, so when the kids saw a commercial for Hersheypark recently and asked to go, I couldn’t say no. I remember loving it when I went all those years ago, so I knew they’d have a great time there.

So, a few weeks ago, we took a road trip to Pennsylvania and Hersheypark was one of our first stops once we got there.

With that being said, we are a Disney family. We go every year and we are very familiar and comfortable in big amusement parks. Hersheypark is smaller and quite a bit different from Disney, so navigating it was a bit different than bigger amusement parks. We spent two days at Hersheypark and we wanted to share our best tips for getting the most out of your day at the park.

Disclaimer: My family received complimentary passes to Hersheypark, but all opinions expressed here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way. Continue reading »

8 Things You Must Do When You’re in Philadelphia #VisitPhilly

Aug 232015

I have wanted to visit Boston’s sister city, Philadelphia, for years and a few weeks ago I finally got a chance to spend two amazing days in the city of brotherly love. Philly is only a little over 5 hours from my house, so now I am scratching my head about why I had never gone there before.

The first thing I want to mention about my time in Philly is that the streets of Philadelphia are much easier to navigate than the streets of Boston are. The next thing I want to say is that as much as I love Boston, and I really do, I think I loved Philadelphia almost as much. It’s a city rich in culture and history – not to mention cheesesteaks. We had so much fun exploring Philly and if you are planning on going anytime soon, I have narrowed down a few things you just have to do while you’re there.

1. Climb the Rocky steps!

Running up the Rocky steps (AKA East Entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art) is a must-do on your visit to Philadelphia. While we were there, we saw a bunch of people recreate the scene from the movie & since I was in flip-flops that day, I sent my boys to do it, too.

At the bottom of the stairs at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, you will find the bronze statue of Rocky Balboa. The statue was made for Rocky III and after filming for the movie completed, Sly Stallone donated the statue to the City of Philadelphia. Continue reading »

Touring the Eastern State Penitentiary #VisitPhilly

Aug 162015

The first time I had ever heard of the Eastern State Penitentiary was on an episode of Ghost Adventures a few years ago. I’m a life-long Boston girl who had never been to Philadelphia before, so I really didn’t know anything about Philly other than the fact that Rocky ran up some stairs there. But over the past few years I have seen a few other ghost hunting type shows that were filmed there, so when I knew that I was going to be spending a few days in Philly last month, the ESP was on my short list of places to go see.

Each year approximately 60 paranormal investigation teams explore the site, capturing extensive evidence of ghosts within the penitentiary walls. There were never any executions carried out at Eastern State, but over the years, the prison was home to its fair share of murders. In addition to many inmates that were killed there, at least two guards were murdered as well. Hundreds of others prisoners died from disease and/or old age. Admittedly, I really, really wanted to have a paranormal experience there the day I visited. Sadly, I didn’t, but touring the grounds was by far the highlight of my two days in Philadelphia. Continue reading »

A Visit to America’a First Zoo – The Philadelphia Zoo #VisitPhilly

Aug 112015

In 1859, Philadelphia became home to America’s first zoo.

The Philadelphia Zoo sits on 42-acres of land and is home to more than 1,300 animals, many of them rare and/or endangered. With animals such as Cheetahs, hippos, giraffes and so many more, the Philadelphia Zoo is one of the leading family attractions in the city and it brought in over 1.35 million visitors last year alone.

One of the things I love the most about the Philadelphia Zoo is that has focused on educating the public about exotic animals and that it actively promotes and participates in worldwide conservation efforts for endangered wildlife. The zoo features many state-of-the-art animal exhibits and that is one of the reasons they truly stand out. Continue reading »

What To Pack For a Day at Water Country #WCHaveFun

Jul 272015

If there is one thing that can be said about my boys, it’s that they love to be in the water. Last year, our family went to Water Country in Portsmouth, NH for the very first time and we all loved it so much that we couldn’t wait to get back again this year.

**Disclosure: My family received complimentary admission to Water Country in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way.

Last week we packed up and headed up to Water Country, which is New England’s largest waterpark, for the day. I am a huge list maker, so I sat down the night before to make a list of everything we needed in order to spend an entire day at a waterpark. I would seriously hate to forget something, so making lists helps me make sure I have everything I need. I always say that I would rather bring too much than need something and not have it.

Here is my list of items to bring with you to the waterpark in order to have a great time with the family: Continue reading »

A Day at the Stone Zoo in Stoneham #Zoofie

Jul 202015

My boys are only three years apart in age, but at the particular ages they’re at right now, they seem to have a lot of trouble agreeing on things they like to do. My oldest is a few weeks shy of his 11th birthday and he’s got a major case of the tweens going on. No matter what I suggest, it’s not cool. Even things that are very cool, he always finds something to complain about. My little guy on the other hand, who is just shy of his 8th birthday, is still a little kid and much more agreeable to pretty much anything I suggest doing. Thankfully there is one thing that they both still agree on – the zoo.

**Disclosure: My family and I received complimentary admission to the zoo in order to facilitate this post. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way**

My family and I recently had a chance to visit the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, MA for the very first time recently and I have to say that I was really impressed. I’ve been to my share of zoos over the years and unlike its larger sister zoo, the Franklin Park Zoo, the Stone Zoo is much more low-key and smaller in size, making it a great place to visit with little ones. The day we were there it was not very crowded and it’s not too far from where we live, so I’m over here scratching my head about why we’ve never gone there before. Continue reading »

Fun and Adventure Awaits at Killington’s New Adventure Center #KillingtonMoms #Beast365

Jul 152015

Bored.

It’s been the word of the summer around here. My oldest, who is a few weeks away from his 11th birthday has come down with a severe case of the tweens and my little man, who is a few weeks away from his 8th birthday, goes along with everything (and I do mean everything) his big brother says.

Since the boys got out of school, I have spent so much time planning activities to keep them busy, but apparently my idea of fun is not the same as my kids. I don’t know what I was thinking when I took them to places like the beach, the town pool and the local splash pad. All of those places are “boring” according to my children and believe me when I tell you how frustrating it is to hear that word come out of their mouths repeatedly for days on end.

Just imagine my delight when I found something that not only both of my boys loved, but they were actually really sad when we had to leave.

Mom for the win!

**Disclosure: My family received two complimentary day passes to the Adventure Center at Killington in order to experience it four ourselves and to facilitate this post. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way. Continue reading »

Family Fun at Launch Norwood Trampoline Park #LaunchNorwood

Jul 082015

Summer is finally upon us here and when the weather is nice & sunny, the possibilities are endless. Most of us spend time at the pool, beach, hiking, at the playground – see there are tons of fun things to do outside. But then the unthinkable happens – it rains. How dare Mother Nature ruin our already way too short summer by raining on us. It’s days like that when you scramble to find fun indoor places to take your kids.

Here’s your solution to that problem.

Launch Trampoline Park! It is an indoor sports and family entertainment facility in Norwood, MA. They have over 15,000 sq. feet of connected trampolines forming one GIANT jumping surface and angled trampoline walls to bounce off of. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?

**Disclosure: My family was invited to a complimentary blogger event at Launch Norwood. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way.

At Launch, there are five courts for your family to jump on. There is the main court, a basketball court, a fun foam pit for the kids to jump in, a dodge ball and kids court (for kids ages 5 and under). The best part about this indoor park, it’s suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Continue reading »

10 More Free Things To Do In Boston This Summer

Jun 142015

There are so many things that you can do for free in Boston this summer! Last week I told you about 10 Things you can do for free in Boston, but today I wanted to tell you about ten more.

1. Go Star Gazing

The Coit Observatory at Boston University has Public Open Night at their Observatory most Wednesday evenings throughout the year, weather permitting. Public Open Nights are a chance for people to come observe the night sky through telescopes and binoculars and see things they otherwise might not get to see, and learn some astronomy as well.

Starting times are 7:30pm during the fall and winter, and 8:30pm during the spring and summer. The program lasts about an hour. If the weather looks sketchy and you’re wondering whether the Open Night will be held, call their information number at 617-353-2630, no earlier than two hours before the scheduled starting time to find out.

The observatory is located at 725 Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, MA, above the Astronomy Department. The stairwell up to the Observatory is on the fifth floor just to the left of room 520.

2. Hike up the Blue Hills

Ok, so technically this is not in the city, but it’s located only minutes from downtown Boston. The DCR Blue Hills Reservation stretches over 7,000 acres from Quincy to Dedham, Milton to Randolph and it provides a green oasis in an urban environment. The highest of the 22 hills at Blue Hills is the Great Blue Hill, which reaches a height of 635 feet. You will have an awesome view of the city from the top. At Blue Hills, there are 125 miles of trails and terrain. Continue reading »

A Visit to the EcoTarium

Jun 102015

My family recently visited the EcoTarium in Worcester, MA. We’ve been wanting to visit for quite some time, so the boys were really excited when I told them that we were going. The EcoTarium, New England’s leading science and nature center, is a unique indoor-outdoor museum that offers visitors a chance to walk through the treetops, take a thrilling multimedia journey through the galaxy at a digital planetarium, meet wildlife, stroll nature trails, and get hands-on with tons of family-friendly exhibits.

**Disclosure: My family received complimentary admission to the EcoTarium in exchange for our honest review. As always, all opinions expressed here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way**

Inside, the EcoTarium has three floors of interactive exhibits.

In addition to seasonal exhibits, the EcoTarium has many permanent exhibits including: Continue reading »

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