Patch Picks: Five Great Reading-Area Stay-Cations

So, you want to get out of the house, but your vacation budget is tight and you’d rather not pay for airfare and a hotel room.

You could spend April vacation at home with the kids as they churn through hours of their chosen video game. Or you could go on a stay-cation.

This week, our Patch Picks brings you five suggestions for how you can enjoy yourself and have a new experience without breaking the bank.

Go to a museum

• The Reading Public Library offers passes to a suite of area museums for not or reduced cost. Choose from attractions including Peabody Essex Museum and the Museum of Science.

Walk around town

• The town of Reading has compiled a collection of walking trails through the town’s conservation areas, including Bare Meadow and the town forest. As part of it Healthy Reading program, Reading’s health department also compiled a list of neighborhood walking maps—which could be a good way to get exercise and meet your neighbors.

Middlesex Fells Reservation:

• Not too far from Reading, the Fells is a 2,500-acre natural reservation right next to the area’s suburban landscape. The reservation is a combination of rocky hills, meadows, wetlands, oak and hickory forests, quiet ponds, vernal pools, and panoramic vistas. Take the family for a day trip, go for a hike, watch some birds and enjoy being in the nature—just minutes from the city.

Bradley Palmer State Park

• This 721-acre former estate is one of the best spots for hiking and biking. The park features pine-needled paths, acres of sunny rolling meadows and spectacular rhododendrons that line old carriage roads. Peak bloom is usually in mid-June.

Harold Parker State Forest

• This forest covers several towns, including Andover, North Andover, North Reading and Middleton. It stretches over 3,000 acres and features central hardwood, hemlock, and white pine trees. It’s perfect for hiking, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, horseback-riding, camping and picnicking.