New England has an embarrassment of riches with four seasons and events year round to entertain ourselves. At the Holidays, we can find great entertaining places for families, date nights, or just friends hanging out.
These are all places I have been with family and friends, and highly recommend. All are one one page and have links directly to the sources.
Tower Hill Botanic Garden
Now running Winter Reimagined. New England’s year round botanic garden, connecting people and plants since 1842. Use #towerhillbg to be featured in our feed. Boylston, MA www.towerhillbg.org
Methuen Festival Of Trees
Sharing the Magic… November 18th – December 2nd, 2017 13 Branch Street, Methuen, MA methuenfestivaloftrees.com
Ice Castles
Built by hand using only water and icicles. Lincoln NH. www.icecastles.com
Edaville Family Theme Park
Festival Of Lights through December! Home of Thomas Land, Dino Land, 90+ rides, attractions & events! Carver Massachusetts. www.edaville.com
Boston Winter at City hall Plaza Boston
Shops skating and a pop up village all winter long. www.cityhallplazaboston.com
Zoo New England
#ZooLights at the Stoneham Stone Zoo (#StoneZoo). www.zoonewengland.org/
Old Sturbridge Village
Christmas by Candlelight. Experience 19th-century New England at this dynamic living history museum. Use #oldsturbridgevillage to include your photos on our feed.www.osv.org
The Boston Common Frog Pond
Saking on the Frog Pond! The heart of historic Boston Common with four seasons of family fun! Fans of the City of Boston & @BostonParksDept. 🐸 #ribbitwww.bostonfrogpond.com
Faneuil Hall
Blink Light and Music Show Nightly, plus Winter events all season long at Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston.
LaSalette Shrine lights up for the Christmas season. https://lasaletteattleboroshrine.org/
The Polar Express Listings
* Cape Cod Central Railroad’s The Polar Express, Nov. 3 – Dec. 27, Buzzards Bay Depot, 70 Main St., Buzzards Bay. All Aboard! The Polar Express Train Ride comes to life this holiday season as the Cape Cod Central Railroad rolls out of the Buzzards Bay station bound for the “North Pole!” Come early and climb aboard with your family to cozy up and enjoy our festively-decorated vintage train cars! $35 and up. capetrain.com/polar-express-train-ride/
* Edaville Express: Where’s Santa?, Wednesdays & Thursdays, Nov. 22 – Dec. 21, 5 or 6pm, Edaville USA, 5 Pine St., Carver. Hlp Mrs. Claus and the elves search for Santa on a 45-minute interactive train adventure, featuring milk & cookies, singing and a special gift. $47; children under age 2, $18. 508-866-8190; edaville.com.
* The Immaculate Conception School’s North Pole Express, Dec. 2, varying times. Newburyport Commuter Rail Station, Newburyport. This experience includes a wonderful train ride, a sea of elves, a reading of Twas The Night Before Christmas and of course, Santa himself. icsnorthpoleexpress.com.
* A Christmas Journey, Dec. 2, 3, 9 & 10, varying times. Ecotarium, 222 Harrington Way, Worcester. A reading of The Polar Express, followed by a ride on the Explorer Express Train, cocoa & cookies and a visit with Santa. $20, includes museum admission. ecotarium.org.
* The Tinseliner, November 24-26, December 2-3, 9-10, 16-17. Adams, MA. This holiday season, dress up in your best 1950’s travel clothes and climb aboard the Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum’s exclusive Tinseliner for a trip back to the era of black & white television, Lionel Trains, Bing Crosby, “glow bright” frosted color Christmas lights, silver trees and colorful tinsel! Featuring a scheduled visit from the man dressed in red himself, this approximate one-hour experience is appropriate for children of all ages and will evoke the nostalgia and romance of a typical American Christmas during the 1950’s. BSRM’s Tinseliner trains feature a vintage, all stainless steel Budd Rail Diesel Car just like the ones people traveled on for the holidays during the 1950’s. http://www.hoosacvalleytrainride.com/
