Love New England Blog

Eccentric Eats: Parker's Maple Barn

03/07/2012

Tapping a maple across from the Barn

Parker's Maple Barn, operating since 1969, is well known throughout the area. They serve breakfast and lunch in large portions. The barn is decorated with antique farm and maple memorabilia. It is very family friendly, and kids love it. If you are going with a large group, there may be a bit of a wait, especially on weekends. If you can go early, you can beat the crowds.

Plan to go with an empty stomach. Their pancakes are available in a variety of flavors: buttermilk, blueberry, pumpkin (a favorite), and chocolate chip when you ask for it. There are also a plethora of yummy egg based dishes, I recommend the Eggs Irish. If you are feeling like lunch after 11:30am, the soup and 1/2 sandwich combination is reasonably priced and filling. The turkey sandwich is also top notch. One of these days we are going to try the maple ribs!

View of the restaurant from parking lot across the street

This time of year, the sap is flowing and when you see a huge cloud of steam emanating from the sugar house near the restaurant, go over and check it out. The folks boiling down the sap are happy to answer any questions about the process. They offer field trip experiences for local schools, homeschool and scout groups. We did this last year and the kids loved getting to see first hand where syrup is made, and then tasting the delicious results.

Parker's also has a gift shop on the premises with every maple product you can imagine, as well as a selection of books, gifts, and Native American products. Another seasonal event is their annual Pow Wow which is open to the public and a wonderful way to learn more about the heritage of Native Americans. Check their website for more details.

Website: http://www.parkersmaplebarn.com/

Hours (2012):
Monday - Friday 8:00 AM until 2:00 PM
Saturday and Sunday 7:00 AM until 4:00 PM

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Exploring the Shark & Ray Touch Tank at NEAQ

12/14/2011

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Shark and Ray touch tank exhibit

We recently utilized our membership card and visited the new Shark and Ray touch tank exhibit at the New England Aquarium. (See our Aquarium review here). If you can't make it to the aquarium, there are some neat video clips on their website if your kids or students are learning about rays.

Visitors are allowed to pet the rays and sharks as they swim by. There are more rays than sharks, and the sharks are small ones fyi, so children and adults alike who may have a phobia have nothing to fear. The stingers have been clipped on the rays so they are no danger to humans. The sharks liked to hide under a part of the exhibit, although they came into clear view a couple times. The rays feel very smooth and swim quickly. There are knowledgeable staff members always around to explain about the animals and their habitat.

Make sure and catch a glimpse of the underwater view!

Some Useful Tips:

roll up your sleeves, a change of clothes may not be a bad idea for enthusiastic kids
it is less crowded in the late afternoon if you can time your visit right

Website: http://www.neaq.com
Cost: Expensive, this exhibit is included in NEAQ regular admission
Allow: 1/2 -1 hour for this exhibit
Ages: all ages

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Exploring Santa's Village

12/07/2011

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The White Mountains of New Hampshire contain New England’s highest mountains and may be the most beautiful region of the northeast. It is with some irony that this scenic area, home to a wealth of natural wonders, is also the destination for several popular theme parks. Many New Englanders have fond childhood memories of these parks, and they really haven’t changed much.

mountain view near Santa's Village in Jefferson, NH

Santa’s Village resides in the upper White Mountains in Jefferson, NH. As the name suggests, it is a Santa-themed park and operates through the summer, with special weekends and events in the fall up to Christmas and New Year’s. If you are the type of person who enjoys Chevy Chase style holiday lighting, this might be your type of place. Otherwise, you might be slightly annoyed by the constant Christmas carols playing over the loud speakers, faux village cabins, and elf-themed rides and eats.

The biggest highlight for us was the Reindeer barn which houses several real Reindeer that you can pet and feed "cookies" (sold 3 for $1). They are incredible animals to see up close and they seem to be well cared for. They are free to go from their stalls to an outside pen and the whole area was very clean. The barn features stalls with the names of Santa's reindeer, and has some activities for kids in the same building.

one of the beautiful reindeer

S.S. Peppermint Twist ride

We were surprised how many rides were open, despite the snow. Some of the many rides include the S.S. Peppermint Twist, a Chimney drop, train ride, skyride, motor cars, bumper cars, and spinning drums. There were plenty of worker elves clearing paths and cleaning off benches, etc. The crowds were out on Saturday, but Sundays are supposedly less busy according to their web site.

After a fairly long wait in line, our little ones got to visit with Santa and enjoy some cider and a candy cane. Our youngest enjoyed the train ride, and our oldest picked the most dizzying rides. Luckily there is a height chart and many kids 5+ can ride without their grownups for some of the stomach-turning ones. See their FAQ for more info. It was pretty cool to see the lights go on throughout the park at dusk, but overall we felt that summertime is a better time for this park in general.

line for Santa's home

In the summertime there is virtually no line for Santa as well. ;-)

Some Useful Tips:

Children 3 and under are free!
They offer strollers there, but they may be wet or snowy in inclement weather
Summertime is better for rides (the flume is open)
If going in the fall/winter, snow pants aren’t a bad idea, and hats and mittens are a must have!
There is an Elf-abet scavenger hunt that was fun, if you find all the letters you get a small prize. It takes quite a bit of time to find them all, good activity for older kids 6+

Website: http://www.santasvillage.com
Cost: Uber Expensive
Allow: 6 hours or until your kid is done
Ages: This park is best suited for kids 0-12

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Wicked Good Deals: Library Passes, Memberships, & Free Days

11/10/2011

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giant sea turtle at the New England Aquarium

Throughout New England, local public libraries offer free passes to museums, aquariums, zoos and parks on loan to their members. It may take a bit of planning ahead to coordinate a time when you have the pass, but it is well worth your while for the savings. All you will need is a library card through your local library. Sometimes the passes may take a little while to process so don’t show up the day you need it and expect it to be there, these things do get booked up. These days a lot of libraries are online so you can check the status before you go.

Once a year or so museums often have a free day. These were offered this past year by the Highland Street foundation as Free Fridays. These can be fun but expect crowds. This Friday through Sunday in honor of Veteran's day the Boott Cotton Mills Museum in Lowell is free to all.

If you hope to visit a museum more than 2-3 times per year, it may be worth it for you to invest in a membership. Many are partially tax deductible. If you go often it is an excellent deal; you will get additional benefits like skipping the lines, savings at the gift shop, and invitations to exclusive events and classes.

flowers at the Heritage Museum gardens in Sandwich, MA

Tips:

Check out your local resources! If you are in Boston or have a metro library pass see the BPL website for details. Whichever state you're in, ask at your library desk if they have a museum pass program.
Check museum websites for membership benefits and levels.
It’s always worth a try to ask for AAA, Military, or Senior discounts when applicable.

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Exploring The Wayside Inn

11/09/2011

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the How Inn sign

The Wayside Inn in Sudbury, MA, is way more than just an Inn. They have a restaurant, chapel (weddings are popular there), working grist mill, and a one room school house. They host many events for Colonial and Revolutionary War era reenactors and the public, as well as a summer farmer’s market and excellent local bakery.

walking trail and stream across from the Inn

The original Inn was known as How Inn or the Red Horse Tavern, which was opened to the public as a house of entertainment by David How (1674-1759) in 1716. It was later made famous as the Wayside Inn in the poetry of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. In more recent history, it was bought by Henry Ford in the 1930’s. He preserved and built it up into the country’s first living history museum and grounds. This was the time period when the outer buildings were added.

Colonial Fair

Each year the Inn is the locale for a Colonial Fair, which features battle and marching reenactments as well as contra dancing, a camp with merchants selling their wares (including potters, tinsmiths, and broom makers), and games for the young and kids at heart. The reenactment community has members from all over New England who partake in this event.

reenactment during the Colonial fair

The restaurant menu features classic New England fare with plenty of seafood like lobster pie and scallops, chicken pie, and prime rib. The old time cocktails like the Coow Woow (rum with ginger brandy) are drinks that your ancestors would have enjoyed. The mill grinds all of the flour and cornmeal used in the restaurant and it is available for purchase as well.

Grist Mill

Some Useful Tips:

With this place, you can do as much or as little as you want. If you want to take a walk around the grounds before or after eating wear comfortable shoes as some of the ground may be uneven.
Look at the Visitor’s Guide to see when the buildings are open. Call ahead for tours.
Check out their event calendar to see what's happening.

Website: http://www.wayside.org/
Cost: Moderate
Allow: 2-3 hours
Ages: All ages, but older kids 8+ will appreciate the history more

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Eccentric Eats: Bush Meadow Farm

10/25/2011

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Bush Meadow Farm

Bush Meadow Farm, right off I-84 in Union, CT, is a wonderful spot run by the Kapplan family serving breakfast & lunch on weekends from 7am- 4pm. Weekday times are by appointment only. Call ahead if you have a large group, as the dining area is limited. If you are heading for a weekend getaway to CT, NYC, or beyond, it is a great, convenient place to stop for a homemade meal and then jump back on the highway.

One of the girls greets us

Outdoors, you can see goats & quail; the folks there are very friendly and will answer any questions you have about the animals. Indoors it is family style eating and appears to be a popular place for locals (some customers were greeted by their first names), and extremely kid friendly. The kids’ pancakes were made right away to keep them happy; coloring books were also at hand for kiddos.

The unique coffee station

The coffee was self-serve style, served on an old woodstove. The menu highlights local and seasonal ingredients, and emphasizes the fresh goat cheese made on the premises. There are a variety of flavors of cheese both sweet and savory. Some highlights from their menu were homemade crepes, eggs benny, and coffee cake muffins. The goat cheese is available for purchase, as is fresh goat milk and local smoked meat.

We are keeping Bush Meadow Farm in mind for future visits we have to Connecticut or beyond. The food and coffee were excellent, and the prices are reasonable. The experience has us re-evaluating the amount of goat dairy in our diets.

Website: http://www.bushmeadowfarm.com/

Hours: 7am-4pm on Saturday & Sunday, other times by appointment

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Exploring Davis' Farmland

10/24/2011

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Pony at Davis' farmland

If you’ve ever wanted to get up close and personal with farm animals, Davis’ Farmland has ‘em. Their roll call includes goats, sheep, cows, ponies, alpacas, rabbits, and fowl. Most of the animals are young, friendly, and pettable, and many of the sheep and goats range freely. Apparently Davis' specializes in rare and endangered breeds, though they were not so exotic to give us trouble picking apart the cows from the llamas.

The caveat is you must be accompanied by a young child under age 12. This policy is enforced for child safety reasons, but it can be inconvenient if you travel in separate vehicles and Grandma isn’t allowed in. If going in a group, plan ahead to avoid this.

a couple of the cute goats

Be sure to catch a hayride around the farm and listen to its history and meet some of the larger animals "put out to pasture". The hayrides are regularly scheduled throughout each day and are included with the price of admission. In addition to the animals, an imaginative playground is a fun spot for children. The summer splash park is a hotspot for local families on hot days, but a water park at a petting zoo seems a little like topping a burger with candy corns. Davis' also has a famous "mega maze" open seasonally, but this requires an extra fee.

Davis' Farmlands puts together a fairly impressive range of animals with a few special features, but considering the high price of admission you might also do well to find a local farm instead. Many farmers are happy to show you around and let you pet some animals.

some of the adorable residents

Some Useful Tips:

Food selection is limited, but you can bring your own and use the picnic tables.
Library passes are available through some MA, NH, RI & CT libraries
Springtime is best for seeing newborn lambs, kids, and calves.
Look at their schedule for feature presentations, such as Birds of Prey.
If your kids enjoy feeding animals (and don't mind slimy hands), buy a cup of food at the entrance.
There are Purell stations available throughout the farm to clean hands, or sinks and soap towards the entrance.

Website: https://www.davisfarmland.com/
Cost: Expensive
Allow: 2-3 hours
Ages: 12 and under

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Exploring the New England Aquarium

10/20/2011

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View of the Giant Sea Tank

The New England Aquarium in Boston, MA, is a beloved landmark on the waterfront. It is a short walk from the Aquarium T station and is accessible a few blocks from South Station and the commuter boat docking at Rowes Wharf. Parking is sort of a nightmare, although I hear there is a parking garage nearby if you don’t mind city driving.

In front of the aquarium is a large tank with a sea lion exhibit which never fails to delight kids of all ages. Stroller parking is available once inside, and you will get your hand stamped for re-entry. The inside of the main building opens up to a marvelous view of the penguin exhibit. The penguins were an utter delight for our kids, and we suggest you plan to hang out there for a while. If that while gets too long, remind the kids that you can still view the penguins from other levels of the aquarium.

the adorable penguin exhibit

There are many side exhibits in tanks of various sizes, but the main event is the large central tank. You can watch sharks, rays, giant sea turtles, and every imaginable fish swimming together. The harmony of the ecosystem is amazing; shouldn't some of these fish be trying to eat some of the other ones? The tank is so large that even when the aquarium is busy you can find a “window” of your own to admire the amazing view.

One of the vibrant smaller exhibits

A small touch tank area is always good to keep the kids busy. This is one area I wish they would somehow expand, as kids have to wait in line (sometimes longer than their attention spans) to get their turn to touch a sea star. Recently they have opened up a Shark & Ray Touch tank which may be the answer to this; I look forward to checking it out next time.

The Marine Mammal Center

The Marine Mammal Center houses some California Sea Lions and Northern Fur Seals, and you can relax and watch a training show or mealtime at various times throughout the day.

Some Useful Tips:

If bringing a baby, a wearable carrier works best (there is space to park your stroller)
Plan ahead for timing your visit with a seal training session, penguin feeding, or IMAX show
Wear light colored clothing to get the best glow effect from the fluorescent lights
Membership is totally worth it if you plan to go multiple times a year

Website: http://www.neaq.com
Cost: Expensive
Allow: 2-4 hours
Ages: all ages

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Seeing Boston from a Duck

10/19/2011

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Duck boat on the Charles River

The duck (or more correctly, DUKW) vehicles of Boston Duck Tours are ubiquitous in Boston and can be seen rolling along downtown streets or motoring up the Charles River. The vehicles were designed as amphibious cargo transport vehicles in World War II but found peace-time use for tours in Boston and in several other cities. In Boston, they are also used for "rolling rally" victory parades when a local team wins a championship.

A typical tour is about an hour, though that can easily be exceeded if there is traffic congestion. Our guide introduced the tour's educational mission as "Freedom, Firsts, and Fun," emphasizing Boston's role in the American Revolution along with superlative claims Boston can make -- such as being the first place in America to hang accused witches and boasting the ugliest building in the world. You'll get a sense of Boston's deep history as you pass through its oldest neighborhoods and view its most historic landmarks.

Faneuil Hall

Part of the tour will take you onto the Charles River, and you may get the opportunity to steer the boat under a bridge (really, please be careful). This part of the tour offers the best photo opportunities of Boston's skyline and gives the guide an opportunity to point to the town on the other bank of the river, Cambridge, which is home to a couple of universities you might have heard of.

We enjoyed getting a historical overview of Boston and in particular experiencing the great architectural diversity in the city. With a Duck's eye view, we noticed architectural charms that are difficult to see when on foot. While you only get a drive-by and some trivia for each place, you will be inspired to explore the city in greater depth.

View of the financial district from the North End

The tour guides not only show you the sights, but they also entertain. Each guide plays a character and has fun mixing puns with the narrative. The kids will enjoy quacking on cue and will generally enjoy the tour. Even if the history does not appeal to them, they will like going out on the water and looking up at the buildings.

Boston Skyline from the Charles

Some Useful Tips:

Check their website for discounts
Prepare for weather
Roll up the (plastic tarp) window for better viewing and picture taking
Bring cash for a tip

Website: http://www.bostonducktours.com/
Cost: Expensive
Allow: 1-2 hours
Ages: all ages

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Exploring Plimoth Plantation

10/19/2011

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The Mayflower II and Plymouth harbor

Plimoth Plantation, located in Plymouth, Massachusetts, is a living history museum which recreates 17th century English and Wampanoag villages. A short drive away is the Mayflower II, which is an exact replica of the original ship the Pilgrims and Strangers sailed on. The admission to visit the ship is additional but it is worthwhile if you want to learn more about what the Pilgrims' journey was really like. However, you should expect to spend much more time at the plantation and recommend giving it greater priority.

Plimoth Plantation has a state of the art visitors center, special programs and events throughout the year, and beautiful gardens where functions can be held. In fact, we held our wedding here so it will always hold a special place in my heart; it was lovely.

View of the English village

The role players at Plimoth Plantation are in first person mode. This means that if your cell phone rings they will act like it is a device they have never seen before. They portray real people that lived in the original village of Plimoth in 1627. The tour is self-guided so you can immerse yourself in the past and ask as many questions as you'd like.

Inside look at one of the homes

The role players in both the English and Wampanoag villages perform daily activities that would have been done in the 17th century. You can see cooking demonstrations, animal care, gardening, and much more. It is interesting to compare and contrast these villages which were so close geographically yet had such different cultures. Thanksgiving is their busy time of year so be prepared for crowds if planning a November visit.

View from along the trail on the way to the Wampanoag village

Wampanoag village

Some Useful Tips:

Check out the Parents' Guide on Plimoth Plantation website
Be prepared for walking; wear comfortable shoes.
Admittance is good for two consecutive days for the museum. If buying a combination pass for the Mayflower II, the ship ticket is good for one visit within 1 year of purchase.
Mayflower II is located on the main street of Plymouth on the water and can be combined with a nice harbor-side stroll among the shops

Website: http://www.plimoth.org
Cost: Expensive
Allow: A full day
Ages: All ages, but a jogging stroller or baby sling/carrier would be helpful for little ones.

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<< Previous

Love New England

Eccentric Eats: Parker's Maple Barn

Exploring the Shark & Ray Touch Tank at NEAQ

Exploring Santa's Village

Wicked Good Deals: Library Passes, Memberships, & Free Days

Exploring The Wayside Inn

Eccentric Eats: Bush Meadow Farm

Exploring Davis' Farmland

Exploring the New England Aquarium

Seeing Boston from a Duck

Exploring Plimoth Plantation

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