Had been wanting to check this out all summer, but being a bit of a cheapo, I didn't want to pay…read morethe $20 non-resident parking fee. Now that its off-season and parking is free I checked it out. Wasn't disappointed. Some nice views, and a challenging, but not overwhelming hike. Will definitely have to come back sometime.

Amazing place to take kids . Rock slide and hiking is amazing. The facilities are clean . The park…read moreand picnic areas for families.

If I could leave no stars I would, DO NOT GO TO THIS LAKE!!!…read more First time going with my family, we drove in fine, $8 parking fee, and it was empty when we arrived. Our family brought a mix of wood chips and charcoal from Walmart and the park ranger ran up to us and splashed a full bucket of water all over the grill. Yelled at us that using wood is not allowed, no one at the entrance or beforehand had disclosed that to us. It was truly embarrassing and the park ranger was so rude, didn't even bother to explain to us or offer us a different alternative to cook our food with. We were so embarrassed and my baby nephews were really looking forward to the hot dogs that were now soaked with mud. They don't allow floaties, toys, or anything near the water.

It's a beautiful lake. I feel there should NOT be little dogs allowed. Their owners let them run…read moreall over the place. There are many people smoking their weed pens. There needs to be some authority there. The best times to bring our Granddaughter here is early and late in the summer months. July and August are not months to bring her. Hence my rating.

We camped at the group site here this past weekend (6/21-23). I would definitely recommend camping…read morehere with a large group, though it does book up quickly. The group site can accommodate up to 15 people. We had 12 and were MORE than comfortable. The site was large enough for all 6 of our tents and a canopy and could have accommodated more. There was plenty of grass and mulch to set up on, as well as ample space for parking, 2 fire pits, 2 picnic tables and an extra large grill, making it easy to cook for a big group. It was also far enough from other campsites to avoid bothering them, which we were concerned about with 12 young adults. It was located very close to the ranger station which had toilets but no showers. I never checked out the showers because we only stayed 2 nights but the bathrooms we used were clean and well kept. A few bugs in them late at night but that can't really be helped. The mosquitos were present but not as bad as some of the reviews I read suggested. Between the fire, a repelling device and bug spray we were not getting eaten alive. My friend did find one tick but caught it before it burrowed luckily. Just make sure you're checking for ticks each night. Some of the group went hiking which they said was lovely with pretty views. We checked out the beach which was a short walk from the group site. It was mainly set up for kids with a shallow roped off area, though there would have been nothing stopping you from climbing under the rope if you wanted to go for more of a swim. The water was still very cold that early in the season so I didn't get past my ankles. People were also fishing and launching kayaks near the beach. The park was pretty busy the whole weekend, so definitely not a secluded backwoods vibe, which was fine by me since I haven't camped much. I also appreciated the close proximity to Walmart which was useful for getting ice when we ran out. There is also a liquor store a short drive from the campsite, though officially alcohol is not allowed. All in all I would definitely come back here and reserve the group site again. It was an awesome trip for our larger group of friends.

Terrible place for a hike. Poor mapping. A lot of paved roads as "trails". Steer clear.read more

Great, well maintained trail system. Lots of parking. Dogs allowed (on leashes) and clean-up and…read morecarry-out expected.

Very easy, well maintained trails. Great for families with young children. My favorite was the…read morefairy house creation area!

It was a wet day and the outside playground was not going to work. Where do you take two young…read morechildren to burn off some serious energy? Luv 2 Play solves this dilemma quite nicely. We like the layout of this indoor playground, it has a nice separate area for young toddlers, great slides, and plenty of things for kids to explore. It also has a snack bar with a limited menu, and a friendly and accommodating staff. If you get here early, it's typically less busy, and after about two hours, you can exit with energy expended children. It's our go to place for rainy days.

Visited for the first time on a Saturday morning. Kids had a good time. Equipment was in good shape…read moreand clean. We'll be back.

Staff is awesome. Enjoyed a treat at the end when we turned in The clubs they tell you about the…read moremystery hole. Pretty cool. Ice cream is amazing and I am pretty sure they have food too. We are going back next weekend For sure and will find out then

It's Cash only, cause apparently it's still the Stone Age. The ice cream melted immediately. Before…read moreI could walk to a table, it was all over my hand. Ordered a flavored soft serve, they warned me that it wasn't going to be a strong flavoring, but they forgot to put it in at all. Also, the locks on the bathroom door didn't work, and another customer walked in on me and my child.

I've been boating on this lake for 13 years, and yes--I can pronounce its full name, one of the…read morelongest place names in the world: Chargoggagoggmanchauggagaugchaubunagungamaugg. It's quite a mouthful! Purportedly the largest natural lake in Massachusetts, it's only about three miles long and one mile wide, which perhaps says more about Massachusetts lakes than it does this one. Still, it's a terrific local destination. The lake has a couple of marinas, three waterfront restaurants accessible by boat, a town beach with restrooms and a snack bar, and the popular Indian Ranch entertainment venue, which also includes an RV campground and the newer and quite good Samuel Slater's Restaurant. The lake offers something for almost everyone: fishing, swimming, boating, tubing, water skiing (there's even a water ski club), kayaking, and enough open water for all of those activities to coexist somewhat comfortably. Weekdays are wonderfully peaceful, making it easy to find a quiet cove or enjoy a leisurely cruise. Summer weekends, however, are another story. When the weather is hot, the lake becomes a very busy place. There are at least three eagle nests on the lake and one gas station. Unfortunately the gas station is currently closed. Dock space is in high demand, with waiting lists at the marinas. Development around the shoreline has steadily increased over the years. While a few natural stretches remain, nearly every buildable lot has been developed, and many of the original seasonal cottages have been replaced by sprawling year-round waterfront homes. I'm very fortunate to have this lake just a few minutes from home--and even more fortunate that I can usually enjoy it during the week, when the crowds are at work.

I really really love the lake it is so cool i go. Sking and I am very excited to get back there to…read morego swing sking and tubing their

Southwick Zoo is an end-of-summer tradition for our family! It is a large zoo with many animals to…read moresee, such as lions, goats (and a goat petting and feeding zoo!), monkeys, gorillas, giraffes, flamingos, and so many more! It has a 10-15 minute train ride ($7 per person) through the woods to spot animals, a sit-down zip line ($12 per person) and a little maze ($5 per person!) and a carousel (not sure how much that costs though!) ! There is a playground for the little ones, and many gift shops and food shacks around the zoo. We have always had a great experience here, and it will be our tradition for many years to come! Thanks for reading! -A

I had come here once before, so I was prepared to walk and came with a water bottle since it's a…read morebig zoo. I don't remember the entrance being as expensive as it was: $38 per person but as a AAA member we scored a $2 discount each. There were three free shows/ presentations going on that day, which were posted on a big dry erase board: bird show, sloth talk, and an earth discovery creature feature. We made 2 out of 3 of them. My favorite was the bird show where they brought out 6-8 unique birds and each of them did a trick for the crowd, all while the trainers gave us fun facts about them. They had bleacher seating so very comfortable show. At the end, they had one bird who could take your money (voluntarily) and put it into a box with its beak. The money was going towards a good cause, so I donated. The sloth talk was also cool. We got to hear interesting facts about sloths and watch the sloth eat their lunch. They were also doing a Frozen skit / play for the kids when we arrived and it was pretty good and kept the kids there engaged. They have a great selection of animals throughout the zoo including large ones like rhinos, giraffes, tigers, and lions but also smaller ones like pigeons, ravens, parakeets, and prairie dogs. I did not go on / into any, but they have an overhead lift you can ride, zip lining, and a maze (not free). There is also a petting and feeding area with goats. One thing I remember there being was a deer park but I think it was closed off this time which was a bummer. For the most part, the zoo is shaded. They also have gift shops, snacks/drinks, and bathrooms throughout the park. We spent about 2.5 hours there, but might've missed a couple animals. The staff is friendly and helped us find our way around. There is a map and it's pretty good but we were just running low on time to make it to one of the events.