When a visit to the Butterfly Place in Westford, MA is offered, you may have trepidations about making the trek. However, your negative attitude will change when watching parents walk towards the entrance, holding their children's hands, because you'll first be met by the giant wooden butterfly, head filled with the face of someone's adorable little one, flashing an award winning smile to the person holding the camera on the other side of the hole. The excitement it contagious.

Visiting a flower — Photo courtesy of Jessica Polizzotti

You enter and exit through their gift shop, where butterfly and garden themed gifts line the walls. After paying for entry, you'll find yourself in a museum-like room where you can learn all about the winged critters, view preserved butterflies and even check out a video about their life cycle. From there, you'll proceed through the double entry doors (secured so the butterflies do not escape), and enter the greenhouse atmosphere where flowers bloom and butterflies flutter freely about.

Kids taking a close look — Photo courtesy of Jessica Polizzotti

You'll soon realize that a short visit here is well worth what you've paid. Kids can meander through the same pathways in this small space over and over again, "chasing" butterflies they could not touch but really desired to see as closely as possible. You'll be amazed at the level of interest young ones take in these beautiful creatures and shocked when they practically have to be dragged out even when enticed by the promise of animals and ice cream at nearby Kimball Farms. Needless to say, you'll leave planning to return to the Butterfly Place again someday.