One of the 13 original states of the Union, Massachusetts has been called the Puritan State or the Baked Bean State. The area of Massachusetts is 8,257-square miles, and according to the 2000 Census, the population of the state of Massachusetts is 6,349,097. Massachusetts is best known for its famous capital city of Boston and for its 43,500-square acres of Cape Cod seashore. Fun activities for kids in the state of Massachusetts include historical sites, zoos, museums and trolley tours.
Historical Sites
Located in Plymouth, Massachusetts the Plimoth Plantation offers educational activities that will help your kids learn about America's earliest history. Your family will discover what life was like in the 17th century when you visit the 1627 English Village and the Wampanoag Homesite. You will be immersed in America's past with the re-creations of the village and homesite and the narrative of role-playing, costumed residents. The village offers framed houses, raised gardens and livestock, and in the Native American homesite, you will see Wampanoag artifacts and learn Native American words and traditions. You can also visit the Mayflower II, a replica of the original Mayflower that is amazingly detailed with rigging, horn lanterns and hand-colored maps. From the time your family steps on board the Mayflower II, with the help of the ships narrators and costumed role-players, you will learn many mazing details about the original Mayflower's 1620 voyage.
Zoos and Aquariums
Massachusetts's zoos and aquariums have exciting activities for kids. Your family can visit the Yukon Creek exhibit, which looks like a Canadian boreal forest and features bald eagles, lynx and reindeer. Follow the footprints and animal tracks to a logger's cabin and find Smoky and Bubba, two 3-year-old black bears. In the Windows to the Wild exhibit, you'll observe primates, small birds, flamingos and mammals. Then in the Treasures of the Sierra Madre exhibit, you'll see Gila monsters, cougars, coyotes and jaguars.
The New England Aquarium is located in Boston, Massachusetts. The aquarium has tanks filled with coral reefs and sea creatures, including stonefish and lionfish. Your family can also see harbor seals and green sea turtles at the aquarium. You can learn about penguins by visiting the Penguin Power exhibit and using the interactive media panels. You'll learn about penguins' natural super powers, how they survive in the wild and what you can do to help protect them.
Interactive and Technical Museums
Massachusetts has a large number of innovative museums for kids. The 90-year-old Boston Children's Museum focuses on hands-on and interactive exhibits that are fun and meaningful. The exhibits are centered around health and fitness, art, science, culture and environmental awareness. You can explore exhibits including the Art Studio, where your family can get messy using paint, clay, fabric and paper. In the Construction Zone, you can build tunnels, ramps and bridges using all kinds of blocks and construction toys. The Kid Power exhibit will teach your family about the best types of exercise to do and about super foods to eat.
The MIT Museum is located in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. It offers 5,000-square feet of science and technology exhibits. Your family will discover the latest technology in holograms, robotics, kinetic sculptures and high-tech works of art. Explore the Robots and Beyond exhibit to learn about robots and artificial intelligence; then visit the Holography exhibit to view the world's largest holography collection.
Bicycling and Hiking
For physical activities in Massachusetts your family can try out some of the states many bicycling and hiking trails. The hiking trails of Mount Tom State Reservation in Holyoke will give your family an amazing view of the Connecticut Valley, the Pelham hills and the Berkshire mountains. This state reservation is a 2,082-acre facility with 20 miles of hiking and walking trails. Many of the hiking trails and fishing and look-out areas are wheelchair accessible. You can also enjoy canoeing, picnicking and winter cross-country skiing and ice skating. In Cape Cod your family can get out your bikes, put on your helmets and ride the Cape Cod Rail Trail to an area beach or park along the way. Previously a 22-mile railroad right-of-way, the trail stretches from the town of Dennis to Wellfleet. The mostly flat trail has an unpaved shoulder for walkers, runners and horseback riders. There are concessions stands with food and water and public restrooms available at state parks and visitors centers along the trail. Hand-cycles are available for trail accessibility at some of the bike rental concessions.
Trolley Tours and Cruises
Taking a trolley ride around Boston and touring Boston Harbor are exciting activities for kids in Massachusetts. Old Town Trolley Tours has been transporting and entertaining Bostonians and visitors to Boston for more than 30 years. Friendly conductors present tours with a narrative filled with humor and information about Boston. You can explore the city at your own pace in the orange and green trolley and, after seeing the sites of the city, your family will also be able to take a free Boston Harbor Cruise. On the 45-minute sightseeing cruise provided by Old Town Trolley Tours, you will travel the Boston Harbor enjoying fantastic views of the USS Constitution and the Boston skyline.
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