Heat Wave Hot List: 32 Cool Things To Do in Boston with Kids

When the Boston summer sun lays it on thick, our Heat Wave Hot List activities will keep you cool! Whether it's outdoor cool fun or indoor activities to ride out the heat wave, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the summer without letting high temps bring your energy down. From splash pads to ziplines and some of the best museums in the country, we've got you covered. So read on for our tips on how to beat the heat in Boston. 

Not sure if it's a day to head out or stay in? Our guide to Free Swimming Pools in Boston for Families features both indoor and outdoor facilities. Check out our Boston Summer Fun Guide for more ideas for family activities. And always pop into our Events Calendar to find things to do in Boston and beyond all year long.

 
There is plenty of cool indoor fun at the Children's Museum. Photo courtesy of the Boston Children's Museum

Beat the Heat in Boston - Heat Wave Indoor Activities

1. Visit the Children's Museum.

A visit to Boston Children's Museum is always a treat.

2. Stay cool indoors.

Keep the kids active at one of Boston's best free indoor play spaces.

3. Admire some art.

Cool off in grand style with a Museum of Fine Arts day trip.

4. Have a cool treat.

Stop by one of our favorite ice cream spots for a frosty concoction.

5. Peek at the fishes.

The New England Aquarium keeps you entertained, enlightened, and very cool. Thanks touch-tank!

6. Swing by the Gardner Museum.

The coolest heist story in Boston history will top off a fun day at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

7. Stop by the MoS.

Get some STEAM along with the AC at Boston's Museum of Science.

8. Get a new perspective on the world.

See the world from a new perspective inside the 3-story stained glass Mapparium. 

Beat the Heat in Boston - Outdoor Cool Fun

9. Hit a splash pad.

Take the little ones to the best sprinkler parks and splash pads in Boston.

10. Go on a whale watch.

The New England Aquarium runs one of the best whale-watching cruises from the Boston area.

11. Take to the sea.

Whales aside, Boston has amazing boat rides for kids, like Duck Tours and Codzilla that will beat the heat.

12. Stroll the Arnold Arboretum.

Cool off in the shade of Boston's Arnold Arboretum.

 
A local splash pad will always provide cool summer fun! Photo courtesy of the Rose Kennedy Greenway

13. Cruise the Greenway.

Shady trees, ice cream, splash pads–all that and a carousel on the Rose Kennedy Greenway.

14. See Old Ironsides.

If the sea breeze doesn't take the edge off, the USS Constitution has an air-conditioned museum.

15. Have a picnic.

A bit of shade and some cold drinks make these Boston picnic spots perfect on a hot day.

 
Stop by Assembly Square for cool LEGO fun on a hot day. Photo courtesy of Lego & the LEGO Discovery Center.

Beat the Heat in Greater Boston - Heat Wave Indoor Activities

16. Build some cool LEGO fun.

Build rockets, race cars, and anything your mind can imagine at the LEGO Discovery Center.

17. Head to an indoor water park.

Try one of the best indoor water parks in New England for easy family getaways.

18. Visit Worcester's Ecotarium.

Explore, learn, and stay cool with our top 10 things to do at the Ecotarium in Worcester.

19. Get some fun in at Apex.

Ride the go-karts, get in some bowling, and frolic in the arcade–all at Marlborough's Apex Entertainment Center.

20. Explore the Discovery Museum.

Visit the Discovery Museum in Acton for some hands-on (and climate-controlled) fun!

21. Stay active indoors.

Get some playtime in and stay cool at the indoor South Shore Sports Center.

22. Find the right spot for indoor fun.

Take the clan to one of these indoor play spaces in and around Boston.

23. Bounce away the hottest hours of the day.

Grab some cool air–lots of it–at an awesomely fun trampoline park for kids around Boston.

 
Beat the heat at Halibut Point State Park's cool tide pools. Photo by August Muench/Flickr/CC BY 2.0

Beat the Heat in Greater Boston - Outdoor Cool Fun

24. Get out for water park fun.

Make a trip to one of New England's Water Parks for a cool day in the summer sun.

25. Take a refreshing dip.

Have a refreshing dip in one of these Swimming lakes near Boston you need to discover.

26. Enjoy a state park.

Get out of the city and explore one of these 10 State Parks and forests in Massachusetts.

27. Head up to the White Mountains.

Escape to the cool air of the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

28. Take a trip to Newburyport.

Head up to Newburyport and Plum Island and cool off with the ocean breeze.

29. Have a day at the beach.

Nothing cools you off like plunging in the waves of the best beaches near Boston.

30. Treat the family to a lobster roll.

If you want the shore but not the sand, take a road trip to the best lobster shacks in New England.

 
Find some shade and a yummy treat or two at Boston's local farms! Photo courtesy of Parlee Farms

31. Pick blueberries.

Find a shady spot while you go blueberry picking near Boston.

32. Feel the breeze on a zipline.

Ziplining through the treetops will cool you down–though it might pick the heart rate up!