 Family Fun
Get All Wet
Think “summer” and you can’t help but think about the cooling effects of water.
Johnny Appleseed Country is awash in cool, clear streams, quiet ponds and popular pools. So where’s a good spot to cool off on a warm summer day?
How about the Olympic-sized pool at Benjamin Hill Park in Shirley — an affordable way to spend a day, with lifeguards to keep an eye on the kids, picnic tables for a casual lunch, and a playground for burning off some extra energy?
The region is home, too, to literally dozens of state parks, many of them with swimming areas. Try a visit to Lake Dennison State Park on Route 202 in Winchendon; Leominster State Forest on Route 31 in Westminster; Rutland State Park on Route 122A in Rutland; Dunn Pond on Route 101 in Gardner; Pearl Hill State Park on New Fitchburg Road in West Townsend; or Willard Brook State Forest on Route 119 in Ashby and Townsend.
If diving into one of those lakes or ponds is just a bit more than the kids are in the mood for, how about a zero-depth water park? Davis’ Farmland in Sterling has lots of animals to visit, of course — but it also sports an "Adventure Play & Spray" area, where the kids can safely cool off while having a good time.
And if the clouds roll in, no need to call off your plans for a day at the beach! Head on up to the CoCo Key Water Resort off Route 31 in Fitchburg! It's wet, it's wild, and it's all indoors — so you can ignore Mother Nature! It’s always warm and sunny, and the whole family can enjoy water slides, an adventure river, giant whirlpool and more at this 55,000 square foot indoor water park.
Check out our Get Wet page for more information.
Look to the Skies
You don’t need nerves of steel to visit Jumptown skydiving center in Orange — but if you're planning to leap from an aircraft, it might help. While the center offers skydiving lessons, many visitors are there to watch, not to take the plunge.
The Jumptown skydiving club and dropzone, located off Route 2, welcomes spectators. And make no mistake about it, this is a great spectator sport as colorful parachutes drift downward.
Make yourself comfortable in Jumptown’s shaded spectator viewing area and watch the skydivers land right in front of you!
Be Creative
Make a mobile. Paint a t-shirt. Mold a masterpiece. You can do all that, and more, at the Hands On 4 Kidz shop on Main Street in downtown Gardner. And, perhaps best of all, you can do it affordably — using recycled materials. Kids of all ages can get crafty, whether making a bracelet or creating stationery. Families are welcome to drop in to satisfy that creative urge, or to attend a special program. Scouts can fulfill badge requirements, and kids can bring their friends in for unique birthday bash. Or consider taking an art or photography class.
Watch a play at several different locations including area colleges and playhouses.
For more information on the Arts in our area, visit our Arts page.
Take a Hike!
This is Johnny Appleseed Country ... with the emphasis on "country" — so lace up your boots, stuff your backpack, and head out for a day on the trail.
What trail? That’s a hard question to answer, because there are so many from which to choose. You could follow the Monoosnoc Trail, starting near the Twin City Plaza off Merriam Avenue in Leominster, for an hour’s walk along a blue-circle blazed trail.
For an even shorter hike that ends with a nice view, head down Route 140 in Princeton and park at Redemption Rock. The site, incidentally, offers a history lesson; on this large, flat rock, Mary Rowlandson was “redeemed” by settlers after being captured and held hostage by natives during King Phillip’s War. From the rock, head north along the Midstate Trail, following the yellow triangles.
Wachusett Mountain in Princeton is a great reatplace to spend a day. While best known for the ski area that bears its name, Wachusett is attractive year-round for hiking, bird-watching and other outdoor endeavors. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation oversees the 3,000-acre state reservation, which offers nearly 20 miles of walking and hiking trails — including four miles of the Midstate Trail.
The John Hitchcock Visitor Center, located about a mile up Mountain Road from the base lodge, has maps, nature displays and other information about the mountain.
State parks are an outstanding resource for walkers and hikers; visit the department’s website at www.mass.gov/dcr for a wealth of information about the parks and the activities available at each.
And please, visit our outdoor section with a wide variety of outdoor activities including a top ten hiking trail list.
Let Your Imagination Take Flight
Have you ever wondered how an airplane stays up in the air? Or what it’s like to travel in space? Or what careers are available in the aviation field?
You can learn all that — and more — at the Top Fun Aviation Toy Museum in downtown Fitchburg. And while its Sunday afternoon programs are educational, the museum, of course, is packed with toys that will delight all ages. On any given date, between 700 and 800 of the over 2,000 toys in the Museum’s collection are on exhibit, so there’s lots to see. You can get a “sneak peek” at the museum by visiting www.topfunaviation.com.
Spend a Day!
While best known for the ski area that bears its name, Wachusett is attractive year-round for hiking, bird-watching and other outdoor endeavors. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation oversees the 3,000-acre state reservation, which offers nearly 20 miles of walking and hiking trails — including four miles of the Midstate Trail.
The John Hitchcock Visitor Center, located about a mile up Mountain Road from the base lodge, has maps, nature displays and other information about the mountain.
State parks are an outstanding resource for walkers and hikers; visit the department’s website at www.mass.gov/dcr for a wealth of information about the parks and the activities available at each.
Also, check out our Ten Things to do with the Kids page.
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