This summer marked our first full one back in New England and for our kids, their first true New England summer. When our daycare closed for a week, we decided to turn what could’ve been a logistical nightmare into something special: a staycation. No planes. No packing stress. Just us, our home base, and a week of local adventures.
We all took the time off no work, no house projects, no rushing from place to place and it gave us the opportunity to just be. And you know what? It was amazing. It restored my belief that I can spend full days with the kids without pulling my hair out. Turns out, when the mental load is lifted a bit, there’s real magic in being present.
So, what did our very New England staycation look like? Here’s the breakdown:
Sunday: Christmas in August
We kicked things off at home with inflatable mattresses and Christmas PJs (our daughter’s dream combo: “comfy cozy” + “Santa” + a movie). We ordered Chinese food from Green Leaves in York, Maine, and cozied up for a family movie night featuring Cars 2. Think we could have just done this all week, and everyone would have been pleased!
Monday: Family, Playgrounds & Pizza
We brought donuts and coffee to go visit Gigi (their great grandma) and enjoy a boat ride on the lake. After that we packed up to have lunch and a mid-day nap at home. Post-nap we met up with an old friend and her family at a local Portsmouth playground a reunion five years in the making! We played until dinnertime snuck up on us, so we grabbed pizza at Otto’s. Quick, easy and delicious.
Tuesday: Wagons, Waves, and Wipeouts
We took a morning trip to Kennebunkport, starting with snacks and coffee at KPort Provisions. A wagon stroll for kids and walk for us along Ocean Ave gave us those quintessential coastal views, and we browsed a few adorable shops downtown before stopping for lunch at Federal Jack’s. (Note: We reconfirmed that sit-down meals are still not ideal for our kids’ current life stage.)
After naps, we wrapped the day with a beach picnic in North Hampton (complete with beach zoomies), thanks to my parents.
Wednesday: Lobsters, Rain, and Ice Cream
Rain couldn’t stop us! Even if I was a little bummed the weather wasn’t the best during our week off. We had pre-booked a lobster boat tour with Finestkind Inc. in Ogunquit. We pulled traps, learned about Maine’s lobster laws, and saw a 6-lb lobster up close huge hit with the kids, especially after some not so fun lobster experiences we’ve had in the past. After exploring Perkins Cove and grabbing lunch at Cornerstone, we rewarded the rainy-day effort with ice cream from Big Daddy’s Ice Cream. The kids didn’t nap on the way home (cue the chaos), so we made it a movie night repeat and embraced a lazy, rainy afternoon.
Thursday: Kayaks, Kittens & Haircuts
We rented kayaks through Exeter Rec, and despite a rough start (thanks, toddler meltdowns and big feelings), we made it into the water. The kids loved it, we only made it about an hour, but it was the perfect intro into more outdoor activities with the kids.
Next stop: The Tipsy Tabby in Newmarket a cat café with recently arrived (and very timid) kittens. The kids were obsessed, even if the kittens wanted nothing to do with them. After lunch and naps, I took Zoey for her first ever haircut! She chopped off 4-5 inches and somehow still has long hair. She tells anyone that will listen that she got a haircut. Now she never wants to wear her hair up…
Friday: Biking, Boothbay & Brewerys
We road-tripped up to Boothbay Harbor a first for all of us. The goal: a scenic family bike ride. The reality: hills, main roads, and a lot of improvising. Tyler ended up biking solo back to get the car (MVP), while I wrangled the kids around Ocean Point’s windy backroads to find my daughter a bathroom (that she then refused to use). But the views were breathtaking and in hindsight our biking adventure should have started there vs. ended there.
Afterward, we explored downtown, let the kids burn energy on the Footbridge (leaving with zero injuries which was truly a miracle), and capped the day with pizza and drinks at Boothbay Craft Brewery a great space for kids to roam while parents relaxed, just a bit outside of downtown, away from the crowded streets.
Saturday: Lazy Mornings & Birthday Cake
We kept it low-key with coloring, groceries, and downtime before heading to our nephew’s third birthday party. Just the right balance of calm and celebration after a big week. The kids had nothing but sugar, but played non-stop on inflatable water toys, an outdoor “roller coaster” and all the remote cars a kid could dream of.
Sunday: Beach Time & The Ultimate Mess
We wrapped up the week at my in-laws with a final beach trip and lunch on the patio. After naps, we hit up my favorite ice cream spot: The Beach Plum. (If you haven’t tried the Purple Cow frozen yogurt, are you even living?)
The kids made a sticky mess making me regret our ice cream excursion, but we powered through. We capped the night with some scootering, running around, and decompressing before the reality of Monday returned.
All in all this staycation was everything we didn’t know we needed. We explored our new home, watched the kids light up at each new experience, and leaned into the joy of slowing down. It was budget-friendly, flexible, and honestly way less stressful than a traditional vacation. 12/10 recommend. We’re already saying, “Next year has big shoes to fill.”
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