Boston

[efmach]

Me again! Anyone been to Boston? Lots of things to do and places to see? Thanks

[Anteater]

Boston USA?

[efmach]

Oops, yes.

[august24]

My home town. What do you want to know?!?

[efmach]

Oh, great. Thanks august24. We're thinking of an August trip there this year. Kids are 11, 8 and 5. Want a mixed holiday. One week on the coast and the other in town. Are there lots of things for this age group, ie science museums, historical sites, etc? Not familiar with the city at all, as you can guess.

[KateandtheGirls]

I love Boston. It's a beautiful city, not too small. There are no shortage of historical sites - it's where the American Revolution started.

It sounds like a great holiday because there are lots of nice beach areas nearby - Cape Cod, New Hampshire, Maine.

[efmach]

I'm getting excited now! Thanks

[gingerbear]

efmach, I have a Moon Guidebook to Boston if you would like it - always wanted to go, but never made it.

[RTKangaMummy]

My brother used to live there

we went there with DS absolutley brill

you can walk around easily the city

DUCK tour, cape cod, nuntucket, humpback whales, aquarium, market, we loved it and ds did

But we are biased

[RTKangaMummy]

the science center and planetarium are brill too spend whole day there

[august24]

I would say Boston is a perfect family city. I think it isn't as exciting as New York for most people, but it is a very managble city and has a ton for tourists to do. There is a Science Museum, a Children's museum, and lots of other museum(Harvard University has a few neat ones, and there are also some cool art ones) One word of warning, Boston gets hot and humid in the summer. Most places are air conditioned, but the heat can be oppressive at times. Having said that the weather changes from year to year and it is known to have mild summers too(but not as mild as here in the UK)

You will be able to find a great house in Cape Cod to rent for one week, and then you could stay in Boston for one week. For Boston, I would suggest looking around the Copley Square area, as that is the most central area that is safe(Boston is a very safe city, but on my last trip home I found them building new Hotels in a very dicey area. Not dangerous but very industrial as opposed to residential and I would hate to have my first trip to Boston be spoiled by having to stay near a fish factory and the city Jail!) and has a few hotels to choose from. If you are looking for something a bit more budget I would look at Newton or Brookline(both small cities next to Boston) rather then a place like Dorchester or Quincy(and a place like Framingham isn't close to Boston at all!) My families summer cottage(or shack!) is in a town called Dennisport which is about 1 hour from Boston. If you go to Cape Cod you will need a rental car to get around. What else can I tell you? In Boston the Duck tours are a must(they take you around on a truck that then goes into the Charles River) Filene's Basement is an landmark place to shop(the original one in Downtown) Must go to the North End for great Italian food(and stop at Mike's Pastry, President CLinton loved it!) Wrentham is a town outside of Boston that has a lot of "outlet" stores.

Not sure what else to say...What do you like to do?

[LIZS]

We've been there twice pre-kids and loved it. Great to visit the White Mountains and factory outlets, within a few hours drive. In the city itself, the Freedom Trail self-guided walk is a great starting point, as it takes in the historic sites and gives you a flavour of the Revolution (Paul Revere's house, Boston Tea party site, Bunker Hill) and I think there is a trolley tour too, to save your legs !

[august24]

Here are 2 links boston kids website
and
visitors website
Should get you started!

[efmach]

Fab, fab, fab! I'm sold.
Many thanks for your replies. Brilliant info.
Gingerbear, thanks for the offer of your guidebook. I have infact got several books out from the library so should have enough material to go on. That was very kind of you.
It's so good hearing about your experiences first hand. I'm glad I posted my message.

[Anteater]

Went a while ago but loved going to see the Boston Red Sox 'win at home' A real family affair, crowd were SO far from English equiv, everbody seemed to be just so happy to be their!

[Prettybird]

There's a museum in Harvard that is an absolute must: it's a botanical museum where all the models have been blown out of glass. It sounds boring, but the models are so brilliant, eg blown up (to scale of course) cross sections of a seed head, that you just walk around oopen mouthed at the skill involved - and then you get sucked into looking at what the models represent, as it was actually created for studying purposes. More about it here .

If you've got time and the kids are interested (and if they're in town) try to get tickets for a Red Sox game. They after all reigning World Series champions !!! (Baseball if you didn't know). That way you get to experience a real part of American culture.

It's my dh's second favourite city (after his home town of Glasgow ) in the world.

[princesspeahead]

went there a few years ago with a 4 yr old and an almost 2 yr old. had a couple of weeks on cape cod and then 3 or 4 days in boston. Thinking about going again this summer - they will now be 7, almost 5 and almost 2. Stayed at XV beacon (on beacon street) - beautiful boutique hotel that I'd stayed in quite a bit on business, but they were also brilliant and charming with the children and it is really nice being right on the wide open spaces of boston common especially in the heat of the summer. highly recommend the aquarium - really wonderful. boston is just a great, really walkable, child friendly place - I love it! You'll have a great time...

[KateandtheGirls]

Great idea about trying to see a Red Sox game while you're in town. So much fun, and Fenway Park is one of the best places to see a game.

We went there to watch a game on our first wedding anniversary (so romantic!).

[RTKangaMummy]

If you are interestd in JFKennedy there is a museum dedicated to him just outside city.

Yes had forgotten mountains the train to the top is brill very very very steep

great outlet shopping there too. Brill time.

go on ferry over to nuntucket for day.

[KateandtheGirls]

Had you thought about where on the coast you'd like to go?

Cape Cod is gorgeous. I spent 3 weeks in Truro one year, which is just south of Provincetown. It's so beautiful and P-Town (as it's called) is a cool, funky town with a huge gay community. It's a long drive, but there is actually a ferry from Boston to P-Town in the summer.

You could also go North of Boston. Portsmouth, New Hampshire is a nice town. We had friends who lived in Gloucester, Mass which is a fun place on the coast. It has (had?) a huge fishing industry and retains some of that working class charm, but has a lot of neat restaraunts and shops too as it gets trendier.

You could even go up into Southern Maine .

I'm excited for you. It's a lovely part of the world. If only it wasn't so darn cold in the winter I would consider living there!

[RTKangaMummy]

sorry meant go on ferry for day to nuntucket from cape cod

[expatkat]

I agree with that you ought to try to finegle a stay on Cape Cod. I lived in Provincetown last year (I'd lived there in '96-'97, too) and, I totally agree with KATG's recommendation of Truro and Provincetown as THE places to be. (In fact, I feel bereft & heartbroken just writing "Provincetown" and "Truro" because I would so LOVE to be back there.) Ptown will have more things for kids to do; Truro is more the place to chill and enjoy nature. But the towns are next-door to one another, so in a way it doesn't matter which you choose.

I used to take the kids to Boston a lot last winter when it was hideously & unforgettably cold, and I agree with the recommendations already mentioned on this thread. But if you're used to the London Science Museum, the Boston one may seem disappointing (though I remember thinking it was the most extraordinary place back in the mid-90's when I was a student). And the Children's Museum is not as good as it could be. But the Aquarium is ever a hit. It's extraordinarily well done. I never managed a Duck Tour, but hear they are fantastic. As for food, the ubiquitous Legal Seafoods was very well received. Don't miss the famous New England Clam Chowder; there's a good kids menu, too, if I recall. I'm so envious! If you decide to to visit the Cape after all, BOOK IT NOW. Ptown, in particular, gets v. filled up.

[TwoIfBySea]

I lived just outside Gloucester in 92-93 so would recommend you taking a drive up to Cape Ann, there are quite a lot of areas you would recognise with the amount of films made there. Rockport is lovely, the house where Mermaids was filmed was just down the road from where I lived.

Boston is a very walkable city and the "T" trains are so easy to understand making the whole city accessible. I am very jealous as I would love to go back someday!

I did go to Cape Cod also, but to HyannisPort but like the others said P-town is more colourful and entertaining.

Oh and if you can take a whale watching boat out to (I think this is the right name) Stillwagon Bank where you can see the humpback whales. Have no idea how much it will cost now but it is so worth the money, you will never forget seeing the whales. I took the boat trip from Gloucester but there are ones in Boston and from Cape Cod too.

Plymouth is also worth a visit if you like history, or a version of it anyway. There was a museum that had the whole pilgrim story in it that I had to read out for the Danish and Norwegian friends I was with and people started following us thinking I was a tour guide - yeah, with a Scottish accent!

See you asked about Boston and you get all this!

[RTKangaMummy]

Have just remembered the name of the mountain

mount washington, new hampshire

the train is steepest track in the world or very nearly.

the train is pulled up on chains

[LIZS]

We drove up Mount Washington !! You have to stop every so often to check the brakes. We stayed in a village called Jackson fairly nearby, in the Wentworth Resort Hotel,and just a little outside North Conway.

[KateandtheGirls]

I skied on Mount Washington! (But you won't be doing that in August.)

My friend (who used to live in Gloucester) comes from North Conway. If you get a chance to spend a couple of days in the mountains, maybe in a cottage by a lake, that would be lovely. Some time in Boston, some time by the beach and some time in the mountains would just be a perfect holiday if you ask me.