South of Boston/Plymouth offers indoor & outdoor fun for children and families

Massachusetts > South of Boston > Families and Kids > Family Activities

The South of Boston region is a gold mine of exploration for families and children. In the Plymouth, a good place to start is the Jenney Grist Mill, a reproduction of a gristmill that served the community in the 1600s. The mill grinds corn into flour while the miller, in period dress, answers questions about life in 17th century Plymouth. Among the most important attractions is Plimoth Patuxet, where visitors can roam a reproduction Wampanoag Native American homestead and a 1627 English Village. Also in Plymouth, a reproduction of the Mayflower welcomes visitors. You might be shocked at the small size of the vessel that brought 102 English people to the New World.
This region is cranberry country, and at Flax Pond Farms in the nearby town of Carver visitors can see the cranberry bogs, learn how the berries are farmed, and buy cranberry foods and gifts. Visitors who arrive in September and October could be rewarded with a front-row viewing of the harvesting process. The town of South Carver is home to Edaville USA, with its two-mile train ride for parents and young children. The railroad hosts Day Out With Thomas events through the summer and special activities during the National Cranberry Festival in the fall. Edaville is famous for its magnificent display of lights at Christmas.
The South of Boston region includes the city of New Bedford, where visitors from around the world marvel at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Also in this region, Battleship Cove in the city of Fall River is home to the USS Massachusetts, the submarine Lionfish, and other World War II-era fighting ships. Visitors are welcome to explore the vessels, to visit the museum, and to ride the nearby historic carousel.

Pilgrim Belle Cruises

Mayflower II, State Pier, 77 Water Street Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-747-3434

Plymouth by paddle wheeler – the calm, the stories

Being by the water makes being on the water all the more inviting and you can be at one of the most important historic American landmarks. Jump on this true paddle wheeler which has no conventional propeller and watch and listen as the big red wheels on the back of the boat propel it like the boats on the Mississippi. Once aboard, you’ll get the perfect introduction to Plymouth. Loaded with history, you’ll learn more about Pilgrims, famous shipwrecks, the role of the commercial fishing and lobster industries, two lighthouses, and Plymouth’s spectacular beaches. Relax amid the calming sound of the paddles as they swish through the water. Then sit back and enjoy those fabulous stories. Spoiler alert: the Pilgrims considered lobster to be “poor man’s food.”

Destination Plymouth Lobser Tales Plymouth MA Credit Kindra Clineff

See Plymouth

4 North Street Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-747-0100 Toll-Free: 800-872-1620

History is just the beginning!

Bring the whole family to Plymouth, MA for some unforgettable fun! Adults and children alike will be able to enjoy their visit to Plymouth with a wide variety of activities on land or on the water. The Atlantic Ocean itself is a playground, and trips such as whale watches, lobster excursions and pirate adventures have proven popular with visitors both young and not quite as young. Our beaches and parks offer families a place to relax and enjoy the great outdoors. Edaville USA is open year-round and features a restored narrow gauge train ride through acres of cranberry bogs, and Plimoth Plantation provides a living history museum depicting life in Plymouth in 1627. Please call 1.800.USA.1620, or visit our website to learn more about these activities and others to prepare for your trip to Plymouth.

Plimoth Patuxet

137 Warren Avenue Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-746-1622

Inspiring Journeys Begin Here

Plimoth Patuxet Museums creates powerful encounters with history built on thorough research about the Indigenous and European people who met along these shores of change. At our immersive, outdoor living history sites you’ll encounter costumed actors portraying iconic figures such as William Bradford and Myles Standish, as well as contemporary interpreters who discuss the Indigenous heritage of the Northeast and 17th-century life-ways of a culture that continues to thrive today. Permanent exhibits that tell the complex and interwoven stories of two distinct cultures – Indigenous and English – include the 17th-Century English Village, Patuxet Homesite, Plimoth Grist Mill, and Mayflower II.

Galaxy Montage - Blake Planetarium - Plymouth, MA

W. Russell Blake Planetarium

117 Long Pond Road Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-830-4470

Full-dome Plymouth planetarium a shining star for visitors of all ages

The sky’s the limit for visitors to the W. Russell Blake Planetarium, the only 4K full-dome planetarium south of Boston. As you sit back in angled chairs, you’ll gaze at a ceiling filled with stars and planets while learning to identify them and how to use a star map (that you can take home). It’s a spectacle of light and color not to be missed. Regular seasonal stargazing programs take advantage of the high-tech surround-sound system and jaw-dropping full-dome views.

Old Sturbridge Village - More than a Museum!

Destination Plymouth - History is Just the Beginning

Battleship Cove

5 Water Street Fall River, MA, 02721 Phone: 508-678-1100 Toll-Free: 800-533-3194

An exciting family adventure in America’s naval history

Battleship Cove is now open from 9am-5pm daily! Please remember to follow our safety & social distancing guidelines!
America’s naval history inspires the whole family at this world class heritage museum in Fall River. Explore the world's largest collection of US naval ships including the mighty USS Massachusetts, the destroyer USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., and PT Boats used in the South Pacific. The sheer size and impression these ships and their stories leave is overwhelming. There’s the state-of-the-art special effects Pearl Harbor Experience, the only outdoor multimedia reenactment anywhere. Scouts and youth groups can participate in a year round maritime camping program, overnights, and family nautical nights with affordable camping on site. Whether a casual visitor, history buff, student, teacher or scout leader, everyone learns. Special exhibits honor our men and women in uniform then and now.

Mayflower Photo - Plymouth 400 - Plymouth, MA - Photo Credit: Katie Mclaughlin

Plymouth 400 Inc.

6 Main Street Ext. - Post Office Square Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-812-2020

Mark your calendar now for family-fun activities to celebrate Plymouth’s 400th

Families who want to join in on the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the mayflower voyage and the founding of Plymouth Colony should make plans now for the plethora of events. They include cultural and arts festivals, a waterfront lobster feast, explorations of interactive exhibits at Plimoth Colony, a working 17th century English village, and the Wampanoag Homesite; tours of Mayflower II; a boat cruise around Plymouth Harbor; and a full slate of Thanksgiving events, including an illumination festival and the town’s famous parade. The anniversary’s opening ceremony in April will feature items placed in a time capsule; in June, a maritime salute to the Mayflower will involve wooden ships, working boats, yachts and other pleasure craft. Photo Credit: Katie McLaughlin

Festival of Illumination - World of Lights 2021

Southwick's Zoo - 2 Southwick Street Mendon, MA, 01756 Phone: Toll-Free: 800-258-9182

Illumination festival designed to awe and enchant visitors of all ages

Visitors of all ages will be enchanted with the artistic display at the Festival of Illumination at Southwick’z Zoo. Featuring hundreds of handcrafted Chinese lanterns and intricate exhibits made of silk and steel, the “World of Lights: Our Continents and Their Cultures” festival will take you on a magical journey across the globe, visiting African Savannahs, the Amazon rainforest, the Great Barrier Reef and other amazing regions. The festival, which combines a centuries-old tradition with modern technology, also features live entertainment, an Asian Night Marketplace and specialty foods. It runs Thursday through Sunday evenings, September through Jan. 3. Starting Nov. 26, the zoo’s traditional Winter Wonderland lights, as well as additional holiday-themed lanterns, will be added, and Santa will visit children at his Enchanted Village.

Visit Warwick, Rhode Island this Fall - Safe, Affordable, Convenient.

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