Kid-Friendly Spaces in MA/CT/RI
October 22, 2008 4:34 PM Subscribe
My husband, my 2 year old, and I are visiting eastern Connecticut and are trying to plan a somewhat central location for a group of friends to meet up that won't be a huge drive for any of us. We have people wanting to meet up from Lawrence, MA; West Hartford, CT; Danbury, CT; and Providence, RI. I am going to be in Norwich, CT.
Here are the complications: a) there will be six 2 year olds; and b) the forecast is 70% chance of rain. We thought about Old Sturbridge Village, but we're cheap and don't want to shell out money for that.
Any suggestions? Help!
Here are the complications: a) there will be six 2 year olds; and b) the forecast is 70% chance of rain. We thought about Old Sturbridge Village, but we're cheap and don't want to shell out money for that.
Any suggestions? Help!
Oh my goodness, if the Higgins Armory Museum is the place I have vague memories of going to on a field trip when I was eight, it is AWESOME (caveat: it might not be the same place). That is a really really good suggestion.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 5:53 PM on October 22, 2008
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 5:53 PM on October 22, 2008
Mystic, CT. The Mystic Aquarium - lots of indoor space, penguins and dolphins, sea lion show. Right off 95. Plenty of family-friendly restaurants nearby, and a good shopping downtown. Drawbridge Ice Cream if it's open.
I would have said Mystic Seaport, but it's not as much fun in the rain if you have kids. If it's nice that day, though, the Seaport is awesome.
45 minutes from Providence, maybe 30 from Norwich, 45 from West Hartford, hour plus from Danbury.
posted by Miko at 6:53 PM on October 22, 2008
I would have said Mystic Seaport, but it's not as much fun in the rain if you have kids. If it's nice that day, though, the Seaport is awesome.
45 minutes from Providence, maybe 30 from Norwich, 45 from West Hartford, hour plus from Danbury.
posted by Miko at 6:53 PM on October 22, 2008
There's a children's museum in West Hartford, and Kid City in Middletown, which is pretty central for everyone.
posted by smalls at 7:10 PM on October 22, 2008
posted by smalls at 7:10 PM on October 22, 2008
And there's also Magic Wings, which is a butterfly conservatory (not free). It's near Yankee Candle in South Deerfield, MA (free if you manage not to buy anything). This is probably not very central for everyone, but it could be worth the trip.
posted by smalls at 7:14 PM on October 22, 2008
posted by smalls at 7:14 PM on October 22, 2008
Yankee Candle is fun to visit, if you enjoy smelling candles. Not that great for a group of people hanging out, though. They do have a large amount of rocking chairs around the perimeter of the store, so you could probably get away with it, but you'd be sitting outside.
Seconding Mystic as a good all-around place. Middletown also has some interesting places, but aren't the kids a bit young to appreciate kid's museums?
Honestly, the only places I can think of that are good for meetups and are free are parks. I love Hammonasset, and I've enjoyed visiting one or two others whose names I cannot remember. (Hammonasset is right near the center of Madison, which contains R.J. Julia's. Yay bookstores! Also has a nice, if small, cafe.) Of course, these are outside.
What is your group into? What do you like to do/see?
Hey, what about a casino? The Pequot Museum is right next to Foxwoods. I'm sure you have to pay to get into the museum, but casinos are generally free to get into, right?. (I've only been there once, for a game. Or maybe that was Mohegan Sun.) There are restaurants and probably places to sit and chat. Plus, impressive scenery.
posted by Baethan at 10:27 PM on October 22, 2008
Seconding Mystic as a good all-around place. Middletown also has some interesting places, but aren't the kids a bit young to appreciate kid's museums?
Honestly, the only places I can think of that are good for meetups and are free are parks. I love Hammonasset, and I've enjoyed visiting one or two others whose names I cannot remember. (Hammonasset is right near the center of Madison, which contains R.J. Julia's. Yay bookstores! Also has a nice, if small, cafe.) Of course, these are outside.
What is your group into? What do you like to do/see?
Hey, what about a casino? The Pequot Museum is right next to Foxwoods. I'm sure you have to pay to get into the museum, but casinos are generally free to get into, right?. (I've only been there once, for a game. Or maybe that was Mohegan Sun.) There are restaurants and probably places to sit and chat. Plus, impressive scenery.
posted by Baethan at 10:27 PM on October 22, 2008
I would recommend Kid City as well, my cousins were there recently and enjoyed it much. Middletown is actually starting to become pretty nice, with art galleries, funky shops, and not one, but two Thai restaurants (in the '80s and '90s, it was the only place in America where a Ben & Jerry's franchise had ever gone out of business).
However, if it does wind up being nice out, you really can't do better than Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill. It's not far from Middletown (a couple exits further up Rte 9), so your travel plans/times won't be altered much. Six-year-old me enjoyed it quite a bit, and I can only imagine it's improved in 20 years.
posted by Jon_Evil at 10:41 PM on October 22, 2008
However, if it does wind up being nice out, you really can't do better than Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill. It's not far from Middletown (a couple exits further up Rte 9), so your travel plans/times won't be altered much. Six-year-old me enjoyed it quite a bit, and I can only imagine it's improved in 20 years.
posted by Jon_Evil at 10:41 PM on October 22, 2008
I third Mystic Seaport - the village is very scenic and the aquarium is quite fun. Plus, the home of .... Mystic Pizza! So delicious.
In the vein of "Southeast connecticut tourist traps" - you may also check out the Essex Steam Train and Gillette Castle. As little kids, my siblings and I loved the train and the old gothic mansion.
posted by keasby at 5:54 AM on October 23, 2008
In the vein of "Southeast connecticut tourist traps" - you may also check out the Essex Steam Train and Gillette Castle. As little kids, my siblings and I loved the train and the old gothic mansion.
posted by keasby at 5:54 AM on October 23, 2008
Whoa, I think my wife said that Old Sturbridge Village closed.
The Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester, MA, is fantastic. (A little dark inside, maybe, but Ye Olde Gifte Shoppee is well-lit.) There's a big mall in downtown Worcester where you can perhaps hang out and chit-chat after the museum, but there's also good restaurants in town, too.
If the rain holds off, there's a petting zoo outside Worcester with a corn maze that would be good for burning off the little ones' energy: www.davisfarmland.com
posted by wenestvedt at 8:40 AM on October 23, 2008
The Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester, MA, is fantastic. (A little dark inside, maybe, but Ye Olde Gifte Shoppee is well-lit.) There's a big mall in downtown Worcester where you can perhaps hang out and chit-chat after the museum, but there's also good restaurants in town, too.
If the rain holds off, there's a petting zoo outside Worcester with a corn maze that would be good for burning off the little ones' energy: www.davisfarmland.com
posted by wenestvedt at 8:40 AM on October 23, 2008
Point of clarification: this is often confusing, but worth being aware of. Mystic, CT, is a town, in which is located Mystic Seaport (which is an indoor/outdoor history museum), Mystic Aquarium (which is an indoor/outdoor) aquarium, and Old Mystick Village (which is a "festival marketplace" shopping area made to look like a fake Olde New Englande village). Mystic Seaport is a maritime museum with three tall ships, lots of little boats, a children's museum for kids, a working shipyard, exhibit galleries, blacksmith and print shop, etc. The town of Mystic itself, the downtown, is where you'll find Mystic Pizza (some like it, but as a former resident I hesitate to recommend it; it's okay but survives mostly on its celebrity reputation, though only the sign and exterior were used in the movie - some people really do like its heavily chees-y pizzas and kids probably would be happy with it) and Drawbridge Ice Cream as well as boutiquey shopping, a nice bookstore, etc. When I lived in Mystic, Pizza Grille was my favorite pizza place.
posted by Miko at 8:43 AM on October 23, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Miko at 8:43 AM on October 23, 2008 [1 favorite]
Whoa, I think my wife said that Old Sturbridge Village closed.
No, absolutely not. They sold their public tavern operation, but that had nothing to do with the museum.
posted by Miko at 8:43 AM on October 23, 2008
No, absolutely not. They sold their public tavern operation, but that had nothing to do with the museum.
posted by Miko at 8:43 AM on October 23, 2008
There is no longer a big mall downtown Worcester.
There is the greendale Mall not far from there but it sucks.
posted by beccaj at 10:13 AM on October 23, 2008
There is the greendale Mall not far from there but it sucks.
posted by beccaj at 10:13 AM on October 23, 2008
Per the website happymedian.com Thompson, CT it the midway point.
posted by beccaj at 10:25 AM on October 23, 2008
posted by beccaj at 10:25 AM on October 23, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by saffry at 5:14 PM on October 22, 2008