Groupon and LivingSocial Roundup!

Together in Motion is a fun for babies and toddlers. 

Good afternoon, everyone!  For future "Groupon Roundup" posts, I will also be including my favorite LivingSocial deals!  This will help me find my readers the best, most awesome deals on the internet.   Here's what deals are going on this week.  Enjoy!

• Four hour introductory sewing class at Newton Sewing Studio.  Learn to "sew like a pro" and create a patchwork pillow and stuffed animal, hand puppet, or pencil case!
  
• Boomer's Playland and Laser Tag down in Carver.  Kids can enjoy mats, slides, tubes, a ball fountain, and more - a great idea for these never-ending polar vortexes...
  
• Truck on down to Providence for the New England Family Fun Festival in April!  This event includes dancing, music performances, magicians, storytellers, clowns, contests and games, Lego building, Zumba, and lots more!
  
• Together in Motion's drop-in play in Arlington.  The Groupon says for ages 0-6, but I think it's better for the younger set, like newly mobile babies and toddlers who need a safe, soft place to run and climb.  It doesn't expire until August, so it's great for really cold days, April showers, and heat waves!
  
• Sandwich Works in Newton Centre is super yummy!  This friendly deli has really good sandwiches and breakfast.
  
• 16 Handles - froyo in Coolidge Corner!  Mmmm, cider doughnut yogurt!
  
• Newburyport Whale Watch.  Available May through October, enjoy New England whale watching!  Kids under 3 are free on weekdays.
  
• Do the tourist thing and check out Cambridge Historical Tours and a Freedom Trail Tour.  Play tourist with your family or buy these for when you have out-of-towners visiting for a fun way to enjoy historical New England together!

• Body Worlds Vital -Faneuil Hall.  The Body Worlds exhibit has 200 authentic human specimens, including individual organs, transparent slices, and whole bodies.  I hear it's really fascinating.
  
• Kids Fun Stop in West Roxbury.  Visit this indoor playground (perfect for ages 6 and under) for half price.  Since this winter seems never-ending, you may as well buy some more indoor play passes...
  
• Drumming lessons in Arlington.  Half price drum lessons for kids aged 5-12.
  
• Monster Mini Golf in Norwood.  Monster Mini Golf is an indoor, black-lit mini golf course with music and of course, MONSTERS!  There's also a Groupon for its Danvers location.  If you miss the fun of playing mini golf in the summer, this is a great option.
  
• Kidsports in Stoughton.  This Groupon is for indoor play passes, with the option to add bowling and plaster painting.  Fun idea if you're down near Stoughton!
  
• Animal Adventures in Bolton.  It's a bit of a drive, but totally worth it if you have a kid who is really into animals.  We've gone twice because my son liked it so much the first time. You get up close and personal with all sorts of animals.
  
• Jump Around in Framingham.  I bought one of these already and might buy another.  I'm kind of burnt out on these jumping places, personally, but these jumping passes have been a great thing during the miserable weather.  Anything that gets us out of the house and gets my son some exercise!  

Boston Families on a Budget: Tourism Edition

Boston Common's Frog Pond is awesome!

I'm blogging a lot about weekly activities and deals, but I thought I'd come up with some fun ideas for out-of-town families visiting Boston.  There are tons of fun things to explore in Boston without breaking the bank.

If you stumbled upon this post because you're a planning a visit to Boston, hello!   You will love Boston!

Lodging

I find that it usually makes more economical sense to rent a vacation condo instead of staying at a hotel.  When you break it down, it's usually cheaper per night, and you're not forced to dine out for every single meal.  I find that looking for restaurants 3 times a day can be sort of a headache, especially when traveling with children.

I have used HomeAway.com and had good experiences.  AirBnB.com is another popular site.

Some centrally-located neighborhoods are Back Bay, Copley Square, and the South End.  These areas are great for exploring Boston by foot and by T (our subway) but if you have a car, it might be a little bit of a pain to find parking there.  You can also stay further from Boston and take the T or commuter rail in when you're exploring Boston.  There are lots of cute coastal towns (Rockport, Newburyport) with commuter rail access.

Dining

There are lots of inexpensive and tasty eateries around Boston.  Lots of seafood places especially along the waterfront, great pizza and Italian in the North End, dim sum in Chinatown - you name it!  If you visit Boston's famous Regina Pizzeria, head over to the Allston location on a Tuesday night.  It has a full menu, kids eat free on Tuesdays, and they have someone making balloon animals for the kids.

Museums

Boston has some awesome museums, and even better: many of them offer free and discounted museum days.   Be sure to take advantage!  On top of that, if you visit in the summer, Highland Street offers free museum days all over the area, including some of the local zoos.

Free Stuff to do in Boston

There are lots of free things to do in Boston city limits.    From free North End Festivals to Castle Island, there are so many fun (and historical!) family events and destinations throughout the city that you can enjoy.

Boston Common

 You can't beat Boston Common in the summer - wade in the Frog Pond, spend only a few bucks to get your entire family on a famous Swan Boat Ride, enjoy the carousel, and have a picnic!

Day Trips

Got a car?  Head over to Mystic, CT, Western Mass, Cape Cod, or Maine for a fun day trip within 2 hours of Boston.

Groupons

Last, but not least, be sure to check out my latest Groupon roundups.  I go through Groupons almost every week and find my favorite deals.  Grab a few Groupons before your trip and enjoy using them once you're here!