rizzo0904

Heading to NJ for Christmas. We are spending the night in Springfield MA and will visit the museums and Bright Lights. I plan to head out around 9am and stop in Orange CT to visit the PEZ factory. They open at ten and are an hour south of Springfield. After a quick lunch we will take 95 to 287 to the Hutchinson to saw mill to cross county to Henry hudson to the GW. Then we will take the turnpike south.

Any fun stops?

emalloy

Before you get to Orange, you could stop at Dinosaur State park, in Rocky Hill, CT. It is a very short way off I-91 and has a dome over dinosaur tracks that were unearthed then protected and made into a state facility, and some exhibits.

Ackislander

Yale Center for British Art
Yale Museum of Art

You don't say when you are making this trip, but on the wrong day at the wrong time, you could have some decidedly "unfun" stops approaching and crossing the GWB. Most days at most times are the "wrong" time.

Cross the Hudson on 287 via the Tappan Zee, then take the Garden State Parkway, rejoining the NJTP at Woodbridge. The widening of the Turnpike is almost complete and driving is a comparative breeze.

rizzo0904

emalloy - I forgot about Dinosaur State Park. Since they have a dome, I'm guessing snow cover won't be a problem.

Ackislander - The kids are 4 and 6...skipping Art museums as they aren't old enough to appreciate it. They want to climb, touch, build, etc. As for time, I'm thinking we'll head out of Orange around noon on Monday (the Monday after Xmas) after we have a quick lunch. I'm thinking the GW may be okay at that time. I actually prefer the GW to the Tappan Zee, which I know is odd. I've found when we skip the Cross Bronx and approach the GW via the Henry Hudson, we've had little traffic on the approach to the bridge.

emalloy

rizzo, they might also like the Museum of Natural history at Yale, it has a great dinosaur exhibit as well as lots of dioramas of Native American life, early man, birds, geological stuff etc.

elberko

Have great memories of Dinosaur SP from years ago. Stopped there a number of times on trips to Maine from PA as our son was dino-obsessed. Seeing actual footprints in situ was very meaningful to me.

~Liz

longhorn55

The following places are not on the way from Springfield to New Jersey, but they are in the vicinity of Springfield and might be someplace you'd want to visit, especially with the kids.

1. The Dead Frog Circus--located in the gift shop of the Wisteriahurst Museum in Holyoke, MA. The folks there were happy to show us the exhibit and tell us all about it even though we were not paying to see the museum.

2. The Eric Carle Museum in Amherst, MA. As the parent of young children, you are probably well-acquainted with the art of Eric Carle. It's a great way to introduce children to an "art museum" and they have lots of fun activities and programs for kids, including a free art studio to make your own art.

rizzo0904

longhorn55 - the Eric Carle Museum is on my future stop list. I want to head out that way when the weather is nicer to see the Bridge of Flowers, stop at Yankee Candle, do a hike or two. Maybe during my June vacation that I have nothing planned for yet....

Ackislander

You seem to have all your ducks in order!

jubilada

Skip Yankee candle . It is IMO like a smelly WallMart..

rizzo0904

jubilada...ha ha! I wanted to go this past weekend when Santa flies in on a helicopter, but then I remembered that I hate crowds.

My plan: Leave NH mid morning on Sunday. Visit the Springfield Science Center and check out the Dr. Suess sculptures. Head to hotel, maybe a quick swim. Then go to Bright Lights at opening to hopefully avoid crowds.

Monday: Leave by 8 to get to Dinosaur State Park for 9am opening. I'm thinking it'll take an hour with rush hour traffic, instead of the 35 minutes it should take. Is an hour sufficient time there? It will be cold so I imagine the boys won't want to stay too long. Then visit PEZ in Orange. I'm hoping to leave Orange by 1230 and arrive in Voorhees by 4pm. We'll see how it goes.