Those of us living in New England are so lucky to have many vacation destinations just a short road trip away. Whether you are looking to take a day trip or stay overnight, there are plenty of New England attractions you'll want to visit with your kids. These attractions include theme parks, national parks, historical destinations, and much more.
Visiting New England, or living in the area? Here are some New England attractions for kids to add to your vacation plans.
Disclosure: We received complimentary admission to some of these attractions for purposes of review. This post contains affiliate links. A purchase/click-through through one of these links may result in a commission paid to us.
New England Attractions For Kids
New England Attractions for Kids at a Glance
Use this quick comparison table to help decide which New England attractions to add to your family vacation plans.
| Attraction | State | Best For | What Kids Can Do | Planning Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Harbor Islands | Massachusetts | Outdoor adventures near Boston | Visit a fort, go swimming, check out tidepools, and explore the islands | Book a ferry reservation in season and research the island that best fits your plans |
| Freedom Trail | Massachusetts | Families who want to add history to a Boston trip | Walk a 2.5-mile trail of historical sites through Boston | Visit at your own pace with a self-guided tour, or purchase tickets for a guided tour |
| Quincy Market / Faneuil Hall | Massachusetts | Food, shopping, and street performers | Grab a snack or lunch, browse shops, and watch street performers in the summer | It’s close to the waterfront and Boston’s North End |
| Plimoth Patuxet Museums | Massachusetts | History lovers | Visit the Wampanoag Homesite, 1627 English Village, craft center, Plimoth Grist Mill, and Mayflower II replica | Plan for most of the day if you want to see the museum and add-ons |
| Whydah Pirate Museum | Massachusetts | Families with pirate lovers | See real pirate artifacts from the Whydah shipwreck | It’s open year-round and is a good rainy summer day or winter option on Cape Cod |
| Cape Cod National Seashore | Massachusetts | Beach-loving families | Visit beaches along 40 miles of coastline | Best visited in the summer months, especially July and August |
| Basketball Hall of Fame | Massachusetts | Sports fans | Explore interactive basketball exhibits, plaques, memorabilia, and a large basketball court | There isn’t a restaurant in the Hall of Fame, but there are nearby restaurants |
| Boston Museum of Science | Massachusetts | Kids of all ages | Explore exhibit halls, the IMAX theater, 4D theater, planetarium, cafe, and gift shop | Arrive early for lower crowds and better show availability |
| Acadia National Park | Maine | Outdoor families | Hike, camp, canoe, kayak, snowshoe, cross-country ski, and visit Cadillac Mountain, beaches, and visitor centers | A good option for families planning time near Bar Harbor |
| Santa’s Village | New Hampshire | Younger kids and theme park fans | Enjoy small coasters, a log flume ride, bumper cars, a train ride, restaurants, shops, a small water park, Santa, and reindeer | It’s tucked away from some other New Hampshire attractions, but worth a visit |
| Story Land | New Hampshire | Younger kids and fairy-tale fans | See fairy-tale characters and enjoy coasters, water rides, and family-friendly rides | It’s located in Glen, New Hampshire, near North Conway in the White Mountains |
| Newport Mansions | Rhode Island | Families interested in history and grand homes | Tour the Breakers and Marble House, including a kid-friendly audio tour at the Breakers | The Breakers is recommended as the largest and most popular of the Newport Mansions |
| Mystic Aquarium | Connecticut | Animal lovers | Visit indoor and outdoor areas and see the Beluga Whale exhibit | Combine it with Olde Mistick Village, which is adjacent to the aquarium |
| Mystic Seaport | Connecticut | Maritime history | Explore an authentic 19th-century sea village with buildings like a pub, apothecary, cooper, and print shop | Costumed employees explain what life was like in the old sea village |
Massachusetts Attractions
Boston Harbor Islands
The Boston Harbor Islands collectively is a state park and national park. This collection of 34 islands and peninsulas includes seven islands that you can visit by ferry. In season, you'll want to book a ferry reservation and head to the islands, which are an oasis within the city of Boston.
Depending on the island you choose, you can visit a fort, swim, check out tide pools, and so much more. Do research in advance to make sure you visit the island with the most activities that you'll enjoy.
The most convenient hotel in the area is the Marriott Long Wharf, which is near the ferry terminal.
Freedom Trail
If you want to incorporate some history into your family vacation, you'll want to visit Boston. The Freedom Trail is one of the most popular historical attractions and can be done at your own pace.
In Boston, the Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile collection of historical sites. It's marked as a red trail through the streets of Boston, although you can visit the sites in any order based on your plans and preferences. You can choose to do a self-guided tour, or there are lots of different guided tours that you can purchase tickets for.
Here are some options for tours.
Learn more about the Freedom Trail on their website.
Quincy Market/Faneuil Hall
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Boston is the Quincy Market / Faneuil Hall Marketplace buildings. This historical marketplace was founded in 1742 and was initially used as a marketplace for crops and livestock (according to their website). It's now home to a large food court, retail push carts, and standard retail stores (similar to what you'd find in a mall).
In the summer, the Quincy Market/Faneuil Hall area comes alive with street performers. It's a fun place to walk around and grab a snack or lunch. It's also close to the waterfront, as well as the famous Boston North End.
If Quincy Market is in your plans, we recommend staying at the Bostonian Hotel, which is adjacent to the marketplace and very convenient for a Boston vacation.
Plimoth Patuxet Museums
Located south of Boston in Plymouth, MA, Plimoth Patuxet is a must-visit for any history lover. This living history museum features a Wampanoag home site, a traditional 1627 English Village, and a craft center.
If you are visiting Cape Cod from Boston, Plimoth Patuxet is a good stop on the way. There are several different ticket options. Standard tickets include only Plimoth Patuxet, or you can choose to include the Plimoth Grist Mill and/or the Mayflower II replica. Tickets can be purchased here.
You could easily spend most of the day at Plimoth Patuxet, so plan accordingly. Consider staying at the John Carver Inn, located in Plymouth.
Whydah Pirate Museum
While the Whydah Pirate Museum, located in West Yarmouth, MA, isn't as popular as some of these other attractions, it's one of my favorites. Featuring real pirate artifacts from the Whydah shipwreck, this museum is an excellent destination for any family with pirate lovers.
It's located on Cape Cod but is open year-round. I'd especially recommend it for a day in the winter or a rainy summer day when you aren't able to enjoy the outdoor activities of Cape Cod.
The Cape Cod National Seashore
Among the many beautiful Cape Cod beaches is the Cape Cod National Seashore. The National Park Service manages these 40 miles of coastline. These are best visited in the summer months, especially the high tourist season in July and August. Don't forget to get a lobster roll while you are there!
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA, is a great attraction for any sports fan. It features interactive basketball exhibits that kids will enjoy, along with the standard Hall of Fame plaques and memorabilia. There is also a large basketball court that hosts various activities.
At the Hall, you'll also find a gift shop as well as various basketball programming. There isn't a restaurant right in the Hall of Fame, but there are some nearby restaurants.
Boston Museum of Science
Even as a kid, I loved visiting the Boston Museum of Science. It's my favorite museum and is great for kids of all ages. Located between Cambridge and Boston, it includes several exhibit halls, an IMAX theater, a 4D theater, and a planetarium. There's also a cafe with lots of food options as well as a large gift shop.
When you arrive at the museum, be sure to pick up a schedule that outlines the various events and programs taking place. There are several different ticket options, including a regular ticket for just the exhibit halls as well as tickets for the planetarium shows and movies.
Arrive early for the lowest crowds and the greatest availability for the shows. You can spend most of the day there, especially if you plan to see a show or two.
Maine Attractions
Acadia National Park
Maine is absolutely beautiful, and Acadia National Park is one of the most popular parks in the area. This 47,000-acre park, located near Bar Harbor, Maine, includes several visitor centers, Cadillac Mountain, beaches, and more.
Guests to the park can hike, camp, canoe, kayak, snowshoe, cross-country ski, and more. Learn more about the park here. Tours can be booked here.
New Hampshire Attractions
Santa's Village
It's Christmas all summer long at Santa's Village in Jefferson, New Hampshire. This family theme park offers lots of fun attractions for little ones, including small coasters, a log flume ride, bumper cars, and a train ride.
Of course, you'll also get to see Santa as well as his reindeer during your visit. Santa's Village offers several restaurants/dining venues and shops as well as a small water park.
It's a little tucked away from some of the other New Hampshire attractions, but it's worth a visit. The Mountain View Grand is a good hotel option.
Story Land
I always loved visiting Story Land as a kid, so I was very eager to take my kids there when they were younger. Story Land is a theme park/amusement park, located in Glen, New Hampshire, right near North Conway in the heart of the White Mountains.
Story Land's theme is fairy tales, and you'll see some of your favorite fairy tale characters, like the Old Woman in the Shoe and Heidi's Grandfather. There are also lots of fun rides for kids, including coasters, water rides, and other family-friendly rides.
Rhode Island Attractions
Newport Mansions
While the Newport Mansions may not immediately seem like a kid-friendly attraction, my kids loved our visit to the Breakers and Marble House. These waterfront mansions, once the summer homes of the wealthy during the Gilded Age, are now open to the public and located in Newport, Rhode Island.
For a family vacation, I'd recommend visiting the Breakers - the largest and most popular of the Newport Mansions. This house, once owned by Cornelius Vanderbilt, offers a kid-friendly audio tour in addition to the standard adult tour. My kids loved it - it's very engaging.
Here are some tours, or you can purchase individual tickets directly.
Connecticut Attractions
Mystic Aquarium
The Mystic Aquarium is sometimes overshadowed by the New England Aquarium in Boston, but it's my favorite aquarium in New England. It features indoor and outdoor areas and is so fun to visit. You'll especially love the Beluga Whale exhibit - they are so engaging and fun.
It's located adjacent to the Olde Mistick Village so that you can combine a visit to both destinations during your trip. During our vacation, we enjoyed our stay at the Hilton Mystic located across the street from the aquarium.
Mystic Seaport
During our family vacation to Mystic, we also enjoyed our day at Mystic Seaport. This museum focuses on the history of America's relationship to the sea. We especially enjoyed touring the authentic 19th-century sea village to learn about life during that era.
In the sea village, you'll find a variety of different buildings, including a pub, an apothecary, a cooper, and an authentic print shop. Within many of these buildings, you'll find costumed employees who explain what life was like back in the old sea village.
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