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Things to do in Boston
iMatt
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
My wife and I are taking our daughter to Boston for halloween. We're trying to get a feel for what we can do there. We'd also like to do some leaf peeping but with a 2 year old probably can't drive more than 3 hours out of Boston.
As for Boston itself it looks like there is a cool kids museum, the liberty trail, the old USS ship in the harbour.
What else should we be looking to do? Where are the best eats?
As for Boston itself it looks like there is a cool kids museum, the liberty trail, the old USS ship in the harbour.
What else should we be looking to do? Where are the best eats?
iMatt on
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Salem can be fun on halloween, but again, go early-ish because after about 10pm it starts getting scarier.
Also, you were probably thinking of the USS Constitution. While fun, there are other historical spots like that (I think there's a submarine drydocked someplace you can go in and even spend the night if you'd like!).
The aquarium and museum of science are both fun and kid friendly, I remember those being great fun as a kid.
I'd stay away from Salem, at least on Halloween night itself, especially with a kid. I lived there for two Halloweens and it's a madhouse, nowhere to drive, nowhere to park, lots of stupid drunk people. I'd imagine it would be fun if you're 22 or so and looking for a wild night. Salem does have a bunch of events happening all through October (if I remember they call it "Haunted Happenings"), so if you're there before Halloween itself there's good family stuff.
The Aquarium or the MOS would both be fine ideas. If you don't mind a bit of a drive, Concord and Lexington are interesting historical sites, and you can get to Walden Pond without too much trouble (roughly an hour drive).
The Faneuil Hall and the market are fun , good window shopping and there are usually street performers.
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Any tips on local leaf peeping?
The Museum of Science It has a great IMAX dome screen with some amazing documentary films that are quite the experience. Looking at the website, it looks like they will be playing Antarctica when you will be visiting. It's not recommended for the easily motion sick or epileptics, however. Besides the IMAX, there's plenty of stuff there to see.
The Boston Children's Museum I haven't been there is, well, a loooong time but I hear they renovated the place a few years ago.
The New England Aquarium 40 years old and going strong. They have an IMAX 3D screen and are currently playing Under the Sea(no idea what they will be playing when you visit). They have huge tanks that will probably enthrall your daughter
The Skywalk Observatory at the Prudential Building View Boston from it's tallest building. Plus, the Prudential has many good shops.
A tour of Fenway Park While baseball season will be over by Halloween, Fenway does do tours that I believe go year round.
Faneuil Hall Market Place(aka Quincy Market) Good shopping, food, and drink.
Harvard Square is well worth checking out, too
For the leaves, the Boston Commons tends to be very good.
And perhaps the most important website to familiarize yourself to is the MBTA, particulary the subway.
So how long will you be visiting Boston?
Currently painting: Slowly [flickr]
Does anyone have any comments about Mystic? Website makes it look very nice place to visit.
And what is this Mystic that you speak of?
Currently painting: Slowly [flickr]
You can't actually shop in the Pru unless you're bleeding money. It's pretty much all high-end stores. If you're renting a car drive out to the Natick collection, bigger selection and it's part high end, part regular stores.
On Boylston St there's a large Apple store that intl. tourists always hit. Don't do the Imax with a two-year-old, it's definitely not recommended for children that age as they usually get overwhelmed/scared and it doesn't end well.
End October in Boston is chilly and wet so be prepared for that. For leafing go to NH, it's much better there but the last week in October isn't the best time for that either. Early-Mid Oct is the best leafing time.
If you really want to get outside we have lots of Audubon trails in the Boston area as well. I'm not sure how late in the season they're open. While it will be late in the season you might be able to squeeze in some apple picking if you'll be in Boston the week before Halloween. You could also head down to Plymouth Plantation or Sturbridge Village, though your daughter might be a bit too young for it. Also, in a lot of the small towns outside of Boston there are small local farms that do Hayrides and things like that during that season.
If you like basketball, the basketball hall of fame is in Springfield, under two hours away, and it's pretty cool. There's also the Dr. Seuss museum in Springfield, but I've never been there. It's got potential though.
If you go on a foliage ride, at that time of year it's probably best to stay in Massachusetts, or maybe go down to Rhode Island/Connecticut. A good way to break up the day for a foliage ride would be to go to an apple orchard. Picking your own apples is a ton of fun. What you could do is take a drive out to the Quabin reservoir in western Mass. It's absolutely beautiful out there, and there are a few orchards around.
I was going to suggest this, but if I was a youngin, the MFA would have been my own personal hell. Now, a bit older, I'd like it, but not so much then.
Good call. Also, if you do head up to Salem at some point, the Peabody-Essex Museum is very nice as well. Lots of maritime art (Salem was a major port back in colonial times).
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Lots to do in Boston, my favorite to show tourists is the ultra-chic urban fashion store Bodega, right off Newbury. It's a secret entrance, appearing to be a kwik-e-style mart, but the vending machine is actually the gateway to the store. You can google the location (I'm not kidding about all that).
Keep in mind - most color will be seen in the first couple of weeks of October. By Halloween, it's usually gotten cold enough in New England to brown most leaves. Bring a sweater, it can get bitingly cold.