Layover in Boston... what to do??

Question

My husband and son (3) will arrive at Boston-Logan Int'l airport at 10:45am on a Sunday and depart for Amsterdam at 7:15pm the same day.

I am looking for ideas and suggestions of sights to see, public transportation options, places to visit during the approximately six hours that we will have to ourselves before we have to hustle back to the airport to clear security again.

Please keep in mind, we will be traveling with our 3 year old son. One goal is to (obviously) exhaust him so that he sleeps for a good portion of the international flight. Another goal is to take in some historic sites.

The aquarium sounds like fun. I don't know about Faneuil Hall Marketplace or The Duck Tours though. We will be there on November 18th, so it might be too chilly to do "outdoor" things.

Any other ideas?

Answer 1

Eat in the North End. They have amazing pastry shops like Mikes Pastry which sells cheap but homemade and delicious cannolis, eclaires, etc. The North End is the Italian section. I would suggest the restaurant Strega. Yumm!

Definitely go to Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. Great selections of food and shopping. There's often street performers outside which is fun too.

The Duck Tours are cool. If the weather is good do them definitely!

Visit the Prudential Center for shopping. It's big and fun.

You could visit Fenway Park or walk through the Fens (a park) which is really pretty.

There's some museums like the Museum of Science which has interesting and fun exhibits and the Museum of Fine Arts, but your son probably wouldn't be interested.

I'm not sure if the skating rink is open in November but that's in Boston Common and it's pretty cheap and lots of fun so I would check that out too. Boston Common is pretty close to Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market so you could head over there afterwards. Viva Burrito is a great little burrito place over there.

Newbury Street is great for shopping.

Franklin Park Zoo is in Boston and obviously kids love zoos.

You could go on the Freedom Trail as well which takes you all around Boston. I think that may take a while though.

I don't really know what else. Those are the most fun things to do I think. Hope that helped!

Answer 2

You can take the Silver line right from Logan into South Station. From there you can get to a number of fun places. Keeping your son in mind, you may want to check out the Children's Museum which is a few blocks away. The Aquarium is not too far away as well. Faneuil hall and Quincy Market offers neat little shops and fun food options for a lunch break. You can get back to the airport easily from any of these locations. Have fun!

Answer 3

You may want to go to the Prudential Center and go to the Sky Walk. Its at the top of the Center and you get a bird's eye view of Boston.

Since many of Boston's historic sights are outdoors, the Duck Tours and/or Faneuil Hall may be a good option. There are a few trolley tours that are covered and can show you a bunch of sights all through out Boston.

But since you DO have a 3 year old, why don't you check out the Museum of Science or the Children's Museum. Both are accessible on the subway (known as the "T"). Its relatively inexpensive and you can waste several hours there.

Answer 4

First of all: even though it may take less time, allow yourself at least one hour to get back to the airport from the city center.
And the silver line trolley bus from South Station subway station is better than the blue line subway to bus connection.

It probably will not be (though it might be) too cold in mid-November for the Duck Tour, which is quite fun. As for Fanueil Hall, it is just an urban mall, albeit in preserved historic buildings. But Durgin-Park is there, a very famous ancient fine restaurant with communal seating; you should think to go there for lunch. Then walk to Boston Common and the Public Garden and feed the ducks and Canada geese and squirrels, many of which will eat out of your (and your son's) hands. Follow that with walking the nearby old, preserved architecture, neighborhoods of Back Bay and Beacon Hill, and maybe the North End and waterfront also (more people walk to work in Boston than any other large American metropolis - you will see why).

Answer 5

You can take a water taxi right from the airport to the New England Aquarium. He (take your pic which) can walk all around the aquarium looking at all the displays and there is a sweet central tank that the main walk spirals around-- my 2 year old son LOVED it. Then if there's time Quincy Market is right across the street- all kinds of eating places there. Giving an hour on the return for security and another hour for both ways on the water taxi, you'd have plenty of time. Downtown Boston is chuck full of historic sights- Old Iron Sides, Fanuel Hall, Old North Church-- there should be maps for download and there's a line painted on the sidewalks you just follow and voila!

Answer 6

Go to Fanuel Hall ! Look it up on the internet. It's not to far to downtown and it's right where all the action is in BOS.

Any airline crew member that's had an overnite there will tell you the same thing. Quincy Market is also at the same site and you wouldn't believe all the different ethnic food available there. There's even a "Duck Cruise" (Look on the net) you can take. There's also a historic trail you can walk or better yet, take a horse/carriage ride. Have fun !

Jim

Answer 7

Take the blue line from the airport to Government Center and change for the green line one stop to Park St station and there you will find the beginning of the Freedom Trail--a 3.5 mile self guided walking tour of the 16 historical sights pertaining to the American Revolution. The trail will guide you through downtown Boston and end in Charlestown with the USS Constitution and Bunker Hill Monument. You and your family will get a great sense of the old and new of Boston and the USA.

Answer 8

The aquarium is good, as someone said it's easy to get to from the airport (just a couple stops on the Blue Line of the subway). You can also go to Harvard Square, or to the North End - there are historic sites there - Paul Revere house and a couple of churches, and some GREAT Italian food, and Mike's Pastry. If you go to the North End, definitely do Mike's Pastry.

Answer 9

The boston aquarium is on the blue line subway (the same only a few stops away from the airport) and is very fun. You can walk to faneul hall/quincy market from there if you have time. Just take the blue line inbound to the aquarium stop.

Answer 10

By then the Children's Museum should be completely renovated. Check out http://www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org/. The aquarium is fun too but it will be a much quicker visit. We just went the other day with my 3 year old daughter and we were only there about 1.5 hours. You'll spend more time and have more to do at the Children's Museum.