Visiting Boston, MA with husband and two kids. What do see! Do!?

Question

Travelling from California to Boston!! Arriving Wed the 16th. In Boston two nights, then Plymouth three nights then Boston again one more night. We will see bosox on Sunday.

Answer 1

Hey welcome i live in Boston!!! For the kids the children's museum and science museum are great! The north end has some yummy Italian food and bakeries for yummy pastries.china town has so many cute little shops that are cheap so it makes good souvenirs.Don't forget to take the duck tour and see the navy ships!Fannuel hall has great shops and restaurants and the aquarium is great. also why not go to a sox game buy a fen way frank! Take a walk in the boston common it's lovely! You could also visit beacon hill! I hope you have fun!

Answer 2

Well, you should definitely do a duck tour-www.bostonducktours.com They sell out very fast, and I strongly suggest making reservations if they allow you to. The Duck Tour is a great way to see Boston, the kids should like it as well.

Another place to check out is Faneuil Hall.-www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com There are lots of shops, great restaurants and it's a huge tourist attraction. Across the way from Faneuil Hall, you can find the North End (Little Italy) where there are great restaurants and pastry shops...check out Mike's Pastry Shop while you're there, it's a favorite, and their treats are asbsolutely delicious. www.mikespastry.com

Depending upon how old your children are, there are some very good museums, the Science and Children's Museums are great ones. Take a walk through Boston Common, it's beautiful in the summer...you can try out the swanboats if you have the time, it's a fun experience. www.swanboats.com

If you're in the mood for shopping, there are 3 main places-Newbury Street, Copley Plaza, and downtown crossing...downtown crossing is the least expensive, you'll find stores like Foot Locker, H&M, and Macy's...Newbury St and Copley are more upscale, you'll find Louis Vuitton, Gucci, things like that.

While in Plymouth, check out the Mayflower, Plymouth Rock (right next to it) and Plymouth Plantation. I really like the Plymouth Wax Museum, it's less traveled than someof the other spots, but worth it if you have some free time. www.falmouthvisitor.com/plymouth_national_wax_museum.htm

There are beaches in Plymouth, but you could also take a trip down to Hyannis, it's a town on Cape Cod. It's only about 1/2 hour from Plymouth. There is tons of shopping, restaurants, and there is a great Kennedy museum there. www.jfkhyannismuseum.org Cape Cod is very pretty and would make a great addition to the rest of your trip.

The Sox game will be a ton of fun, and August is beautiful here. Have a great time!

Answer 3

You have gotten some great responses. I would suggest that you limit your visit in Plymouth to one day. You can cover Plymouth Rock in 3 minutes. If your California kids are anything like mine, the Mayflower will seem boring in 20 minutes tops. The Plymouth Plantation will take an hour. we spent longer in the computerized visitors center afterwards. Sturbridge Village was better and more hands on if you want an authentic old New England village experience. Spend more time in Boston itself. The suggestions you have gotten would cover the rest of August.

Answer 4

Because of the city's prominent role in the American Revolution, several historic sites relating to that period are preserved as part of the Boston National Historical Park. Many are found along the Freedom Trail, which is marked by a red line or bricks embedded in the ground. Also along the Freedom Trail is Boston Common, with the Boston Public Garden being adjacent. Boston Common is part of the Emerald Necklace, a string of parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. In the winter, the Frog Pond at Boston Common doubles as a popular ice-skating rink. Another major park is the Esplanade located along the banks of the Charles River. A major recreation site for many Bostonians, it is also the site of the Hatch Shell. Other parks are scattered throughout the city, with the major parks located near Castle Island, Charlestown, the Dorchester shoreline, and East Boston. There are several parks and pools are maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, including the Reilly Memorial Pool.


Night view of Boston and Charles RiverThe Back Bay district includes many prominent landmarks such as the Christian Science Center, Boston Public Library, Copley Square, and Newbury Street. Back Bay is also the home of two of New England's tallest buildings: the John Hancock Tower and the Prudential Center.[17] Near the John Hancock Tower is the old John Hancock Building with its prominent weather forecast beacon. Other notable districts/neighborhoods include Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Chinatown, Downtown Crossing, North End, and South Boston.

Boston is home to several world-renowned museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the Museum of Science. The University of Massachusetts campus at Columbia Point houses the John F. Kennedy Library. The New England Aquarium, Franklin Park Zoo, Boston Athenaeum (one of the oldest independent libraries in the United States), and the Boston Children's Museum are located within the city.

Along with the Freedom Trail, there are two other self-guided walking tours: Harbor Walk, which is designed to follow the entire shore of Boston Harbor, and the Black Heritage Trail. A popular guided tour is the Boston Duck Tour, which uses World War II-era duck boats. The outer suburbs of Boston, which tend to be forested, have vibrantly colored foliage every autumn that attracts many tourists.

Answer 5

In Boston, you can visit the aquarium and nearby Faniuel Hall Market (N.E. foods, shops, street performers). Go to the Public Gardens and ride the Swan Boats. You can go up the Hancock or Prudential Towers to get a great view of the city. In Plymouth, visit the Mayflower Ship and Plymouth Plantation.

Answer 6

Boston Harbor, Freedom Trail, Fenway Park.

Answer 7

Duck tours
Science museum
Freedom trail and all of the historical sites along it
Public Garden and Swan Boats
USS Constitution
Harvard Square in Cambridge

Also the Museum of Fine Arts and Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum are good but maybe not with kids.

Eat dinner at one of the Italian restaurants in the North End but at least make sure that you go to Mike's Pastry

Answer 8

Make sure for your kids to go on a Duck Tour, and to the Museum of Science, Swan Boats, Commons, Aquarium and to the pier to see the ships. For history check out the Freedom Trail. You and your husband might want to check out the Italian restaurants of the North End if you can get a night out!

Answer 9

the aquarium!!! i love that place! and the science museum is rather interesting... anybody could find sooomething interesting there. walk around the water front... as much as you can while avoiding the constant road construction ;) sorry couldnt resist... then again rome wasnt built in one day . you should most deinately go to Faneuil Hall and quincy market . the food there is crazy and they are cool shops in there for you to look at. ha go to cheers... lol but hold on to your kids its busy there!!! you could walk to the holocaust memorial , which is very beautiful and sad at the same time. you could always shop at h & m on washingtone street. mmmmmm of course fenway park. hope you have fun at the game...jealousssss. there is a childrens museum around some where's. not sure where. you could also go out for supper to one of the hunnnnndreds of restaurants that are in the city, there are so many to choose from! :D have fun! boston is my fav city! oh and go to the commons too!

Answer 10

Depending on how old your kids are seeing the historical sites are the best!!! start at Boston Commons near Cheers and go as far as you can seeing the historic sites including the Old North Church and Paul Revere's House... feel the "one if by land" and "the two if by sea." If time permits head on out to Concord and Lexington as well.