Things to Do With Kids Near Boston: MetroWest Day Trips

Most lists of things to do with kids near Boston assume you are driving out from the city. Start from Southborough, in MetroWest, and the map improves: the zoo, the farm, the botanic garden and the 1830s village are all under an hour away, and Boston's museums are still a day trip in the other direction. Here are the ones worth the drive, in rough order of distance, with the things to check before you load the car.

Why the roads matter

Southborough sits at the crossing of I-495 and Route 9, a few minutes from the Mass Pike (I-90). With children in the back seat that is the whole argument. The Pike takes you east to Boston or west to Sturbridge. I-495 runs north toward Acton and south toward Mendon. Route 9 and I-290 head west to Worcester and the hills beyond.

All drive times here are approximate, from Southborough town center, and they vary with traffic, especially on the Mass Pike and Route 9.

Close to home: under 20 minutes

You do not need a big outing every day. Chestnut Hill Farm in Southborough is a working farm owned by The Trustees, free and open daily from sunrise to sunset, with two miles of easy trails past hay and vegetable fields. It suits small legs. There is a farm store, and The Trustees run guided programs aimed at families; look at the property's page for what is on during your stay. Dogs are not allowed.

In summer, Hopkinton State Park is about 10 minutes away, with swimming beaches and seasonal boat rentals. DCR charges for parking in season, and more for out-of-state plates.

New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill (Boylston)

About 25 to 30 minutes. New England Botanic Garden covers nearly 200 acres above the Wachusett Reservoir and is open all year, with two glass conservatories for cold days. For children the point is The Ramble, the part of the garden designed for families to explore. The garden recommends buying tickets in advance for busy periods. Leashed dogs are admitted for a fee on ordinary days.

Southwick's Zoo (Mendon)

About 30 to 35 minutes, south on I-495 and then local roads. Southwick's Zoo is a large zoo, big enough to fill a day. It is seasonal, opening in April and running into the autumn, with a separate ticketed evening lights event in winter. Check the site for this year's dates and hours. Bring a stroller for small children, because the grounds are spread out.

Discovery Museum (Acton)

About 30 to 35 minutes north by I-495. The Discovery Museum is a hands-on science and nature museum built for younger children, with an outdoor nature playscape called Discovery Woods that includes a treehouse. During the school year it is closed on most Mondays. The museum says reservations are no longer required or accepted, so you just turn up, which makes it a good rainy-day fallback.

Davis Farmland (Sterling)

About 35 to 40 minutes, via I-290 and I-190. Davis Farmland is a children's discovery farm aimed squarely at the under-12s, with animals to meet, play areas and a splash park in summer. Two things to know. First, it has a firm rule: adults must be accompanied by at least one child aged twelve or younger. Second, it opens on a seasonal schedule, "weather and ground conditions permitting", so look at the site that morning. In autumn the same family runs the Davis Mega Maze on weekends, a corn maze better suited to older children and teenagers.

Old Sturbridge Village (Sturbridge)

About 45 to 50 minutes west on the Mass Pike. Old Sturbridge Village is an outdoor living history museum recreating a rural New England town of the 1830s, with more than 40 historic buildings on over 200 acres. Costumed historians work the farm, the blacksmith's shop and the mills. It is currently open Wednesday to Sunday, and the village suggests allowing at least two to three hours. With school-age children, plan on more. Evening events run in October and again before Christmas, ticketed separately.

Children under about five may tire before you do. It is a lot of walking on unpaved paths.

Things to do with kids in Boston itself

Thirty minutes on a quiet Sunday morning, an hour or more at the wrong time of a weekday. The obvious three are the Museum of Science, the Boston Children's Museum and the New England Aquarium. All three sell tickets online and it is worth booking ahead. City parking is expensive. One alternative: the MBTA commuter rail from Southborough station runs into South Station, which is within walking distance of the Children's Museum and the Aquarium. Check the MBTA schedule, since weekend trains are infrequent.

For a closer city day, the EcoTarium and the art museum's armor gallery are in our Worcester guide.

A base that works for children

Southborough Garden Retreat is a private whole-house rental that sleeps 14 comfortably. The bunk room has eight spots, which cousins tend to regard as the best room in the house. There is a games room with a pool table, pinball machines, board games and puzzles, a projector room with a 100-inch screen for the evening film, and a pond in the garden with fish and frogs to find.

For the adults: a kitchen you can cook a proper dinner in, a table that seats 12, and white-noise machines in every bedroom. Jillian, the host, can suggest family activities beyond this list. For a bigger gathering, see the family reunion guide.

Useful links

• The Trustees: Chestnut Hill Farm
• DCR: Hopkinton State Park
• New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill: plan your visit
• Southwick's Zoo
• Discovery Museum: visit
• Davis Farmland
• Davis Mega Maze
• Old Sturbridge Village: plan your visit
• Museum of Science
• Boston Children's Museum
• New England Aquarium
• MBTA Framingham/Worcester Line