Swimming on Busy Boston Moms

🎡 Weekend Plan: Story Land and White Mountains

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A done-for-you weekend trip—no overthinking required.

📍 Quick Snapshot

Location: White Mountains, New Hampshire
Best for: Kids of all ages
Drive time: 2.5 hours
Time needed: Full weekend
Best time to go: July/August

🗺️ Where to Stay

Where I stayed: This Airbnb in North Conway—great option for a large family or big group, perfect location and very clean. Not the most kid-friendly (you need to bring all your own equipment and it’s not baby proofed), but I would stay here again.
If you want to splurge: Adventure Suites in North Conway (boutique hotel that has a different theme in every room—such a cool experience and so fun, but definitely on the pricier end)
For a budget-friendly option: Swiss Chalets Village Inn (just two miles from Story Land)

🗺️ The Plan

1️⃣ Day 1 (leave on a Friday morning if you can)

Arrive at: Story Land, 850 NH-16, Glen, NH

👉 Mom tip: Arrive around 3 p.m. and take advantage of their “last three hours free” perk—you can get in the day before your full day ticket and split your visit over two days. So much easier if you have little kids and don’t want to rush around!
Park here: Across the street (parking is free, first come first served, and there’s an underground walkway that leads right to the front gates). Paid parking is also available right outside the park.
Do this first: Get your driver’s license at Town Hall and ride the antique cars
Don’t miss: The nursery rhyme play area

🌟 Bonus: Kids 2 and under are free

🍴 Dinner Plan

Eat at: Flatbread Co.
What to order: Chicken Bacon Ranch or Street Taco pizza…but you really can’t go wrong with any of the pizza options

👉 Mom tip: They’re walk-in only and can get very busy, so plan to arrive about 30 minutes before you actually want to sit down to eat. They have a nice outdoor area with cornhole and plenty of space for kids to run around while you wait.

🌧️ Rain / Bad Weather Backup

Swap this stop for: Living Shores Aquarium (right next door)

2️⃣ Day 2 (Saturday)

🎯 Morning and Afternoon Activity

Head to: Story Land (using your full day return ticket)
Must do: Loopy Lab, Wooden Shoes, Farm Tractor Ride, and Moo Lagoon
How long to stay: Through lunchtime (there are plenty of food and snack options in the park, and the food is actually good)

👉 Energy check: If your kids are up for it, the Daniel Tiger show and the Rap-Tour Safari are two good options for winding down.

👜 What to Bring to Story Land

Water bottles
Snacks
Change of clothes and towels (if water play)
Sunscreen
Stroller / wagon

💸 Realistic Cost Breakdown

Parking: $0-15
Admission: $40-45 summer tickets for ages 3+, $65 Living Shores Aquarium + Story Land Combo Ticket ages 3+(recommend especially if there’s rain anywhere in the forecast during the weekend)
Food: $12-18 per person for one quick service meal (character dining is $20-25 per person for ages 3+)
Activities: Topsy Turvy Party event $20 per person for ages 3+ (optional—we didn’t do this)
Extras: TimeSaver Pass $50-70 per person, Photo Pass $50-65 (optional—we didn’t do this)

💡 Know Before You Go

Hours: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily through September 7, 2026
Fall hours: Weekends from September 19- October 25, 2026
Open rain or shine, but they do close for heavy rain or lightning

🍴 Dinner Plan

Eat at: The Muddy Moose (2344 White Mountain Hwy, North Conway)
The highlight: Lots of animals and fun decor for kids to look at

👉 Mom tip: This is another walk-in early place, so try to give yourself some buffer time. We got a table right away though.

🍦 Optional Treat Stop

Lickety Splitz Ice Cream (2252 White Mountain Hwy, North Conway)
Worth it because: You can build your own sundae, and they have a playground on-site.

3️⃣ Day 3 (Sunday)

🏖️ Morning Activity

Head to: Echo Lake State Park, 68 Echo Lake Road, North Conway
Park here: Onsite parking, but it needs to be reserved in advance ($4 per person)
Must do: Swimming and playing on the beach
Extra fun: 1 mile hike around the perimeter of the lake, it’s a flat, marked trail that is accessible for all ages (but not stroller friendly)

👉 Mom tip: They have bathrooms and a concessions stand that also sells inflatables. Bring bug spray, there were some flies biting us!

🍴 Lunch Plan

Pack a picnic or grab lunch at a nearby spot and take advantage of the picnic tables at the park. They also have charcoal grills if you want to do a cookout on the beach.
- Good takeout options: Wrap City or Luchador Tacos

🍦 Optional Treat Stop

Trail’s End Ice Cream (631 White Mountain Hwy, Intervale)
Worth it because: The scoops are ginormous and there’s a beautiful scenic vista across the street with picnic tables to sit at

🌧️ Rain / Bad Weather Backup

Swap this stop for: Kahuna Laguna Indoor Water Park, 2251 White Mountain Hwy, North Conway

3️⃣ Day 4 (Monday)

⏱️Before you head home: Go tubing on the Saco River (must book several weeks in advance)

Suitable for: Families with kids ages 3+
Worth it because: They have different options for various trip lengths and rapids, including a calm 1 mile float

🌧️ Rain / Bad Weather Backup

Swap this stop for: Shopping in North Conway (don’t miss Zeb’s General Store)

🍽️ Breakfast or lunch option: The Sunrise Shack (44 White Mountain Hwy, Glen)

🧠 What I’d Do Differently Next Time

I don’t think I’d buy tickets to Living Shores again unless there was definitely going to be bad weather in the forecast—it’s super small and not the most impressive, and we went through the whole thing in under an hour. But it was great for the day we were leaving, because it was rainy.
We went shopping on Sunday evening and a lot of stores were closed—I’d recommend going during the day on a weekday.

🧩 Pair It With Another Stop

Santa’s Village
- Good option for kids who might be a little too old for Story Land
Diana’s Baths
- Beautiful swimming area, but parking is nearly impossible unless you get there first thing in the morning, so this is harder to do with little kids
Conway Scenic Railroad
- We didn’t get to do this, but I’ve heard great things! It’s on my list for our next trip.

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🏙️ Weekend Plan: Downtown Boston

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A done-for-you day trip—no overthinking required.

📍 Quick Snapshot

Location: Boston Common and Boston Public Garden
Best for: Toddlers/little kids
Travel time: 17 minutes on train (plus driving time to station)
Total cost: $72 (see breakdown below)
Time needed: Half day

🗺️ The Plan

⏰ Morning (Start Time: 9:45 a.m.)

Arrive at: North Quincy Station (or any other Quincy/Braintree Red Line stop besides Quincy Center)
Park here: Station garage ($3 on weekends for all day)
Directions: Jump on an Alewife train and get off at Park St. Station

1️⃣ First Stop

Do this first: Walk through the Boston Common over to the Boston Public Garden, and ride the Swan Boats
Details: Tickets are $4.25 for adults, $3.25 for children, and free under 2. The ride takes about 15 minutes.
Don’t miss: The Make Way for Ducklings sculpture by artist Nancy Schön, it’s at the corner of Beacon and Charles Streets inside the Public Garden.

👉 Mom tip: This will get you to the Swan Boats around 10 a.m., right when they open—so there will be less crowds and a shorter line.

🍴 Lunch Plan

Eat at: Flour Boston Common (1B Charles St—it’s a little food stand in the middle of the park)
What to order: Smoked turkey and pimento sandwich is to die for, and the kids grilled cheese is a hit for little ones. If you need a sweet treat, get the sticky bun or soft serve.
Backup option: Sal’s Pizza, The Paramount, or Burger King

👉 If packed lunch: Flour also has public seating, or you can sit at one of the tables next to the Frog Pond

2️⃣ Afternoon Activity

Head to: Boston Common Frog Pond
What kids will love: Splashing around in the Spray Pool and seeing the frog statues
How long to stay: 1 hour
Details: FREE to the public, bathrooms and lockers available, lifeguards on duty

3️⃣ Energy Check

If your kids still have it in them, head to one of two places:
- Bigger kids: Play in the Tadpole Playground right across the Frog Pond
- Little ones: Walk seven minutes into Beacon Hill and go to the Myrtle Street Playground

👉 Mom tip: The Myrtle Street Playground is much quieter and has a smaller play structure that is perfect for toddlers. There are also tons of toys and bikes that all kids are welcome to use.

🛍️ Bonus Shopping

Check out:
- Beacon Hill Books & Cafe (71 Charles St.—cute kids area with a train and their own story about a squirrel that lives in the bookstore. You can buy the book, it’s super cute!)
- Whitney + Winston (113 Charles St.—children’s boutique with adorable outfits and cute gift ideas, but very pricey)

👜 What to Bring

Water bottles
Snacks
Swimsuit and change of clothes
Small beach toys (e.g. little bucket, rubber ducks)
Towels and blanket to sit on if you want to picnic in the grass
Sunscreen and sunglasses or a hat
Stroller (the smaller/more travel friendly, the better…Beacon Hill streets are hard to navigate with a bulky stroller!)

💸 Realistic Cost Breakdown

Parking: $3
Transportation: $10
Food: $50 (one meal for two adults and a child, but you could definitely spend less)
Activities: $9
Extras: additional shopping costs, if you decide to do that

Total: $72

🧩 Pair It With Another Stop

Makes it a full day: If your kid can stroller nap (or doesn’t need to nap at all), the Esplanade is the perfect place to do a longer walk and take in more sights. There are additional playgrounds and food options along that route too. Just beware of cyclists if you have kids on foot!

💡 Real Mom Notes

What surprised me: How quiet both the Swan Boats and Frog Pond are right when they open, it’s worth doing them in the order above, even if it means you’re doing more walking.
What I’d do differently: Order less at Flour and order ahead of time online—we waited a long time for our sandwiches, and my eyes were bigger than my stomach. The food was delicious though!
Who this is really best for: Moms who have a partner or friend along with them—you can definitely do it alone, but it’s much easier to navigate with another adult.

⏱️ Timing Tips That Matter

Swan Boats are open 7 days a week, from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. until Labor Day
Boston Common Frog Pond is open daily 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. until Labor Day
Beacon Hill Books + Cafe is open daily, from 8 a.m. - 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Sunday
Whitney + Winston is open daily from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

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