Here are the Amusement Parks near Boston to Keep an Eye On

Canobie Lake Park is a popular amusement park in Salem, New Hampshire, about 30 miles from Boston on the shore of Canobie Lake. It was established in 1902 and had a few amusement rides and a lovely botanical garden. Today the park has more than 85 rides and attractions, live entertainment, games, and an old wooden roller coaster called Yankee Cannonball. Some of the other popular rides are Canobie Corkscrew and Untamed, one of the two roller coasters in the park with an inversion. Kids enjoy a variety of rides such as an antique carousel from 1903 with 46 wooden animals, Boston Harbor Patrol, a boat ride that simulates a voyage on the high seas, and the Sky Ride that looks and feels like a ski lift.

85 N Policy St, Salem, NH 03079-2079, Phone: 603-893-3506

Spread over 250 acres near Carver, Massachusetts, Edaville Family Theme Park has enough fun for the whole family. It combines Thomas Land, CranCentral, and Dino Land. There are more than 90 rides and attractions, including Thomas the Tank Train, Toby Tilting Tracks, Big Eli The Ferris Wheel, Bone Shaker, Cranky's Crane Drop, and much more. Immerse yourself in the world of the North Western Railway with Tidmouth Sheds, Knapford Station, and a train ride through the cranberry bogs pulled by Thomas Land. There are life-sized engines to explore, a carousel with large stallions to ride, and a whole range of seasonal fun activities for Halloween, Christmas, and other special times.

5 Pine St, Carver, MA 02330-1518, Phone: 508-866-8190

Founded in 1846 on 402 acres near Bristol, Connecticut, Lake Compounce is North America’s oldest amusement park operating continuously. The park includes a water park Crocodile Cove, a beach, and all sorts of fun and thrilling rides. At Lake Compounce you can ride the Wildcat, one of the oldest roller coasters in the world, and the Boulder Dash, a new award-winning wooden roller coaster. In Bayou Bay, you can splash in the waves, float in a tube, or just cool off in the water. In the Dino Expedition, you will encounter more than a dozen of life-sized and life-like dinosaurs roaming in the dense prehistoric jungle. The park is a very popular venue for birthdays and other celebrations and has ten catering pavilions for all guests.

186 Enterprise Dr, Bristol, CT 06010-7493, Phone: 860-583-3300

Entertaining families since 1902, Palace Playland is the only New England beachfront amusement park. Located in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, Palace Playland is spread over four acres and offers 25 rides and attractions. The rides include a classic Ferris wheel, two roller coasters that include adrenaline-pumping Power Surge and Adrenalin, and a whole range of rides for kids such as Dumbo and Crop Duster. It also has a massive 24,000 square-foot arcade with 200 games including Skeeball and Fortune Tellers, as well as some of the latest high tech games. There is, of course, a lot of food, and the beach is nearby when you need to lower your heart rate.

1 Old Orchard St, Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064-2222, Phone: 207-934-2001

Amusement Parks near Boston for Younger Kids

Six Flags New England is the largest family amusement park in New England. Located in Agawam, a suburb of Springfield, Massachusetts, it offers eight megacoasters and the water park Hurricane Harbor with a 500,000-gallon wave pool and nine tube slides. The park is the oldest amusement park in the huge Six Flags chain, operating since the 19th century. One of the best known attractions in the park is Superman the Ride, one of the world’s top steel roller coasters. Superman The Ride is 208 feet high and drops 221 feet into a tunnel at 77 mph. There is also a famous 109-foot Wicked Cyclone, with three inversions, Hangtime Stall, 14 Airtime Hills, and more. There are also much more relaxing rides and attractions such as Adventure River, a scenic 1,000-foot raft trip on a lazy river, and Commotion Ocean, the 500,000-gallon wave pool with king-sized waves.

Route 159, 1623 Main Street, Agawam, MA 01001, Phone: 413-786-9300

Salem Willows Park is a great place to take the whole family for a fun day out. The ocean-front park encompasses 3 beaches, several shaded picnic pavilions, tennis and basketball courts and a boat docking area. In addition, there are 2 games arcades as well as bumper cars, a carousel and other kiddie’s rides. The games arcades feature many old favorites like Pac Man and Asteroids as well as many modern ticket-dispensing games offering great prizes for winners. Salem Willows Park also has several food outlets where you can buy anything from popcorn and sandwiches to delicious pizzas and drinks.

Salem Willow Park, 165 Fort Ave, Salem, MA 01970, 978 745 0251

Jiminy Peak Mountain Adventure Park offers year-round fun for everyone in the family and is located just 2.5 hours drive from Boston. In winter everyone comes to the mountain to enjoy a variety of winter sports including skiing, snowboarding, snow shoeing and more. When the last of the snow has melted, it’s time to enjoy a whole range of fun summer activities including the very popular Mountain Coaster and Alpine Slide, both of which offer thrills around every corner. Visitors can also enjoy riding the Soaring Eagle, Giant Swing and the Scenic Chairlift. Other activities include hiking, a children’s playground, Euro Bungy trampoline, ropes course and a climbing wall.

Jiminy Peak Mountain Adventure Park, 37 413 738 5500

Imagine an amusement park which brings your kid’s favorite stories to life. This is exactly what you will find when you visit StoryLand in New Hampshire. The amusement park has been operating for almost 70 years and has a loyal following of visitors who come back time after time to relive their favorite story-book adventures. There are 30 kid-friendly rides, most of which are suitable for all ages. Just a few of the park highlights include Cinderella’s Coach, a Buccaneer Pirate Ship and the Oceans of Fun Sprayground. Adults and older children can get their thrills on the Roar-o-saurus Coaster.

Story Land, 850 NH-16, Glen, NH 03838, 603 383 4186

Packed with fun family activities for all seasons, Bromley Family Fun Mountain is sure to be a hit with your whole family. While Bromley might not be a largest mountain in Vermont, it certainly is one of the best to visit with children, offering several beginner slopes on a sun-drenched southern exposure. The resort is divided almost evenly between beginner, intermediate and difficult slopes so older children and adults can also have loads of fun. Besides skiing, Bromley offers a host of other fun activities including the Alpine Slide, Sun Mountain Flyer, Giant Swing, Mini Golf, Disc Golf and a Treetop Adventure Course.

Bromley Family Fun Mountain, 3984 Vermont Route 11, Peru, VT 05152,802 824 5522

Everyone in the family will love sampling some of the delicious flavors available at Jay Gee’s Ice Cream and Fun Center. However, once you have enjoyed your favorite treat you can head on out to the fun center where there are several outdoor activities to keep all ages busy for a few hours. Attractions include Bumper Cars and Bumper Boats, Go Karts, Batting Cages, Mini-Golf and a Games Arcade. There are plenty of prizes to win and you can challenge your friends to a game of basketball or skeeball. The center is ideal for birthday parties and you can order a fabulous ice cream cake for your celebration.

Jay Gee’s Ice Cream and Fun Center, 602 Lowell Street, Methuen, MA 01844, 978 689 0456