We've certainly been to aMAZEment several times, and I probably could give a pretty good review off the top of my head, but I think it's a hard place to describe. Pictures would definitely be beneficial so that will have to wait. :)
Instead, we did manage to get out to Endicott Park in Danvers on Sunday for a couple of hours. Endicott Park (www.endicottpark.com) is owned and operated by the Town of Danvers. It's actually quite a large haven for a number of activities. Endicott Park is 168 acres. We certainly have not taken advantage of all the activities available, but the children just love 'animal park' as they call it. So here's some of the highlights:
Children's Barn: There's a small barnyard for the kids to explore (no petting or feeding the animals) They have 2 horses, sheep, a goat, a pig, some chickens/roosters, swans or ducks (I'm not quite sure what they are), and some other birds. These all go inside the barn or outside in the pens. The last two times we were there the chickens were roaming free and Patrick was absolutely thrilled! Inside the barn there are also some bunnies. The barn is fairly stroller friendly, you do have one step to go up, but its not too bad. The backside of the barn has a little 'deck' so to speak. This makes me a little nervous because on one side the kids could climb through and it's probably a 3 foot drop.
Right near the Barn is the Carriage House. There are bathrooms here, clean bathrooms. :) This building houses the Park Rangers, a 'classroom' type space (no strollers allowed) with some books and some interesting things for older kids to check out. (all artifacts found at the park such as deer antlers, different animal skulls, etc) Here is where you can find all the flyers for different events held at the Park.
Playground: Across the picnic area and parking lot is the Children's playground. From the carriage house you can take the road around, or cut through the grassy field. We've done both, I prefer walking around so the kids can do a little exploring, but you need to be careful of cars. In the summer I believe the horses are kept across this road. The fenced in playground is brand-new. There are two sections, one for the little ones and one for the bigger ones. Each section has it's own set of swings. Both playgrounds are on mulch. The space in-between is a sand/dirt combo. There are benches along the fence for parents to sit on. It's a little tough getting a stroller across the playground, but it's doable. The new playstructures are nice, each has multiple slides, climbing walls, and other things for the kids to check out. I will post some pictures the next time we go. It is a large area, with some picnic tables and a grassy area. Depending on the age of your kids, it could be somewhat difficult to manage at this park with three. I find that mine often split up and they are each on a different playstructure. Because they are so young, it's hard to keep them all safe. Cecilia thinks she can do everything Patrick can, and he thinks he can do everything! The big downside I've found to this park is the fencing. you would think that after redoing the playground, that they would fix the fences. It's a chainlink fence by the parking lot. The handle on the gate has been broken off, so the gate is not secure. There is also parts where the chainlink is torn and/or detached. Last time, Patrick climbed through a large hole and out into the parking lot. If they fixed the fence, it would be a great place to go!
Trails: I can't comment about the quality of the trails since we haven't checked them out yet, but there appear to be a number of trails, one of which is the Life trail. I'm hoping to check that out soon, but I don't think it's stroller friendly.
There's also a fishing pond, and community gardens according to the website. Glen Magna Farm is located here as well, but is considered property. (We did walk through here and it's gorgeous! This would be a great place to take photos of your kids in the spring/summer!)
Again, check out the website....there's tons of different activities, classes, camps here. There's also the option to have a birthday party year round! www.endicottpark.com
There's a lot to this park and it's definitely worth a trip. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the day. :)
Endicott Park
57 Forest St.
Danvers MA
Hours 9:00 - sunset
Cost: Weekdays no fee. Parking on the weekends is $1 for Danvers residents and $3 for non-residents
Next Stop: Not sure....we'll see where this week takes us!
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