New Hampshire Archives - Masshole Mommy

17 Free & Cheap Things to Do with Kids This Summer in New England

Jul 052017

Inexpensive things that you can do with your kids this summer in Massachusetts, Rhode Island or New Hampshire!

Entertaining kids ALL SUMMER LONG can be exhausting and expensive. Let me save you the time thinking about what to do…Here are 17 free & cheap things to do with kids this summer in New England.

1. Unplug with good old fashioned outdoor activities at the Great Glen Trails. Located at the base of Mount Washington, families can bike, kayak, picnic, and see some spectacular wildlife. Rent equipment or bring your own.

2. Water park admission can really add up, so instead, take the kids to any number of community pools and splash pads your city has to offer.

3. Visit the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, where kids can explore caves, learn about dinosaurs, and get hands-on experience in the air conditioning all day for only $10!

Water Parks in Massachusetts

May 302017

water slides in New England

If you are wanting to stop by one of the most popular water parks in Massachusetts (or southern New Hampshire this season), then check out this list below! This is a list of the top places you will want to add to your travels this summer! No matter which park you pick, I am sure you and your family will have lots of fun!

Enjoy inflatable rides, lazy rivers, wave pools, and amusement rides and more. This is a great way to find fun things to do near you, or plan a trip for you and your family. Beat the summer heat this year at one of these fun water parks or amusement parks listed below. Make this summer filled with fun memories.

Water Parks in Massachusetts

Water Wizz (Wareham, MA): Southern New England’s largest water park! Mussel Beach is a huge wave pool that is very popular. If you like to live on the edge try the Squid Row, it’s a tube ride, with high speeds. Or if you want to go with little kids, they do have a family pool area as well. Thrilling slides, tubes and cabanas to relax in, this water park has something for everyone.

Nelson Park Splash Pad (Plymouth, MA): Located inside Nelson Memorial Park on Nelson Street in Plymouth, this is a popular place for kids to cool off in the summer. In addition to a free splash pad, there is a playground, beach area and plenty of room for a picnic lunch here. Parking is free, but I highly recommend getting there early because the lot fills up fast. For a day full of free fun, stop by the Nelson Park Splash Pad this summer. Continue reading »

Stay at the Cathedral Ledge Resort in North Conway, NH

Mar 292017

The Mount Washington Valley area of New Hampshire is one of my favorite parts of the state to visit. Made up of eight villages, it is almost like taking a step back in time when you visit the area. In the heart of Mt. Washington Valley, you’ll undoubtedly end up in North Conway and once you visit, you will definitely want to stay. Cathedral Ledge Resort is located in North Conway, New Hampshire, is just a little over two hours from Boston and if you’re looking for a place to stay in the area – this is it.

There are a couple of options when staying at Cathedral Ledge Resort. You can choose to rent a Bungalow or a Townhouse. My family stayed in a townhouse, but I am going to tell you about both of your options – so that way if you are planning on booking a stay there, you can choose what’s right for your family.

Bungalow: Lovely out of the way cottages sleep six with private driveway, two bedrooms each with private bath & Jacuzzi, plus 1/2 bath in case you have kids set up on the pull-out couch overnight. Full kitchen, washer/dryer, outdoor grill and patio set. Have all the amenities, just a little more quiet. Continue reading »

Snow Tubing at Cranmore Mountain

Mar 282017

Did you know that Cranmore Mountain was named #1 in New Hampshire for Off-Hill Activities by Ski Magazine?

My family recently stayed in the North Conway, New Hampshire area and going snow tubing was high up on our list of things we wanted to do while we were there. We’re not big skiers, but we definitely wanted to make some time to play in the snow. That’s why we all love snow tubing: tubing is a family friendly activity that requires no special skills or equipment. Continue reading »

The 2016 Jack O’Lantern Spectacular at Roger Williams Park Zoo

Oct 092016

the-2016-jack-olantern-spectacular-at-roger-williams-park-zoo1

If you are local to New England, surely you’ve been to – or at least heard of the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at Roger Williams Park Zoo. It’s an annual tradition for our family to attend as well as thousands of others each year. If you’ve never been, you’re missing out because it’s really something to see. The Jack O’Lantern Spectacular is a nighttime display of 5,000 illuminated jack-o-lanterns all along the zoo’s beautiful Wetlands Trail, with well over 100 of the pumpkins carved into veritable works of art. There’s something magical about so many illuminated jack o’lanterns on display as you walk along the trail. This year The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular is presented by Citizens Bank and it runs from October 6 – November 6, 2016.

the-2016-jack-olantern-spectacular-at-roger-williams-park-zoo2

Last week I had a chance to preview the Jack O’Lantern Spectacular before it opened to the public and not only that, I was able to go behind the scenes and see some of the action. I saw the area where the pumpkins are carved and learned how they store the completed jack o’lanterns in a temperature controlled box truck until they are ready to be put on display. Continue reading »

Find Your Style with Back To School, Back To Simon at Merrimack Premium Outlets #TBTBTS

Aug 222016

Last week I headed up to the Merrimack Premium Outlets to spend the day shopping so that I could stock up on all the back-to-school essentials that my kids will need this fall!

Merrimack Premium Outlets is an outdoor shopping center located 35 miles northwest of Boston and easily accessible off Exit 10 of Everett Turnpike (RT 3 from Boston). They have over 100 stores and in New Hampshire, you can enjoy tax free shopping at stores like Banana Republic, Bloomingdale’s Outlet Store, Coach, Elie Tahari, J.Crew, Michael Kors, Nautica, Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, Tommy Hilfiger and more all at saving of 25%-65% everyday.

My 12 year old will only wear Under Armour clothing these days so I was happy to see that they had an Under Armour outlet there. My little guy is into Nike, so I was wicked happy that I could get lots of great clothing for my boys for back to school at discounted prices.

outlets2

For the 2016 back to school season, Simon is encouraging shoppers to ‘find your style’ while reflecting on your past first days of school and the outfits that were the height of fashion in the 80’s and 90’s. Continue reading »

6 Tips for Back to School Shopping at the Merrimack Premium Outlets

Aug 252015

As a kid, I always looked forward to going back to school shopping with my mom. It was so much fun going from store to store picking out a whole new wardrobe for the upcoming school year. Now that I have my own children to shop for, I love that I get to spend some time with them picking out some new duds for them to go to school. My oldest is going into the middle school this year and he’s really coming into his own when it comes to fashion. He definitely knows what he likes and what he doesn’t like.

**Thanks to Simon for sponsoring our back to school shopping trip at Merrimack Premium Outlets. As always, all opinions expressed here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way.

I decided to take my boys up the the Merrimack Premium Outlets up in Merrimack, NH this past weekend to do their back to school shopping. Heading to an outlet mall can bring about a lot of adventure, especially in the back to school shopping department. I love heading to the outlets for things like back to school shopping because in addition to already discounted prices, they usually have lots of great deals for all the back to school shopping season. Here are some tips for back to school shopping at an outlet mall!

Premium Outlets brings together the finest brands, unique outdoor settings, and savings of 25 to 65 percent every day. 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 »

I Loved Getting Scared Silly at Spooky World Nightmare New England #Spookyworld

Oct 202014

I love living in New England. We have so many fun fall traditions that make living here so special. Aside from the obvious (the gorgeous colors of changing leaves), a few of the thing that make living here so amazing are the corn mazes, pumpkin picking, apple picking and last but certainly not least, Spooky World.

Spooky World features five haunted attractions as well as food vendors, a paintball game where you get to shoot zombies, a small bar, a bonfire, dance floor, and much more. Spooky World is located at Mel’s Funway Park in Litchfield, NH, which is about an hour north of Boston.

Chris & I went to Spooky World last Friday night and had a blast going through all of the haunted houses. Because it is the first one you come to when you walk into the park, we started with the Freak Show in 3D.

We were handed 3D glasses before we entered and once we set out through the house, we were scared out of out wits several times. Complete with neon paint, strobe lights and monsters jumping out at us, this house was by far our favorite of the night. And as an added bonus, it had one of those spinning tunnels at the end that makes you feel like you’re walking on the ceiling. It was awesome. Continue reading »

The Glacial Caves at Loon Mountain

Jul 292014

**Masshole Mommy received four complimentary tickets to visit the Adventure Center at Loon Mountain in order to facilitate this post. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way**

While we were staying at Loon Mountain in Lincoln, New Hampshire a few weekends ago, one of the things we did was take a gondola ride up to the summit. We’ve stayed at Loon numerous times over the years, but it wasn’t until we got a Super Adventure Pass for their Adventure Center that we actually went to the top of the mountain.

There are a few things to do up on the summit of the mountain, including the Glacial Caves. There you can crawl, squeeze and climb your way through the really old caves & boulders that date back to the ice age. Seriously.

More than 12,000 years ago, the massive Laurentide Ice Sheet covered Loon Mountain in more than a mile of ice. When the ice melted, it left behind a whole bunch of ginormous boulders just below the summit. Now-a-days you can explore the small caverns and passageways tucked into the that area because they’ve built a wooden walkway throughout it. Continue reading »

Summer Fun at Loon Mountain

Jul 282014

Do you think the White Mountains of New Hampshire are just for winter fun? Think again. There are tons of things to do in the summertime and the Loon Mountain Adventure Center has a whole slew of great activities for you to do on your summer getaway! The best part is that you can customize your experience.

Want to do it all? The Super Adventure Pass is the way to go, which includes everything Loon has to offer. Check it out –

Only want to do certatin attractions? Check out the Loon Adventure Pass:

If you only have a few hours to spend, the Base Camp Pass or Bunyan’s Bouncin’ Backyard Pass might be perfect for you: Continue reading »

There is Something For Everyone at Water Country

Jul 152014

**Masshole Mommy and her family received complimentary admission, parking, cabana and a locker rental during the day of our visit. All opnions expressed here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way**

Here in New England, we only get about three months of summer, so my family really tries to make the most of it. One thing we do every single year is head to the water park. This year, we decided to make the 90 minute ride up to Portsmouth, New Hampshire to spend the day at Water Country and I am so happy we did.

One of the nice things at Water Country is that they offer cabanas, so you can have your own personal space for the day. We liked the idea of having a place to keep all of our stuff, so we happily set up shop in one of their Standard Cabanas, which was located right next to the Wave Pool. The cabanas at Water Country accommodate six people with a small table, 2 chairs and 2 Lounge chairs. No worries if you have extra guests because you can fit up to 2 additional people ($10 per guest) in the cabana with you. Continue reading »

Summer Fun at Water Country in Portsmouth, NH and a Discount on Tickets #WCFamilyFun

May 242014

This post is brought to you by Water Country in Portsmouth, NH

If there is one thing that my boys love, it’s playing the water. It was still chilly in April when they started asking when we were going to head up to Water Country in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Those boys are so silly because at that point we still had the heat on!

Anyhow, Chris and I always make sure that the boys get their fill of the water over the few short months of summer we have here in New England and we will be heading to Water Country soon enough. We love it there because there there is so much to do and it’s not far from Boston at all.

My boys usually spend most of their day at Water Country in the wave pool, but the Adventure River is right up there, too. Not to mention all the cool water slides they have there. It’s an awesome way to spend a day of family fun during the summer time!

Water Country’s grand opening is right around the corner on June 07 and guess what? I have a discount for you if you’re planning on going (and if you’ve never been, you should definitely plan on checking it out).

Just use the promo code ‘Blog30’ for $3.00 off of the $38.99 admission price or buy a Basic Season Pass and receive a Free Friend Ticket with promo code STAYPLAY!

Water Country’s is social, too, so be sure to follow them to keep up with their latest news and updates:

Twitter: @WaterCountry

Facebook:www.facebook.com/WaterCountry

Instagram: @WaterCountryWP

We’re heading up to Water Country early in July, so stay tuned to hear all about our adventures at the park!

Masshole Mommy is one of Water Country’s 2014 season bloggers. Park admission for my family was received, but all opinions expressed here are stictly my own and were not influenced in any way.

Missing 20 Foot Santa in New Hampshire – Mystery Solved?

Feb 272014

Way, way back in July of 2011 I posted this:

**************************

As my family was making their way home from our weekend in New Hampshire yesterday, we saw this sign along Route 16 in Ossipee, NH:

Yes, it really was spray painted onto the side of a truck and parked along the side of the road. I have no idea how long ago the 20 foot wooden Santa Claus was taken, but it certainly begs the question (s): Continue reading »

Pancake Humor

Feb 202014

Yup, you read that right.

Whenever we go to Loon Mountain up in Lincoln, NH, we always eat breakfast at Flapjacks Pancake House. They may be famous for pancakes, but their french toast is seriously the best I’ve ever had. Anyhow, when we were there a couple of weeks ago, we were seated at the table directly under this flapjack gallery:

Here are are some close ups: Continue reading »

Snow Tubing at Loon Mountain @LoonMtn

Feb 192014

**Masshole Mommy received four complimentary tickets for snow tubing and lodging at Loon Mountain in order to facilitate this post. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way**

My boys absolutely love playing in the snow and one of their favorite winter activities is snow tubing. When we had the chance to go snow tubing at Loon Mountain recently, we were all super excited. Usually, I just “supervise” while the kids go tubing, but this time – I actually went, too!

The Tubing center was marked and easy to find.

Inside, we signed waivers, were given lift passes to attach to our coats and grabbed some tubes. Continue reading »

Sledding in New Hampshire

Feb 182014

We’ve had quite a bit of snow this winter one of the things the kids really enjoy doing when we have snow is to go sledding. While we were in Lincoln, NH recently, we drove past a nice looking hill and decided to stop and sled for a little while. I’m glad we stopped because the boys (all three of them) had so much fun.

The Loon Mountain Ice Castle @LoonMtn

Feb 172014

**Masshole Mommy received four complimentary tickets to visit the Ice Castle and lodging at Loon Mountain in order to facilitate this post. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way**

When I heard there was an ice castle up at Loon Mountain in Lincoln, NH this year, I have to admit that I was intrigued. An ice castle? How was that even possible? So I did what anyone else would do when they want more information about something – I Googled it. I found their website and here’s what it said:

Ice Castle Imagine the wonder of walking through the center of massive glacier-like solid pillars of ice, combined with tunnels, archways and caves. And all of it is built simply out of ice. Truly this will be an experience unlike any other on entire East Coast.

I knew that it was something I needed to check out and last weekend, my family took a drive up to see it for ourselves. If you’re familiar with Loon Mountain at all, the ice castle is set up over by the Adventure Center. If you’re unfamiliar, the Adventure Center is where you can zip line (year round), sign up for Snow Shoe tours and a rock wall is set up inside, but it’s only open seasonally. If you are heading up to see the ice castle and aren’t sure where to go once you get there, don’t worry – it’s very clearly marked.

We were staying at the Mountain Club on Loon, which is the resort at the base of the mountain, so we walked over to the ice castle and this is what we saw was we as we walked up to it.

Waterfalls

Jan 152014

I love nature. One of the things that I love about New Hampshire is all the natural scenery. These two small waterfalls are located right outside our condo on Loon Mountain in the town of Lincoln.

An Icy Hot Tub

Jan 132014

At our condo on Loon Mountain in New Hampshire, there is an outdoor hot tub by the pool area. If you’re keeping track, we were up there recently (November) and it’s pretty chilly up there this time of year. Not to mention that I just posted about the boys sledding on the mountain the other day……

So needless to say, it was cold and the thought of going into the outdoor hot tub in frigid temperatures was not appealing to me in the least – but the boys on the other hand. Well, they couldn’t wait to get in to it.

Yes, that IS snow you see all around the hot tub.

But if going into the outdoor hot tub in the freezing cold weather, they thought it would be funny to roll around in the snow. Continue reading »

Older Entries