February Vacation Ideas
If you’re anything like me, you’re always looking for new ideas on what to do during school vacation. We try to do something fun, a little bit different from our usual activities, and inexpensive or free. Even better if it’s something that will take up the better part of the day!
With the impending February vacation, I’m once again updating my list of local options. Read on to find out some of my family’s favorites, including a few of my latest discoveries!
Library in a nearby town
I have taken my kids to so many area libraries, probably close to 20 throughout Central and Eastern Massachusetts. Every single one has had a lovely children’s room and friendly children’s librarians. We always discover new favorite books that are not part of our city library’s collection and get to explore some new-to-us toys. If you visit a library within your network, you can even return books you check out to your local library! Visiting a different library is consistently one of our favorite things to do, and it’s free!Local movie theater
All three of my kids are now old enough to sit through a movie in the theater, so this has also become a fun activity for us. We prefer local, independent movie theaters for various reasons, and ticket prices are generally lower than the chains. If you can go for a matinee, you’ll pay a lower price as well. We also love that many of our local theaters have been open for decades and have a charming, old-school vibe.Reciprocal Museums
If you have a membership to a local museum, check it for reciprocal admissions. With our Museum of Science membership, we get free entry to the Ecotarium in Worcester, the Providence Children’s Museum, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the SEE Science Center in Manchester, NH, the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, and the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, NH. If you are an MOS member, all of these make great day trips with about an hour drive from Boston.Mass Audubon Hike
If you’re looking for something outdoors, we have loved the Mass Audubon centers. With locations all over Massachusetts, these are wildlife sanctuaries with easy trails for all ages. Many even have portions of trails that are accessible, and some have small visitors centers with interactive exhibits. Some are free and some have nominal fees.PWHL Game
Boston is lucky enough to have one of just six teams that make up the Professional Women’s Hockey League! They play at the Tsongas Center in Lowell and you can get tickets here starting at just $14.There will be three home games during school vacation, on February 17th, 19th, and 21st. This is definitely on our short list!National Historic Monuments
My family has visited quite a few national parks over the past year and a half and my kids have been collecting the Junior Ranger badges. If you’re not familiar with the Junior Ranger program, you can earn badges at all the National Parks by doing free activities and learning about each park. We were very excited to discover that even though we’re not near any national parks, there are historic sites locally that take part in the junior ranger program!