Things to do in Mass. during February school vacation

With nine days of school vacation running from Saturday, Feb. 17 until Sunday, Feb. 25, parents may find themselves searching for plans to keep the kids busy and avoid hearing a declaration shared all-too-often: “I’m bored.”

Fortunately for Bay Staters enjoying a staycation this February, there are several local attractions available nearby to pass the time.

From tried and true attractions like The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss, to such indoor amusement parks as Fun City Adventure Park, and APEX Entertainment, MassLive has highlighted a range of activities throughout the state.

Battleship Cove, Fall River

Battleship Cove, a naval ship museum located at 5 Water St., Fall River, offers visitors an opportunity to explore authentic aircrafts, ship, exhibitions and war memorials while learning about turning points in U.S history.

Five ships are on display at Battleship Cove.

According to the official website, visitors have a chance to “experience firsthand what it was like to serve on board a Navy warship in WWII and the Vietnam War era.”

Battleship Cove will be open during February vacation from Monday, Feb. 19 through Sunday, Feb. 25.

Tickets may be purchased online or in-person at a rate of $25 per adult, $15 for children 12 and younger, $23 for seniors 65 and older, and free admission for children 0-3.

Free parking is available at the DCR Fall River Heritage State Park lot adjacent to the museum. Parking for people living with disabilities also is available.

February vacation hours: Monday through Sunday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Boston Children’s Museum

Boston Children’s Museum, located at 308 Congress St., Boston, will celebrate National Engineers Week, Monday, Feb. 19 through Sunday, Feb. 25.

The week-long celebration offers several activities and workshops encouraging aspiring engineers to “work with others to solve problems for people, communities and animals.” Some actives offered throughout the week include building and design exercises, magnetic levitation and color shadow blending.

General admission is $22 per person and free for infants 0-1. The museum will be open for these special programs on Presidents Day, Monday, Feb. 19, as well as Tuesday, Feb. 20 from 9:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. in addition to normal operating hours.

While guests are not required to reserve tickets, it is strongly recommended. For tickets and specific activity dates, click here.

Parking is an additional expense, as there is no available parking on site. To find nearby garages and other parking options, click here.

February vacation hours: Monday – Sunday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Boston Common Frog Pond

For those interested in outdoor activities, Boston Common Frog Pond, located at 38 Beacon St., Boston, will be open for normal business hours Presidents Day, Monday, Feb. 19 through Sunday, Feb. 25.

Boston Common Frog Pond offers a public space for ice skating at the heart of Boston.

Admission price for skating is based on the skater’s height.

Admission is free for skaters 58 inches or shorter and $10 for skaters over 58 inches tall. Skate rentals are available at a cost of $15 for adults and $10 for children. Sizes range from 8T up to a men’s 15.

Nearby parking is available for additional cost. Find parking here.

Optional expenses include locker rentals at $7, skate sharpening at $12 a pair, and a skating aid rentals for child-learners at $18 an hour.

Hours:

Sunday, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Monday, 10 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Friday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Fun City Adventure Park, Taunton

Fun City Adventure Park, located at 82 Taunton Depot Drive, Taunton, is an indoor trampoline and amusement park featuring more than 11 attractions including an arcade, bumper balls, wall climbing, zip lining, and obstacle courses.

While some attractions may require an additional cost, general rates for admission and jumping are $25 for 90 minutes, $28 for two hours, $30 for a day pass, and $3.50 for jumping socks.

For children 42 inches or shorter, rates are $18 for 90 minutes, $20 for two hours, $22 for a day pass and $3.50 for jumping socks.

Hours:

Monday through Thursday, 2:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Friday, noon – 11 p.m.

Saturday, 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Sunday, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

APEX Entertainment, Marlborough

APEX Entertainment, located at 21 Apex Drive, Marlborough, is an entertainment hub featuring 10 amusement categories: bowling, indoor bumper cars, go karts, mini-golf, a sports simulator, laser tag, bounce houses, a rope course, pool table and arcade.

APEX’s Kids Play is a 3,000-square-foot play space with an obstacle course, jungle gym, play scape, basketball hoops and bounce house. This area is open for children ages 2-12. A waiver is necessary for players using this facility and costs $11 per hour.

Bumper cars: $6 per person, per ride. Players must be at least 44 inches to ride. Maximum weight to ride is 275 pounds.

Go kart racing: $30 per race. Racers must be aged 16 years or older to ride, and at least 58 inches tall. Racers must have a valid license or driver’s permit. Maximum weight to race is 258 pounds. Reserve here.

Ropes course: $12 per person, per session. Each session is 15 minutes long. Participants must be at least 48 inches tall or 42 inches tall accompanied by an adult, providing the safety harness fits. Maximum weight to participate is 300 pounds.

Hours:

Monday through Thursday, 2 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Friday, 2 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Saturday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Sunday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Apex Kids, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Apex Mini Golf, 10 a.m. to close

Worcester EcoTarium

The Worcester EcoTarium, located at 222 Harrington Way, Worcester, is offering a prehistoric planet program Monday, Feb. 19 through Friday, Feb. 23.

The program explores what the world was like when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

Visitors will have an opportunity to dig for “dinosaur bones,” watch a planetarium show, and learn how to track dinosaurs.

Admission is $19 per adult, $14 children 2 and older, $15 per student, $15 per senior citizen and children under the age of 2 are free. Purchase tickets here.

Hours:

The EcoTarium is open daily from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. For specific showtimes and activities, visit the Worcester EcoTarium website.

Brooks Woodland Preserve, Petersham

Brooks Woodland Preserve located in Petersham, is a 693-acre reserve featuring “a massive expanse of diverse forest, pristine streams, and wetlands,” according to The Trustees of Reservations.

The Trustees of Reservations, urge guest to “take advantage of hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing on 13-plus miles of trails,” adding “the 1,500-plus-acre Rutland Brook Sanctuary of Mass Audubon is adjacent to the preserve.”

This location is free and open to the public from sunrise until sunset.

Here is a map of the location.

Farandnear Reservation, Shirley

Farandnear Reservation, located at 156 Center Road, Shirley, is a land trust spanning 89 acres with a variety of scenic views and hiking trails.

The Trustees of Reservations describe the “park-like grounds” of Farandnear as “perfect for playing, picnicking, relaxing, and hiking.”

The reservation features water-views, fields and woodland terrain. It is free and open to all, from sunrise until sunset.

View a map of the area here.

The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss, Springfield

The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss museum, located at 21 Edwards St., Springfield, offers guests an opportunity to explore everything related to the late Springfield native and children’s book author, Theodor Geisel — a.k.a Dr. Seuss.

This museum features a fully interactive and bilingual (Spanish and English) first floor and several rooms dedicated to the settings of different Dr. Seuss books including Whoville, Oh The Place You’ll Go and Readingville.

Admission is $25 per adult, $16.50 per senior citizen, $16.50 per college student, $13 for youth aged 3-17 and free for children under 3.

As part of the Springfield Museums organization, a ticket to the Seuss museum will grant visitors access to all five Springfield Museums, such as the Springfield Science Museum, Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History, George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum and Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts.

The Springfield Science Museum is offering a week-long celebration of animation from Monday, Feb. 19 through Friday, Feb. 23.

This program focuses on all things animation and features an Animationland exhibit as well as several animation-related interactive activities.

In a press release shared with MassLive, Family Engagement Coordinator Abby Garner said participants “will explore the science of sounds, illusions and illustrations.”

February vacation hours:

Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

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Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory & Gardens, located at 281 Greenfield Road, South Deerfield, will be open during February vacation from Monday, Feb. 19 – Sunday, Feb. 25.

This zoology museum features more than 3,000 butterfly species in addition to a few rare flower species, including so-called Voodoo Lily, one of which recently bloomed with others expected to bloom soon.

Scientifically known as Amorphophallus konjac, and a cousin to the equally stinky “corpse flower,” the Voodoo Lily is an ancient species native to Eastern Asia, that has evolved to have a stinky smell that resembles rotting meat and attracts flies to pollinate it.

The conservatory is currently hosting five of the rare plants, though visitors do not tend to smell the odor from afar.

Admission is $16 per adult, $14 per senior 62 and older, $10 per youth age 3-17 and children 0-2 are free.

Free parking is available on site with visiting hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fun City Adventure Park, Springfield

Fun City Adventure Park, located at 1277 Liberty St., Springfield, is an indoor trampoline and amusement park featuring more than 11 additional attractions including an arcade, bumper balls, wall climbing, zip lining and obstacle courses.

While some attractions may require an additional cost, general rates for admission and jumping are $25 for 90 minutes, $28 for two hours, $30 for a day pass and $3.50 for jumping socks.

For children 42 inches or shorter, rates are $18 for 90 minutes, $20 for two hours, $22 for a day pass and $3.50 for jumping socks.

Hours:

Monday through Thursday, 2:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Friday, noon – 11 p.m.

Saturday, 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Sunday, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Lara’s Labyrinth, Hadley

Lara’s Labyrinth, located at 451 Russell St., Hadley, is an escape room and virtual-reality experience facility.

This experience offers visitors an opportunity to participate in either a DaVinci-themed escape room or jail-themed room.

To participate, a reservation is required as well as a $40 holding deposit which will go towards the final cost. Guests have the option of booking online.

At least two players must participate in the DaVinci escape at a rate of $79 for two players, $99 for three players, $134 for four players, and additional costs per player up to a maximum of $269 for 10 players.

For the jail-themed escape room, at least four players must participate at a rate of $134 for four players, $159 for five players, $184 for six players and additional costs per player, up a maximum of $269 for 10 players.

The virtual reality experience offers 50 virtual escape rooms, including options such as Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, and Beat Saber.

Staff are not always on site, as the facility is by reservation. Visitors are welcome to stop by during normal business hours. But they are not guaranteed a spot without reservation. Contact: 413-461-1098 or 860-819-6258.

Hours:

Monday through Thursday, noon- 10 p.m.

Friday, noon – 11 p.m.

Saturday through Sunday, 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.