Top Inns in New England for Families

The Inn at Mountain View Farm is a 440-acre historic estate in the Northeast Kingdom, close to the Canadian border and only three hours from Boston. The traditional farm sits on a hilltop and has prime views of the rolling countryside. The inn offers 14 lodging options, including guest rooms, luxury suites, and the Farmhouse. The renovated Morgan Horse Barn is a popular spot for weddings and group parties. The inn has been recognized as a top destination by both Country Living and Travel + Leisure magazine. 

Families can jam-pack their days, or simply kick back and relax. Children will love the friendly farm animals at the Mountain View Animal Sanctuary. There's also croquet, lawn bowling and volleyball outside and plenty of games and puzzles in the parlor. Afterward, roast marshmallows in the fire pit. Adults can take a class in the yoga barn or relax in a classic Adirondack chair and take in the views. 

Adventurous families can explore the antique shops, Cabot Creamery, or the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium, or hit a local course for a round of golf or a nearby lake for plenty of water sports. Enjoy lots of hiking trails, biking, fishing, horseback riding, sightseeing, camping and picnic areas at White Mountain National Forest. The acclaimed Kingdom Trail network is only steps from the inn. Families love the quintessential hayrack rides in the fall and snowy sleigh rides in the winter. The inn is conveniently located only six minutes from Burke Mountain Ski Area for skiing, and less than 40 miles to the town of Stanstead, Quebec, just across the Canadian border. 

The family-friendly farm grows all of its own herbs and vegetables for breakfast. Days begin with a hearty Vermont country buffet with spinach frittatas, buttermilk pancakes and farm-fresh blueberries. Afternoon tea includes apple mint tea and fresh strawberry lemonade. 

The Old Sturbridge Inn and Reeder Family Lodges offers a classic New England experience that's close to oodles of family fun. The hotel offers 10 rooms in its vintage Oliver Wight House and another 29 lodging units that are more contemporary. All rooms have modern conveniences like flat screen TVs and Wi-Fi, and there's a heated outdoor pool and fire pit that's a great spot to unwind after a full day of adventure. 

No matter your speed, there's lots to do. The inn is located adjacent to the nationally acclaimed Old Sturbridge, a re-creation of an 1800s community. Wells State Park offers more than 10 miles of trails and 60 campsites, along with fishing, boating and swimming. Southwick's Zoo is 35 miles from the hotel, and the popular amusement park Six Flags New England is only 41 miles away. 

The town has ample cultural activities, antiquing and shopping, and there's even a few breweries and wineries for adults. Grown folk might want to carve out some private time to visit the on-site Signature Touch Spa for a relaxing treatment or massage. 

Reserve your family a room at the Reeder Family Lodges. The rooms are more spacious, and perfect for families that need modern accommodations and convenience. (Due to its historic nature, the Oliver Wight House is not appropriate for children under 12 years old.) Kids will love the pool, private playground and game baskets with 19th-Century throwback toys. The inn serves a complimentary Continental breakfast daily, including baked good, fresh fruit, coffee and juice. Around town, take your pick from a long list of impeccable New England fine dining.

Want to take the family away for the classic Maine vacation, filled with lighthouses, sandy beaches and lots of fresh lobster? Pack up the clan and head to the Juniper Hill Inn in the village of Ogunquit for the ultimate family getaway along more than three miles of platinum beaches. The resort town has been known for generations as a haven for artists and renowned as a "beautiful place by the sea." The town has a classic New England seaport feel and offers a delightful grouping of galleries, museums, boutiques and restaurants. 

There's lots to do in the Ogunquit area. First, choose from a number of great beaches, including Ogunquit Beach, Moody Beach, Little Beach, Long Sands Beach and Footbridge Beach. New England's only drawbridge is located at nearby Perkins Cove. The Marginal Way coastal walk offers stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean along a winding, 1.25-mile path. The convenient Ogunquit Trolley service makes it easy to explore the shoreline and beaches in a nostalgic style. 

The Juniper Inn is a perfect home base for families in Ogunquit. There's a footpath directly from the inn to the beach. The inn has indoor and outdoor heated pools, Jacuzzis and a fitness center. Guest rooms a comfy and come fully equipped with everything a family needs, including Wi-Fi and cable TV with premium channels like HBO. Connecting rooms are available for larger families. The hotel has a complimentary Continental breakfast served daily, and also offers full-breakfast packages at nearby Raspberri's Restaurant. 

Families can get their fill of ocean activities like boating, fishing, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, surfing, stand-up paddle boarding and whale watching. On land, there's abundant biking, hiking, golf, horseback riding, rock climbing and tennis. The area has a plethora of cultural activities, shopping and antiquing, and easy access to plenty of cross-country skiing and other winter sports during the season.

Load up the family and head to a real working dairy farm in Rochester, Vermont. The Liberty Hill Farm & Inn has been welcoming guests for 35 years, and treats visitors to farm-fresh meals, serenity and authentic charm. The classic countryside home has rocking chairs on the front porch, prominent big red barn, and about 270 cows. Families can milk cows, bottle-feed baby calves and cuddle with kittens, along with other chores around the farm like picking fresh vegetables and berries. The comfortable rooms, down-home hospitality and country lifestyle make the inn a perfect getaway for families.

Dining at Liberty Hill Farm & Inn is country eating at its finest. From homemade breads and hot-from-the-oven coffee cakes to the signature chicken pot pie, everything is made to perfection with only the freshest ingredients. 

The Rochester area offers plenty of family-friendly activities for all four seasons. There's hiking, mountain biking, fly-fishing, and tubing in the local White River. The Green Mountain National Forest offers more than 400,000 acres to explore, and the nearby Appalachian Trail is the longest hiking-only trail in the world. Silver Lake State Park has swimming, campgrounds and scenic picnic areas. The inn is also close to several ski resorts during the winter.