Kid-Friendly Fun: Lloyd Memorial Pool and Candy Castle

There's tons of kid-friendly places to go in Melrose, but here are two that we really think stand out.

The , operated by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), is open every day during the summer season—typically from late June until late August.

Of course, the pool gives kids a chance to have some summer fun. But there's also the opportunity for learning through the DCR's Learn to Swim program. Melrose is only one of 14 pools statewide where the program is offered.

And while "Learn to Swim" might sound rudimentary, there's much more to the classes, which are taught by instructors certified by the American Red Cross. The Level 1 class teaches the basics, but Level 2 advances to more advanced fundamental skills, and kids in the Level 3 class learn stroke development—everything from the flutter and scissors, to the dolphin and breaststroke.

OK, so you've spent a great day at the pool. Now what? Only a short walk away on Franklin Street is a perfect, if not a little indulgent, way to end the day: A trip to Candy Castle.

This venerable Melrose institution has been dishing out treats in the Highlands for 26 years, and if you think the idea of a penny candy store is an outdated American concept, you haven't stepped foot inside this store.

Kids can mill about the store with their "shopping cart"—here, a small plastic tray—and start filling it up with pieces of candy starting at less than a nickel.

Parents can find something too—whether chocolates, fudge, or a particular candy bar they just can't find in convenience stores anymore—and, maybe for a moment, be a kid again, too.