10 Ways to Explore the McAuliffe Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, N.H.
The McAuliffe Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, New Hampshire is a science museum and planetarium that honors the life’s work and legacy of the first American in space and Derry, New Hampshire native, Alan Shepard, and Concord High School social studies teacher and the first teacher in space, Christa McAuliffe. Opened as a stand alone planetarium and memorial to Christa McAuliffe in 1990, the center added Alan Shepard to its honorees, and then expanded to include a full science museum in 2009. The 45,000 square foot center one of the most popular attractions in the capital city of Concord, New Hampshire, just hour north of Boston. There are dozens of interactive STEM exhibits that will engage the whole family.
10 Kid Friendly, Springtime Activities in Burlington, Vermont
One of the most popular parts of the “Green Mountain state”, Burlington is located in the north western part of Vermont, on the shore of Lake Champlain, the largest freshwater lake in the United States (after the five Great Lakes). Burlington is home to Champlain College and the University of Vermont (with St Michael’s College and CCV Winooski nearby) and has over 500 acres of open, recreational space and almost three dozen parks. There are tons of biking and walking paths (see #10 on this list) and three sandy beaches (Oakledge Park, North Beach, and Leddy Beach) open to the public. The Sand Bar State Park and Mount Philo State Park are great options for swimming, boating, picnicking, and hiking. There are tons of family friendly attractions for each season (tons of winter recreation options and plenty of ways to explore in the summer sunshine), but this week on the blog, we’re highlighting 10 spots families can enjoy all year.
25 Ways to Love the Springfield Museums in Springfield, Massachusetts
One of the most popular attractions in the Western part of Massachusetts, the Springfield Museums are a collection of five museums that showcase over 130,000 artifacts related to the areas of science, history, art, and culture. Located in downtown Springfield, the third largest city in Massachusetts, 90 minutes west of Boston and 30 minutes north of Hartford, Connecticut, the Springfield Museum welcome close to 400,000 visitors each year and offer dozens of exhibits that will engage families of all ages.
Five Ways to Explore the Woods Hole Science Aquarium on Cape Cod
The Woods Hole Science Aquarium is part of the Woods Hole Oceanic Institute (WHOI), which is a nonprofit education facility that focuses on marine science and engineering. The WHOI has a campus spread out throughout the village of Woods Hole and it includes a Visitor Center and Discovery center, both of which are open to the public and offer a variety of programs and events. Opened in 1875 and welcoming over 80,000 visitors every year, the Woods Hole Science Aquarium is the oldest public aquarium in America and home to 140 species of marine life who live in the Atlantic and Northeast waters, including harbor seals. The aquarium also has a rehabilitation program for sea turtles.
12 Things to Do with Kids in Palm Beach County, Florida
While most people head to the pristine beaches or pools of Palm Beach County, Florida, there is plenty to do off the sand and surf. We’re lucky to have family who live in Delray Beach and over the years, we have enjoyed exploring a wide variety of family friendly attractions. Palm Beach County includes 39 cities, towns, and villages from Jupiter (the northern most part) to Boca Raton in the southern part of the region- see the full list here.
10 Winter Activities in Woodstock, Vermont
Woodstock, Vermont is a quintessential New England town. Located one hour south of the Vermont capital of Montpelier and just over two hours from Boston, Massachusetts and Hartford, Connecticut, Woodstock has a population of just over 3,000 but swells with visitors in both the popular foliage and summer seasons. Many of the activities center around nature: skiing, hiking, fishing, biking, and swimming, but there are also plenty of historical museums, hands-on centers, tons of family fun, and plenty of beautiful shops (if the kids can be entertained). We visited Woodstock in the summertime many years ago, but found that winter is also a great time to visit when we returned last month. While fact checking logistics, we found woodstockvt.com helpful with places to explore, dining and shopping suggestions, and calendars of events.