Take a Moment to Enjoy Massachusetts with Your Family

Focus on All Things New England! [New England Focus Logo]( [Take a Moment to Enjoy Massachusetts with Your Family]( Discover why the Bay State is New England’s multigenerational go-to travel destination. Sponsored by the [Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism]( [Logo-Visit-MA]( Memories may be invisible, but in [Massachusetts]( it’s easy to watch them being made anywhere you see families exploring the Bay State together. The smiles of little kids reaching for a first scoop of real cow-to-cone ice cream, or digging into their first-ever lobster roll. The pride on parents’ faces as they tour their alma mater with their own budding scholars. The triumphant hugs shared between young and old after conquering a thrilling ski run, zipline, or summit hike for the first time. [West Yarmouth] In West Yarmouth, Seagull Beach is a favorite of families thanks to its wide swath of pristine white sand and its setting on Nantucket Sound, known for warm waters and tranquil surf. Photo Credit : Mark Fleming No matter what your family loves to do — from playing in the outdoors to spending a day in the big city — Massachusetts is a destination that can be shared in by travelers of all ages, and will inspire them to keep coming back with future generations in tow. After all, there are always more memories waiting to be made. Family Thrills [Berkshire Whitewater and Crab Apple Whitewater] Along with fellow Charlemont-based outfitters Berkshire Whitewater and Crab Apple Whitewater, Zoar Outdoor helps visitors to Western Massachusetts make a splash on the Deerfield River. Photo Credit : Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism You’re never too old or too young to feel the adrenaline rush of tackling a brand-new adventure. Give white-water rafting a go in [Charlemont](, home to [three leading outfitters]( that offer guided trips for kids as young as 5, or play among the treetops at one of Massachusetts’s aerial adventure parks, such as [Boundless Adventures]( in Berlin, just an hour from Boston, or [Ramblewild]( in Lanesborough. And zipline enthusiasts, take note: [Berkshire East Mountain Resort]( boasts some of the longest and fastest ziplines in North America, letting riders rocket through the air at speeds of nearly 60 mph. [Jiminy Peak] As the largest ski and snowboard resort in southern New England, Jiminy Peak has families covered for winter fun — but there’s plenty to do all year round at this outdoor playground. Photo Credit : Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism If winter sports are more your thing, the state’s ski areas are renowned for making excitement accessible to all, with instruction tailored to a variety of ages and skill levels. At [Jiminy Peak]( in Western Massachusetts, for example, [KidsRule Mountain Camps]( put children ages 4 to 14 on the path to a lifelong love of skiing and snowboarding. At the state’s biggest ski area, [Wachusett Mountain]( in Princeton, you’ll find not only a wide spectrum of age-focused instruction but also an acclaimed [adaptive skiing program]( that uses the latest equipment and techniques to help open up the world of downhill winter sports to guests with disabilities. Beach Fun [Cape Ann] Situated north of Boston on picturesque Cape Ann — aka Massachusetts’s “Other Cape” — the city of Gloucester boasts several gorgeous beaches, including Good Harbor Beach, above. Photo Credit : Adam DeTour Few things in childhood compare with seeing the ocean for the first time, and Massachusetts’s stay-all-day beaches and fun coastal towns offer the perfect setting for this magical moment. From [Salisbury Beach]( in the north to Westport’s [Horseneck Beach]( in the south, families can delight in surf and sand all along the state’s 1,500-mile coastline. The Cape & Islands region is, of course, where you can experience the famed [Cape Cod National Seashore](, where 40 miles of pristine coastline are dotted with half a dozen standout beaches; some, like [Nauset Light Beach]( and [Race Point Beach](, even feature picturesque lighthouses nearby. Just a short ferry ride from the Cape lie the stunning island beaches of [Nantucket]( and [Martha’s Vineyard](. South of Boston, [Nantasket Beach]( in Hull is an especially fun trip for kids, because the nearby Clock Tower Building offers the chance to ride a historic wooden carousel. Another feature sure to delight little ones is the distinctive squeaky sand that inspired the name of [Singing Beach]( in Manchester-by-the-Sea, on the North Shore’s Cape Ann. That part of Massachusetts boasts a number of other gems, including Gloucester’s [Wingaersheek Beach]( and [Good Harbor Beach](. And don’t miss what’s been called one of the most beautiful beaches in New England: [Crane Beach]( in Ipswich, a Trustees of Reservations property with pristine dunes and gentle, shallow waters that suit little swimmers to a tee. Hands-on History [Plimoth Patuxet Museums] A young visitor to Plymouth’s famed living history museum, Plimoth Patuxet Museums, gets an up-close look at the daily chores of 17th-century English settlers. Photo Credit : Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism Learning goes hand in hand with fun at Massachusetts’s living history museums, where costumed interpreters and demonstrations transport visitors with the stories, sights, and sounds of another era. One of the biggest leaps back in time — to the 1600s — can be experienced at [Plimoth Patuxet Museums]( in Plymouth, where you can see how indigenous peoples and Pilgrim settlers lived, and visit the Mayflower II, a full-scale replica of the original. [Take a Moment in Massachusetts]( The best things in life aren't things –they’re moments. A moment to chill with your friends. A moment to adventure with your family. A quiet moment to yourself. Massachusetts is full of memorable moments. [PLAN YOUR VISIT]( SPONSORED [Old Sturbridge Village] Tended by historical interpreters in period costume, animals similar to the ones that would have been found in 19th-century New England can be seen working the land at Old Sturbridge Village. Photo Credit : Courtesy of Old Sturbridge Village Moving ahead in history, there’s [Hancock Shaker Village](, a Berkshires landmark that traces its roots to the late 1780s. As they learn about the peaceful world of a Shaker community, kids can watch baby chicks hatch or try their hand at weaving on a loom that’s sized just for them. And in Central Massachusetts, [Old Sturbridge Village]( invites visitors into a re-created 1830s rural New England town, where they can chat with costumed historians, artisans, and farmers as they work the tasks of yesteryear; visit the friendly heritage-breed farm animals; and wander around a lovely 200-acre-plus campus dotted with 40 historic buildings. Outdoor Excursions [Monument Mountain] Soaring above the Housatonic River Valley, Monument Mountain is one of the 120-plus special places in Massachusetts that are owned and cared for by The Trustees, the nation’s oldest land conservation nonprofit. Photo Credit : Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism Looking to unplug with your family and get out into nature? There are literal paths to paradise in the form of countless biking and hiking trails that traverse some of Massachusetts’s loveliest landscapes. On Cape Cod, the paved 5½-mile [Province Lands Bike Trail]( offers easy access to wild dunes and coastal forests; at the other end of the state, a hike up The Trustees’ [Monument Mountain]( reveals the grand Berkshire views that once inspired Hawthorne and Melville. For Boston vacationers, a 7,000-acre swath of scenic wilderness can be found less than 10 miles from the heart of the city: [Blue Hills Reservation](, which has 125 miles of trails and the chance to climb Great Blue Hill, the highest point in Norfolk County. [Normandy Farms Family Campground] Tucked into the woods between Boston and Cape Cod, Normandy Farms Family Campground has been a magnet for lovers of the great outdoors for more than 50 years. Photo Credit : Courtesy of Normandy Farms Family Campground If you are seeking an even deeper appreciation of the great outdoors, discover why Massachusetts is a go-to destination for family camping. To start with, there are more than 30 [state camping facilities]( — from [Nickerson State Park](, set in the woods of Cape Cod and scattered with kettle ponds for swimming, to [October Mountain](, the largest state forest in Massachusetts. Many state properties are dog-friendly, and a select number also have special features for campers with mobility issues: [DAR State Forest]( in Goshen, for one, offers the use of both a floating and a sunbathing beach wheelchair, and has an accessible trail and accessible fishing platforms, too. You can typically make reservations for state facilities between one day and four months before your arrival. The state is also home to dozens of private campgrounds where you can pitch your tent or park your RV and take advantage of more extensive facilities, including laundries and fitness centers. A great example is Foxborough’s dog-friendly [Normandy Farms Family Campground](, whose 100-plus acres encompass soccer and softball fields; courts for tennis, pickleball, basketball, and volleyball; four pools; and much more. Arts & Culture [Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art] At the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (Mass MoCA) in North Adams, Sol LeWitt’s large-scale wall drawings offer a world of wonder for budding art lovers. Photo Credit : Gabriela Herman Where grown-ups see masterpieces and history-rich artifacts, kids see a world of wonderful colors and strange new things to marvel at — and both come away with a shared learning experience that will last a lifetime. In the Berkshires, the [Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art]( (Mass MoCA) sets a high bar for all-ages appeal with a 16-acre campus made for wandering; larger-than-life art installations; and Kidspace, a child-centered art gallery and studio. [deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln] The largest park of its kind in New England, the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln enchants visitors with a constantly changing landscape of 60-plus outdoor works of art. Photo Credit : Anchor Imagery In Springfield, visit a world-class collection of art, science, and history institutions — collectively known as the [Springfield Museums]( — that include the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum and a sculpture garden devoted to the beloved children’s author. Just outside Boston, kids can embark on a “treasure hunt” for things like animals and sailing ships amid the vast collection of Salem’s [Peabody Essex Museum](, or scamper around fantastical, oversize works of art that dot the landscape at The Trustees’ [deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum]( in Lincoln. City Adventures [Myrtle the Turtle at Boston's New England Aquarium] Myrtle the Turtle, a fixture at Boston’s New England Aquarium for over half a century, floats serenely above some young onlookers at the 200,000-square-foot Giant Ocean Tank. Photo Credit : Vanessa Kahn/New England Aquarium Last but not least, in terms of the sheer number of things to see and do for multigenerational travelers, rely on Massachusetts’s cities to inspire a to-do list stretching over many return visits. Attracting more than 22 million visitors a year, [Boston]( keeps the family fun going with [Duck Boat tours](, the [Museum of Science](, the newly renovated [Boston Children’s Museum](, [Franklin Park Zoo](, and the [New England Aquarium](, the largest facility of its kind in New England. [EcoTarium in Worcester] A life-sized model of a Stegosaurus, named “Siegfried,” greets visitors to the EcoTarium in Worcester. Photo Credit : Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism But other cities have countless don’t-miss gems of their own, including [Springfield](, with its activity-filled [Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame](, and [Worcester](, which boasts the [EcoTarium]( science and nature museum and [Polar Park](, home to the Triple-A farm team for none other than the mighty Red Sox. 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