Cape Cod Off-Season

A blue lobster at the Woods Hole Aquarium

If you want to visit the Cape but want to save some cash, think about going off-season.  Most people think of lounging at the beach, eating ice cream, and playing mini-golf and while those are some of my favorite activities as well, there are some fun things to do year-round.  Whether you want to take a day trip to the Cape or enjoy a long, relaxing weekend, there's always something to do.

You can get fantastic deals on accommodations during the off-season.  Different places have different definitions of "off-season."  We've gotten off-season rates as late as mid-June, because some places don't consider it peak season until school gets out, but if you have small kids or just want to get away for the weekend, that could be a good option.  You can find house rental deals, but we actually like to stay at a hotel when we visit the Cape off-season because a lot of the hotels have indoor pools.  This makes it way more fun for my son when he can swim no matter the weather! 

You might be wondering what there is to do on the Cape in the off-season.  Yes, there are a lot of things that close for the winter, but there are also some great things open year round.

Here are some of my favorites Cape attractions that are open year-round:

• Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory.   This quick, free, self-guided tour is a fun treat for the entire family.  Plus, free chips at the end!
• While you're in Hyannis, check out Cape Cod Beer.   Beer samples for the grown-ups and a train table for the kiddos!
• Cape Cod Museum of Natural History.  It's closed from December 30-February 14, but is otherwise open year-round.  The museum is small but has tons of fun, interesting artifacts from the Cape, including a small aquarium area.   If the weather is nice, they have some truly awesome trails.  Even if it's chilly, bundle up and explore.
• If hiking and nature walks are your thing, hit up one of the Mass Audubon locations on the Cape.  The Wellfleet  location is a particularly good choice because they have a robust visitor's center so even if the weather isn't great your kids can enjoy the visitor's center.
• Visit some lighthouses.  Lighthouses are picturesque no matter the season.  Some offer tours year round.
• Enjoy bowling in Orleans, or at a Ryan's Family Amusements location.
• Visit the Woods Hole Aquarium.  This free (donation requested) aquarium is fun for adults and kids of all ages!
• After visiting the aquarium, head a few blocks down to Pie in the Sky.   Warm up with some hot drinks and enjoy lunch or one of their well-known bear claws!
• No visit to the Cape is complete without some fresh fish!  One seafood restaurant open off-season (closed January-mid February) is Wellfleet Oyster.  Their menu includes a raw bar, fried platters, and a kids menu featuring fare such as spaghetti, fried fish, and chicken fingers.
• Pick up a pie at Marion's in Chatham.   Really amazing pie!  My husband recommends the bumbleberry.
• Snowshoeing or cross-country skiing.  Here are a bunch of locations for a scenic day spent in the snow!

Lots of places on the Cape are open from April until October, but peak season is usually June through September, so you could get good deals on hotels or house rentals in the spring or fall, but still have access to all the fun Cape stuff - and maybe some warm weather!

This was originally posted on January 16, 2014. 

Stopping Between Boston and NYC

Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven

I grew up in New Jersey have a lot of family and friends in the NY/NJ/CT area, so we drive down that way frequently.  Sometimes we like to make stops on the way there or back to break up the drive and give my son the chance to stretch his legs, especially if we aren't in a rush.

For anyone else who does the drive regularly or plans to make a trip down there, here are some places on the way to help break up your trip.  I will add this as I find more activities.

Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, CT - This is a great aquarium and a bit cheaper than other aquariums in New England, like Mystic or the New England Aquarium.   You can easily spend several hours here.  The best part is the hands-on activities, like the ray touch tank!

Stepping Stones Children's Museum in Norwalk, CT - If you are a member of the Museum of Science or Boston Children's Museum, your membership card will get you into Stepping Stones!  This is a really fun children's museum.  It's spacious, clean, and has a lot to do.  We've been here a few times and would love to stop there again.

Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven, CT - This is a little pricey ($30 for out-of-staters to park their car) but it's pretty cool.  It has a nice lighthouse, a beach with lifeguards, a carousel, a splash pad, and concessions.  Pack a picnic and stay for a few hours.  Build it into your trip!

Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT - This is another museum that you can get in for free with a Museum of Science membership.  Otherwise, it's only $7 and kids 5 and under are free.  It's part science museum and part art museum.  It's not a big museum and you can get through it in less than an hour, but my son enjoyed it on our way home after Christmas last December.

Chip's Pancakes in multiple locations - After years of seeing billboards for Chip's, we finally stopped there a few months ago.  The billboards say they have the best pancakes in Connecticut and I must say, they were quite good and I am very picky with my pancakes!  Super kid friendly, inexpensive, breakfast all day, and a good place to stop for a quick bite when driving to or from NY.

Mystic, CT - If you take 95 home, stop by Mystic.  You don't need to spend money on the aquarium (which is quite costly) and you could just head to downtown Mystic.  There are restaurants including the famous Mystic Pizza, ice cream places, gift shops, and a draw bridge.  Nearby Stonington also has a lighthouse museum.

Lighthouses - You can check out my lighthouse blog that I haven't updated in years.  My husband and I love lighthouses and here are some that you can visit in CT.  Note:  you need to take 95 home to see most of these.

Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, RI - Another place you can get in with your Museum of Science membership.  It's a really nice zoo and you could spend hours there.  It's also great for a day trip.

Family Day Trips from Boston

The Nubble Lighthouse in Maine

We love to go on day trips!  Coming from Boston, there are tons of places to explore for the day.   Here are some of our favorite day trip destinations:

Mystic, Connecticut

Less than two hours from Boston, Mystic has a lot to offer.  First, we love the Mystic Aquarium.  I think it's well worth the drive and a better aquarium than the New England Aquarium.  It's not cheap, but worth it to do on occasion.  There's also Mystic Seaport, where you could easily spend all day, wandering the grounds, visiting the different buildings and ships.  If you go to Mystic Seaport on your birthday - it's free!   I love that!

When it's time to grab lunch, check out Kitchen Little.  It's a neat little restaurant right on the water.  Enjoy breakfast fare or their famous Rhode Island-style clam chowder.  If you're in the mood for pizza, there's always Mystic Pizza where you can chow down on pizza while looking at pictures of Julia Roberts on the walls.

Downtown Mystic is fun to stroll along.  It's a quintessential coastal New England Main Street, complete with cute ice cream parlors, gift shops, toy stores, and more.

While you're there, visit nearby Stonington.  There is a lighthouse museum open May through October.  It's $9 for adults, $6 for children, or a family gets in for $25.  It's a neat lighthouse and the museum is interesting.  Your admission will also get you into the Captain Palmer House, also in Stonington.

Pioneer Valley

Head to Western Mass and enjoy all that Pioneer Valley has to offer.  It's only about an hour and 45 minutes from Boston, and there's lots for families to do!

In Amherst, there's the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.   It's only $9 for adults and $6 for kids, or $22.50 for a family of four.  There are great exhibits of children's book artwork, including rotating exhibits, not just Eric Carle.  They also offer hands-on activities and a cool gift shop!

If the weather is nice, check out Look Park!  There is just so much to do at Look Park - you may never want to leave!  There are playgrounds, pedal boats, a train ride, a mini zoo, bumper boats, a train ride, a spray park, and more!  If you want to pack a picnic to bring, swing by Atkins Farm first.  They have a fabulous fruit selection, pre-made foods, and a mouthwatering bakery department.

If you're in the mood to go out to eat, Northampton Brewery is family friendly and has a large selection of food and beer. They also have a really nice outdoor dining area!

Kennebunkport and York, Maine

This area is best visited in the May-October time period, as a lot of things close in the off-season.  But, there are still some things to do no matter what the season.

Whenever we head up that way, the first place we hit up is Federal Jack's for some lunch.  It's a family-friendly brewpub with good food and a nice view!  When the weather is nice, their patio can't be beat.  Federal Jack's is open year-round.  Afterwards, we like to stroll around downtown Kennebunkport and visit the gift shops.

When we're done in Kennebunkport, we head over to York.  The Nubble Light is picturesque no matter what time of year it is!    Make sure to bring your camera for photo ops.

York has a beach and amusement park, York's Wild Kingdom.  I've never been there, but it's centrally located and reasonably priced.

The downtown section of York has a small beach and playground.  There is also an arcade with a vintage feel and small bowling alley called Fun-O-Rama.  There are plenty of shops to browse and when it's time for a sweet treat, there's The Goldenrod which features all sorts of candy and ice cream.   York is a seasonal destination, so you might not find as much open outside of May-October.

Parker's Maple Barn

Just about an hour and fifteen minutes from Boston, up in Mason, NH, Parker's Maple Barn is our favorite day trip destination in late winter/early spring.   If you go in March, maple sugaring season is going on.  You can get a tour of the syrup-making facility, buy syrup and other New England items at the gift shop, and chow down on maple donuts while waiting for your table at the restaurant.

On the weekends in the sugaring season, the wait can be long but put your name in first so you can browse the rest of the grounds.  They have typical breakfast and lunch fare, but the best are their various stuffed french toast with their homemade maple syrup. Remember to bring some home!

I have a few more favorite day trip destinations, so there will probably be a Part 2 to this post at some point.  What are some of your favorites?