More Fall Family Fun In New England

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

07 Sep 2007 11:25 PM

So you touched the shark while eating a cream puff and now you are looking for more family fun in New England... no problem. Autumn brings with it a plethora of offbeat kid-friendly activities to the northeastern portion of the country.

If you plan to be in Connecticut or Massachusetts this fall you may consider checking out the following noteworthy events:

Swallow Migration

From now until mid-October, thousands of tree swallows flock to the long grassy reeds of Goose Island, located near the mouth of the Connecticut River. (The island is on their migration route to the Gulf Coast and Central America.) Tourists travel hundreds of miles to watch up to 300,000 tree swallows fly to the island on a nightly basis and perform a mid-air bird ballet of sorts.

One famous naturalist once wrote of the migration: "I have seen a million flamingos on the lakes of East Africa and as many seabirds on the cliffs of the Alaska Pribilofs, but for sheer drama, the tornadoes of tree swallows eclipsed any other avian spectacle I had ever seen."

The Connecticut Chapter of the National Audubon Society and the Connecticut River Museum offers daily boat tours to see the spectacle. Thirty bucks will get you a ride out to the grassy reeds with departures from the Connecticut River Museum dock.

Thimble Islands

If you are looking to escape the chaos of everyday life, consider traveling to the secluded Thimble Islands in Long Island Sound. The islands are known by the Mattabesec Indians as "the beautiful sea rocks," and have attracted millions of visitors over the years. Some with enough money have even set down roots in the area. Legend has it that on one island, circus star Tom Thumb courted a fellow circus performer who became his wife. In addition, "Doonesbury" cartoonist Garry Trudeau and his wife, TV journalist Jane Pauley, own an island home. Then there is Christine Svenningsen, a wealthy widow, who has spent about $33 million in recent years to buy 10 of the islands. The islands have also captivated the attention of treasure hunters who comb area beaches looking for Captain Kidd's buried riches.

Related Articles:

Fall Family Fun In New England

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Where To Take A Memorable Hot Air Balloon Ride

Fall Festivals From Coast to Coast

Fun Fall Family Travel Destinations-Part 5: Farms and Festivals

Fun Fall Family Travel Destinations-Part 1: Corn Mazes

Fun Fall Family Travel Destinations--Part 2: Haunted Houses

Fun Fall Family Travel Destinations-Part 3: Hiking Trails

Fun Fall Family Travel Destinations-Part 4: Train Rides

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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