Mother's Day Freebies in New England

Want to do something fun and festive for Mother's Day without spending lots of money at a brunch?  There are lots of free offers around Boston and New England for moms this Sunday!

Lake Compounce in Bristol, CT - Moms get in free with their buy one ticket, get one free promotion.  This available online only!  Plus, moms get to relax in our “relaxation zone” while kids make a special gift for mommy!

Tower Hill Botanic Gardens in Boylston, MA - Moms get in free all weekend!

Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, RI - Moms get in free with a paying child.

Stone Zoo in Stoneham, MA - Free zoo admission for moms and samples of KIND bars!  Yum!

Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, MA - Not only do moms get in free, but it is also Star Wars Day at the Franklin Park Zoo!  Dress up in your favorite Star Wars gear and enjoy!

Santa Banta in Waltham, MA - This new Indian restaurant is offering free meals to moms Friday, Saturday, and Sunday this weekend!

Providence Children's Museum in Providence, RI - Moms get in free and kids can make flowers for their moms.

Other stuff to do: 

Lilac Sunday at the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain, MA - I love the Arnold Arboretum!  While it's always free, this Sunday is its very special Lilac Sunday.  The arboretum has one of the best lilac collections in the US.

Kids Fun Fest in Newton, MA - This annual carnival is a great way to spend an afternoon this weekend.  With rides, concessions, crafts, and entertainment, it's fun for all.

Southwick's Zoo in Mendon, MA - Half price admission for moms.

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?