Top Weekend and Day Trip Destinations with Kids Around New York

Updated March 9, 2021: Some say you never know what you'll find in your own backyard. The saying holds true for the New York metro area's proverbial backyard, where there is much to explore and discover with the family. We put together a list of some worthy attractions just outside your local radius, with no location more than 150 miles away. Indoors and out, from museums and parks to historical locations and beaches, this list has something for every family. Without having to go too far, you're bound to discover something new and share experiences you won't soon forget—all within easy traveling distance from the New York City area. Be sure to check the state's travel requirements with respect to COVID-19 before visiting.

• Day Trip Destinations in New York 
• Day Trip Destinations in New Jersey
• Day Trip Destinations in Connecticut
• Day Trip Destinations in Massachusetts
• Day Trip Destinations in Rhode Island
• Day Trip Destinations in Pennsylvania

Day Trip Destinations in New York

Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum
895 Shore Road, Bronx
718-885-1461
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Hours: Mansion and Carriage House: Open Saturday-Sunday, 12-3pm; gardens and groups: daily, 8:30am to dusk
Admission: Mansion & Carriage House Tour: $12; $10 seniors. Garden and Grounds Tour: $12; $10 seniors. Tour & Tea in the Conservatory: $30 per person
What you need to know: At this time, due to COVID-19, the museum will limit the amount of people allowed in the mansion at any given time during these open hours, and will not accept group reservations of 10 or more people.

Thomas Pell bought this land from Native Americans as part of a 9,000-acre tract. The estate was reduced to 200 acres and eventually bought by Robert Bartow in 1836. The Grecian-style home with Greek Revival interiors became a museum in 1946. It is the last surviving architecturally important house overlooking Long Island Sound, out of more than a dozen that once existed.
   

Baseball Hall of Fame
25 Main St., Cooperstown, Otsego County
888-425-5633 Instagram • Facebook • Twitter • YouTube
Hours: daily, 9am-5pm
Admission: $25; $20 seniors ages 65 and older; $15 children ages 7-12; free for children ages 6 and younger
What you need to know: To allow for physical distancing, museum capacity is limited. Timed admission tickets are available for purchase online and will allow guests to reserve a specific date and time to enter the museum. Face masks for all staff and guests are required. Free single-use masks will be available at the museum entrance for guests who do not have one. Guests will receive a rubber-tipped stylus to use when interacting with touch-screens and buttons. Directional markers have been added, along with signage reminding guests of safety procedures. Until further notice, the Grandstand Theater, Bullpen Theater, Learning Center, and Sandlot Kids’ Clubhouse will remain closed.

At this mecca for fans of the great American pastime, relive the history of Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and women in baseball, and take in the new display of historic baseball cards. Kids can visit the Sandlot Kids’ Clubhouse, an interactive educational area devoted to Little Leaguers who want to learn about the big league. There are also special events throughout the summer, including the Hall of Fame Induction Weekend.

Nearby attractions:

• Visit Doubleday Field to watch and play baseball where the sport was invented.

• Experience 19th-century rural and village life through demonstrations and interpretive exhibits at The Farmers' Museum.

• Just 3 miles outside Cooperstown is the Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard, where you can take a tour, enjoy lunch and daily tastings of more than 40 specialty foods, feed the ducks and geese on the pond, and relax while the kids play at Tractorland.

• Take the 8-mile drive out of town to Glimmerglass State Park, where you’ll find beaches, picnic areas, camping sites, hiking and nature trails, and the historic Hyde Hall.

Boscobel House & Gardens
1601 New York 9D, Garrison, Putnam County
845-265-3638 Instagram • Facebook • Twitter
Hours: Saturdays, 10am-6pm throughout the winter
Admission: $12; $10 seniors; $6 children ages 5-18; free for children younger than 5
What you need to know: Advance reservations are required. Please book tickets via the Calendar page for the program you wish to attend. During the reservation process, guests must provide contact details. Masks are required at all times. Guests must maintain at least 6 feet of space between themselves and anyone not in their own household.

This Federal-style home with scenic views of the Hudson River was conceived by States Morris Dyckman, a Loyalist who made his fortune working for British quartermasters during the Revolutionary War. The home was completed by his wife Elizabeth after Dyckman died in 1806. Boscobel was originally built 15 miles away in Montrose but, to avoid demolition, was taken apart and painstakingly put back together in its present location.
   

Dyckman Farmhouse
4881 Broadway (at 204th Street), Inwood, Manhattan
212-304-9422
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Hours: Park Hours: Thursday-Friday, 10am-2pm; museum tours: Thursday-Friday, 10am, 11am, and 1pm
Admission: $6 (price is per time slot for a household up to five people)
What you need to know: Review full Health and Safety Measures before arriving; all guests must wear facial coverings throughout the visit and maintain physical distancing of 6 feet with others outside your group. Public restrooms are not available.

In the children’s book The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton, a home in the country watches over time as a city is built around and above her. The little pink farmhouse is eventually picked up and moved out into the country again. The Dyckman Farmhouse also witnessed a transition from farmland to city but amazingly survived the wrecking ball, becoming a museum in 1916. Visitors can now take a self-guided tour of this Dutch Colonial-style farmhouse and learn who lived there and how it survived when other houses of its time did not. Guided tours for groups of 10 or more are available by appointment only.
   

Fort Montgomery State Historic Site
Museum currently closed until April 2021; grounds are open at visitors’ own risk.
690 U.S. 9W, Fort Montgomery, Orange County
845-446-2134
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Hours: Museum: mid-April through Oct. 31: Wednesday-Sunday, 9am-5pm; November-March: by appointment. Grounds open year round
Admission: Entry to grounds FREE; $3 per person for group tour of museum
What you need to know: Trails are currently open, but the museum is closed. Masks and social distancing are required.

This scenic spot overlooking the Hudson River was the site of a revolutionary battle fought on Oct. 6, 1777. American Patriots, outnumbered 3-to-1, lost the battle to the British. Visitors learn more about this military post at the site’s museum, which displays artifacts, weapons, and large-scale models of the fort and the attack as well as a 15-minute movie recreating the battle.  
   

Historic Richmond Town
441 Clarke Ave., Staten Island
 718-351-1611
What you need to know: Buildings and restrooms are currently closed, but the grounds are open. Face masks and social distancing are required on the grounds.
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 12-5pm
Guided Tours: Not currently offered
Admission: $8; $6 seniors and students ages 12-17; $5 children ages 4-11; free for children younger than 4; free every Friday, and for members and active duty military with ID

Richmond Town was settled in the late 16th and early 17th centuries as a crossroads settlement among the scattered farms of Staten Island. Now a living history village, the site covers nearly 100 acres and features 45 historic structures, including homes and commercial and civic buildings, as well as a historical museum. All buildings are original and more than half of them remain in the same spot they were built. (One home is 350 years old!) At Decker Farm, the oldest continually operating farm in New York, take a self-guided tour and enjoy the organic, seasonal produce sold at the farm stand.
   

Howe Caverns
Temporarily Closed (follow Facebook page for updates on 2021 reopening)
255 Discovery Drive, Cobleskill, Schoharie County
518-296-8900
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Hours: Hours by reservation only
Traditional Tour: A 90-minute walking tour with boat ride: $25; $22 seniors; $15 children ages 5-12.
Family Flashlight Tour: A two-hour tour with flashlights and headlamps offered on Sunday evenings (for ages 5 and older): $45; reservations required.
Lantern Tour: A two-hour tour with lanterns on Friday and Saturday evenings (for ages 16 and older): $45; reservations required.
Signature Rock Discovery Tour: A 2½-hour spelunking tour that reveals a portion of the cave that was closed for more than 100 years (for ages 14 and older): $155; reservations required.
What you need to know: Tours must be booked online in advance; walk-ins will not be accommodated. Tour capacity is limited. Masks are required.

Journey more than 150 feet below the Earth’s surface, where you’ll take a tour of an underground cavern six million years in the making. You’ll see stalactites and stalagmites, limestone formations, and the underground Lake of Venus. Above ground, Howe High Adventure activities include a four-tower zip line, ropes course, rock wall, air jumper, and gem mine at the Howe Caverns Mining Company. The H2OGO Ball gets visitors rolling down a hill in a 12-foot inflatable ball filled with five gallons of water. With a café and motel on premises, visitors can turn their day trip into a weekend getaway.

Nearby attractions:

• Continue the underground theme at nearby Secret Caverns, where you'll see a 100-foot underground waterfall among cool rock formations.
• Learn about Native culture and art at the Iroquois Indian Museum, where the museum building is shaped like a longhouse and the outdoor amphitheater hosts storytelling, talks, and various performing arts. The grounds also include a 45-acre nature park with various trails.
• Down the road, the Gobbler’s Knob Family Fun Park features a miniature golf course, driving range, and nine-hole golf course, the Muscle Motors Speedway go-kart track, and a snack bar and ice cream parlor.
     

Lefferts Historic House:
Currently closed.
Prospect Park, Brooklyn
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Hours: Closed through March 
Admission: $3 suggested donation; free for children ages 16 and younger

This home is located in the park’s Children’s Corner, near the carousel and the Prospect Park Zoo. Families learn about life in colonial times through the homestead’s working gardens, historic artifacts and documents, period rooms, and exhibits. Visitors can try using traditional tools, churn butter, make candles, and play with old-fashioned toys

Old Bethpage Village Restoration
Closed for the season and will reopen in mid-spring 2021.
1303 Round Swamp Road, Old Bethpage, Nassau County
516-572-8400
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Hours: Closed for the season.
Admission: $13; $8 children ages 5-12, seniors, and volunteer firefighters; free for children younger than 5

This 209-acre recreated village allows visitors to experience a typical, rural Long Island farm village complete with homes, farms, and businesses. The site hosts old-time “base-ball” tournaments throughout the year.
   

Old Westbury Gardens
Currently closed for the season; scheduled to reopen April 1, 2021.
71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury, Nassau County
516-333-0048
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Hours: Monday, Wednesday-Friday, 11am-6pm; Saturday-Sunday, 10am-5pm
Admission: $12; $10 seniors and students with valid ID; $7 children ages 7-17; free for children younger than 6.
What you need to know: Tickets are limited and must be purchased online; tickets will not be available at the gate. The house is closed, but the grounds are open. Visitors must wear face masks and maintain social distancing. 

This Gold Coast mansion, located on the North Shore of Long Island, was occupied by the Phipps family for more than 50 years. It sits on 200 acres of formal gardens and is now a cultural destination spot for family programs and events, summer pop concerts, the annual Scottish Games, and educator-led talks and tours.
  

Philipsburg Manor
Currently closed
381 N. Broadway, Sleepy Hollow, Westchester County
914-366-6900
Hours: Closed for tours until May
Admission: $12; $10 seniors and students ages 18-25; $6 children ages 3-17; free for children younger than 3

Take a guided tour of the 300-year-old manor house, barn, and gristmill to experience what life was like for Dutch farmers living in the 18th century. Visitors learn how to thresh wheat, see how the rushing waters of the nearby river worked the mill, and learn about Northern slaves who worked the farm during this period.
   

Queens County Farm Museum
73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Floral Park, Queens
718-347-3276
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Hours: Grounds: year-round: daily, 10am-5pm; Farm Store & Welcome Center: Monday-Friday, 12-5pm; Saturday-Sunday, 10am-5pm
Admission: FREE, except during public events
What you need to know: Masks and social distancing are required. Public restrooms available. Hayrides and Historic Adriance Farmhouse tours are temporarily suspended due to COVID-19.

The Queens County Farm Museum occupies the largest remaining tract of undisturbed farmland in the city (47 acres) and is the longest continuously farmed site in New York state. The site includes historic farm buildings, livestock, farm vehicles, and an orchard and herb garden.
  

Van Cortlandt Manor
Currently closed.
525 S. Riverside, Croton-on-Hudson, Westchester County
914-631-8200 (914-271-8981 on weekends)
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Guided tours: Closed for tours until July
Admission: $12; $10 seniors; $10 students (18-25); $6 children ages 3-17; free for members and children younger than 3

Visit Van Cortlandt Manor, the home of a prominent New York family that settled here after the American Revolution. In addition to seeing period furnishings, you can watch costumed guides demonstrate old-fashioned trades such as blacksmithing, bricking, open-hearth cooking, spinning, weaving, and other crafts of the period. Visit the Ferry House, built before 1750, to see what a rural tavern was like for travelers during the late 18th to early 19th centuries. The tour also addresses social issues such as religion and slave emancipation.
  

Walt Whitman Birthplace
246 Old Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station, Suffolk County
631-427-5240
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Hours: Tours Wednesday-Friday, 1-4pm; Saturday-Sunday, 11am-4pm
Admission: $8; $7 seniors, military, and groups; $6 students; free for children younger than 5
What you need to know: Masks and social distancing required.

Legendary poet Walt Whitman was born in 1819 at this Long Island farmhouse, which is now the only New York State Historic Site listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It contains many portraits of Whitman as well as his original letters, manuscripts, artifacts, and a rare recording of his voice. The house hosts poetry readings, lectures, concerts, and other special events throughout the year.
  

Washington Irving’s Sunnyside
Currently closed.
3 W. Sunnyside Lane, Irvington, Westchester County
914-591-8763
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Guided tours: Closed until May
Admission: $12; $10 seniors; $6 children ages 3-17; free for children younger than 3 and members

A costumed guide leads a tour through the home of the man who wrote The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. Many of the furnishings in the house are original, making it one of the more authentic examples of 19th century life nearby.

Day Trip Destinations in New Jersey

Cape May Point State Park
609-884-2159
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What you need to know: Visitors must wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines.

The town of Cape May is a National Historic Landmark that features beautiful Victorian architecture (more than 600 buildings), plus beaches, a lighthouse ($10; $5 children ages 3-12; free for children younger than 3), and a ferry to Lewes, DE. Families can enjoy nature programs, surf fishing, nature and hiking trails, picnicking, beach scavenger hunts, and a World War II bunker. While you’re in town, stop by the Cape May Bird Observatory for bird walks and workshops and get FREE admission to the Cape May County Zoo, which features a range of animals, playgrounds, train rides, and carousel rides.

Day Trip Destinations in Massachusetts

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
1000 Hall of Fame Ave. (GPS: 1000 Columbus Ave.), Springfield, Hampden County
877-446-4752
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Hours: Thursday-Friday and Sunday, 11am-4pm; Saturday, 10am-4pm 
Admission: $28; $23 seniors; $19 children ages 5-15; free for children 4 and younger
What you need to know: To guarantee entry, it's best to reserve tickets online in advance. Face masks and social distancing are mandatory. If you don't have a mask, the Hall of Fame will provide one, free of charge. Hand sanitizing stations have been installed throughout the museum, and basketballs are sanitized before each person uses them. 

Immerse yourself in the exhilarating history of one of the world’s most popular sports and participate in interactive exhibits. The three-level museum includes displays ranging from the original handwritten rules of play to a pair of Michael Jordan's shoes. 

Nearby attractions:

• While you're in Springfield, the birthplace of Theodor Seuss Geisel, visit some of the late author’s beloved characters in the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden.
• The Springfield Museums let you pay one admission price to visit five cool museums: Michele & Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts, George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, Springfield Science Museum, The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum, and Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History.
• Ride the coasters or kiddie rides, and cool off in the Hurricane Harbor water park at Six Flags New England.

Day Trip Destinations in Rhode Island

Block Island
40 Center Road, Block Island, RI
800-383-2474; Nature Conservancy: 401-466-2129
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What you need to know: Visitors are welcome, but masks and social distancing are required. Beach showers and concessions are closed, but the beaches are open.

Flickr/karlnorling/CC 4.0

With 17 miles of spectacular beaches, Block Island offers limitless possibilities for families looking for some outdoor fun. Rent a bike or moped, cast a line in the Old Harbor, charter a sailboat, or simply play in the sand and surf. The Nature Conservancy offers programs for kids, including scavenger hunts and “muck rucks.” Residents pride themselves on being free from big commercial chains, so you won’t find any McDonald’s on the island. But its mom-and-pop ice cream shops, historic lighthouses, magnificent bluffs, and winding trails offer a truly relaxing experience. The 75-minute ferry from Newport and Fall River, offers daily service from June through September.

Day Trip Destinations in Pennsylvania

Crayola Experience
30 Centre Square, Easton, PA
610-515-8000
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Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-4pm
Admission: $24.99 ($20.99 online); free for children 2 and younger 
What you need to know: Masks and social distancing required; timed entry and capacity restrictions; all personal belongings must be carried in clear bags for contactless security checks.

Discover the magic of color with 25 attractions at Crayola Experience. Kids can explore four floors of family fun to create custom crayons and markers, bring their drawings to life on the big screen, star in their own coloring pages, paint with melted wax, or “doodle in the dark” on an interactive floor. Grab a colorful concoction from Café Crayola and take home one-of-a-kind souvenirs from the official Crayola Store.

Nearby attractions:

• Ride the coasters, visit a dinosaur park, and get wet in the water park at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom.

• Take a tour of ancient underground caverns, then come back to the surface to picnic, hike the nature trails, and shop for gem stones at Lost River Caverns.

• Build and learn how to steer a canal boat inside the National Canal Museum, then head outside to ride a mule-drawn canal boat.
    

Pennsylvania Dutch Country
800-723-8824
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This area, also known as Amish country, is home to several festivals and events over the summer, including the Day Out With Thomas at Strasburg Rail Road and the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire.

Attractions include:

• Meet some farm animals at the Amish Farm & House. (Open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm; Saturday, 9am-6pm; Sunday, 10am-5pm. All visitors must wear masks.)

• Take a buggy or wagon ride through the countryside with Aaron & Jessica's Buggy Rides. (Open for private tours only: Monday-Saturday, 9am-6:30pm; Sunday, 10am-4:30pm.) 

• Cherry Crest Adventure Farm is a working farm where you can explore a corn maze, take a wagon ride, race around the pedal kart tracks, meet and feed farm animals, learn about agriculture, and grab a homemade snack. Capacity is limited to 50 percent; the farm is cashless; hand sanitizing stations are throughout the farm; and the cleaning procedures have been ramped up. Visitors are encouraged to wear masks and maintain social distance.

• Enjoy more than 35 family and kiddie rides, a water park, a miniature golf course, and kid-friendly shows at Dutch Wonderland Amusement Park. Reopens July 18. Guests must register and purchase tickets online in advance; temperatures of guests and employees will be checked before entering the park; face masks and social distancing are required; capacity is limited; hand sanitizer stations are throughout the park; and frequently touched surfaces and rides are sanitized regularly throughout the day.

• Tots will love the interactive exhibits at the Hands-on House Children's Museum. Guests ages 8 and older must wear face masks; families are asked to social distance from other families; temperatures will be taken of all guests upon arrival; hands must be washed upon entry; and tickets must be reserved in advance online.

• Catch a minor league baseball game at Clipper Magazine Stadium, home of the Lancaster Barnstormers. The minor league season has been cancelled, but the stadium is hosting a Summer Movie Series and entertainment all season.

• Visit the many train-themed attractions, including the National Toy Train Museum (currently closed), Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania (currently closed), and Strasburg Rail Road (reservations must be made in advance; capacity is limited; face masks are required).

• Learn how ice cream is made and brainstorm new flavors, climb aboard a milk truck, milk a mechanical cow, and more at Turkey Hill Experience. Reservations are required; capacity is reduced to 50 percent. Temperatures of all guests will be checked before entry. Face masks are required. Hand sanitizing stations are located throughout the facility, and high-touch areas are frequently sanitized.  

Please Touch Museum
Currently Closed
Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park, 4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia, PA
215-581-3181
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Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9am-5pm; Sunday, 11am-5pm
Admission: $19.95; $16 parking

Explore two floors of interactive exhibit zones including Roadside Attractions, Wonderland, River Adventures, and the Imagination Playground. The museum encourages touching the exhibits as a means of learning. Other programs include storytime, music and movement, STEM activities, and theatrical experiences designed with tiny tots in mind. 

Nearby attractions:

• Visit The Betsy Ross House to experience colonial Philadelphia and "meet" the woman who sewed the first American flag.
• The Franklin Institute hosts daily exhibits, shows, and demonstrations in the spirit of Benjamin Franklin’s passion for science and technology.
• Stop by the Philadelphia Zoo to meet nearly 1,300 animals, ride the carousel or PZ Express train, take a ride on the Zooballoon, and steer a swan boat.
• Take a tour of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell at Independence National Historic Park.
     

Sesame Place
100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, Bucks County
866-464-3566
Hours: View the 2021 operating calendar for information on hours
Admission: $76.99 any day ticket; $94.99 two day ticket; free for children younger than 2
What you need to know: Reservations are required. Temperatures of all guests and employees will be checked before entering the park; face masks and social distancing are required; hand sanitizing stations are located throughout the park, and key areas will be cleaned and sanitized frequently.

Heading to this Delaware Valley attraction is a rite of passage for parents of toddlers, who bask in the glow of Abby Cadabby’s fairy spells and the warmth of Elmo’s hugs. Guests dance and sing along with some of the world’s best-loved characters in the daily Neighborhood Street Party Parade, cool off—and scream like banshees—in the expansive water play area, and are captivated during the changing rotation of shows. The lineup of PBS Kids Sprout characters—including Caillou, Max & Ruby, and Angelina Ballerina—also roam the park and are featured in special engagement shows throughout the summer (check website for dates). A Father’s Day barbecue and Fourth of July fireworks are popular (also: crowded) days to visit. Starting this year, Sesame Place offers box lunches that can be purchased online and picked up at Elmo’s Lunch Box Stop; and it has added more allergen-friendly foods to the menu. The ever-popular character dining options (extra fees apply, but your photo-op moments will increase exponentially along with your child’s smiles) have expanded to include Elmo's Rock 'n' Roll Dine and Cookie Monster’s Birthday Bash.

Nearby Attractions:

• Kids can design and build their own race car, go on a simulated hot air balloon ride, and discover lots of local history in the interactive exhibits at The Bucks County Children's Museum.
• Stock up on tokens and let the kids play in the Giggleberry Fair arcade before setting them loose in the area's largest indoor obstacle course, Giggleberry Mountain—it’s three stories of enclosed slides, mazes, and an exploding "berry fountain."
• Wander the winding brick pathways at historic Peddler's Village, where seasonal festivals and shopping abound.
• Hop aboard an authentic steam locomotive or historic diesel that traverses the rolling hills and valleys of Bucks County: the New Hope & Ivyland Railroad is a relaxing 45-minute ride including narration about the area’s history.

Day Trip Destinations in Connecticut

The 1750 Ogden House & Gardens
Interior closed due to COVID-19 and outdoor open for safe social distancing
1520 Bronson Road, Fairfield, Fairfield County
203-259-1598
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Guided tours: June-September: Sundays, 1-4pm
Admission: $5; $3 students and seniors; free for members and children 5 and younger
What you need to know: The house is closed, but the gardens are open, with social distancing guidelines in place. 

This mid-18th-century farmhouse provides a glimpse into the life of a middle-class colonial family. David Ogden built the house in 1750, and various members of the Ogden family lived there for the next 125 years. The Fairfield Museum and History Center, which operates the Ogden House, is located at 370 Beach Road (about a 10-minute drive).

Bush Holley House
Currently closed.
39 Strickland Road, Cos Cob, Fairfield County
203-869-6899
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Hours: Currently closed.
Admission: $10; $8 students and seniors; free for children younger than 18, members, and active military and their families in the summer; free admission first Wednesday of every month

Prosperous merchants built this home in 1730; it was later used as a boarding house and gathering place for prominent American artists and arbiters. A National Historic Landmark, it is one of 18 museums participating in the Connecticut art trail.
  

Dinosaur State Park
Grounds and trails open; exhibit center closed indefinitely due to COVID-19 
400 West St., Rocky Hill, Hartford County
860-529-8423
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Hours: Grounds and trails: Tuesday-Sunday, 9am-4pm
Admission (for exhibit center): $6; $2 children ages 6-12; free for children 5 and younger
What you need to know: The exhibit center is currently closed, but the grounds and trails are open.

Pack your sunscreen for a day of outdoor adventure. For a small fee, visitors can mine for gems and fossils or make their own cast of a dinosaur footprint. The Discovery Room includes a Connecticut Geologic Treasures exhibit, Life Through Time Fossil exhibit, and more.

Nearby attractions:

• Visit The Children's Museum for hands-on science and nature exhibits, a wildlife sanctuary, movie screenings, and planetarium shows.

• Soar over to the New England Air Museum to learn about the science and history of flight, take a cockpit tour of a vintage aircraft, virtually fly an aircraft, and view more than 65 aircrafts.

• See one of the largest collections of antique carousel pieces at The New England Carousel Museum, and take a spin on the Bushnell Park Carousel.
    

Essex Steam Train & Riverboat
1 Railroad Ave., Essex, Middlesex County
860-767-0103
Hours: July 18-Aug. 22: Saturdays, 11am; July 18-25: Saturdays, 12:30pm
Cost: $34.95; free for children younger than 2
What you need to know: The train and riverboat are following EPA, Connecticut, and CDC guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting; face masks are required when unable to social distance; reserve tickets online. The gift shop and café are closed, but public restrooms are open and will be sanitized regularly.

The 2½-hour journey begins at the historic 1892 Essex Station. From there, you’ll take a 12-mile, narrated round-trip journey into the Connecticut River Valley aboard a steam locomotive pulling vintage coaches through the quaint New England towns of Deep River and Chester. At Deep River Landing, you are escorted onto the Becky Thatcher riverboat for a 1-hour cruise on the river. After the cruise, passengers re-board the steam train for the return trip to Essex Station.

Nearby attractions:

• Visit a 24-room mansion that looks like a medieval castle in Gillette Castle State Park, where you can also hike the nature trails and have a picnic.
• Take a hike to see the waterfalls in Wadsworth Falls State Park and go picnicking, swimming, and fishing.
    

Lockwood Mansion Museum
Museum closed for tours through March; tours scheduled to resume April 2021
295 West Ave., Norwalk, Fairfield County
203-838-9799
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Guided tours: Scheduled to resume July 29: Wednesday, Saturday-Sunday, 12pm and 2pm
Admission: $10; $8 seniors; $6 students ages 8-18; free for children younger than 8 and members
What you need to know: Guided tours are scheduled to resume July 29. All visitors must wear masks and practice social distancing.

This Second Empire-style mansion with Victorian-era furnishings and interiors was once home to the Lockwood family and, several years later, the Mathews family. Now a National Historic Landmark, it has survived threats from bankruptcy, demolition, and I-95, and it stands today adjacent to the Stepping Stones Museum for Children.
  

Mystic Seaport Museum
75 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic, New London County
860-572-0711
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Hours: Thursday-Sunday, 10am-4pm
Admission: $19; $16 children ages 4-17, free for children ages 3 and younger
What you need to know: Visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets online, as capacity is reduced. Visitors are required to wear masks and practice social distancing; restroom capacity is limited; hand sanitizer is available throughout common areas; areas where social distancing is difficult are closed.

Travel back in time to the heyday of American sailing at this maritime museum. Explore the recreated 19th-century village and swap seafaring stories with historical role-players. Cruise the picturesque Mystic River on the steamboat Sabino or rent a boat and sail yourself. Check the website for special events this summer.

Nearby attractions:

• The Mystic Aquarium is a must-visit—stop in and say hello to one of the resident Beluga whales, the only creatures of their kind in the New England area.
• On your way to Mystic, stop by the Mashantucket Pequot Museum to catch up on 18,000 years of Connecticut's Native and natural history.
   

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