Amazing playground. Clean, wheelchair accessible, they have playground toys I didn't even know…read moreexisted, but I wish they did when I was a child!! They use rubber playground matting and the playground is easily accessible for parents and or grandparents to navigate around the different play areas with their kids.

It's truly a blessing living less than a five minute drive away from this playground. My daughter…read moreloves to go here and always has a blast. The amazing thing about this park is that it is ENTIRELY capable of allowing handicap children and children in strollers. How beautiful!!! My heart aches for the Martin family who this park was constructed for, they're all so nice. Honestly you'll find my daughter and I here 4/7 days a week, it's THAT nice. There's hardly ever any trash there. The ONLY thing I would change well-- suggest about the park is I think they should have installed a water fountain for when it's hot during summer. Then again, I don't have any clue on how difficult that would have been!

Great place to play Playground is free to public…read more Parking is limited Has shade coverage, picnic tables and benches

Don't know why this is listed as closed as it is NOT. Wonderful place to take the children, and the…read moreplayground is amazing AND free.

A Hidden Gem Worth Discovering -- Lupa Zoo, Ludlow MA…read more My wife and I have lived in this area our entire lives -- over 70 years -- and had driven past the signs for Lupa Zoo for years without ever stopping. Today, we finally went with our grandchildren. We are so glad we did. Admission & Value Entry was very reasonable. Between grandparents and grandchildren, we paid around $44 total. A season pass runs about $150, which is an excellent value if you plan to visit more than once. Layout & Size The zoo is laid out in sections like the larger zoos we've visited over the years, but it's small, compact, and easy to navigate -- perfect for a family with young children. We may have caught them just as they were opening for the season, so the food grill and splash pad weren't running yet, but that was perfectly fine. We came for the animals! The Animals I know I'll forget some, so apologies in advance -- but here's what we saw: porcupines, capybaras, alpacas, bison, elk, several types of deer and goat, tapir, donkeys, several types of pig, and an impressive variety of small monkeys -- at least six different species, all smaller than chimpanzees. There were also ringtail lemurs, marmosets, a bird area with peacocks, pheasants, chickens, pigeons, and even a raven, plus a small reptile area featuring snakes, scorpions, lizards, and turtles. For the Kids There are two playgrounds, best suited for children up to about age 6 or 7. The main play area also has some really creative features -- musical instruments, ride-on toys, and even modern outdoor electronic reaction games where a button lights up and kids run to press it before the next one lights up on the other side. Our boys had an absolute blast. The gift shop was stocked with a fantastic assortment of stuffed animals and all the things a child who just visited a zoo is going to want. A Few Tips * You can skip the animal food bags sold at the gate. So many visitors buy them that most animals weren't interested -- you could see uneaten food throughout the pens. * Pack a lunch and bring waters. They're relaxed about backpacks, small coolers, and even little wagons for the kids. * Parking is free and easy. There are lovely grassy picnic areas near the exit. The Vibe This is a small, family-run zoo and it feels like one -- in the best possible way. The enclosures look lovingly handmade, which adds real charm. The background music throughout the park was a pleasant surprise: not too loud, not a generic radio station, just fun and well-chosen. A nice touch. Getting There Lupa Zoo -- 62 Nash Hill Road, Ludlow, MA 01056 Easy to find off the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). Take Exit 51 (Burnett Road) or Exit 54 (Ludlow) -- both work. Put "Lupa Zoo" or the full address into your GPS and watch for the entrance signs on Nash Hill Road. We'll be back -- and we'll bring more grandchildren.

I purchased a Grandparents membership for this year's season and have gone already 3 times with my…read moregranddaughter. We both are enjoying it immensely. Wonderful animals, a super star escape artist named Mary is much larger than I thought from seeing her on the news :) along with her baby. So many different animals to view. A handful of different playgrounds and rest stops around the Zoo. Clean bathrooms! Looks like also a watering pad once it warms up. Everyone we've met have been nice and helpful with questions. I'm really so happy with the membership. I do appreciate that you can bring your own drinks & lunch if desired. They do have yummy fries and hot dogs for sale along with burgers

This is a little hidden gem, that I didn't even know existed!…read more We ended up seeing fennec foxes, emus, wolves, different birds species, turtles and tortoises species, as well as bison, horses, goats, wallaby's and a few more exotic ones that I am missing. They also had your normal household animals, like skunks, raccoons and other animals that were rehabilitated that no longer can be released into the wild This is a nonprofit organization, so all of the donations and proceeds, go to helping the animals We ended up purchasing a Groupon for two people. We did not have an encounter for this one, but noticed that you could purchase that. We ended up buying cones field with feed for the animals, such as the donkey, goats and the horses, and they have a nice feeding area, so you can pet and feed them as well. The education Center was unfortunately closed, and the gift shop is tiny, but there's more than enough to do at this little zoo It only took us about an hour and a half to get through all of the exhibits

We went on a slightly drizzly Sunday after brunch and it seemed like we had the zoo to ourselves…read morebecause the parking lot was empty except for one other car. When we asked if there were any other visitors we were told no one else in the past hour. Admission is a fair price for this small zoo that had plenty of animals to keep us interested for a couple of hours. It was nice to see the bobcats active and the monkey swinging around. Lots of peahens and the peacock was fun to see perched in different places. We were amazed to get a symphony of howling, yapping, barking, neighing, and other animal chatter while we were there. The staff in the Education Center was friendly, alert and readily answered our questions about the animals. If you like feeding the animals, buy a cone of food at the admissions booth to feed the hoofed animals. Careful when feeding the goats. I was taking a picture of my daughter feeding a goat and I was within reaching distance of the goat who craned its neck over the fence and swiftly chomped on the cone of food. I was startled but it was quite hilarious.

My kids love mad science, they are not easily entertained! My daughter tried it at school and it…read morewas outstanding. We visited at the big e too and there was not any camps near us then the virus happened and we tried the online class and I was skeptical but it ended up being awesome I hope they continue to have some online options in the winter! This year we tried mad science camp new instructor but great curriculum and cool take homes my kids love them!! The mad science team I have encountered have been fabulous and go that extra mile that makes it all the better. I think I might try a birthday!!!

My son had Mad Science come to his fifth birthday, so I was comfortable sending him to the after…read moreschool program offered by his school when it was finally offered. We noticed he wasn't learning very much, and the junky projects he would come home with would ultimately have to be snuck into the trash a day or two later. We decided never again. My son wanted to try Art Ventures. It had a steep price tag of $150 or so and was put on by the Mad Science people. We said we absolutely would not pay for it, so our son bargained with us and asked to use his own birthday money. We reluctantly agreed. Sadly the coronavirus has cancelled the course. They decided to offer an online class I lieu of the hands on course, but that sounded ridiculous; I'm sure YouTube has similar videos for free. We requested a refund for our son, and we were told that it was not an option. All-in-all, this company is really the equivalent of one of those shady carnival games; you're paying way too much for a product that has pretty consistently disappointed over the past few years.

Mind Eraser... Success = Check!…read more This park here is a smaller six flags but coasters like this are amazing and again NO lines! I mean what makes theme parks fun? It's riding the rides! Like this one! Loops, corkscrews, feet in the wind, no headache after, no line... How can anyone not love this?! Quick and easy here - life is hard. Sometimes we just need to get high on LIFE and forget our problems in a healthy way. No drugs are necessary. This coaster loops, spins, and twists all my problems away. When I ride - all I am thinking about is the fun of the moment. The name is correct! My mind is erased on here and I love it! It is one of the reasons I love coasters... Take a break, rest my mind, and have a blast! Simple break down since it's not like some record breaker or something - Top suspended coaster roller coaster. It's not new but sure does travel smoothly. There is little to no line & I enjoy the roller coaster! The front, back, it's all great! I plan to use my Six Flags 2016 season pass and be on this roller coaster more than once every single visit. It's a great coaster at this park and you can actually RIDE it without waiting forever and ever and ever. Life is great and my mind was cleared from the life struggles we all face because... LIFE IS A ROLLER COASTER! Ride flying high and free... It's to short to not clear our mind and live it up. This coaster is simple awesome fun, a total BLAST, and it makes me HAPPY. I recommend it to coaster lover of all sorts. My followers know I will do anything to get on the tallest, fastest, craziest, record breaking or whatever anything roller coaster girl... Well your coaster lover friend right here says ride this and you will not be disappointed. Also, repeat because no lines much at all! I love riding the Mind Eraser. It doesn't SCARE me, but an average person it will absolutely pump your adrenaline to the extreme and spin your mind to clarity!

Thunderbolt is one of those rides you want to love because the nostalgia is doing all the heavy…read morelifting. This classic wooden coaster has history -- real Riverside Park DNA -- and that alone gives it a certain charm you can't manufacture. But once you get past the sentimental value, the cracks start to show. The biggest issue is the line experience, or honestly, the lack of one. There's no staff presence helping guests form or maintain any kind of organized queue, so the line turns into a free‑for‑all. People cutting, groups merging, confusion everywhere -- it takes away from the fun before you even reach the station. And speaking of the station, the ride itself feels like it's running on the bare minimum. For an older coaster, you expect a little rattle, but this feels more like low maintenance than vintage charm. Thunderbolt deserves better upkeep, especially given its legacy at the park. At the end of the day, the nostalgia is notable -- even special -- but the overall experience doesn't match the potential. With some attention to operations and maintenance, this could easily climb back into must‑ride territory. Hold on to your seats and try to enjoy

I can't say enough good things about Animal Craze baby animal farm. The Baby Animal Farm features 1…read morelamb, 2 baby goats, 1 piglet, 4-6 chicks, 4 ducklings, and 4 baby bunnies. There was no lamb, now that I think about it, but a lot more chicken/ducks. Tonya was super responsive via email setting up and confirming the date and answering questions. The day of the event Joleen, our attendant, called about 20 min ahead of event setup to let us know she was on her way. They bring everything to your event space like the tent, brushes for the animals, and water/food. You provide the tent (if needed) and a nice grassy (non fertilized) area. They come in a suv so parking is easy. This was a surprise for a birthday so when Joleen arrived, the look and squeals of happiness were worth every penny. It was beyond cute when the two little goats followed her from the car to their pens. Joleen was the best and so great with the kids. She was very knowledgeable about the animals and helped the kids to hold the animals properly and was quick to clean up after them. The animals were all clean and looked well cared for and loved. Although the little piggy was having tummy issues and kept throwing up, yikes! Very pricey but worth the splurge!

Tonya, was wonderful to work with and the animals were so sweet. wuld use her again in a heartbeat!read more

There are not enough words to describe how wonderful The Story Barn is. Renata and Paula are truly…read moreamazing. There's a peace at the barn that's indescribable until you experience it for yourself. Renata has a way of bringing you joy just by her presence--and when she speaks, it's even more powerful.

Fun outing with the kids for a free story time, or come to a free writing workshop and let your…read morecreative juices flow! The author is warm and engaging and you can purchase a book and she will sign it. Frieda B. ( sounds like Free to be) is the little girl in the stories, and she is free to go wherever her imagination takes her. Great stories with beautiful illustrations that teach wonderful lessons.

This place was so much fun! The slides are long. The wait is between 10 and 15 minutes... But it's…read moreso worth it! I especially love the fact that it felt safe. There seemed to be gates and guards everywhere! The bathrooms were spotless. I loved the fact that there was a separate changing room for the ladies. Spots really are first come first served. The beach is basically almost all grass so I noticed a lot of people with massive tent, set ups and large swaths of area that they would claim, lol. As far as the pond goes, it is one of the cleanest and clearest I have ever seen. It's nice that you can bring floats from home, as well as goggles. The food was pretty decent! And was reasonably priced. Make sure you wear shoes or sandals on the deck of the concession stand because it gets really hot! The only reason I took off a star? This is a family establishment with kids running around. I'm the LAST person to be a prude but HOLY COW- I saw so many cheeks, lol...and I was a woman who DJ'd at strip joints for a year... I am all for women's rights, but this should definitely be a safe space for children. ..,also.... add clam strips to the menu lol

This place is really amazing. It runs like a well oiled machine. It was very crowded, but so…read moreorganized. Lifeguards and staff always around. Highly recommend it and I will definitely be back. The kids had a great time!

We were driving by, and spotted these little beauties. We asked the owners if we could get out and…read morelook at the ponies, lama and donkey! My 3 yr old had a smile from ear to ear. The ponies came up to let us pet them. The lama had a funny face while eating. We stayed about 45 min just watching them eat! Times have changed. You don't see this on the side of the road anymore. It was such a pleasure to see. Thank you to the owners for letting us do this!

From the owner: Aspen Hill Farm is a family owned and operated pony business, providing parties, tractor rides,…read morepetting areas and more since 1990. We rent out ponies for all occasions, including but not limited to birthday parties, school events, church picnics, family reunions, day cares and more. If you need a pony we’ll be there or you can bring your function to us at our Western Party Room where kids can step back in time and enjoy the farm life!