📅 August 12, 2026 · GOkidOZ Boston · verified Aug 2026
These are all real amusement parks — actual rides, not a bounce house in a parking lot — and we've sorted them by state. One thing to know before you plan: almost all of them close after Labor Day (a few hang on with fall weekends), so check hours before you get everyone in the car. If it's February and the kids are climbing the walls — Great Wolf Lodge is the one that's open.
Where they are — and how far from Boston
Drive times are from downtown Boston without traffic — add buffer on summer weekends. Tap a pin for the park and time.
🏠 Massachusetts
🎢
Six Flags New England — Agawam, MA · 🚗 ~1 hr 45 min
The region's biggest park: 12+ roller coasters, three areas built for younger kids, and the Hurricane Harbor water park. Best for families mixing little-kid rides with real thrills.
sixflags.com/newengland · 413-786-9300 ·
Our full guide →🚂
Edaville Family Theme Park — South Carver, MA · 🚗 ~1 hr
Home to the only Thomas Land in the U.S., plus train rides and gentle rides aimed at toddlers and early elementary. Also runs the Christmas Festival of Lights. Hours vary by season — check the site before planning a trip.
edaville.com · 5 Pine Street, Carver ·
Our full guide →🐺
Great Wolf Lodge New England — Fitchburg, MA · 🚗 ~1 hr
🦁
Southwick's Zoo — Mendon, MA · 🚗 ~50 min
New England's largest zoo, with a small rides area (Galaxi coaster, carousel) — half zoo, half amusement park. Good for animal-loving younger kids.
southwickszoo.com · 800-258-9182 ·
Our full guide →🎠
Paragon Carousel — Hull (Nantasket Beach), MA · 🚗 ~45 min
A restored 1928 carousel — the last piece of the old Paragon Park — right on the beach. A sweet, low-key stop for little ones.
paragoncarousel.com · 781-925-0472 ·
Our full guide →⛰️ New Hampshire
🏰
Story Land — Glen, NH · 🚗 ~2 hr 45 min
The best pick in the region for toddlers through early elementary: fairytale theme, character meet-and-greets, and gentle rides designed for parent-and-child riding together. In the White Mountains.
storylandnh.com · 603-383-4186 ·
Our full guide →🎡
Canobie Lake Park — Salem, NH · 🚗 ~45 min
A classic full-size park about 45 minutes from Boston, with 85+ rides from kiddie to thrill, live entertainment, and the Castaway Island water area.
canobie.com · 603-893-3506 ·
Our full guide →🎅
Santa's Village — Jefferson, NH · 🚗 ~3 hr
Christmas-themed park in the White Mountains built for kids under 13, with a Ho Ho H2O water park. Open May through December.
santasvillage.com · 603-586-4445 ·
Our full guide →🦞 Maine
🏖️
Palace Playland — Old Orchard Beach, ME · 🚗 ~1 hr 45 min
New England's only beachfront amusement park. Free to enter (pay per ride or all-day wristband), all-ages rides, and one of the largest arcades in New England. Fireworks Thursday nights in peak season.
palaceplayland.com · 207-934-2001 ·
Our full guide →💦
Funtown Splashtown USA — Saco, ME · 🚗 ~1 hr 40 min
Maine's biggest combo amusement and water park, with the Excalibur wooden coaster plus a full slate of kiddie rides. Family-owned since the 1960s.
funtownsplashtownusa.com · 207-284-5139 ·
Our full guide →🦓
York's Wild Kingdom — York Beach, ME · 🚗 ~1 hr 15 min
A zoo-and-amusement-park combo — animals, family rides, and mini-golf, steps from Short Sands Beach. Ideal for mixed-age families. Rides aren't included with zoo admission (buy ride tokens on arrival).
yorkswildkingdom.com · 207-363-4911 ·
Our full guide →⚓ Rhode Island
⛳
Adventureland — Narragansett, RI · 🚗 ~1 hr 30 min
A family fun park with mini-golf, bumper boats, go-karts, and a carousel — geared to younger kids. Free to enter; pay per activity or by combo package.
adventurelandri.com · 401-789-0030 ·
Our full guide →🐘
Carousel Village at Roger Williams Park — Providence, RI · 🚗 ~1 hr
Historic carousel, train, and kiddie rides right next to Roger Williams Park Zoo — an easy half-day paired with a zoo visit.
rwpzoo.org · 401-785-3510 ·
Our full guide →🎿
Yawgoo Valley — Exeter, RI · 🚗 ~1 hr 25 min
A water park with slides in summer and Rhode Island's only ski area in winter — worth a visit in both seasons.
yawgoo.com · 401-294-3802 ·
Our full guide →🍂 Connecticut
🌊
Lake Compounce — Bristol, CT · 🚗 ~2 hr
America's oldest continuously operating amusement park (since 1846). Kiddie Land for the youngest, classic coasters for bigger kids, and Crocodile Cove — Connecticut's largest water park.
lakecompounce.com · 860-583-3300 ·
Our full guide →🛝
Quassy Amusement & Waterpark — Middlebury, CT · 🚗 ~2 hr 30 min
A small, affordable, family-first lakeside park with plenty of little-kid rides plus the Splash Away Bay water park. Named America’s most affordable theme park (2026).
quassy.com · 203-758-2913 ·
Our full guide →Good to know: Six Flags New England sits just over the border from CT and RI but is the region's "big park." Seasons and hours change year to year — confirm on each park's site before you go.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best amusement parks for kids near Boston?
Canobie Lake Park (Salem, NH) is about 45 minutes from Boston with 85+ rides; Six Flags New England (Agawam) is the region's biggest park; Edaville (South Carver) is best for toddlers with the only Thomas Land in the U.S.; and Great Wolf Lodge (Fitchburg) is the year-round indoor water park option about an hour away.
Which New England amusement parks are best for toddlers?
Story Land (Glen, NH) is the region's classic toddler park — fairytale-themed with parent-and-child rides. Edaville's Thomas Land, Santa's Village (under-13 focused), Quassy, Adventureland RI and the Paragon Carousel in Hull are also built around younger kids.
Are New England amusement parks open year-round?
Most run roughly Memorial Day through Labor Day with weekends into fall. Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg, MA is the main year-round indoor option (84° water park); Santa's Village runs May–December; Yawgoo Valley switches to skiing in winter. Always confirm hours on each park's site.
Which New England amusement parks are free to enter?
Palace Playland (Old Orchard Beach, ME) and Adventureland (Narragansett, RI) are free to walk into — you pay per ride or activity, or buy an all-day wristband. The Paragon Carousel in Hull charges only per ride.
What amusement parks in New England have water parks?
Six Flags' Hurricane Harbor (Agawam, MA), Great Wolf Lodge indoor water park (Fitchburg, MA), Canobie's Castaway Island (Salem, NH), Santa's Village Ho Ho H2O (Jefferson, NH), Funtown Splashtown (Saco, ME), Yawgoo Valley (Exeter, RI), Lake Compounce's Crocodile Cove (Bristol, CT) and Quassy's Splash Away Bay (Middlebury, CT).
Which amusement park is the cheapest for New England families?
Quassy (Middlebury, CT) was named America's most affordable theme park in 2026. Palace Playland and Adventureland RI are also budget-friendly with free entry and pay-per-ride pricing.
Staying closer to home? Browse our family activities directory — trampoline parks, farms, mini golf and more around Boston — or check the Event Calendar for what's on this weekend.
