Boston Winter Activities
Prudential Skywalk Obvservatory, Discovery Museums, Indoor Playground

Question about Boston Winter Activities

Hello Again, We booked a hotel for a few days in March break and I am trying to decide whether to book the CoCo Key Resort. It sounds like a good price $149 for the night and 2 days of passes for the family. I checked Trip Advisor, but a lot of people didn't like it. I have a 3 and 5 year old. Are there any nice public pool facilities with a small waterslide that my kids would enjoy just as much? We are planning to do the Children's Museum, the Science Museum and the Aquarium. I was looking for another activity that was more active. Do they have any other indoor play areas/amusement parks that you would recommend. Free or $$.
What would be your other 2 top Boston highlights would you suggest to a family in the winter.
Your website has been great!
Thanks again, Patti

Answer

Dear Patti,

Thanks for being in touch again. I'm so glad to hear you're finding the website helpful!

I see what you mean in terms of the Coco Key Resort. There are mixed reviews out there! On yelp the overall tone seems to be that it can still be a great experience as long as you are willing to accept its downfalls. I'm sorry that I can't help you more with this one.

In terms of other Boston winter activities for a March vacation, your options really depend on how lucky you get with the weather. As you probably know, the weather fluctuates significantly around now. In the last two weeks we've had temperatures down in the teens and up to almost 60 degrees!

If you get a nice day (or even a somewhat cold one and are willing to bundle up), I'd highly recommend visiting the Boston Common and Boston Public Garden. It's a beautiful area to wander through with your family. If it's relatively warm, the kids can play on the tot-lot. And if you feel like your 3 year old is up for it (and you're going to be in Boston by March 17th) the Frog Pond skating rink will still be open. This is a truly iconic Boston winter activity. When everyone's ready to eat, you can wander over to Cheers which is super kid friendly (and really fun if you were a fan of Cheers).

Another option if the weather is manageable is to head to the Franklin Park Zoo. You will be outside the vast majority of the time, but there's plenty to keep the kids engaged and on the move.

If indoor Boston winter activities seem more your speed, here are a few great options:

The Prudential Skywalk Obvservatory offers 360 degree views of Greater Boston. My toddler really enjoyed looking through the big binoculars, and they offer an audio tour if you want to actually learn about what you're seeing :).
The Prudential Center has a Parent Perks Program where you receive little gifts from a variety of shops including the Skywalk Observatory when you show up with your child. To get your treasure map (and register), head first to the Customer Service Desk in Center Court.
FYI, the Skywalk Observatory does close for private functions so it's worth calling to check that your chosen date will work.
Also, if you happen to be visiting by March 6th, you'll have yet another ice skating option as The Rink at Prudential Center is open from mid-February until early March.
When it's time to eat, there are plenty of places to eat in the Prudential Center itself. However, if you'd rather explore a bit more, you can take a quick walk to Newbury Street where you can do a little (window) shopping, choose from a large variety of eateries, and drop by one of Boston's favorite ice cream spots, JP Licks.
Here are the Skywalk Observatory logistics:
The Skywalk Observatory
Address: 800 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199
Hours: 10am-8pm (winter hours until March 28th) 7 days a week, after that 10am-10pm

The Dicovery Museums, in Acton, have become increasingly popular in recent years and therefore another great option for Boston winter activities. While the South Action station on the MBTA Commuter Rail is a short walk to the museum, the trek will take you a minimum of an hour each way and possibly up to 2.5 hours depending on the time of day. So, this is probably one that's only a viable option if you have a car accessible to you.

Finally, while we haven't yet made it there ourselves, the indoor playground that I've heard raved about the most is called Inside Playground and is based in Watertown. Depending on where you're staying, you might want to splurge on a cab for this one. Or, if you want to stick with public transportation, you'll probably need to take a train (the T) to Harvard Station on the Red Line and then transfer to the 71 bus until you get to the Mt Auburn Street & Marshall Street stop.
Here are the logistics:
Inside Playground
Address: 100 Parker street, Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 1-877-2929-FUN

I hope some of the Boston winter activities help with the rest of your trip planning. I'd love to hear about your experience if you want to pop me an email or submit something to the site after your vacation!

Have a wonderful time!
Cheers,
Deborah

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