Did you know that the Connecticut River Valley is known for being among the first known discoveries of dinosaur remains in North America? Due to the near perfect mudflats (not too wet, not too dry), fossilized footprints of a number of Early Jurassic dinosaurs can be easily found alongside the river to this day.
For a daytrip in MA, we took an early morning hike up Mount Tom and then stopped to see the Dinosaur Footprints located about 500 feet from US-5. We recommend The Stables for brunch and, if your afternoon permits, head into Amherst.
In search of more dino history (and air conditioning)? Amherst College is home to the Beneski Museum of Natural History, a collection featuring three floors of exhibits with more than 1,700 specimens on display. There are even several special displays dedicated to touching (rules apply).
How you travel back home is up to you, but we noted that we drive right past Salem Cross Inn, so of course we stopped for dinner. And as always, we take a ride down Shore Road past Quaboag Pond just because it's pretty and we like to look for eagles. Google Trip Map Here 
