Boston, Massachusetts is a fun and lively place to visit. There is plenty in Boston to keep you and your kids entertained for days. There are also several easy day trips from Boston that are less than three hours from the city center. Here’s what we did during our week in Boston:
Thomas Land
Thomas Land is a themed amusement park located within Edaville Family Theme Park in Carver, Massachusetts (approximately 75km south of Boston). My six-year-old son is a die-hard fan of Thomas the Tank Engine and lost his mind when we sort of surprised him with a day trip to the park. My previous blog post was dedicated to a full review of Thomas Land.
New England Aquarium
The New England Aquarium is a global leader in ocean exploration and marine conservation. While the aquarium was smaller than expected, the various exhibits were fascinating, especially the multi-story Giant Ocean Tank, one of the world’s largest ocean-reef tanks. The tank is home to dozens of species—fishes, eels, sharks, sting rays, to name a few, and an 80-year-old green sea turtle named Myrtle. We got to touch a few rays at the Shark and Ray Touch Tank, which was super neat. Our favourite was the Penguin Exhibit located on the first floor just beyond the entrance.
Legoland Discovery Centre
We set aside one afternoon for the Legoland Discovery Centre. We spent about two hours at this indoor playground, building and playing with LEGO®, competing against one another on the Kingdom Quest laser ride, riding Merlin’s Apprentice, and seeing what Boston looked like from a giant’s perspective in MINILAND®. And of course, we walked away from the visit with two new Lego® sets from the gift shop.
Boston Duck Tours
Boston Duck Tours is a fully narrated, historic tour of the city's most notable landmarks where the last 20 minutes of the 80-minute tour is in the Charles River. We got to explore downtown Boston while we learned about the history of the city. We started at Long Wharf and cruised by the Boston Public Library, Boston Common and Public Gardens, Trinity Church, the fashionable Newbury Street, the Holocaust Memorial, Copley Square, Beacon Hill, and more. Our tour guide was entertaining and informative. All the kids, including ours, got a chance to "drive" the duck boat while it was in the river. This attraction is a definite must!
City View Trolley
This is another great way to discover the city before heading out on your own. City View Trolley was quite similar to the duck tour but followed a different route so we saw a number of different landmarks and neighborhoods. The most appealing aspect of this tour was the hop-on and hop-off feature where we could get on and off as often as we wanted (within the ticket time period).
Faneuil Hall Marketplace & Quincy Market
Walking through the Faneuil Hall Marketplace and Quincy Market was interesting. There were so many stalls offering mouth-watering food that it was extremely difficult not to buy something at every stall. There were also a number of outdoor carts and shops selling t-shirts, hats and other souvenir items.
Right around the corner from Quincy Market was a horse-drawn carriage stand for hire. My dad thought it would be fun. The cost was USD$40 (for all six of us) for a 15-minute ride, which was reasonable. Evelyn got a kick out of feeling like a princess.
Prudential Center
The Prudential Center, second tallest building in Boston, was another interesting walk through. At the base of this tower is The Shops at Prudential Center, an enclosed urban shopping mall. Located on the 50th floor, the Skywalk Observatory offers 360 degree views of the city and harbour. The Top the Hub restaurant and bar, located two floors above the Observatory, offers the same panoramic views at a more expensive price tag.
Shopping
There are lots of shopping malls located in and around Boston. I love outlet shopping so trips to The Outlets at Assembly Row in Somerville and Wrentham Village Premium Outlets, located 45 minutes south of Boston, were a must. Since we stayed at a hotel in Burlington, we took a quick walk through Burlington Mall where I spent a small fortune on clothes for myself and the kids at Primark, an Irish fast fashion retailer that a friend insisted we visit.
Chinatown
We made frequent trips to Boston’s Chinatown for the abundance of Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants. Most memorable was Juicy Spot Cafe, a small basement dessert shop that is easily missed if you’re not looking for it. Their ice cream rolls were to die for!
Dining
Food options in Boston are endless—from no-fuss coffee shops to upscale bakeries and cafés, casual dining and breweries to Michelin Star restaurants, fast casuals to wine bars, and food trucks! The price ranges from cheap eats to very expensive depending on what you fancy. We stuck mostly to casual dining like Legal Sea Foods, State Street Provisions on Long Wharf, Pikaichi (no-fuss classic ramen shop) and Phở Pasteur in Chinatown. The one time we splurged at Top of the Hub, the experience was sadly disappointing. (Click here to read my full review on TripAdvisor.)
We made a list of 6 must-eats that everyone should add to their food bucket list before leaving Boston:
Boston cream pie
Lobster roll
New England clam chowder
Cannoli
Fried clams
Fried oysters
I am pretty sure I ate upwards of 10 pounds of lobster, no joke! No matter where we went, if lobster roll was on the menu, I ordered it. If lobster bisque was on the menu, I also ordered that. Since returning home, lobster here has not been the same!
Day Trips
Brunswick, an easy two and a half hour drive north of Boston, is a picturesque and historic town in Cumberland Country, Maine. There are a variety of things to do along downtown Maine Street, including antique shops, boutiques, cafés, restaurants, and galleries.
Freeport is a town located on the shores of Casco Bay, Maine and surprisingly world-famous for its hundreds of brand name outlets and local boutiques housed in charming brick buildings, some dating back as early as the 18th century. It is here that I discovered the best lobster roll! You won’t get better or fresher lobster than Harraseeket Lunch and Lobster Company in Maine!
Located an hour south from Boston is Providence, a popular destination for a day trip or weekend getaway. While this capital city of Rhode Island is petite, it makes up for it in the abundance of amazing architecture, great food, and incredible art. The Botanical Center at Rogers Williams Park and The Arcade, oldest indoor shopping mall in the United States, are worth a visit. If we had managed our time better, I would have loved to take in a world-class Broadway show at the Providence Performing Arts Center.
Was a week in Boston too long?
Absolutely not! Between attending a wedding and visiting family, we found one week allowed us to pace our activities leisurely without feeling rushed or overwhelmed, and yet, we still did not see it all. I would love to return to Boston to explore even more!
Travel Tip: Once we narrowed down the attractions and sightseeing tours we were interested in, I went online to Costco and purchased the Go Boston Pass a couple of weeks prior to travelling. Each Pass includes admission to your choice of three or four popular attractions (from a list of over 30 attractions) for one low price, a saving of up to 45% per person when comparing to regular ticket costs!
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