Zoos, aquariums & animal parks welcome all ages for fun and exploration

Ponder the mystery of ancient civilizations at America’s Stonehenge, an outdoor history museum of stone structures and astronomical alignments built more than 4,000 years ago. But who built this maze of manmade chambers, walls and ceremonial meeting places that still is an accurate astronomical calendar? Was it an ancient American civilization or a migrant European population? No one knows, but it’s a great puzzle to try to solve as you take a self-guided audio tour. The half-mile trail is over uneven rocky terrain and takes about an hour. There’s an 11-minute introductory video on the website. There’s also snowshoeing on the site and: seven friendly alpacas! For a special outing, consider visiting during the summer or winter solstice.

Muddy Paw Sled Dog Kennel in the White Mountains of New Hampshire is a home and shelter for about 80 rescued and second-chance dog athletes who enjoy getting into harness and pulling dog sleds (or wheeled carts in the summer), to the delight of riders. But, hey, everyone needs some time off, so that brings us to K9s & Kisses, a time of socializing at the kennel. Come meet the dogs, give pets and belly rubs, look at the sled gear, and watch the operations of an outdoor, working kennel. Starting in May 2021 for guests age 2 and older.

Get hands-on with all sorts of aquatic creatures at the Living Shores Aquarium, located at Story Land. Watch otters frolic, clownfish and angelfish glide and tropical lorikeets flit from perches in a walk-through aviary. See tortoises and other reptiles and amphibians. Touch pools let you run your fingers over rays, sharks, horseshoe and hermit crabs, large snails, sea urchins, shrimp and “nibble fish.” Learn about local marine life through staff-led educational talks, or sit at a drawing station to see how those creatures move through their watery environments. In a digital sandbox, kids can dig and discover marine life living on beaches. And everyone can enjoy Italian specialties at the aquarium restaurant, Pasta Mia (don’t miss the Sunday pizza buffet).