Grandkids' Weekend in Boston

We got to Boston around noon and dropped our luggage at our hotel, Residence Inn by Marriott Boston Downtown/Seaport, located at 370 Congress St. It is a cool brick building, and very centrally located to many of the activities we had planned. We checked into our one-bedroom suite, which had a king bed and then a sofa bed in the living room area. It was perfect for what we needed. Because we had been driving for several hours, we decided to do something active and the Boston Children's Museum fit the bill. It is only a five-minute walk from the hotel and is full of activities and exhibits for all ages, but best suited for two to 10 year olds. Tickets are $22 and the museum is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is a lunchroom for food purchases, but we decided to explore and get dinner elsewhere. After several hours at the museum, we headed to James Hook (440 Atlantic Ave.) for an early and casual dinner (they close at 5:00pm) with great lobster rolls. Our crew was tired by that time, so we headed back to the hotel for some relaxation, before turning in early in anticipation of a fun-filled day two.

After breakfast we started the day at the Boston Tea Party Museum and Re-enactment. It was a great way to step back in time and hear something about the struggles the colonists experienced. It was very interactive, and the kids even got to "dump tea into the harbor." The boys loved it! When we left there we headed to the start of the famous Freedom Trail. We decided to do the Trail on our own, not knowing how interested the kids would be in some of the stops. It was a short eight-minute walk to Boston Commons, where the Trail begins. If you want some background on each of the sites, go to The Freedom Trail website. These notes help you narrate your own tour.

The sites along the way are Boston Commons, Massachusetts State House, Park Street Church, Granary Burying Ground, King's Chapel, Benjamin Franklin Statue, Old Corner Bookstore, Old South Meeting House, Old State House, Boston Massacre Site and finally Faneuil Hall. The Hall is next to the Marketplace, a food court and shopping spot, which made it a great spot to get a very casual lunch.

After recharging a bit, we headed to the New England Aquarium (about five to eight minutes away) at 1 Central Wharf. It was a great indoor air-conditioned activity in the heat of the day, complete with penguins, sea lions, Pacific octopuses and thousands of other varieties of fish. The tickets were $34. for adults, $32. for seniors, and $25 for children three to 11. We finished our day of exploration by taking a Duck Boat Tour both on land and water; great fun, relaxing and informative. Tickets range from about $50. for adults down to $11 for kids under three. This was a busy day, but the variety of activities seem to hold the interest of our grandchildren. What's good about this itinerary is that it can be pared down to accommodate the ages and interests of your family.

Dinner was at Bartaco, right next to the hotel. The menu consisted of tacos and fresh healthy street food. It was pretty crowded when we arrived, so we ordered take-out and took our food to the outdoor courtyard of the hotel. It was very tasty and a perfect ending to our day.

Our final day in Boston started with the complimentary breakfast at the hotel. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate, so we did a few last minute changes to the plan. We decided to put off the iconic Swan Boat rides at the Boston Public Gardens until later in the day, when we hoped the weather would clear. Because of the rainy conditions we hopped in the car and did a driving tour of the remaining sites on the Freedom Trail. These included Paul Revere's House, Old North Church, Copp's Hill Burying Ground and then the USS Constitution.

By the time we got to the old ship, the weather had cleared enough to get out of the car and explore. It was a favorite spot of the boys. If the weather had been nicer, we probably would have taken an Uber or taxi to the USS Constitution, instead of driving and worked our way back down to Paul Revere's House, and then over to Boston Public Gardens to do the Swan Boats, which was about a 25-minute walk.

The last stop on the Freedom Trail is Bunker Hill (the site of the first major battle of the Revolutionary War), which we decided to save until next time. It was a busy few days, but lots of fun, educational and interesting things to do and to see. Until next time, Boston...

Possible Activities for Day 4-5:

Could be the Swan Boats, if not already done, Boston Museum of Science, The Mugar Omni Theater, the Harvard Museum of Natural History, a picnic in one of the parks, Bunker Hill or extended visits at any point along the Freedom Trail.