For Rhode Island I do not understand why they would be too young for Newport. It is really amazing how well-off people lived a hundred years ago. Maybe I am missing something but I think that it would be fine.

There is not much in the NE Corner of CT minus a couple of very small State Parks. Would Mystic be too far? Maybe time it for where you go in RI and do an overnight (I realize you said day trips but figured I would offer this anyways) in between?

For MA, how about a trip to the Berkshires. Hancock Shaker Village or maybe drive up Mt Greylock?

Look at the Montshire Museum in Norwich,VT, a wonderful hands on science center for kids wirh both indoor and outdoor areas to explore. It's right on tne Connecticut River.
www.montshire.org

HappyTrvlr - thanks...will check that out now. sounds like they may love it.

dshamritsky - there are no strollers allowed in the mansions...plus my boys are the posterchildren for activity. they never stop. i just don't think newport is the right fit for them yet.

tchoiniere - we were supposed to spend a few night in mystic but my hubby didn't get the days off so i'm on my own. but mayber cutting back to just one night down there would be okay.

Yeah, i understand what you meant, i forgot that strollers are not allowed in the mansions. You can go walk around the town of Newport. It is a smallish port and has very good food and has a lot of child friendly activities around and about. If you could then put Newport and Mystic as like a weekend trip with one overnight, it would be much better than northeastern CT, which is similar to the Berkshires. Definitely try going up Mount Greylock or something like that.

Also in Quechee you have the VINS Nature Center/Raptor Center.

It's Gould Hill Farm that's convenient to I89 not Apple Hill Farm but Apple Hill does have a tiny play area. Gould Hill has a nature museum associated with it but your kids are a little young. Not far from there is Beech Hill Farm, a former dairy, which has very good ice cream, petting area and big pile of sand and trucks for kids to play with.

Simonds School in Warner (exit 8 off I89 then drive north thru downtown, school is in back of town hall just off Main St) has some nice slides and swings in a shaded area.

The Montshire Museum in Norwich VT was great fun for our almost 6 and almost 8yo GDs. You will need bathing suits for the water play area. Not much shade for adults so be prepared. We took a picnic lunch.

We've been to Hopkinton Fair many times. If you want to put more emphasis on the animals and less on the mid-way you can arrive in time for breakfast. The 4-H kids are more apt to be washing their animals and cleaning out the barns at that time of day. The farm animal area set up as a petting area is usually very popular. The 4-H show schedule usually isn't published with the general program. Here's a link to daily events http://www.hsfair.org/agricultureevents.htm There aren't many 4-H events on Monday if that's the day you are planning to go. We did 4-H but not animals so I'm less familiar with these events but have enjoyed watching some. If you go early you can get a good parking spot near the back gate in a private lot. The petting zoo in near that gate and you don't have to walk thru the mid-way.

Another option for w/e Aug 25-26 is Musterfield Farm's Old Farm Days http://www.musterfieldfarm.com/events#node-13 This used to be an annual event for us. The antique tractor parade is at 2pm (I think) - the website says 3pm so maybe it has changed. There is plenty of area for a picnic lunch or buy something there. It's a very beautiful old farm. You have to drive past Wadleigh State Park if you want to take some time for a swim and sand play. Farm Days is not well publicized so it's not terribly crowded. It's pretty close to I89 and you're between New London and Warner.

RI: There is a Providence Children's Museum, but I've never been, so can't specifically recommend it. And the Roger Williams park and zoo.

CT: What about a ride on the Essex steam railroad?


MA: King Richard's Faire opens this weekend, I believe -- Carver Mass, south of Boston. Its a hoot, but only open on weekends.

just remembered one of the most fascinating museums in New England

http://www.pequotmuseum.org/

The kid might be too young for this although I appreciated the way the audio lectures for the Indian village were at 3 levels. If you were really interested in a particular display you would listen to all three. It's in CT and closer than Mystic

I have not been to the Eric Sloan Museum in Kent CT but my husband and a friend visited on just the right day when the antique engine society was having an exhibit. You would see some of these things at Musterfield Farm since some exhibitors make the circuit.

There's a nature museum near Mystic CT that we happened on when they were having a wild mushroom festival. The museum itself is small but interesting. I loved the little room where you could see and hear a meadow at night. http://www.dpnc.org/ Now that I think about it, the Montshire has something similar.

seems like an awful lot of driving each day for toddlers. In York there is a wonderful playground on Short Sands that they would surely enjoy. Boston Aquarium and Tea Party and Children's Museum could be fun.

How fun is a drive up to Mount Greylock for two toddlers?

Oh! The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst MA. It is an art museum (original paintings from picture books) with the art hung at child-eye height. Plus art activities.

Also in Amherst, the Amherst College Natural History Museum, which has mastodon skeletons and such, and the world's largest collection of dinosaur footprints.

And in Northampton, MA (next to Amherst), there is Look Park, with playgrounds, mini train ride, and a water-spray park for little kids to run around in.

so plans changed a bit...hubby has to go out of town to see his grandmother before she passes. i'll be doing this alone with the kids, so no hotels.

RI - will do the zoo in providence
NH - can't handle a fair on my own...too crowded. so we'll check out squam lake science center for the first time
VT - Montshire Museum
ME - probably near Wells so my parents can meet us for the day
Mass - Davis Farmland with friends
CT - not sure...may hit up Palmer Mass to see the trains and then cross the border and try and find a park.

Take a look at Wickham Park in Manchester, ct. 1 of the bigger parks around here and it has an aviary

in regards to the zoo, the earlier the better, before the animals take their noon time siesta and disappear. Plus the mid day heat brings up the mid day stink.