25 Things to Do at Battleship Cove in Fall River, MA
The world’s largest naval ship exhibit, Battleship Cove opened in 1965 and is home to battleships, submarines, PT boats, and a maritime museum, all accessible to visitors. There are memorials to honors sailors who served in conflicts including World War II, the Korean War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Visitors are welcome to explore the USS Massachusetts, USS Kennedy, USS Lionfish, and Hiddensee, docked under the Braga Bridge in the waterfront area of Mount Hope Bay, and can also peek inside two PT boats.
The nearby Maritime Museum was founded in 1968 to showcase nautical memorabilia such as the Fall River Line and RMW Titanic. There is a special children’s section with nautical themed books, arts and crafts, and artifacts. Battleship Cove is located in Fall River, Massachusetts, one hour south of Boston and less than a half hour southeast of Providence, Rhode Island.
10 Family Friendly Ways to Explore Jamestown Settlement and Chippokes Plantation State Park in Virginia
One of the most popular living history museums in America, Jamestown Settlement tells the story of the first permanent English settlement in 1607 and the cultures that converged there. It originally opened as a museum in 1957 and was expanded in 2007, in commemoration of its Quadricentennial. Named in honor of King James I of England, the complex includes immersive indoor and outdoor exhibits, and daily interactive demonstrations.
10 Things to Do with Kids in Sioux Falls, SD
Our recent visit to Sioux Falls, the largest city (population wise) in South Dakota, was suppose to be a quick overnight, with dinner by the famous falls. But the more we researched, the list of places we “had” to visit grew longer and the more we crowdsourced, the list of places where we “needed” to dine for a meal or special treat grew larger. We ended up spending almost three full days of fun in the southeastern part of South Dakota and having so much fun!
We loved Sioux Falls for all the public parks, green spaces, and walking and biking trails; the rich history and preserved historic homes and buildings open to the public; the daily calendar of events tailored to families at the zoo and science center and butterfly garden and aquarium; and the kind, friendly people who ALWAYS stopped to let the pedestrian tourists cross the street (such a pedestrian friendly city- motorists actually do stop!) and who always had a tip about getting around road work, a recommendation for the best ice cream flavor, and a personal story of hometown pride.
10 Ways to Explore the Connecticut River Museum
The Connecticut River runs over 400 miles from the Connecticut Lakes near the Canadian border down through Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut to Long Island Sound in Old Saybrook. The Connecticut River Museum began as a volunteer organization in the 1970s, housed in a 1870s Steamboat Warehouse, and has since expanded into a museum with an impressive collection of artifacts and art, a replica sailing ship, a combat submarine, and a calendar filled with special events, programs, and workshops.
The museum is spread out over three floors of exhibits: a rotating exhibit on the 3rd floor and permanent exhibits on the first and second floors. There is also a small display in the boathouse room. We found the exhibits engaging and informative and appropriate for upper elementary aged students and older. Toddlers might have a hard time not touching everything and won’t be able to read all the informative signage; however, ALL ages will LOVE the train show (so bring kids of all ages to the train show and hold on to toddlers closely).
10 Things to Do at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, Maine
The state of Maine holds the record for building the most ships in the country and Bath, located a half hour north of Portland and just over a half hour south of Augusta, has built more ships than any other area in Maine since the 1740s. It is fitting, then, that Bath is home to the Maine Maritime Museum, which showcases the history of the ship building, boating, fishing, and lobstering industries. The complex is spread over 20 acres on the banks of the Kennebec River, one mile away from Bath Iron Works.