A few weeks ago the three older kids were away on a youth group trip so we decided to do some fun things with the three younger kids. We had a great time checking out a zoo and going to the aquarium in Boston (this was not the "budget friendly" trip ;) ). If you asked any of the three what their favorite part of that day was they would say the splash pad that we came across and let them play in. As we sat there watching them splash and play Matt and I commented how we should bring all the kids into Boston to walk the freedom trail; so this past Monday that's what we did...well...sort of, as you'll see.
We had such another great time this past Monday with all the kids and despite having double the kids with us this was a much more budget friendly trip; and no less fun! There are a hundred (probably more) things you can do in Boston and there are countless blog posts about day trips but I thought I'd share what we did since I had never done some of the things we found to do.
So, how do you get into Boston? Well, we've done both the T (subway) and driven in and it really depends on what we're doing, and how much time we want to spend getting there. On this trip we didn't decide until we were on our way which we would do. The closest T station to our house costs $9/day to park. Children 11 and under do ride the T for free but it is $2.40 each way and takes about 1/2 hr to ride into Boston. The T is also old and while they do have elevators it is not the easiest to navigate with a stroller. We decided to drive in since I found a parking garage that was $22 for the day and we didn't want to spend the extra 1/2 hour in time to ride in. I would highly recommend the parking garage we chose (be aware that full size vans and large SUV's do not fit in this garage); it is the Nautica Parking Garage in Charlestown, just across the bridge from North Station. The garage is about a block from the USS Constitution Museum and Ship.
Things we did:
1) Bunker Hill Monument - this is a short walk from where we parked and is usually the end of the Freedom Trail but we figured we would just walk the trail backwards. Unfortunately, the monument was closed so we weren't able to climb it. Total cost = $0
2) USS Constitution Museum & Ship - we had never toured the USS Constitution and after being encouraged to do so by a local guy who chatted with us we decided to head over. The tour of the ship is free and we all really enjoyed it. We did not go thru the museum since the kids weren't interested; they ask for a suggested donation of $10-$15 per adult and $5-$10 per child if you do decide to check it out. Maisie needed to use the bathroom and you can use the Museum bathroom but again they do ask for a donation to use the bathroom (the amount is up to you and it's not required; we did make a small donation). Total cost = $5 to use bathroom
4) Quincy Market - Our one splurge for the day was to get lunch at Quincy Market. It's an indoor marketplace with all sorts of different food vendors. After getting our lunch we found a spot in the square between the Quincy Market building and Fanuel Hall and watched a street performer as we ate. If you don't want to splurge for entire meals you could grab a pastry from one of the pastry shops and still enjoy a fun show (this is a popular place for street performers). They also have public bathrooms here that, while busy, are easy to get in and out of so we made use of those a couple times. Total cost = not sure but it was definitely a splurge; I would guess about $10-$15 per person.
5) Armenian Genocide Memorial Park - As we headed towards the North End to pick up the Freedom Trail again we stopped in this beautiful park. There is a labyrinth to walk around in and a beautiful sculpture. The kids had a great time with the maze and it was another great place to sit and enjoy the gorgeous weather. Total Cost = $0
6) North End/Freedom Trail - You can pay for a guided tour of the Freedom Trail but we always just walk it ourselves and enjoy the sites. The trail is marked by red bricks so it's easy to follow. We headed to the North End and walked around a bit. Matt and I grabbed an iced coffee and we enjoyed the outdoor seating while we discussed which direction we wanted to head next. The kids chose to continue towards Boston Common so we did that. This path took us back by Fanuel Hall and this time there were other street performers so we stopped and watched their act; it was great and we all enjoyed it. On our way we saw the Granary Burial grounds where Samuel Adams, John Hancock and other famous people are buried. We saw the site of the Boston Massacre, Old South Meeting House and even spotted some Revolutionary War reenactors. We took some time to walk through the Holocaust Memorial; which is a very moving place with glass towers containing the numbers given to many of those killed in the Holocaust. The memorial also contains quotes from those that survived. It truly is worth taking the time to walk thru and remember. On our way to the Common we found a cute bookstore tucked in one of the alleyways and Amy found a book on the $1 rack. Total Cost = $9
8) Riding the T - By this time the younger kids were very tired so we decided to take the T to North Station so we would have a shorter walk back to the car. The kids always enjoy riding the T so it was another "attraction" for them. Total Cost = $9.60
The Rose Kennedy Greenway runs through the city and has several green spaces with splash pads, benches and nice places to rest. You could easily pack a lunch and save that amount while enjoying any of these spaces. It's often hard to find things that all the kids (ages 3-17) will enjoy but this day was a winner. Total cost for the day (less lunch) was $64.10 and you could certainly cut that down even more by not riding the T and not getting coffee. :) Even with that it was $8/per person for a full day of fun and adventure.
