babygemma

I'm debating whether it'll be worthwhile to stay another night in Burlington so that we could take our kids (ages 3, 6, 9) to the Shelburne museum. I checked out the website and it looks pretty cool with the lighthouse, farmhouse, ship to see, different from the museums we have here in Los Angeles. We'll be in New England for my husband's college reunion in Hanover so during our 3-day stay there we'll planning to see the Montshire Museum in Norwich, the extensive trails along the river again sounds cool and different. We don't want to be museumed out. The purpose of this trip is to see VT and NH. The alternative is to stay another night in Stowe at the Golden Eagle resort. My fantasy is to stay in the Warren/Waitsfield area but it doesn't look like there is an affordable inn there that takes young kids.

Would appreciate your input and or suggestions.

Thanks.

travelbuff

For kids that young you might look into Storybook Land and Santa's Village, they will love both.

If you are going to be close to Laconia, stop by The Weirs, Annalee Doll Factory and Harts Turkey Farm (both in Meredith, and a great restaurant for kids.

Have a great trip.

dfrostnh

I think your children are a little young for the Shelburne Museum. When DS was young we did things like Williamsburg, Mt Vernon but his favorite places were car museums. That's what he wanted to go back to see when he got older. He was the only kid in his high school history class who had been to historic sites but he liked things like caves better. He takes visitors with young children (his our 4 and 6) to places like Polar Caves and Lost River in NH's White Mountains.
Your family might like to take the ferry ride across Lake Champlain and go to Ausable Chasm. It's like NH's Flume with a boat ride at the end. But expensive and there are other places to hike that are free.
We had some young visitors last fall. Just getting into the woods was a big treat for them. They liked looking for salamanders and frogs, climbing on rocks, and playing. The Golden Eagle is a good choice, spacious grounds and a pond. We stayed there several years ago.

babygemma

thanks. dfrostnh, any idea the difference between polar caves and boulder caves in nh? we'll be staying in jackson, and i don't know which one is closer to that village. i've read about lost river, what exactly can young kids do there? were you the one who recommended the montshire to another family with young kids on an older post? i'd like to do something that we don't have here in los angeles. thanks again.

Vttraveler

you might also consider visiting the Billings Farm museum in the Woodstock area
http://www.billingsfarm.org/index.html
It is quite different from the Montshire--history/farm as opposed to science focus.

happytrailstoyou

I agree that Shelburne Museum isn't for children 3, 6, and 9. When we visited the NE the kids loved Old Sturbridge Village and Mystic Seaport.

HTTY