The challenge isn't figuring out something for kids to do during a visit to Boston; the real challenge is to narrow your choices from all the options. The capital of Massachusetts offers multiple museums, both large and small; an aquarium and a zoo; historic sites; parks; and a wide range of entertainment options, from big league baseball games at Fenway Park to classical concerts at Symphony Hall.
Getting Around
Navigating Boston's maze of one-way streets by car is an adventure in itself. In good weather, explore Boston on foot. If it's cold, rainy or snowy, take the city's subway, known to locals as the T. Color-coded subway lines, plus buses, offer access to destinations across the city. Trolleys and amphibious World War II vehicles offer guided tours in the city. You can arrive in Boston by car, plane, train or commuter ferry.
City Traditions
Pedal-powered Swan Boats skim the lagoon in the Boston Public Garden, a historic 24-acre park in the heart of the city. The garden dates back to 1837; the Swan Boats began operating in 1877. The family-operated business offers 15-minute rides from mid-April through mid-September, seven days a week, weather permitting. The Swan Boats make appearances in two classic children's books, E.B. White's "The Trumpet of the Swan" and Robert McCloskey's "Make Way for Ducklings." A bronze sculpture of the duck family from McCloskey's book stands in the northeast corner of the Public Garden, near the intersection of Beacon and Charles streets. Stop for photos of the kids (and grownups) with the ducks before crossing Charles Street to visit Boston Common, an even older park that dates back to the 1630s. The Frog Pond in Boston Common offers wading in the summer and skating in the winter. A 20-seat carousel spins near the Frog Pond from spring through fall.
Walking City
Boston's 2.5-mile Freedom Trail covers 16 of the city's Revolutionary War sites. It's well known, but it's not the city's only self-guided walking tour. The shorter, one-mile Walk to the Sea begins at the gold-domed State House at the corner of Boston Common and goes down Beacon, Tremont and Court streets to State Street. It showcases four centuries of city history, passing King's Chapel, Government Center, the Old State House, the financial district and the Custom House before it crosses the Rose Kennedy Parkway and ends at Long Wharf. A short detour off the trail will take you to Faneuil Hall Marketplace, where you can find lunch or snacks and street performers.
On the Water
At Long Wharf, you can catch an inner harbor ferry to the Charlestown Navy Yard to visit the USS Constitution. Launched in 1797, the wooden warship is the Navy's oldest commissioned warship.
The inner harbor ferry offers a short, inexpensive boat ride (10-minute ride, $1.70 fare as of 2010). Boat tour operators also run longer cruises from Long Wharf around the harbor or to the Boston Harbor Islands, a national park area where you can visit a Civil War fort, the beach and a solar-powered visitor center.
Special Events
Boston offers concerts, festivals and other special events throughout the year. In the summer, check the schedule of free concerts and movies at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade, overlooking the Charles River. On the Fourth of July, a free concert by the Boston Pops precedes the city's fireworks display.
Museums and More
The Boston Children's Museum, the New England Aquarium and the Franklin Park Zoo cater to young visitors and can occupy kids during more than one return visit. Boston has dozens of other museums and historic sites to explore as well. Additional buildings, including the State House, the Boston Public Library and Fenway Park, offer tours. For museums, check in advance on passes and special offers for reduced ticket prices. If you live nearby and visit the city often, check into memberships at favorite museums.
Weather
Boston is a seaport, and cold days have a raw bite. Rain, snow and ice slicken sidewalks, as well as the roads, in bad weather. Late spring, summer and early fall offer the best weather for outdoor activities with kids.
Member Comments