Looking to get away? New England has some of the most beautiful vacation sites in the country. Both kids and parents are sure to have a fun-packed family vacation by the coast, lakeside, or in northern New England’s majestic national park! Catch up on your R&R and soak in the gorgeous scenery. Your kids are guaranteed to love a New England summer.
“Misquamicut State Beach” Taken by: Juliancolton2
- For Ocean-seekers…
Misquamicut State Beach – Misquamicut is Westerly, Rhode Island’s coastline gem. With over half a mile of beachfront, Misquamicut offers peaceful and family-oriented fun. The state beach lies parallel to Atlantic Avenue, which is loaded with restaurants, buggy board rentals and various activities for both parents and kids. Along the Avenue are go-carts, bumper-boats and dozens of surf shops. Directly across from one of Misquamicut’s pavilions is the Atlantic Beach Amusement Park. Complete with waterslides, bumper cars, an arcade and monkey barrels, you can be sure your kids will have a blast! Not only is this state beach kid-friendly, it is also affordable. All-day access to bathing pavilions and restrooms run as low as $1 per person. Spend a relaxing day by the surf followed by a stroll down Atlantic Avenue.
- For Lake-seekers…
Lake Sebago – Within New England is the vacation state of Maine. The absolute best vacation destination in the state is Lake Sebago, the deepest and 2nd largest lake in the United States. Lake Sebago offers dozens of free activities for both parents and kids, most of which are free!Daily activities include free supervised children’s camps, kayak and canoe races, volleyball, flag football and family double-dare. Kids are sure to have a great time! Parents can enjoy the fabulous array of restaurants, dances at the Beach Party and live music. Enjoy a lovely afternoon touring the vast lake by canoe or kayak. Or, cruise the lake on the 95 passenger Sebago Princess Cruise Boat.The Lake Sebago community is also home to several amusement parks. Take your kids to York’s Wild Kingdom, Maine’s largest zoo. Not only will your kids be blown away at the sight of the zoo’s Bengal tiger, they can also enjoy splashing around in bumper boats or taking a ride on the ferris wheel. The fun never stops at Lake Sebago!
- For the Outdoors-y Family…
“The Flume – Franconia Notch NH” by pag2525@yahoo.com on flickr
White Mountains National Park – Spend your summer vacation camping in White Mountains National Park in New Hampshire. The White Mountains are home to over 20 towns, twenty 4,000 ft peaks as well as the Presidential Mountain range which includes the highest mountain in the northeast, Mount Washington. Campgrounds cover over 50,000 acres of land, where families can choose a more relaxing RV-friendly campground or bring their own camping gear and ‘rough it’ in the wilderness.
If your kids also enjoy swimming, they will enjoy Lincoln’s Whale’s Tale Waterpark. The whole family can swim to their heart’s content in the amusement parks’ enormous wave pool, or float down the park’s lazy river.
Kids can also go for a dunk in Franconia notch’s basin. The hike is as beautiful as the water basin is refreshing. The White Mountains offers gorgeous hiking trails with water so clear and pristine; it can be used to refill your canteen. Head to the White Mountains for crisp, mountain air, majestic scenery and a sense of adventure!
Summertime in New England is paradise. It is the perfect setting for a family vacation. Have a blast at these amazing locations! Your kids will be begging to come back next year.
Angie Picardo is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal and travel finance site dedicated to helping people master the art of money management, from planning a budget to finding the best travel deals online.
