Summer Family Fun Itinerary
SUMMER FAMILY FUN: 14-Day Itinerary
Make unforgettable memories for all generations on this two-week summer vacation whose thrills run from mild (petting farm animals and playing in the sand) to wild (whitewater rafting and roller coasters).
DAYS 1 & 2: RHODE ISLAND
Learn more about visiting Rhode Island
Lodging ideas: Hampton Inn & Suites (Providence Downtown), Newport Beach Hotel (Newport), Weekapaug Inn (Westerly)
Providence’s 427-acre Roger Williams Park is best known for its zoo but also has a planetarium, natural history museum, and botanical center. Downtown, Waterplace Park and the Providence Riverwalk are worthy of a family stroll, especially when WaterFire’s 80-plus bonfires are blazing. Explore Providence’s waterways aboard an authentic Venetian gondola with La Gondola or sightsee along Narragansett Bay on a pedal-powered ride with Rail Explorers.
South County is the place to beach in Rhode Island. Romp in the surf at Westerly’s Misquamicut State Beach, enjoy the carousel and arcade at Atlantic Beach Park, and dine waterside at Paddy’s Beach Club. Or detour to Narragansett for surfing and Adventureland Family Fun Park.
DAYS 3 & 4: CONNECTICUT
Learn more about visiting Connecticut
Lodging ideas: Ethan Allen Hotel (Danbury), Foxwoods Resort Casino (Ledyard), Heritage Hotel (Southbury), Hotel Zero Degrees (Norwalk & Danbury), Inn at Mystic (Mystic), Mystic Marriott (Mystic)
Mystic Seaport Museum brings New England’s seafaring history to life with its 19th-century coastal village, while just 20 minutes away the Mashantucket Pequot Museum combines storytelling and interactive exhibits to explore Native American culture. Before leaving Mystic, treat the kids to an outing at TreeTrails Adventures for aerial thrills on ziplines, swinging bridges, and rope ladders.
Next, drive west along the coast to Ocean Beach Park for a beach swim or a boardwalk stroll, and activities ranging from amusement rides to mini golf. Then take an easy, all-ages hike in East Haddam’s Gillette Castle State Park and visit its fortress-like stone mansion. Alternatively, head inland for a laid-back river float with Farmington River Tubing, and end the day at Quassy Amusement & Waterpark, home to one of the world’s best wooden roller coasters.
DAYS 5 & 6: WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
Learn more about visiting Massachusetts
Lodging ideas: Holiday Inn & Suites (Pittsfield), Hotel on North (Pittsfield), Yankee Inn (Lenox)
Experience the splashy fun of whitewater rafting on a Deerfield River trip with Berkshire Whitewater, Crab Apple Whitewater, or Zoar Outdoor, all in Charlemont. For excitement on land, try the ziplines at Zoar Outdoor or Berkshire East, or drive to Hancock’s Jiminy Peak, whose Mountain Adventure Park lets kids tackle rock climbing and zoom downhill on an alpine slide or mountain coaster.
Slow things down with a visit to Ioka Valley Farm, where youngsters can get up close with baby farm animals, ride a pedal-powered tractor, and try their hand at milking a mechanical cow. Before departing the Bay State, load up on fresh produce and other local bounty at a classic farm stand like Holiday Brook Farm’s self-service outpost in Dalton.
DAYS 7 & 8: VERMONT
Learn more about visiting Vermont
Lodging ideas: Basin Harbor (Vergennes), Lake Morey Resort (Fairlee), Sterling Ridge Resort (Jeffersonville)
The legend of “Champy,” Lake Champlain’s very own Loch Ness Monster, is enough to get kids excited about a day on New England’s largest lake. Dive into local lore at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Vergennes, then hit the water on a shipwreck expedition or rowing tour. At the nearby Basin Harbor Resort and Boat Club, day trippers can enjoy water sports like tubing and waterskiing; overnight guests have even more amenities to choose from (parents will love the Kids Camp and babysitting service). Hikers can visit Mount Philo State Park for spectacular lake views from Mount Philo’s summit or stroll 10 miles of trails at Shelburne Farms, which also has lots of kid-friendly farm animals.
Heading west, stop in at Vermont’s own Ben & Jerry’s for a mouthwatering factory tour (don’t miss the whimsical Flavor Graveyard). From there, discover educational fun at Vermont Institute of Natural Science, where kids can see raptors fly and explore a forest canopy walk, or the Montshire Museum of Science, filled with 150 hands-on
exhibits and hiking trails. Close out your visit at Fairlee’s Lake Morey Resort: With an 18-hole golf course, water sports, tennis and pickleball, biking, and more, it has all the makings of a classic family vacation in one place.
DAYS 9–11: NEW HAMPSHIRE
Learn more about visiting New Hampshire
Lodging ideas: Cottage Place on Squam Lake (Holderness) Indian Head Resort (Lincoln), The Margate on Winnipesaukee (Laconia), RiverWalk Resort (Lincoln)
For over 50 years, families have flocked to the White Mountains for two timeless theme parks: Santa’s Village where youngsters can thrill to 20-plus holiday-themed rides, and Story Land, whose attractions and shows bring fairy tales to life. Older kids will love exploring the natural wonders of the Flume Gorge in Franconia Notch State Park and the glacier-formed Polar Caves in Rumney.
Next, head south to Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire’s longtime summer playground. Go swimming, take a cruise, and ride go-karts or bumper cars at Weirs Beach in Laconia, which also boasts the world’s largest arcade, Funspot. The Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad offers one- and two-hour rides along Winni’s western shore; those who like traveling under their own steam can pedal along Lake Winnisquam with Granite State Rail Bikes.
On your final day, soak up a sweeping view of Winnipesaukee from Castle in the Clouds, a mountaintop estate with a historic mansion and miles of hiking trails. Alternatively, tackle a moderately challenging climb up Rattlesnake Mountain for a breathtaking Squam Lake vista. And save time to visit the bears, bobcats, and other critters at the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center; you might even spy loons or eagles on its naturalist-led lake cruises.
DAYS 12 & 13: MAINE COAST
Learn more about visiting Maine
Lodging ideas: Huttopia Southern Maine (Sanford), Lafayette’s Oceanfront Resort (Wells), The Meadowmere Resort–Family Suites (Ogunquit), Ogunquit River Inn (Wells)
Southern Maine is all about beautiful white sand beaches. Wells alone has seven miles of sand to enjoy, starting with the popular Wells Beach, located near shopping and restaurants and offering beach wheelchairs for the less mobile; a quieter option is Crescent Beach, dotted with tidepools. Farther up Route 1, Ogunquit and Kennebunkport blend beachy appeal with unique family attractions like the Marginal Way cliff walk and the Seashore Trolley Museum, the largest of its kind in the world.
After your beach day, take a whale-watching tour with Kennebunkport’s First Chance Whale Watch or New England Eco Adventures; ride northern New England’s largest roller coaster at Funtown Splashtown USA in Saco; or drive up the coast to Boothbay Harbor’s Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, whose giant wooden trolls delight all ages.
DAY 14: BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
Learn more about visiting Boston
Lodging ideas: Boston Marriott Long Wharf, Hampton Inn Boston Seaport District, Seaport Hotel
While leading your family along Boston’s iconic Freedom Trail, plan to linger at Fanueil Hall Marketplace. Not only is it home to the historic building where America’s first town meeting was held, it also bustles with street performers and dozens of shopping and dining spots. At the nearby waterfront, you can board a Boston Duck Tours vehicle to sightsee by land and water; zoom around the harbor on the Codzilla “thrill boat”; or catch a ferry to the Boston Harbor Islands for an afternoon of exploring old forts, scenic beaches, and hiking trails.
Itinerary created in partnership with Yankee Publishing. DATTCO Coach & Tour is Discover New England’s transportation partner.
