August in Boston is free and festive for kids and families! There are free summer festivals almost every weekend in August, plus lots more free fun throughout the month. We've also picked a few activities that require a visit to the piggy bank, but we think they're well worth checking out—especially if you have an insect enthusiast or young astronomer in the house, or might be thinking about taking the kids camping for the first time. 

We hope you'll be able to squeeze a few of these top picks for hometown fun between summer day trips and weekend getaways before the kids head back to school.

There are some family activities that seem to define summer: picking berries, spending a day at the beach, camping out, and, of course, watching a movie under the stars! While you could always catch an outdoor movie from a picnic blanket in a local park, taking in a drive-in movie from the comfort of the family truckster is a special treat.

Read on for everything you need to know about a family night at the drive-in, including our favorite drive-in theaters in the region and tips for enjoying your experience to the fullest. A few of them might be over an hour away, depending on where you live, but consider that a chance to pack pjs and send kids off to dreamland on the drive home.

Splash pads and swimming pools are fun ways to cool off near home, but in three hours or less by car, families in Massachusetts or Connecticut can get to most of the following outdoor water parks for a wet and wild adventure with kids. Although there's no shortage of big slides at these amusement parks, you don't have to be a daredevil (or of a certain height) to enjoy yourself. There are wave pools, family raft rides, and lazy rivers for preschoolers (and those of us who don't need to plummet a down a very tall slide to have fun). Some of the parks are dedicated to water attractions, and others are part of a larger theme park, but they all offer plenty of chances to get completely soaked.