Greater Boston and Cambridge offer indoor & outdoor fun for children and families

For families, it’s hard to beat the 16 galleries in this museum displaying 500 taxidermy animals -- full-size elephant, rhino, hippo, tiger, bison, even a 15-foot giraffe -- not to mention huge whale skeletons. Don’t miss the skull of one of the first Triceratops ever discovered and the world’s only mounted skeleton of the 42 ft.-long Kronosaurus. Explore a timeline of Earth’s history, and admire 3,000 rare minerals and gemstones. Touch a meteorite from outer space. New and changing multi-media exhibitions showcase cutting-edge research. The museum is an easy 8-minute walk across the historic Harvard campus from Harvard Square with its popular shops and restaurants and MBTA station. The museum is connected to Harvard’s Peabody Museum, and one admission fee covers both museums.

From the home of one of the nation’s first families, the city of Quincy offers your family a variety of activities from which to plan a day outing or a long vacation. Take the trolley trip at Adams National Historical Park to see the home of John and John Quincy Adams, and the nation’s first presidential library, boat over to Boston Harbor Islands National Park, sunbathe at Wollaston Beach (or one of 10 other city beaches), fish from a pier or just relax at one of 52 parks, many with playgrounds, picnic areas and ball fields. Enjoy autumn colors strolling marsh-side and riverside trails. In the winter, go ice skating or try skiing or snow-shoeing at Blue Hills Reservation.

Age is no barrier to the delights of the Franklin Park Zoo. Littlest visitors (ages 2 to 4) have fun in the Curious Cubs Playgroup; other activities kids love include breakfast with the animals, behind-the-scenes tours, the petting zoo at Franklin Farm, a Children’s Zoo for climbing and the outdoor playground with wildlife-inspired designs. And, of course, there are the animal environments, from the Tropical Forest with Western lowland gorillas and hyenas to the lions of the Kalahari Kingdom and the giraffes and zebras of the Savannah. Families love the butterfly exhibit, watching kangaroos and kookaburras along the Outback Trail and feeding the budgies in the Aussie Aviary. For dining, there are burgers, pizzas and plenty of picnic spots.