We are always looking for family adventures like new things to do, places to explore, and foods to try. Deerfield, MA is one town that we have visited a few times. From where we live, Deerfield is almost an hour and a half away, but we venture an hour away almost every weekend to go somewhere, whether it is to visit family or check out a new place. Though Deerfield is probably closer for some of us than others, it is a spot where you can spend the day, filled with fun activities.
Yankee Candle Village
If you have not been to the Yankee Candle Village, you should add it to your places to visit list. This place is massive. They are open daily from 10 am-6 pm. You can browse through rooms and rooms of candle displays, as well as accessories and gifts. As you wander (and give your senses a full experience), you smell floral, fruity, spicy, and everything in between on the walls of colors. Not only do they have every candle that you can imagine, but they also have a Build-A-Bear station, personalized candles and gifts, a candy station, a yummy fudge selection, and of course a large toy section.
If you go during the holiday season, you can visit the Bavarian Village, which is a large section filled with gorgeous and colorful trees. You will be able to pick a new ornament for your Christmas tree and enjoy walking along the scenery of a winter village (of little houses). From November 1 to December 23, you might be able to see Santa. This is definitely a great place for a “one-stop-shop” for your holiday shopping and a fun photo spot.
Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory
After your shopping spree at Yankee Candle Village, you can check out Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory. If your kids love insects, especially butterflies, this place is truly “magical” hence its name. We have been to this place twice, and it was just as cool the second time as it was the first time. When you enter the building, you can get a cool family photo on the butterfly bench. When you enter the first room, there are all kinds of animal exhibits with different species of poison dart frogs, giant stick bugs (like a foot long), and horned beetles, among others.
As you walk through the double set of doors into the Francis R. Redmond Conservatory, your breath gets taken away by the free-flying butterflies. There are more than 4000 native and tropical butterfly species that you can observe. If you want to try to enhance your experience, they suggest that you wear bright colors and the butterflies might land on you.
As you walk along this indoor path along various plants and flowers, you will see cute little quail running around and large koi fish in the ponds. They do have an outdoor garden, too, if you want to go back in the spring.
This experience can be educational and fun! For younger kids, you can discuss colors, shapes, and counting. For the older kids, try to speak with a student volunteer about any of the animals. This is an awesome opportunity to learn some cool facts. You can even have your kids look for camouflaged animals to see how many they can count. There is also a “nursery” section, so you can learn about and observe the different stages of metamorphosis. This will have the kids sharing stories of the fun that they had. They are open Tuesday – Sunday 10-5, closed Mondays. They are wheelchair accessible, but no strollers are allowed.
Wolfie’s Family Restaurant
You can conclude your day with dinner at Wolfie’s Family Restaurant. We have not been here, but it is on our places-to-go list. They have an extensive menu with many salads, sandwiches, seafood and chicken dishes, pasta, kid’s menu, and desserts to choose from.
Let us know when you plan your next family day trip to Deerfield, MA for an exciting adventure! Are there other spots in Deerfield, MA that we are missing? Let us know in the comments.