Whether your traveling companions are toddlers or teens, a visit to Boston is like watching a 400-year-old classroom come alive around every corner. In addition to novelties such as swan boats at America's first botanical garden and amphibious "duck" tours that dip into the Charles River, Boston boasts shady parks for picnics, ice skating at the Frog Pond and a painted sidewalk trail for self-guided tours past the city's most significant landmarks.
For children under 11 and other family members that just want to have fun with hands-on activities, the 90-year-old Boston Children's Museum on Congress Street is an interactive teaching environment that focuses on the arts, science, the environment and cultural diversity. Older kids -- including future leaders -- will be inspired by the call to public service reflected in the documents and memorabilia at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum at Columbia Point.This venue chronicles the life and times of our 35th president and serves as a reminder of the challenges of leadership and the changes our nation was undergoing during this critical time.
Faneuil Hall Marketplace is the perfect venue to spend an afternoon enjoying shopping, live entertainment and dining. The centerpiece is Faneuil Hall itself, a meeting place for those who started the revolution and host to patriots like Sam Adams and George Washington. On the Freedom Trail, this centerpiece of Boston houses 14 restaurants and a wide variety of specialty shops.
Another must-see attraction on the Freedom Trail is the frigate USS Constitution, or "Old Ironsides," the most-storied warship in the history of America. Launched in 1797, it remains a commissioned US Navy warship and a tribute to those that fought to protect our young nation. The USS Constitution Museum is nearby, providing an interactive experience of life at sea nearly two centuries ago.
Founded in 1969, the New England Aquarium is identified in Fodor's and Frommer's guidebooks as one of the most popular destinations for families visiting Boston. Exhibits feature marine wildlife from throughout the world. The aquarium's mission to educate and emphasize the need for conservation and research to protect the "blue planet" is brought home in diverse programs that will be of interest to all ages. It also features the Simons IMAX Theater, offering an ongoing variety of films. For sports lovers, Boston is home to the Red Sox, the Patriots, the Celtics and the Bruins. If you can't afford Sox tickets or you're there at the wrong time of year, consider a 50-minute walking tour of Fenway Park.
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is the former home of the iconic and eccentric Isabella Stewart Gardner (1840-1924), whose world travels resulted in one of the most significant collections of art in America. Designed to look like a 15th-century Venetian palace, the museum was built by the Gardners and opened in 1903. The terms of the endowment preserving the museum require the collection and the building itself to remain just as Isabella originally intended. Not recommended for younger children since there's a lot of walking involved.
If you don't mind the whole family shivering under the covers with you afterward, travel writer Genevieve Brown of "Independent Traveler" recommends the Ghosts and Gravestones Frightseeing Tour that runs nightly June through October and departs from the Marriott Long Wharf Hotel. That Boston is frequently featured on programs such as "America's Most Haunted Places" only adds to this spooky attraction's popularity. Not advised for children under 12. Children under age 4 prohibited. Although reservations are required for this trolley tour, advance planning is urged if you're coming in October for some pre-Halloween carousing.
Hamlett, Christina. "Fun Things to Do in Boston With the Family." Travel Tips - USA Today, https://traveltips.usatoday.com/fun-things-boston-family-15289.html. Accessed 25 April 2019.