Category: free

Touring Boston – What to Know About Attending a Cape Code Factory Tour with Kids

Brittney Leave a comment
New England has this amazing brand of potato chips call Cape Cod Chips.  They are thin, crisp, salty and pretty much the best potato chips I have ever eaten in my life… and honestly until I tried them I was not a huge potato chip fan.  
Anyway one day I was looking at the back of the bag and saw that they offer factory tours and knew that before my husband finished his studies and we moved away from Boston that we needed to tour this factory… mostly because it sounded ridiculous … and awesome.   

What to Know About Attending a Cape Code Factory Tour with Kids
Just after Labor Day we decided to take a short camping trip to Cape Cod and decided that one of the attractions we wanted to see along the way was our chip factory.  
We parked and walked up to the building, only to see signs that no photos were allowed to be taken inside the factory.  We snapped a few outside and then stepped into the building.  The tour was self guided and pretty much just a long walk down the hallway where you could stop and peek through different windows to see what was happening.  Next to each window there was short plaque describing what was happening and you could move as quickly or as slowly as you wanted. 
We watched all the potatoes being poured onto conveyor belts and men and women looking them over to remove bad potatoes.  Then we saw the potatoes getting cut up into little bits, followed by being soaked in oil and fried.  When they were done cooking we followed the belt to the next window to see them getting salted and more people picking out the less than perfect chips. 
Then we walked to the last window and watched the bags being made and the chips getting stuffed into them.  Our two year old son was mesmerized by this process and we stood at those windows for a long long time watching the bags being made by a robot and then filled with chips. 
The tour ended and you get a small sample bag of chips to enjoy as you walk through the gift shop. 

Summary: 

The tour is really short, honestly if you don’t stop at the window and watch and read you would be done with it five minutes.  For us, with our toddler this was great since we could stop at the places that he was interested and move on when he wasn’t.  It was also easy to leave at anytime.  The chips were delicious and my son loved it.  Months later he still likes telling people about going to the chip factory, which makes it a win in my book.  
Rating: ★★★★☆
Four Stars. The tour was great and I thought it was perfect length for a toddler, but there really wasn’t much to it.  Just a long narrow hallway with windows to peek into.  If you’re not really into machinery and watching things happening, it may not be worth your time to make the drive or the detour to the factory.

Have you been here before?  If so I’d love to know more about your experience and any tips or tricks you have in the comments section below. 
Cape Cod Chip Factory
100 Breed’s Hill Road
Hyannis, MA 02601

 Phone: 1-888-881-2447
 Website: http://www.capecodchips.com/about-us/factory-tour.html

Tour Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Self-guided tours are free. Closed Weekends and Holidays

Touring Boston – What to Know About Visiting the Bunker Hill Monument & Museum with Kids

Brittney Leave a comment
One of the last stops of the Boston Freedom Trail is the Bunker Hill Monument.  For two years I could see the spire of the monument light up at night from my apartment window, but somehow whenever we went on the Freedom Trail or took visiting friends or family we always got distracted from the Freedom Trail about the time we went near Mike’s Pastries and never finished the second half.

What to Know About Visiting the Bunker Hill Monument & Museum with Kids

When my parents came to town to visit I was determined that we were going to do the full trail so that I would finally see both the USS Constitution and the Bunker Hill Monument.

The Bunker Hill Monument was created to commemorate the Battle of Bunker Hill, which was the first fight between the British and the New Englanders during the American Revolutionary War (battle fought on June 17, 1775)  From my perspective it’s a huge, tall, monument with 294 very narrow stairs leading to the top.

Top of Bunker Hill Monument

We climbed the 20 flights on a blisteringly hot day.  Somehow, and I’m not really sure how, my husband managed the climb well ahead of us, with toddler on his shoulders.  I’m kind of glad I didn’t see it because those stair are narrow and I’m sure seeing my boy on his shoulders would have scared me to death.  The other three of us made it about 50 stairs and had to take a break, then we would walk 40 stairs and a break, then 35 stairs … anyway, eventually we made it to the top sweaty, exhausted, and empowered.  The view was fantastic and it was totally worth it… though I could not control my legs or get them to stop shaking for about an hour.

Things to Note:

1.  Price
Both the Bunker Hill Monument and Bunker Hill Museum are free.

View from top of Bunker Hill Monument

2.  Stroller Access
You can easily bring a stroller into the Bunker Hill Museum, but there didn’t seem to be any handicap access and certainly no elevators leading to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument.  If you want to enjoy the view from up there you’re going to have to hike a lot of stairs and either leave your stroller bound tots at the bottom while you do it or carry them to the top with you.

3.  The Stairs
There are so many stairs leading to the top of the monument and they are narrow and winding.  If you’ve got kids with you you’re going to want to keep a close eye on them and if they are too big to be carried but too little to walk all the way up you should probably not attempt to bring them.  The stairwell as well as the stairs are narrow and not a great place for little ones to play.

4.  The View
The view from the top was fantastic, but the windows to enjoy the view were tiny and dirty… and even when you get to the top there is not a ton of room.  Don’t plan on getting there and hanging out or having a picnic or anything.  It’s more like a get to the top, check out how awesome Boston is, rest for a minute, and then start the decent.

Summary and Rating: ★★★★☆

Four stars, it’s hard to complain about free. This place will give you a serious work out and it’s not for the faint of heart.  Not super toddler friendly though you can easily bring up older children and, if you’re feeling strong, you can carry up a baby.  On the off chance that you don’t want to walk to the top you can still enjoy the view from the hill.  There is lots of green grass to run around on and the area surrounding it is beautiful.  Plus right across from the monument is Bunker Hill Museum, which has air conditioning, water and an elevator.

Have you been here before?  If so I’d love to know more about your experience and any tips or tricks you have in the comments section below. 

Bunker Hill Monument & Museum
Boston National Historical Park Monument Square
Charlestown, MA

Phone: 617-242-5641 (Group tours 617-.242-5689)
Website: www.nps.gov/bost or https://www.thefreedomtrail.org/freedom-trail/bunker-hill-monumnet.shtml

Museum: September – June, daily 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. July – August, daily 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Monument: September-June, daily 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. July – August, 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Closed: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day

Touring Boston – What to Know About Visiting Mount Auburn Cemetery with Kids

Brittney Leave a comment
Mount Auburn Cemetery was the first Rural Cemetery in the United States and it has been designated as a national landmark.  It also seems to be one of those places that shows up frequently on the “Must See/Things to Do in Boston” lists.

We decided to check it out and see what all the hype was about.  We went in early May, it was still jacket weather but the flowers were out and the greenery was gorgeous.

What to Know About Visiting Mount Auburn Cemetery with Kids

This cemetery is huge and it’s a very green a peaceful place to be.  Flowers and attractive bushes are everywhere and there are plenty of paths to walk along and interesting headstones to see.  As far as bringing kids along I thought it was great.  There was lots of space for them to move about, lots to explore and we weren’t getting in anyone’s way as we toured the area.  The chapel was gorgeous and we loved being able to walk around and enjoy so many amazing flowers.

wild turkeys at Mount Auburn Cemetery

We were also surprised to see some velociraptors there. We stumble unto a herd of 3, then realized they were calling to the rest of the herd a few paces over. Turns out there were around 10 of the beasties… alright they might just have been wild turkeys, but those suckers were giant, and the way they moved and called to each other… well they seem to be direct descendants!  We had to keep the kids from getting to close because I was sure they would end up getting their eyes plucked out or something. In any case, there is also a lot of wild life to be seen in the area.  We saw a flock of wild turkeys, chipmunks, bunnies, squirrels and the like.

Things to Note:

1) Parking/Admission
Free.  This area is really large and you can park just about anywhere along the trails, stopping when you find something you’re interested in exploring more.

2) Stroller Friendliness
There are paths that go every which way through the cemetery and if you wanted to bring a stroller you would be able to get around easily with it, but if you’re bring a toddler with you it might be easier just to let them run free and follow them through the headstones without trying to drag a stroller up and down the hilly paths.

3) Kid Friendliness
Totally kid friendly.  It mostly a nature walk that you can do at your own pace and you don’t have to worry about running into other people, though I believe Mount Auburn also offers a guided tour of the cemetery if you are interested.

4) Wildlife
We were able to spot a lot of interesting creatures while walking around the park, most notably a decent sized flock of wild turkeys, along with bunnies, chipmunks, squirrels and birds.

5) Plant Life
The greenery everywhere is amazing.  There are so many flowers, flowering bushes, trees, sweeping weeping willows, scenic ponds etc. that you can’t help but to enjoy nature as you explore the area.

Summary and Rating: ★★★★★

Five Stars.  I thought this place was beautiful and it was so nice to have so much green spaces after living in the city.  I loved that my son could explore and I could enjoy the quiet piece of the area as we walked around together.  If you’re looking for a nice outing, near the city, with free parking that you can do last minute this might be just the ticket.

Have you been here before?  If so I’d love to know more about your experience and any tips or tricks you have in the comments section below. 

Mount Auburn Cemetery
580 Mount Auburn Street
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138

Phone: 617-547-7105
Website: http://mountauburn.org/

Hours: Gates open: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Office Hours:
Monday-Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm;
Saturday 8:30 am – 12:00 pm for business, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm for information

Fantastic, Little Known, Cambridge Parks – 5 Things to Know About Dana Park (Includes a Petting Zoo and Drum Circle!)

Brittney Leave a comment
Dana park is a great little park and over the summer they have events going on all the time to make the park even more fun.  It’s got a nice green spaces, two different playgrounds – one for kids above 4 years old and one for kids younger than 4, a sand pit with an small water spout in it that makes it irresistible to sand lovers, a basket ball court, and a splash pad.  If you’re looking for a park that has it all this makes for a great destination.

Fantastic, Little Known, Cambridge Parks - 5 Things to Know About Dana Park (Includes a Petting Zoo and Drum Circle!)

Things to Note:

Dana Park playground

1) Parking
There may be street parking available, but there is not a dedicated parking lot for this park.

2) Splash Pad
This is a great intermediate age splash pad. The splash pad isn’t huge, but there are a few different levels of fountains making it fun for both toddlers and older children.

3) Sand Water Feature
My son loves playing in the sand here more than he likes just about anything else at the park.  There is a tiny little water spout that pours into the sand with a button that is easy for little hands to push.  Also the sand box is always loaded with community toys so my son has a blast filling up the little buckets with water and walking them around to pour them elsewhere in the sand.

Dana Park splash pad

4) Summer Fun
During the summer there are constantly new great events going on in this park.  There is a weekly craft day in the morning.  Each week there is also a drum circle where someone brings a bunch of African drums, sets them up in a big circle and leads any children who are interested through a mini drum lesson.  We also enjoyed a free petting zoo and carnival this past summer.

5) Day Care
It seems like there are often day care children using this park in the morning during the summer and they tend to be older children using the bigger 4+ part of the playground.  We didn’t find them to be overwhelming, but then again we were using the part of the playground for the very young.  In any case all the day care children disappear around lunch time so if you’re concerned about crowd control consider planning your visit a little later in the morning.

Dana Park petting zoo

Summary & Rating ★★★★☆

Four Stars.  We have a ton of fun at this park, and it is obviously one of the more popular parks to attend during the summer.  It can sometimes be hard to find all the awesome events happening at the park over the summer but if you show up your bound to have a good time regardless.

Have you been here before?  If so I’d love to know more about your experience and any tips or tricks you have in the comments section below. 

Dana Park
Corporal McTernan and Lawrence Streets
Cambridge, MA 02139

Phone: 617.349.4640
Website: http://www.cambridgema.gov/CDD/parks/parksinfo/Parks/danapark

Fantastic, Little Known, Cambridge Parks – 4 Things to Know About Artesani Park and Wading Pool

Brittney Leave a comment
My favorite Boston park has to be Artesani Park.  This little gem is one of the few parks that seem to have all the perks; a river side view, a splash pad, a bathroom, free parking, on yeah… and a free wading pool complete with life guards.  Every time we’ve come here we’ve had a blast and left eagerly looking forward to coming again.

Fantastic, Little Known, Cambridge Parks - 4 Things to Know About Artesani Park and Wading Pool

Things to Note:

1) Price
Free.  Parking is free. The splash pad is free. The wading pool complete with life guards is free.

2) Park Features

  • Free parking and a big parking lot
  • A public bus that drops off right by the park
  • A great splash pad (newly added 2015)
  • Two different gated mini playgrounds, one for young children, one for older children
  • Bathrooms and a shower
  • A river view/ river walk
  • A free wading pool with life guards
Artesani Park and Wading Pool
He was actually really happy, but impatient about having to wait for me to take a picture

3) About the Wading Pool

  • You have to take a shower before entering.  There is often a life guard posted at the entrance to enforce that this actually happens.
  • There is a limit to how many people can enter the pool at time, again this is enforced by the door guard on busy days (if the pool is full you can always hang out at the splash pad or parks and try again in a few minutes).
  • You need a proper swimsuit and if your child is not potty trained they will need a swim diaper.
  • There is no eating or snacking by the pool.
  • The pool is fantastic for people of all ages, there is a gradient entry so babies can sit at any depth that is comfortable and the pools goes to depth just above your knees.
  • There are different sized spray features in the middle of the pool keeping it interesting for older children.
Artesani Park splash pad

4) Crowd Control
As you can imagine this is a pretty popular park, you can expect a decent crowd of people to be here any given day of the week and if you want quick entry to the wading pool I would suggest getting there when it opens.

Summary and Rating ★★★★★

Five Stars.  This park makes for a fantastic summer outing.  The wading pool is awesome and I have as much fun there as my son does.  We usually start out swimming/splashing for a while, then leave and play at the parks for a little bit while we eat our lunch and if we have any energy left we run through the splash pad on our way to the car.  Artesani Park is a great alternative to the Frog Pond on those hot summer days.

Have you been here before?  If so I’d love to know more about your experience and any tips or tricks you have in the comments section below. 

Artesani Park and Wading Pool
1255 Soldiers Field Rd.
Boston, MA 02135

Phone: 617.626.4973
Website: http://www.bostoncentral.com/activities/artesani_wading_pool/p1940.php

Hours: June 27-September 7 Open daily 9:30 a.m.- 7p.m.