Friday afternoons can be tough. Given that when all of the kids are rounded up it is already close to four, the activity window is small for an afterschool adventure. The dwindling daylight of much of the school year doesn’t help. This means that our afterschool adventure has to be somewhere close to home. Combining the ability to have them romp around with a family-friendly place to eat is typically in order. Nelson Park and the Charlie Horse restaurant for dinner is exactly a one-two punch to fit the bill. This afterschool road adventure takes place in Plymouth and Kingston, Massachusetts.
Nelson Park
Plymouth is full of parks and natural areas that most towns would either charge admission to or would be for residents only. One of the ultimate on this list is Nelson Park. Located at the end of Nelson Street, this park has an excellent playground, a beach, a splash pad, a snack bar, and a walking path.
For this after-school adventure, we’re staying away from the splash pad and the beach because, for much of the year, it is not in the cards in New England. Make sure to check them out in the summertime though.
The highlight of this day was the playground. There are two playscapes; one for little tikes and one for bigger kids. This playground was redone a few years back with state-of-the-art equipment and a rubbery surface. There is also a bank of swings here and a globe-type thing in which kids climb into and get spun by someone on the outside.
There’s enough activity here to last the kids for a while. There’s also an expansive lawn that can provide more romping room.
The Charlie Horse
Plymouth has excellent restaurants (just check out the many features in this blog). Given the limited availability of parking, wait time at certain restaurants, and many that don’t appeal to kids, we headed out of town to nearby Kingston. Our group included two other couples so we also needed a place to accommodate thirteen without a problem. After calling Kingston’s Charlie Horse, they told us to come on down.
The Charlie Horse is one of those classic family restaurants that are simply always packed. It is popular with people of all ages, from children to senior citizens. The menu is vast with something for every palette or dietary restriction. Kids are happily eating hot dogs or chicken fingers. I often opt for the fajitas. They are large enough to be filling and are always tasty. Their beer selection includes regional favorites such as Mayflower, Long Trail, or Wormtown.
After the meal, or shall I say, when the kids are done eating, it’s off to the arcade they go. The arcade in the restaurant is quite large, much bigger than I ever expected, and includes many video games such as Mario Kart as well as games of chance.
For an afterschool adventure that will satisfy both kids and grownups, check out the combo of Nelson Park in Plymouth and the Charlie Horse restaurant in nearby Kingston.
