Tell me about Boston with teens

[clippityclop]

We (Dh, me and mid teens,) have the option of spending three or four nights there at the end of a USA holiday. Where should we stay and what should we do please? Suggestions for fun stuff, and sightseeing please. Holiday begins with four night in New York and alternative is to go back there but as we've never been to Boston it seems a shame to miss the chance.

I would suggest staying downtown if you can. Most attractions will be within walking distance. There are loads of hotels. Not cheap, probably about the same as New York. There are also lots of AirBnB apartments and as far as I know they are perfectly legitimate. Boston is much more relaxed than New York but there is plenty to do.

It is worth doing either one of the hop on hop off trolley tours or the duck tour to get your bearings. I also think that going up the Prudential Tower is useful for getting the lie of the land.

The Aquarium and the Science Museum are both great for teenagers and the Tea Party Ship is really fun. The USS Constitution is very interesting and free, but you have to remember your passport to be allowed on. It’s on the Freedom Trail, in the dockyards, there isn’t also a more modern warship there.

Both the Museum of Fine Art and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum are fantastic art galleries. The Isabella Stewart is quite unique and if I were choosing one gallery that would be it.

Harbour tours and whale watching are both interesting, though the whale watching trip is a long day from Boston. You can do a day trip to Salem (tacky and overrated) or Concord which is much nicer. Louisa May Alcott’s house is in Concord and is well worth visiting. There is also a very nice museum there which has a lot about war of independence and general local history.

You must eat Italian food in the North End but don’t buy pastries in Mikes (or if you must go to the shop in Quincy Market) it’s a tourist trap. Modern Pastries is just as good and has no queue! Our should also eat a lobster roll.

We live in Boston at the moment so ask anything!

I live just outside Boston. I reckon for teenagers Salem would be way more fun and exciting than Concord. Salem is an awesome place to visit. Lots of cute stores, restaurants and historic sites and all the witch stuff too.
I found the duck tours very overpriced and totally lame, so has any teenager Ive had visit from home. Faneuil Hall is a total tourist trap but I love going there, even now after 30 years here.
I always take visiting teens out on a whale watch, though I go from Gloucester so the ride out is shorter. I LOVE whale watching and the views from the boat are really pretty.
Id suggest a Boston Harbor trip. You can buy tickets to the islands in the harbor, there's an awesome old fort on one and you can go see where shutter island was filmed as its on one of the other islands. The tickets are cheap and you just get back on whatever boat you want so can spend as much time as you want. Bring your own lunch tho if island hopping cos I dont think there are places to eat on all the islands . They also offer dinner cruises and gambling cruises if thats more your bag. Its a fabulous day out.
From Boston its easy to get a train to Portland Maine, lots of really good shops and restaurants there too, plus the ride up takes you through the rest of Mass, into New Hampshire then on into Maine. Its only a couple of hours and a good day trip. Its called the downeaster and is run by amtrak I believe.
A boat trip to Province town right on the tip of cape cod is great. Province town is fabulous !!!!. Its an artitst colony and full of the most wonderful galleries and stores and cafes, the people are a very eclectic mix of all sorts. Its very different to most of Mass. I love it there.
Boston is a great city, small and easily walked and so much to see and do. I still like just walking around. I start at the waterfront outside Fanueil Hall and just keep walking. I never got the fuss over the Northend though.Most of it is overpriced in my opinion. ( I was married to an Italian American for years). Some of the places do good food though, just do your homework as some flat out depend on tourists.
Best Pizza in Boston is Santarpios in East Boston. Total little hole in the wall just the other side of the airport tunnel. Cash only though but well worth the trip ( well it used to be, been a few years since Ive been)
Forgot to ask what time of year you are visiting. Hopefully its summer it can be a bit grim in the winter.

Oh and if your looking for seafood, skip Legal Seafoods and go to the No Name

I just my 13 year old - we go to Boston every so often (we live in Maine).

Codzilla!
Newbury Comics on Newbury Street.

Science Museum.
Aquarium.
Harbor Tour.
Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market (although it's overpriced).
Whale watching tour (I will add that you should take Dramamine if there's any chance of you getting seasick).
Bunker Hill Monument - climb to the top.
Harvard tour and a wander round the Coop bookstore.
See a show in the theater district.
See a baseball game - and even if you can't get tickets to a game, apparently the Fenway Park tour is worth doing.
Or see something at the TD Garden Arena.
Walk around the public gardens.
Walk around Boston generally - it's very walkable.
Wander round Eataly in the Prudential mall.

If you do take the train up to Portland, I have lots more suggestions. It's quite slow though - nearly 3 hours. Or you can take a bus in 2 hours, they go to the same place in Portland. From Boston, the train goes from North Station but the bus goes from South Station. You can stay on some of the trains and go through to Freeport which has fabulous shopping and some good places to eat.

Wander round Beacon Hill too.

Go to the Natural History Museum at Harvard, and eat lunch at Grendel's Den.

The coolest thing in Boston is the Mapparium in the Mary Eddie Baker Library. It's an enormous glass globe you walk through. Amazing!

We love the duck tours. Been loads of times. It is a proper duck tour unlike some around the world.
Eat lobster
The night time ghost trolley tour is fun- it isn't at all scary- it is humorous.

Keep checking hotel prices after you book, they often drop a lot later in Boston. We were there for new Year once when the snow came in suddenly and everything was cancelled. I was in the lift going down when a lady said to me to hurry as the hotel price had just dropped and dragged me to the desk. There was a massive queue to cancel and rebook even through were were checked in (each night was cancellable). Since then I look every time and it often gets much cheaper nearer the time. Boston hotel prices seem to be more fluid than other cites. I would say it is cheaper than NYC.

Stayed in most hotels- these days we stay at Loews which was better and cheaper before it rebranded but is decent and the location is ok,

Take them out to a baseball gameat Fenway Park. You can also opt to tour the park, which is a greatthing to do for the whole family.
Skywalk Observatory in Back Bay
Boston Bike Rentals - you get a map of different routes included with your rental.

I haven’t been to the Mapparium but my teenage dds loved it.

I think I'd mostly skip Boston proper (especially after NY) , and stay in Cambridge. Visit the MIT Museum, walk through the campus (and buildings) of MIT. Lots of unusual restaurants and food trucks there. Also would visit Harvard/Harvard Square. Taking the ferry to Provincetown is a fab idea if you can spare a night or two - gorgeous white sand beaches. If you have a car you might consider any other part of Cape Cod., or Maine as others have said.

Wow! You are all amazing! Thank you for your help. I'm going to do some homework with a map of the area tonight and come back with questions. We're going in early August which is ages away but very busy in between so want to get planning now!

The coolest thing in Boston is the Mapparium in the Mary Eddie Baker Library. It's an enormous glass globe you walk through. Amazing!

How did I not know about this?

That reminds me - another place I love visiting is the Public Library, and getting afternoon tea there. www.thecateredaffair.com/bpl/restaurant-cafe/the-courtyard-restaurant/

Although for someone from the UK afternoon tea might not be such a novelty, but it does have a lovely courtyard and I bet it's lovely in summer.

If you find yourself around the aquarium/Long Wharf, pop into the Custom House. It has a cupola with the presidential seal, which is apparently quite a rarity. Karen, the concierge does little tours, and if you can go up the the 26th floor, there’s a 360° viewing terrace with great views.

Don’t get a taxi from the airport. Get the free shuttle to Airport station, then it’s a couple of dollars on the T.

We really like the trolley tour, it’s not cheap and it’s cheesy, but it’s fun and covers a lot of ground, plus you can hop and off.

Lunch (or cocktails) at Top of the Hub.

Pizza Regina, the original location in Little Italy for lunch.

I liked the Kennedy Presidential Library, but it’s not especially teen-friendly.

Boston really is a walking city. Unless you’re going further afield, you can see a lot of foot. The Freedom Trail is a must.

We like to go to Legal Seafood by the aquarium for a long, leisurely lunch on our last day before heading to the airport. No Name has it fans, but we weren’t bowled over by it.

Get the Citymapper app, it makes getting around a doddle.

It’s a fabulous city, you’ll have a terrific time.

MIT museum is good- we just drove and parked easily on the street- did it on the way back to the airport.

We have been to Boston loads over the years with the DD's at various ages and i agree with the things mentioned by PP.

The last time we were there my DH took DD2 and her friend (both 17 at the time) paddle boarding on the Charles river. They loved it.