Boston Day Trips for Families: 10 Top Destinations

Boston is a family-friendly city that can provide its guests with first-rate museums, entertaining activities, and good eateries. Sometimes, however, one might want to leave the city and travel one day to explore some of the lovely scenery of New England or the coastline area nearer by. Indeed, Boston with children of all ages can be very entertaining and day excursions from Boston provide many fantastic sites to see. The following are ten great day excursions from Boston ideal for families: These are ten best day excursions from Boston suitable for families:

1. Salem

People remember Salem for the witch trials that happened in 1692, and although the city is quite small, visiting it is worth it. Salem Witch Trials: Go to Salem Witch Museum to get more information about it. In October, during the Halloween season, the city is filled with parades, shows, psychic fairs, and much more. There are also nice museums such as Peabody Essex Museum, historical landmarks like historic homes, water tours like harbor cruises, and adorable eateries like cafes. It takes an hour’s drive from Boston towards the north.

2. Plymouth

Learn where the Pilgrims first arrived and established their colony at the Plimoth Plantation, which boasts costumed interpreters who fill the part of Pilgrims. Also, visit Mayflower II, ascend Plymouth Rock, and for more information about Wampanoag territory, visit the Plimoth Grist Mill. It is not very far from Boston, it is about less than an hour's drive.

3. Cape Cod

From Boston, it will take around ninety minutes in a vehicle to go to the lovely towns of Sandwich, Falmouth, Hyannis Port, and Provincetown among others. Go swimming, bicycling, whale viewing, or marine fishing. See a nearby manufacturer, see the Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory, wander along the shore, or board a boat to the neighboring islands Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket.

4. Newport, Rhode Island

This town has a preppy, traditional New England feel with a lot of natural beauty and things that are fun for a family. Visit awe-inspiring villas of the Gilded Age such as the Breakers, Marble House, and Rosecliff, and then have fun on the beaches, and cliffs, or maybe on a boat. There is also a great choice of shops and restaurants. It is merely a two-hour drive away.

5. Freedom Trail

From Boston Common to Bunker Hill Monument, Boston's 2.5-mile Freedom Trail leads visitors and tourists across 16 historic sites. Red-lined roads that families may stroll along for a self-tour on foot power alone expose more about Revolutionary history and architecture.

6. Harvard Museum of Natural History

At this museum, visitors can observe over 21,000,000 specimens of various types, such as dinosaurs, minerals, and the Glass Flowers, designated as one of the cultural landmarks. It is in Cambridge with Harvard Square as its neighborhood and is well connected by public transport from Boston.

7. The Eric Carle Museum

This is a highly acclaimed museum located in Amherst, which is dedicated to picture book art and comes with the added advantage of having hands-on activities for children. The young talents can also express their creativity in the art studio, where they too can draw artwork of their own. It is roughly 2 hours from Boston by car.

8. Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory

Thousands of tender butterflies fly in the quadrants of this indoor and open conservatory in Deerfield. It also includes birds, plants, and waterfalls; however, one wonders how those could be existing in New England, which is way too cold! From Boston, it takes about 1.5 hours by car to reach there.

9. Battleship Cove

Get to see large WWII-age battleships, destroyers, and other ships at this shipwreck museum in Fall River. Children have a field day running about these enormous boats and pretending to be sailors. Well, it is an hour’s drive to the South of Boston.

10. EcoTarium

This is an indoor and outdoor facility in Worcester with a total area of 65 acres which is dedicated to education in the fields of nature, science, and ecology. Children can climb trees, build their own houses, go for adventures, play in the planetarium, and so on. It is about an hour west of Boston by car.

That is only the tip of the iceberg; there are numerous great day trip options from Boston that the whole family will love with beautiful ocean views, lively historic towns, and engaging museums. They are great places for children as well as parents, no matter where you go north south, or west of the city you are guaranteed an exciting adventure. This is the time when people have new experiences outside the busy city life and breathe in fresh air!