Boston – Family Style
Boston. The Hub. Beantown. No matter how you slice it, for a small city, this place has a whole lot to offer. More than an historic turning point in our nation’s history or a home to the beloved World Champion Boston Red Sox, this Massachusetts city is loaded with culture, entertainment and fun. Most importantly, for vacationing families, you’d be hard-pressed to find a destination more kid-friendly than this. Explore a little. Learn some. Laugh a lot. Here’s how to “do” Boston with your family – in three days flat.
Day One – A Life Aquatic
Sure, Boston might be nicknamed, “The Walking City,” but why not start off the day by touring it in a restored World War II-era amphibious vehicle on a Boston Duck Tour. Sit back and relax as you cruise the streets and check out some of the city’s most famous sites – from the Public Garden and Trinity Church to Faneuil Hall and the Boston Common – while your “ConDUCKtor” fills you in on Boston’s history, trivia and quirky details on this 80-minute excursion. Parents will enjoy the city’s rich architecture and history. Kids will love “quacking” at pedestrians on the street, a Duck Tour tradition. Everyone will get a kick out of splashing down into the Charles River after touring the city’s streets. Even Boston natives dub a Duck Tour as one of the coolest ways to see the city.
Start the tour at the Prudential Center, one of Boston’s tallest buildings, where, upon your return, you can catch 360-degree, sky-high views of Boston and beyond at the Skywalk Observatory. Or catch your tour at the Museum of Science and, upon returning, explore weather, planets, dinosaurs, technology and everything in between.
If all that exploring has worked up your appetite, take the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s subway Green Line to the Government Center stop, where the historic shopping and eating mecca of Faneuil Hall is just a hop, skip and jump away. When you arrive, visit one of 17 restaurants serving everything from Tex Mex to seafood, or check out the 40 food vendors at Faneuil Hall’s Quincy Market. Once you’ve had your fill, peruse Faneuil Hall’s shops, bull carts and kiosks for all your Boston treasures. Cheer on one of the street performers outside the marketplace buildings before you head off for the second half of your Day One adventure.
Just a short stroll from Faneuil Hall, kids and adults alike will marvel at the diverse sea life at the New England Aquarium, where a Giant Ocean Tank winds its way up four stories and dominates the exhibit hall. This 23-foot deep, 40-foot wide replica of a Caribbean coral reef holds 200,000 gallons of salt water and more than 600 animals, including stingrays, eels, sand tiger sharks and Myrtle the green sea turtle, who has been the star of the exhibit since the Aquarium opened in 1969. Once you’ve made your way to the top, watch divers feed the animals. On the way down, visit the dozens of other amazing exhibits, including seadragons, penguins, jellyfish and hands-on and touch-tank areas especially for kids. From April through October, add a Whale Watch trip – which departs from the aquarium’s dock – to your sea life tour.
Day Two – Docent for a Day
Boston is filled with dozens of great museums – too many to visit in one trip. But if you’ve got kids, you won’t want to pass up the Boston Children’s Museum. Start your day off here – an earlier start means a smaller crowd – and enjoy three floors of interactive, hands-on exhibits. Kids will make a mad dash for the New Balance Climb, a three-story climbing sculpture that looks like a fleet of magic carpets floating in midair. But they’ll also love the energy-busting Kid Power exhibit; exploring an authentic 100-year-old Japanese house; an interactive disability awareness exhibit and dozens more. A special play space for children ages 0-3 makes entertaining all ages easy. And the best thing about the Boston Children’s Museum is that kids learn without even realizing it.
When tummies start growling, enjoy a brown bag lunch in the indoor or outdoor picnic areas, or choose from the kids’ menu at Au Bon Pain, located inside the museum. In the warmer months, head outside to the giant Hood Milk Bottle, where lunch and ice cream are served. Or, visit one of the many restaurants along Boston’s nearby Fort Port Channel.
After lunch, take a short walk to South Station and hop the Red Line to the Harvard Square stop in neighboring Cambridge for an historic adventure. At The Harvard Museum of Natural History, whale skeletons hang from the rafters, Bengal tigers growl behind the glass, giant gems glitter and sparkle and anthropods rule. See the world’s only mounted Kronosaurus, a 42-foot-long prehistoric marine reptile, specimens of extinct creatures like the Dodo, and the museum’s collection of more than 3,000 glass flowers, so true-to-life that you’ll think you’re walking through an eclectic garden.
Then take some time to relax with a leisurely stroll through Harvard Square. Tour the famous Ivy League campus, browse assorted shops, check out street performers and visit one of the many eateries for dinner. If it’s warm, end the evening stargazing or people-watching at John F. Kennedy Memorial Park, located on the banks of the Charles River, which separates Cambridge from Boston.
Day Three – The Great Outdoors
No visit to Beantown would be complete without experiencing the city’s most famous open spaces. The Public Garden is the country’s oldest botanical garden and, when in full bloom, is as spectacular as it is historic. An oasis in the middle of a bustling city, a family could spend the morning simply taking in its beauty. But any visit here should include a 15-minute cruise around the lagoon on the famed Swan Boats, a fleet of pedal-powered vessels that herald the arrival of spring in the city. Next, grab your camera and introduce your kids to the Mallards, the family of bronze-sculpted ducks from Robert McCloskey’s classic children’s story Make Way for Ducklings, and enjoy park’s surroundings as the kids quack and play.
Exit the Public Garden and cross Charles Street to the Boston Common), the country’s oldest public park. On the Common, explore the many historic landmarks or simply walk the paths that wind through its 50 acres. Play a game of Frisbee, fly a kite or head to the Frog Pond, where in summer, kids splash underneath a fountain and wade in the pond’s cool waters. In winter, the pond is transformed into a manicured, public skating rink, where you can glide beneath the stars.
Before you leave the Common, stop at the Freedom Trail Information Center to pick up your map of Boston’s Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile, red-painted walking trail that leads you to 15 sites vital to the history of the American Revolution. Sites include the Granary Burying Ground, resting place for Paul Revere and Samuel Adams; the site of the Boston Massacre; and the Paul Revere House, where the Revolutionary hero lived when he made his famous April 1775 ride. You can walk the trail yourself or take one of the guided tours offered by several organizations.
If you’re setting your own pace on the Trail, when the red painted line leads you to Boston’s North End, stop off for some scrumptious Italian food. Even with block after block of eateries, you’ll encounter waits at some of the more popular establishments. But, be patient. When your meal finally arrives, you’ll think you’ve left Boston and gone to straight to Italy itself. During the summer months, you might catch one of the North End’s legendary outdoor Italian feasts, featuring food, parades and music.
Take some time to further explore Freedom Trail sites such as the USS Constitution– the oldest commission warship afloat in the world – in the Charlestown Navy Yard. Onboard tours of the ship are free.
Beyond Beantown
As wonderful as Boston is, you might want to escape city life for an hour or even a day. Head north, south or west to one of these family-friendly destinations, about an hour’s drive away.
NORTH
Plum Island
This small, barrier island, accessible by the Plum Island Turnpike from the seacoast community of Newburyport, offers a host of outdoor activities. Famous for its bird-watching, visitors also enjoy gorgeous beaches, charter-boat cruises, fishing, tide pooling, hiking, kayaking and bike-riding. Take in the view at Plum Island Lighthouse and – kids will love this – stop off at the Plum Island Airport to watch the planes land.
SOUTH
Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth
Step aboard the Mayflower II and learn about the 1620 voyage of its predecessor. Visit the Wampanoag Homesite and learn about 17th-century life from natives. Or visit the 1627 English Village, a recreation of a small farming town built on the Wampanoag homeland. With costumed re-enactors, Plimoth Plantation is historic immersion at is finest.
WEST
Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge
Step back in time to the 1830s and visit with farmers, blacksmiths and everyday 19th-century families as you explore restored buildings, including houses, a school and a gristmill that have been brought to the site from all over New England. Open year round, Old Sturbridge Village hosts themed activities and events for all seasons.
If You Go…
Here’s all the information you need to plan your three-day Boston getaway. Be sure to call ahead or check Web sites for hours, availability, discounts and special exhibit information.
Day One
Boston Duck Tours, departing from the Museum of Science or the Shops at the Prudential Center. 617-267-DUCK, www.bostonducktours.com.
Skywalk Observatory, The Shops at Prudential Center, 800 Boylston St., Boston. 617-859-0648; www.prudentialcenter.com.
Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston. Exhibit Hall admission: 617-723-2500; www.mos.org.
Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market, 617-523-1300.
New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, Boston. Aquarium . 617-973-5208; www.neaq.org.
Day Two
Boston Children’s Museum, 300 Congress St., Boston. 617-426-6500; www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org.
Fort Point Channel, 617-451-9239; www.friendsoffortpointchannel.org.
Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge. 617-495-2341; www.hmnh.harvard.edu.
Harvard Square, 617-491-3434; www.harvardsquare.com.
Day Three
The Public Garden, bordered by Boylston, Park, Beacon and Charles streets, Boston. 617-723-8144; friendsofthepublicgarden.org; www.cityofboston.gov/parks.
Swan Boats, Public Garden Lagoon. 617-522-1966; www.swanboats.com.
The Boston Common, bordered by Beacon, Tremont, Boylston and Charles streets. 617-723-8144; www.friendsofthepublicgarden.org; www.cityofboston.gov/parks.
Frog Pond, Boston Common. 617-635-2120; www.bostoncommonfrogpond.org.
Freedom Trail, The Freedom Trail Information Center at Boston Common, 148 Tremont St., Boston. 617-357-8300; www.thefreedomtrail.org. (Call for tour times and themes)
Other groups offering Freedom Trail Tours; call for times, themes and pricing:
National Park Service, 617-242-5642; www.nps.gov.
Boston By Foot, Offers the Boston By Little Feet Tour, geared towards children. 617-367-2345; www.bostonbyfoot.org.
The Histrionic Academy, 978-741-1170; www.freedomtrailtours.com.
North End of Boston, 617-720-2283; www.northendboston.com.
Excursions
Plum Island, Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport. www.Plum-island.com; www.newburyportchamber.org/plum_island.
Plimoth Plantation, 137 Warren Ave., Plymouth. General admission: adults, $24; children ages 6-12, $14; children ages 5 and under, free. Visit the Mayflower II exhibit for an additional charge or call for combination ticket prices. 508-746-1622; www.plimoth.org .
Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge. Adults, $20; children ages 3-17, $7; children under age 3, free. 508-347-3362; www.osv.org .
General Information
Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau – 1-888-SEE-BOSTON; www.bostonusa.com .
North of Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau – 978-977-7760; www.northofboston.org .
Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism – 617-973-8500; www.massvacation.com .
Discount Information
Citypass.com – Buy one discounted ticket to six famous Boston attractions, including the New England Aquarium, Harvard Museum of Natural History, Museum of Science and the Skywalk Observatory. 1-888-330-5008.
Go Boston Card – Choose from a one-day to one-week pass that will save you up to 40 percent on admission to attractions such as the New England Aquarium, Boston Common Frog Pond, the Boston Children’s Museum, Old Sturbridge Village, Plimoth Plantation and many more. 866-628-9027; www.gobostoncard.com .
Michelle Xiarhos Curran is a freelance writer and a calendar editor for the Boston Parents Paper.