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Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Boston North Shore Offers Family Friendly Base Camp, Water Park and More

Posted by Mary Turner on February 4, 2013 Comments Off

Feb 042013

The recently renovated 364 room Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Boston North Shore, and the adjacent 65,000 square foot CoCo Key Boston North Shore Water Park, are centrally located for families with teens and tweens who want to explore both the City of Boston and classic New England destinations such as the historic witch city of Salem, the beaches and conservation areas of Cape Ann, the whale watches and nautical history of Gloucester, or the quaint artistic village of Rockport. Families visiting nearby Merrimack College or boarding schools such as Phillips Andover will also find the Doubletree to be a convenient base camp. The hotel is within a 30 minute (non-rush hour) drive of downtown Boston and most North Shore destinations.

A fully renovated room at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Boston North Shore

We recently had the opportunity to stay at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Boston North Shore, and to enjoy CoCo Key, and were impressed with both the friendliness of the staff and the quality of the renovations. We stayed in a standard queen double room, but the hotel also offers 40 family suites that feature a king size bed plus two youth beds.

All rooms include granite counter bathrooms, TVs, complimentary internet access and the famous Doubletree freshly baked cookies. The hotel has its own Starbucks as well as the Tradewinds restaurant and lounge which serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Additional quick food options are available inside the CoCo Key water park.

The Atlantis Health Club pool at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Boston North Shore

In addition to the water park, which requires its own entrance fee, guests have free access to the Atlantis Health Club pool, cardio, and weight training facilities which are located inside the hotel. A spa and business center round out the amenities. The teens enjoyed the lazy river and water slides at CoCo Key but were also thrilled with the Atlantis Health Club, particularly the indoor pool and hot tub which they had nearly to themselves on a winter’s Saturday afternoon.

The hotel offers a number of family friendly discount packages that include water park access. The hotel ballroom is also popular for receptions and events. As a result, it is no surprise that the hotel is busy on the weekends. If you plan to eat dinner at the hotel it is wise to make reservations, particularly if you have a larger group. We enjoyed the pub style menu at the Tradewinds Lounge on Saturday night. We opted for burgers, sandwiches and salads after a busy afternoon at the water park but full entrees are also available on the menu. Like all the hotel staff, our server was friendly and helpful even though it was a hectic evening. The hotel is located just minutes from many other chain and local restaurants located along Route 1 if you want other dining options.

Dinner at the Tradewinds Lounge at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Boston North Shore

If your family travels bring you to Boston, or the idea of a weekend at Massachusett’s largest indoor water park sounds like a good time, the renovated Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Boston North Shore offers a comfortable, family friendly base camps with lots of activities, dining options and friendly service.

We want to thank the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Boston North Shore and CoCo Key for hosting our recent complimentary overnight visit to the hotel and water park. The opinions in this review are solely our own.

Families Come in Out of the Cold to Enjoy CoCo Key Water Park Boston North Shore

Posted by Mary Turner on January 27, 2013 Comments Off

Jan 272013

The 65,000 square foot CoCo Key Water Park Boston North Shore is a pretty impressive sight when you first walk through the doors. CoCo Key is the largest indoor water park in Massachusetts and any time it is open the park is a beehive of activity as kids, tweens and teens make the most of the park’s brightly colored slides, sprays, pools and water features.

CoCo Key Water Park Boston North Shore main water slide and spray area

Located in Danvers MA, just 19 miles north of Boston and adjacent to the 364 room Doubletree by Hilton Boston North Shore hotel, CoCo Key Water Park Boston North Shore includes multi-level water slides, spray decks, bucket dumps, water actvities, four-story high enclosed tube slides, a lazy river, and a wading pool for younger kids. The action never stops as the kids scamper from one splashy activity to the next.

The stairs for the big slides tower over the rest of the CoCo Key Water Park Boston North Shore

One of the best parts of visiting CoCo Key during the winter is that no matter what the weather is like outside, its is a near perfect 84 degrees inside. It was well below freezing when we were there but the climate controls were working perfectly. A quick serve restaurant and a bar overlooking the action offer refreshments for kids and adults (the margaritas looked pretty chill). The water features are surrounded by plenty of tables to act as base camp for the day. And if the kids need a break from the water, the arcade is well stocked with video games and prizes for all ages.

All ages get into the scene at the CoCo Key Water Park Boston North Shore

The park caters to families with kids ages 2-12, although families with slightly older teens and tweens can definitely enjoy CoCo Key as part of a family stay at the hotel. On our recent visit to the Doubletree by Hilton Boston North Shore , our 16 year old teen and a friend were found enjoying the lazy river and the big tube slides before heading off for an hour at the arcade and an extended visit to the hotel pool, hot tub and workout area. They said the Water Park was fun for a few hours and would be a great place to spend time hanging out with younger siblings during a family vacation to explore Boston and the surrounding North Shore towns including Salem, Rockport and Gloucester.

The arcade at the CoCo Key Water Park Boston North Shore is popular with kids, teens and tweens

For local residents, day passes, half day passes and season tickets are available. CoCo Key is also a popular destination for birthday parties and group outings. Be warned that it can get crowded on weekends, particularly in the middle part of the day. Hotel guests can avoid the crowds by visiting in the evening hours – the Water Park stays open until 9 pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and many school vacation days.

For hotel guests, family discount packages can mean a fun affordable weekend getaway or provide built-in evening entertainment when using the Doubletree as a base camp for visiting Boston and the North Shore. However, if booking a hotel stay, be aware that the Water Park is often closed on non-holiday Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Book by January 31st for a discount on an overnight visit during the mid-February Massachusetts school vacation week. The Ultimate Waterpark Package includes CoCo Key access, arcade game cards, breakfast and overnight accommodations. The hotel has recently renovated a number of rooms to create family suites located near the Water Park.

All and all, a day or a weekend at CoCo Key is a great way to get a break from New England’s cold winter weather while spending some fun time with family and friends.

We want to thank CoCo Key and the Doubletree by Hilton Boston North Shore for hosting our recent complimentary overnight visit to the hotel and water park. The opinions in this review are solely our own.

Parents’ Weekend Leaf Peeping Near UMass Amherst in Central Massachusetts

Posted by Mary Turner on October 20, 2012 Comments Off

Oct 202012

Parents’ Weekends are often the first chance that parents of college freshman have to catch up with their student since they said goodbye on drop-off day. By now, your student has made friends, found his way around campus, and settled into social routines that seem to involve staying up all night and sleeping until noon on the weekends. As a result, many parents find themselves with time on their hands on Saturday morning of Parents Weekend. During our recent trip to #1 Son’s Parents’ Weekend at UMass Amherst, mom and dad killed some time by exploring the Pioneer Valley and small towns near Amherst. We visited just before peak fall foliage colors were unflured, but our ramblings still offered some stunning views both on campus and off.

Foliage in front the UMass University Club – the oldest house on campus

If you plan to visit central Massachusetts and the Amherst area for leaf peeping, college shopping or just to take a break from the Massachusetts Turnpike, we recommend taking a couple hours to explore Amherst and the surrounding small towns such as North Leverett, Montague, Sunderland and Wendell. There are plenty of public lands open for hiking in the area including Wendell State Forest and the Mount Holyoke Range State Park. Be aware that the state provides little to no services in most of the parks and forests in this area so bring plenty of food and water if you want to make a day of it.

We started our tour visiting the vibrant Amherst downtown. Just a few blocks outside the main shopping district the Emily Dickinson Museum offers a tranquil location with fine examples of mid-19th century architecture and lots of fall foliage.

The grounds of the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst MA

Heading North out of town we passed many farms hurrying to get ready for winter. We saw cornfields, horses and at least one goat farm in the area.

The vibrant downtown of Amherst quickly changes to farmland and forests heading north

We headed towards the town of Montague, home to several small villages including Turners Falls, which is listed on the National Historic Register for its collection of waterpowered mill buildings. We never actually made it there as we stopped to look at an old Lumber Mill in North Leverett and then decided to follow the turnoff for Wendell State Park.

Old Lumber Mill in North Leverett, MA

Little did we know that our GPS thought a little back country overland adventure was in order as it routed us onto a dirt road that turned into a 4 wheel drive track complete with major boulders and mud pits along the way.

Our GPS routed us over some interesting backroads near Wendell State Forest

Our SUV took it in stride and we eventually reconnected with pavement and were able to navigate back to Route 63.

Off the grid near Millers Falls and Montague MA

By that point, we decided #1 Son might be thinking of waking up so we headed back to UMass to meet him for lunch. We were somewhat surprised at how quickly the area around Amherst changes from suburban to rural. The number and diversity of the small towns, trails and historic sites was another unexpected bonus of our morning ramble around the Pioneer Valley.

If you visit Amherst with your teen to check out one or more of the five colleges in the area try to take a couple of hours to get off the beaten track if you can. The Pioneer Valley is spectacular any time of the year.

Parents Can Take a Break To Enjoy Boston After the College Move-in Frenzy!

Posted by Mary Turner on August 6, 2012 Comments Off

Aug 062012

Boston’s Charles River and Longfellow Bridge

The City of Boston reports that 35 colleges are located inside the city limits and they collectively enroll over 150,000 students. Add in students from universities in nearby Cambridge, Medford, and Waltham and you pretty quickly surpass 250,000 students. While about a third of undergrads will move into dorms, most of the grad students and the rest of the undergrads settle into rental apartments and houses. These students arrive from all over the world, many with parents and siblings coming along for the trip. Most arrive the last week of August or the first week or two of September. Virtually every lease in the city runs from September 1 to August 31.

For parents bringing their student to move into Boston for the first time, our major piece of advice is to avoid September 1 if at all possible. The urban colleges have dorm move-in down to a science and will provide detailed instructions as well as volunteers to help things run smoothly. However, move in for rentals can be a bit of a frenzy with the side streets that are home to student apartments and triple deckers becoming impossible to navigate as they fill with U-hauls, SUVs, teens and parents. As the day goes on, the sidewalks fill with discarded furniture and packing materials. Northeastern University, located in the middle of a densely populated student area, doesn’t even allow freshmen to move in on September 1st because things get so crazy.

Bring a sense of humor and plan for a busy day getting your teen installed in their new accommodations. Beyond that, recognize that the most important thing you may do that day is to give your student a heartfelt yet cheerful good-bye and let them go on their way to make new friends and get settle at school.

Make sure to get your tickets to Fenway early

Fenway Park, a Boston icon

For parents that find themselves in town for a post-move in afternoon or evening, don’t mope in the hotel room missing your teen. Rather, get out and explore some of Boston’s best neighborhoods and attractions. Here are five ideas to get you started:

Grab some last minute tickets to a game at Fenway Park. The Red Sox have not had a great year, which means that for the first time in a decade last minute seats are available at the park. Season ticket holders show up trying to sell their seats at the “No Scalping” zone where Red Sox employees mediate price negotiations. The Fenway Park ticket office often has limited seats for sale near game time and the ticket agencies located near the Park have been flooded with quality seats if you want to pay a little extra. The scalpers are also out en masse but we don’t recommend using their services. The Red Sox have home stands August 21-27 and September 7-13.

Take a Walk. History buffs may have visited the Freedom Trail on prior visits, but don’t miss the Rose Kennedy Greenway, the Walk to the Sea or the Emerald Necklace. A farmer’s market is in residence on the Greenway every Tuesday and Thursday until mid-November.

Explore the the bike paths along the Charles River near Boston University – they run for miles through Cambridge and beyond. Boston’s bike sharing program known as The Hubway makes it easy. A one day pass is $5 which includes the first 30 minutes of riding. It is $2 for an additional half hour, with usage fees increasing the longer you rent. The Hubway is constantly expanding its network of rental stations so it should be easy to fine one near where you are staying.

Go out for a nice, quiet adult dinner! Boston’s South End, Beacon Hill, and Back Bay are home to a wide range of restaurants. We find that the Open Table reservation system is a great way to discover a hidden gem, read reviews and make a reservation. Mistral, Abe & Louie’s, Hamersleys and many more will serve up a memorable feast.

Take in a live show. The BosTix agency offers discount live performance tickets for a range of shows. They have walk up kiosks in the Back Bay and at Faneuil Hall. Tickets can also be ordered online. If you have never seen Blue Man Group, now is your chance.

Boston has a reputation of being a great city for students, and it is. But, its not such a bad place for parent’s to enjoy themselves as well. We hope you have a great time. And remember, the fact that your teen decided to come to school in Boston means you will have lots of excuses to come back and explore even more.

Clark University: First Impressions

Posted by Mary Turner on April 24, 2011 Comments Off

Apr 242011

Clark University Quad on the first warm day of Spring

After a winter of thinking deep thoughts and researching academic options, we are starting again to visit possible colleges for #1 Son. Clark University, in Worcester, MA caught our eye on a recent early Spring visit. Although the school’s location in Worcester’s gritty Main South area is less than perfect, the obvious enthusiasm that “Clarkies” have for their school is noticeable.

With 2,200 undergrads and about 800 graduate students, Clark bills itself as the country’s smallest liberal arts research university. The school is particularly well known for its programs in psychology and geography. It has also made a name for itself by offering students who maintain a B+/A- average the opportunity to complete one of serveral fifth year Master’s programs tuition free! Mom and Dad like this option.

The Library/Commons building is a busy place at Clark

Everywhere we went on campus we saw students actively working either together in groups, or on their own. The students at Clark were clearly energized by their studies.

#1 Son took advantage of the opportunity to sit in on a class and have lunch with a student. We also attended a Q&A session with the admission staff and current students and of course, took the tour.

The students we spoke to were an eclectic bunch who seemed particularly interested in international affairs and social entrepreneurship. They obviously care about the world around them and enjoy the diverse campus culture. Many students participate in service learning programs locally in Worcester and abroad via interships and overseas study programs. After college plans ranged from business, to graduate school, to work for non-governmental organizations around the world.

Wright Hall freshman dorm room

Clark is a Division III school for athletics but we got the sense that sports are not a big part of the campus culture. As far as we could tell there are no fraternities. Campus housing is available for four years.

Our tour included a visit to the recently renovated Wright Hall which features a number of lounges and even networked group study rooms with large screens for working collaboratively. We thought the standard freshman doubles were a tad larger than many we have seen.

The compact campus is highly walkable. We were told the grounds crew did a great job keeping up with the 90+ inches of snow that fell there this past winter. (A normal winter sees more like 67 inches so this is definitely a school for teens who like winter).

Wright Hall

Overall, Clark has a lot of what #1 Son is looking for in a college – small class sizes, an engaged student body, an active campus where most kids are around on the weekends, and the opportunity to combine political science and business. The geography program also caught his eye. This isn’t a major he has thought about up until now but the opportunity to focus on community development and environmental issues and work with world recognized researchers is something he wants to explore further. The journey continues, but Clark is looking like it will be on the list come fall.

New England Foliage Weekend Ideas

Posted by Mary Turner on October 1, 2010 6 Responses »

Oct 012010

Foliage season in New England

New England’s foliage season is already in full force in the northern reaches of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire. The central portions of those states will most likely peak right around Columbus Day. In the later part of October the colors will roll across central Massachusetts and then on to Cape Cod, Rhode Island and Connecticut.

If you are hoping for a family getaway to look at the leaves recognize that teens and tweens are probably going to need more activity than is provided simply by driving up and down New England’s scenic highways. Our suggestion is to target an area that can provide a mix of scenery, outdoor activity and some thrills for teens and tweens.

Some of our favorite leaf peeping locations include New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Valley, the Green Mountains of Vermont and the rolling hills of Central Massachusetts. In all these areas most of the major teen friendly activities stay open through Columbus Day and many are open even until the snow flies and attention turns to the ski resorts. The colors usual hang on for a week or two past peak so don’t worry if you go a little later than Columbus Day — it is sure to be less crowded.

If you are heading out to see the leaves here are some ideas for fun teen and tween activities to add to the mix:

New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Valley: go for a hike to Arethusa Falls in Crawford Notch State Park. The Appalachian Mountain Club Visitor Center in Pinkam Notch can provide a wealth of information about additional day hikes as well. You can also do some wildlife viewing on a Moose Safari or kayak or bike at Great Glen Trails in Pinkham Notch. On your way to the Valley or on you way home be sure to stop by the high ropes course at Monkey Trunks, one of our all time favorite New England teen activities.
Vermont’s Green Mountains: consider riding the gondola to the top of Stowe’s Mt. Mansfield or spend a weekend hiking, biking, golfing and enjoying the views at the Smugglers Notch resort. They even offer Segway Tours for ages 12 and up!

: Davis Farm Mega Maze 2010, courtesy Davis Farm

Central Massachusetts: combining apple picking with leaf peeping makes for a fun outdoors afternoon. Pick up your Halloween pumpkins as well. Stop by the Davis Farm Mega Maze in Sterling and get lost in the corn for an hour or two. Tweens 12 and under need to be accompanied in the maze by an adult.

If you are looking to take your teens and tweens leaf peeping be sure to book your hotel ahead of time as things get real busy during this short but spectacular season. To save some money, look for themed packages such as these biking packages offered by many hotels in the Mount Washington Valley.

Finally, if you are looking for more family travel ideas for the foliage season, stop by the Best Family Travel Advice holiday blog carnival to see answers to this week’s question: What are some great locations to see fall foliage with kids?

Tweens Love Golf at Kimball Farm

Posted by Mary Turner on August 9, 2010 Comments Off

Aug 092010

Mini golf at Kimball Farm, Westford MA

Golf is one of those activities that can captivate tweens for hours. We are not sure why, but they all seem to love hitting those little white balls, even if they are not very good at it. As a result, when the tween aged cousins came to visit recently, we decided it was great excuse for a trip to Kimball Farm in Westford, MA, about 35 miles from Boston.

Once know primarily for amazingly large and tasty ice cream concoctions, Kimball Farm’s Westford, MA location has become a major eastern Massachusetts family entertainment destination where golf, in many forms, is the main event. Other locations in Carlisle, MA, Jaffrey, NH and Lancaster, MA are mostly limited to ice cream, food and a little shopping.

At the Kimball Farm Westford location, tween golf pros in the making can choose from:

two well themed and challenging 18-hole mini-golf courses complete with waterfalls, tunnels and the usual hazards,
an extensive and well maintained driving range with thirty grass tees and fifty-six mats
a 9-hole, par 3 pitch and putt course with greens that would be the envy of many 18-hole courses.

The Kimball Farm driving range was the highlight for our tween visitor

Beyond golf, diesel-powered bumper boats, batting cages, hot air balloon rides, animal shows, an arcade, a gift shop, and an outdoor grill and seafood restaurant tent all compete for the attention of tweens!

Although it was a hot day that promised to be crowded, we planned to do it all and bought the $30 “Take 5″ bracelets that allow you to participate in 5 activities (including ice cream). If you can really fit everything in, this package is a good deal, but, as we found, it was actually hard to do it all. For starters, mini-golf moved along slowly given the number of families on the course, many of them with smaller kids who took a lot of strokes to complete each hole. The bumper boat line deterred the older kids, although the younger one, who went early when the line was shorter, had a great time.

Enjoy the Kimball Farm bumper boats early before the line gets too long

The food tent and ice cream were awesome but did require waiting in two separate lines. We were amazed to find there are over 50 flavors of ice cream, sherbert and frozen yogurts. It is so hard to choose, and it was all so good!

The hot air balloon was not running during the middle of the day, which was a disappointment and the younger cousin started to whine – we worried we had wasted our money. Never fear, the driving range saved the day! We are not sure how many buckets of balls these kids went through, we just kept them coming and they really loved it (each bucket counted as a separate Take 5 activity). Spirits soared and the day was judged a success!

Overall, we think Kimball Farm has a great facility that can sometimes suffer from its own popularity. We had to visit on a Sunday because that is when the cousins were in town – and we didn’t exactly get an early start. If you have a choice we suggest you go on a week day when it is likely to be somewhat less crowded. One more hint – be realistic about what your group will be able to do in a day, like the ice cream, the “Take 5″ program is tempting but there is a risk you might bite off a little more than you can chew. You may actually find it more economical to just pay for the things you really can fit into what will be a busy day. Enjoy!

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