Boston offers a wide variety of activities and attractions for children. Visitors can choose attractions based on their child's interests because there is something for everyone. Attractions include animals, sea life, sports, history, science and more. Boston is an ideal place to visit with children, regardless of their age or gender.
Museum
The Boston's Children's Museum offers hands-on exhibits that allow children to learn through exploration. The exhibits focus on science, cultures, arts, health and fitness, and environmental awareness. The museum is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. everyday except Fridays. On Fridays, the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Admission to the museum is free for children younger than 1, and $12 a person for everyone else as of 2010. Families also can purchase a membership to the zoo, which provides free admission to the Boston Children's museum, as well as more than 300 other museums nationwide. Museum memberships cost between $125 to $250 depending on the size of your family.
The museum also provides birthday parties, group discounts, a gift shop and food court. The museum also has partnered with six different hotels throughout Boston offering guests package discounts.
Aquarium
The New England Aquarium, located in Boston, provides numerous animal exhibits and hands-on activities for children of all ages. Some of its animal exhibits include jellyfish, sea dragons, harbor seals and penguins.
It also has exhibits highlighting the aquatic life of the Amazon Rain Forest, the Gulf of Maine and the Pacific Reef. You and your children also also get the opportunity to see sharks, sea turtles, giant Pacific octopus and a green anaconda.
The aquarium also has an IMAX theater on site. Tickets for the IMAX theater range from $6.95 to $9.95 depending on age, and children under age 3 are free as of 2010. Prospective visitors can check the New England Aquarium's website for the current movie showing.
The aquarium has different hours for the summer and winter season. During the winter, it is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. During the summer months, it is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The aquarium also offer discounts for groups of 10 or more.
Baseball
Fenway Park is where the Boston Red Sox play Major League Baseball games. The Red Sox season runs from April to October. A complete schedule of home games can be found on the Red Sox website. Tickets to games range from $20 to $95 as of 2010 depending on where in the stadium your seat is located.
Visitors can also take a tour of the stadium. Tours are available seven days a week, and they start every hour from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or 3 hours before the start of a game. Each tour is 50 minutes long, and the tickets range from $10 to $12 as of 2010, depending on the age of the visitor.
Franklin Park Zoo
The Franklin Park Zoo offers a wide variety of animals and exhibits for families to enjoy. Exhibits include; Serengeti Crossing, Tiger Tales, Kalahari Kingdom, the Tropical Rain Forest, Giraffe Savannah, Bird's World, Outback Trails and Franklin Farm, which provides visitors the opportunity to pet and feed live animals.
Admission to the zoo ranges from $8 to $14 depending on age and children 2 and younger are free as of 2010. There are also discounts for large groups and military personnel.
Marketplace
The Faneuil Hall Marketplace covers 6.5 acres of land. The marketplace offers a wide variety of stores and food. Visitors can buy gifts, clothes, treats, coffee, art and much more. There are 49 different shops and 14 restaurants located in the marketplace. Much of Faneuil Hall Marketplace is outside, allowing visitors to walk around and be outside.
Faneuil Hall Marketplace is a great place to take kids because of the wide variety of entertainment available. The marketplace is known for its street performers. Visitors can regular watch jugglers, clowns, magicians, musicians and artists while strolling around the marketplace. Faneuil Hall Marketplace also hosts a variety of different outdoor events and festivals throughout the year.
Faneuil Hall Marketplace is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Many of the individual restaurants and bars have their own hours of operation and are open later than the marketplace.
Ride the Swan Boats
The Swan boats have been a tradition in Boston since 1877. The swan boat drivers paddle the boats around the lagoon. The boat cruise is 15 minutes long, and provide a beautiful view of the area.
The cruises are available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from June 21 through Labor Day. After Labor Day, the hours are noon to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.
As of 2010, tickets cost $1.50 to $2.75 depending on age and can be purchased at the Swan Boat Dock. There are also group rates available.
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