Hi,
We are travelling form Boston to Syracuse on August 23. We would like to break the trip up so our 9 year old does not get completely bored with the car ride. Is there a 6 Flags or some other kind of diversion that would be approximately half way? We don't mind getting off the turnpike.

Basketball Hall of Fame, in Springfield Mass. Brand new building, just re-opened this summer.

There's a state park with dinosaur footprints in the stones, maybe south of S'field? Might be good for a hike and a picnic.

Maybe a ski resort in the Berkshires has some kind of alpine water slide..the six flags is too close to Boston to be much use to you.

Your ride will be about 5 1/4 hours, so you won't have a lot of out of car time. There is a Six Flags or some kind of water park on the Conn. river. If your 9 year old is an aspiring artist, The Norman Rockwell museum ( www.nrm.org ) is in Stockbridge.

We make this trip several times a year (daughter an SU student) and there isn't much along the way.

Just visited the State Museum in Albany, NY. New exhibit on 9/11 was very interesting, but aside from that (which may not be appropriate for your child) the museum has wonderful exhibits, one on the circus was fun, and even a new (old) carosel. It's not a major detour, it's free! and about half way to Syracuse. Springfield is way too close to Boston for a break. Cooperstown, NY is also along the way but off the highway by about an hour. Herkemer, NY, has "diamond" mines where you can dig for these unique gemstones.

The dinosaur place cap mentioned is Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill, south of Hartford. I highly recommend this place for a place to break-up a trip for a few hours. I don't know if it's too far off your route, though.

Or what about Howe Caverns. Very cool, in many senses of the term. May be too far along the drive, though, west of Albany.

6 Flags facility in Lake George, NY, which will be about 50 mi north of Albany, north on I-87. Some water park too (don't remember the names if either of them). Would she enjoy watching horseracing in Saratoga (~25 mi no of Albany)? Saratoga has a carousel in Congress Park now too, and a very nice town to merely stroll around in. (remove x in my eddress to write me)

Thank you all for the great ideas. I think my husband would love the basketball hall of fame, so I'm not going to tell him about it! Just kidding. I'll let my daughter read the replies and pick one of the activities.