On my first go to to Boston, not lengthy earlier than my daughter was born, I used to be immediately gained over by the combination of historical past, enjoyable actions and relaxed ambiance – and with so many issues to do with children in Boston, it’s someplace that’s excellent for a household metropolis break too.
accommodates affiliate hyperlinks*
Like most main US cities, you would simply fill every week’s keep (or longer) however in the event you’re visiting Boston with children, maybe alongside a household vacation in New York (though I’ve additionally twinned it with Philadelphia and a day journey to Provincetown), I’ve picked out among the highlights to entertain throughout a shorter keep.
The Freedom Trail
One of my very own favorite issues to do in Boston, the Freedom Trail is an effective way to discover the town, in addition to serving to to study historical past whilst you’re visiting Boston with children.
The 2.5 mile path is made up of 16 historic websites telling the story of the American Revolution and the start of the nation, with stops at numerous markers from church buildings and museums to burying grounds, parks and even a ship.
The bonus of visiting with children is that you may select whether or not to do it in small sections in the event you don’t wish to stroll the entire route in a single go, stroll it from begin to end, or cease in any respect the websites on the best way, relying in your power ranges.
Starting at Boston Common – maintain an eye fixed out for the quirky frog statues – it’s additionally fully free, though you possibly can select to take a tour as effectively or do this self-guided audio tour. Don’t miss the Massachusetts State House, the atmospheric Granary Burying Ground, Faneuil Hall, the Paul Revere House and the Old North Church, in addition to the USS Constitution amongst others alongside the best way.
Quincy Market is a superb level to refuel as you stroll too: you possibly can typically spot avenue performers, and it’s an ideal place to seek out recent juice and snacks from the meals stalls.
Take a tour of Boston with children
As effectively as following the Freedom Trail, you’ll discover a string of the way to discover Boston with children whether or not you wish to stroll, eat, discover artwork, historical past or ghosts.
This scavenger hunt has you fixing a homicide utilizing clues discovered at 10 historic websites round Boston, plus there’s one other scavenger hunt by way of Boston’s parks and artwork. Or the document breaker exploration recreation takes you to locations within the metropolis the place Boston can boast of being the primary within the US. All are self-guided, so it’s straightforward to comply with at your individual tempo.
Can’t think about your children agreeing to a strolling tour? What a few pizza-themed tour… The North End Pizza Tour visits 5 Freedom Trail websites – in addition to Boston’s oldest pizzeria with its nineteenth century brick oven, and an opportunity to style pizza there, plus a Sicilian and a Neapolitan slice so you possibly can evaluate the distinction, with cannoli to finish.
And older children will love this Ghosts and Gravestones tour visiting the gravesites of John Hancock, Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, and others, together with discovering extra of Boston’s most infamous characters. Not appropriate for teenagers below six, beneficial for teenagers and up.
Or the hop-on hop-off Boston trolley tour is a straightforward technique to get between points of interest in addition to offering a guided tour of Boston and its historical past – best to stave off drained legs in the event you’re visiting with youthful children.
If you’re visiting Boston with teenagers, take a look at the Boston Segway excursions for age 14+, which go among the Freedom Trail sights
Boston Children’s Museum
The Boston Children’s Museum is devoted to training, the second oldest kids’s museum within the US – however in the event you assume that sounds boring, assume once more. For starters, there’s a 40ft milk bottle out entrance.
The displays listed below are fantastically hands-on, encouraging children to be as inventive as doable, with video games, mazes, workshops, crafts, even impediment challenges to encourage kids to study by way of play and expertise.
Some of the youngsters’s galleries are themed round TV exhibits, however there’s additionally the possibility to study New England’s indigenous individuals, play a metal drum within the Boston Black exhibit, and get a style of Afro-Caribbean carnival whereas adorning a float.
The science playground is one other stand-out too, with the possibility to make cleaning soap bubbles massive, small and even ones you possibly can maintain in your hand, though you’ll additionally get to attempt every part from working cranes (safely!) to getting behind the wheel of a mini race automotive whilst you’re within the museum.
Entry to the museum is included in Boston’s City Pass – select from the Go Boston Explorer Pass, with choices to go to 3, 4 or 5 points of interest from a listing of 20, legitimate for a month, or the Go Boston Pass, legitimate for between one and 7 days, with free entry to 40 totally different points of interest and actions.
Boston Duck Tours
I don’t assume you’re ever too outdated for a duck tour – there’s one thing much more enjoyable about driving round in one of many brightly colored amphibious autos earlier than diving into the waters of the Charles River than any bus tour.
The Boston Duck Tour lasts round 80 minutes, taking you thru among the metropolis’s neighbourhoods, together with its historic websites, earlier than cruising alongside for some distinctive views of Boston and Cambridge, all narrated by a information.
The excellent technique to discover Boston for youngsters, you possibly can hop on board on the Museum of Science or Prudential Center (multilingual excursions depart from the latter utilizing GPS know-how).
It’s an effective way to get your bearings while you first arrive, saves smaller legs (particularly in the event you’re factoring in jetlag) and in the event you’re fortunate, children may even get a fast probability to steer whilst you’re out within the harbour.
If you’re travelling with older children and need greater than a dip within the harbour, take a look at among the greatest Boston harbor excursions and cruises
Franklin Park Zoo
This 72-acre zoo is dwelling to a whole lot of unique animals from all over the world, from lions and tigers to fruit bats, to not point out a complete troop of monkeys, kangaroos, pygmy hippos and giraffe.
There are added seasonal points of interest, each animal ones and particular actions for teenagers throughout the summer season, plus an opportunity to imitate the furry inhabitants – climb bamboo poles subsequent to the purple panda enclosure or go on an journey by way of a grass maze whereas pretending to be a deer.
There’s additionally a formidable 10,000 sq. foot playground, with designs impressed by the zoo’s animals, together with amusement rides and the possibility to look at the animals being fed, in addition to particular experiences to get nearer to a few of them
Buy tickets to Franklin Park Zoo with free cancellation as much as 24 hours beforehand right here – additionally included in a Boston City Pass
Fenway Park
Whether you’re a die-hard baseball fan or wouldn’t know one finish of a pitcher’s mitt from the opposite, Boston is dwelling to the oldest ballpark of all of them, Fenway Park – the oldest lively Major League Baseball ballpark to be very exact.
Home to the Boston Red Sox for over a century, you possibly can be a part of excursions to find some extra of baseball’s historic moments, in addition to imagining your self because the hero of the sector. Inside you’ll additionally see images of among the greatest gamers and largest names with hyperlinks to the park from through the years.
Or there’s nonetheless the possibility to look at a reside recreation too – guide tickets early if you would like any probability of snapping them up as they normally promote out shortly.
USS Constitution
The world’s oldest warship nonetheless afloat (though HMS Victory is older, it’s now in dry dock in Hampshire, UK), the USS Constitution was in-built 1797 – often known as Old Ironsides and by no means defeated in battle, you possibly can nonetheless go aboard in addition to visiting the museum to study extra in regards to the ship’s historical past.
It’s free to go to the ship itself, with lively Navy sailors assigned as crew and to reply questions (you’ll want legitimate ID in the event you’re over 18), first come, first served.
The USS Constitution museum is one in every of a number of points of interest in Charlestown Navy Yard, with interactive displays, hands-on actions, and an enchanting assortment of artefacts to take a look at, plus prompt admission charges.
Tickets are included within the Boston Go City all-inclusive go and Boston Go City Explorer go.
Boston Harbor tour
For one other view of the USS Constitution and of the waterfront surroundings, take to the water your self on a Boston harbor boat tour.
This hour-long historic boat tour by way of the interior and outer harbor, consists of tales of the War of Independence and native legends of the ocean, earlier than cruising previous the Navy’s oldest commissioned ship and historic monuments – plus some improbable views of Boston Harbor islands.
City Cruises Sightseeing has a string of different Boston Harbor cruises, together with the New England Aquarium Whale Watching tour and a ferry to the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park.
Or head out on a 90-minute crusing journey, cruising Boston Harbor aboard an 80-foot schooner and heading out from Rowes Wharf previous the Inner Harbor Islands, passing the New England Aquarium and studying a couple of tales of Boston’s maritime previous alongside the best way.
Bunker Hill Monument
Not removed from the USS Constitution, the 221-foot Bunker Hill Monument marks the location of the primary main battle – and one of many deadliest – of the American Revolution, the place New England troopers confronted the British military on June 17, 1775.
The monument, an enormous granite obelisk which dates again to 1842, is designed to behave as a memorial to the occasion and lives misplaced, in addition to a reminder to proceed to struggle for freedom.
If you wish to climb to the highest of the monument, there are 294 steps up, so not one to attempt with youthful children. You also can go to the Bunker Hill Museum to study extra in regards to the historical past of the location – not least the truth that a lot of the preventing truly befell at Breed’s Hill, which is the place the monument itself stands.
Part of the Boston National Historical Park, it’s additionally free to go to.
Boston parks and playgrounds
As effectively as some nice walks to attempt across the streets of Boston, children can discover loads of locations to burn off some power within the metropolis’s inexperienced areas and among the greatest Boston playgrounds. There are virtually too many locations to say the place you will get open air, however these are a couple of of the highlights.
Boston Common
Created in 1634 as America’s first public park, Boston Common has an extended and sometimes dramatic historical past – from navy encampments to celebrations of independence, anti-slavery marches and Civil War recruitment, together with a civil rights rally led by Martin Luther King – to call just some occasions from over the centuries.
Normally much more peaceable today, it’s the place to begin for the Freedom Trail and one of many 9 parks which can be a part of the Emerald Necklace, a 1,100-acre chain of inexperienced house across the metropolis.
Kids will love the Frog pond, with a splash pool in summer season and ice skating in winter, plus a close-by carousel and the Tadpole playground.
Boston Public Garden
The metropolis can boast one other green-fingered first too with the Boston Public Garden, the primary public botanical backyard in America, nonetheless dwelling to 80 totally different species of vegetation.
Opened in 1837, it’s nonetheless trustworthy to the unique Victorian traditions behind its planting however in addition to strolling between the stunning flowers and vegetation, there are a couple of extra highlights in the event you’re visiting Boston with children.
Look out for the Make Way For Ducklings statues as you stroll, together with statues of George Washington and the bizarre Ether Monument, commemorating the primary use of the anaesthetic within the close by Massachusetts General Hospital.
save a while to move out on the lagoon for a Swan Boat experience, operated for over a century by the identical household. The lake is dwelling to some real birdlife, together with swans, although the Parks Department asks you to not feed them.
Rose Kennedy Greenway
The beautiful Rose Kennedy Greenway park has one thing to enchantment to all ages, from the particular Greenway carousel (the place you experience New England characters impressed by the air, sea and land animals of Boston Harbor for little ones to the meals vans assured to enchantment to teenagers and their mother and father.
You’ll discover seven fountains dotted round, together with ones with splash zones and water jets to dodge, an uncommon labyrinth fountain, the Chinatown stream, one other with summary artwork at its coronary heart and an interactive sculpture the place your motion prompts a misty fog.
It’s additionally dwelling to wildlife together with hives of bees – and a pollinator ribbon to draw them – plus wildflowers and public artwork.
Charles River Esplanade
Home to a few separate playgrounds, the 64 acres of the Esplanade overlooks the Charles River, with among the greatest views of any park in Boston.
As effectively as a sequence of occasions all year long, it’s well-known for its cherry blossoms in spring, however there are additionally loads of locations to get strolling or biking
The Stoneman playground options an space for teenagers aged three and below in the event you’re in search of issues to do in Boston with toddlers, plus there’s additionally a climbing construction for youthful children on the Charlesbank playground.
Thomas Menino Park
Created after the Boston marathon bombings, Menino Park is a superb one to mix with a go to to the USS Constitution Museum.
A completely inclusive playground, it’s designed to be accessible for all ages and talents with tools together with a wheelchair-accessible merry-go-round and ramped play construction, and the play space within the park ensures hours of enjoyable for teenagers.
Find extra upcoming occasions in Boston for households right here
New England Aquarium
Down on the waterfront, the New England Aquarium is unmissable in the event you’re travelling with children who love animals – there are over 800 totally different marine creatures from tiny sea dragons to seals, stingrays and sharks, to not point out 80 African penguins, bred as a part of a conservation program.
The spectacular four-storey Giant Ocean tank is dwelling to a coral reef, with Caribbean reef life: a spiral walkway takes you previous sea turtles, tropical fish and eels in addition to jellyfish.
But you may also transport your self to the Amazon Rainforest, with its piranhas and anacondas, in addition to watching Atlantic Harbor Seals play, amongst different marine habitat areas, earlier than studying extra in regards to the challenges dealing with the world’s oceans,
Don’t miss the seadragons, with each of the world’s two seadragon species on show on this exhibit – so long as you possibly can spot these masters of camouflage!
You want a timed entry slot to go to – purchase free cancellation tickets for the New England Aquarium right here, which additionally allow you to skip the queue, plus it’s additionally included within the Boston City Pass. You also can purchase combo tickets which embody a New England Aquarium Whale Watch tour.
Boston Tea Party ships and museum tour
One of essentially the most enjoyable family-friendly actions to do in Boston must be this interactive Boston Tea Party tour, whisking you again in time to 1773, with each actors and 3D holograms serving to you to relive the battle.
You discover replicas of two Tea Party Ships by Fort Point Channel as you study in regards to the occasions main as much as the War of Independence, and the individuals concerned. Plus you get your individual half to play, sketched out on a handbill from one of many colonists.
With a disguise to put on, you possibly can rejoin the march to Griffin’s Wharf, earlier than throwing a crate of tea into the ocean. Within the museum, you possibly can watch digital troopers argue the British facet, and (just about) expertise the battle itself.
Buy tickets with free cancellation for the Boston Tea Party tour right here.
Boston Museum of Science
Another nice hands-on museum for teenagers who love science, kids can have a lot enjoyable right here, they don’t even realise they’re studying. Sneaky.
With an enormous generator to create indoor thunder and lightning, in addition to a 20ft T-Rex mannequin among the many 550 displays, Boston’s Museum of Science is the sort of science museum I want had existed after I was a child!
Covering every part from astronomy and astrophysics to anthropology, earth sciences, drugs and much more, children can experiment with color and light-weight, study dinosaur bones and fossils, and study gravity and physics by balancing objects and swinging round.
This is certainly someplace to remain and play somewhat than for a fast go to – nice too in the event you’re visiting Boston in winter or in search of choices for a wet day in Boston with children.
There’s additionally a planetarium: the exhibits listed below are greatest for teenagers over 5.
You can generally buy discounted skip-the-line tickets to the Museum of Science in Boston on the tiqets web site, plus it’s included within the Boston Go City all-inclusive go and Boston Go City Explorer go.
Harvard Museum of Natural History
The Harvard Museum of Natural History may not be Boston’s greatest museum, however it’s an amazing possibility with youthful children specifically, dwelling to a 42ft Kronosaurus, plus Komodo dragons and uncommon creatures from Madagascar.
There are additionally downloadable household actions, geared toward totally different ages, to assist children discover the gathering of pure displays – every part from prehistoric creatures to minerals and gems, together with plants, birds, bugs and mammals.
Along the best way, there are many probabilities to get palms on too. It’s value mentioning that this can be a little method from lots of the different issues to do in Boston with children, so in the event you’re planning to go to, issue within the time to get there as effectively.
Tickets are included within the Boston Go City all-inclusive go and Boston Go City Explorer go.
Museum of Fine Arts
You may assume that someplace devoted to the wonderful arts gained’t be household pleasant, however this Boston Museum has some intelligent touches to assist make the gathering accessible to younger guests – effectively value holding in your record of locations to go to in Boston with children.
Some areas have particular household labels on the displays, to assist youthful guests relate to the works, in addition to tips about exploring the Museum of Fine Arts with children – every part from selecting a theme to your go to, reminiscent of animals or crowns, in addition to video games to play, from I Spy to copying sculpture poses.
And you’re inspired to carry your individual artwork supplies to sketch and draw as you go (you want advance permission in the event you’re planning to carry paints and an easel although).
Check right here for the newest exhibitions, in addition to everlasting collections such because the artwork of the Americas and Egyptian sculpture. There are sometimes further household actions and workshops too.
Entry to the museum is included in Boston’s City Pass – select from the Go Boston Explorer Pass, with choices to go to 3, 4 or 5 points of interest from a listing of 20, legitimate for a month, or the Go Boston Pass, legitimate for between one and 7 days, with free entry to 40 totally different points of interest and actions.
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
For one other unexpectedly child-friendly artwork gallery in Boston, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is nearly a murals itself.
The constructing was impressed by structure in Venice, the place Isabella Gardner herself frolicked, and there’s a beautiful courtyard crammed with vegetation, fountains and sculptures on the coronary heart.
The museum additionally runs a string of kid-friendly programmes, in addition to actions for youngsters to attempt: children aged 7+ can get palms on on the Saturday Drop-in Art Activities, plus there are free household guides with recommendations on methods to discover everytime you go to.
Budding artists also can choose up free sketching supplies close to the courtyard, for when inspiration strikes. With stained glass within the chapel and vibrant tiles elsewhere, there’s lots to catch the attention as you go to too.
Older children will likely be fascinated by the story of the infamous heist in 1990 which disadvantaged the museum of 13 works by artists together with Rembrandt, Vermeer and Degas, when two thieves (disguised as police) stole thousands and thousands of {dollars} of artwork in simply 81 minutes. The empty frames nonetheless hand on the partitions and the thriller stays unsolved, with a reward supplied for his or her restoration.
Free for under-18s – and anybody known as Isabella! Adult tickets are included within the Boston Go City all-inclusive go and Boston Go City Explorer go.
Boston Public Library
The third largest public library within the United States, it was the primary to have a kids’s room as effectively – and it’s not simply someplace to go to in the event you’re in search of a superb guide.
The pale pink constructing overlooking Copley Square dates from 1895, was designed within the Renaissance Revival model and it’s as spectacular inside in addition to out, with some spectacular artwork inside in the event you’re in search of issues to do in Boston with teenagers.
Free to enter, look out for the lions by the staircase, in addition to fossil shells embedded within the marble as you climb the steps, for a mini treasure hunt for youthful children. Or discover the murals painted right here, in addition to the John Singer Sargent murals in one other room on the third flooring.
There’s additionally a beautiful Italian-style courtyard inside if the climate’s type, though the library itself is a superb possibility for Boston within the rain with children.
The much less ornate constructing subsequent door on Boylston Street is the place the primary library is housed now, together with the youngsters’s library. There are additionally common household occasions for teenagers of various ages.
You also can discover household occasions on on the Mary Baker Eddy Library in Boston, on the Christian Science Plaza, which can be dwelling to the Mapparium – a group of 608 multicoloured glass panels making a three-storey globe exhibiting the world because it was in 1935. Timed ticket required.
Legoland Discovery Center
This improbable indoor playground is heaven for teenagers – and the right place to embrace your individual interior little one. Along with a number of Boston landmarks recreated in Lego bricks in Miniland, there are 12 rides, together with a quest to rescue a princess.
Best of all – after all – is the possibility to construct your individual. The littlest builders can get palms on with Duplo, and for older ones, you possibly can add your individual Lego Friends creations to Olivia’s House, or construct and take a look at a race automotive.
If you’re seeking to take your Lego expertise to the subsequent stage, take a look at which workshops are working to get some insider ideas from the Master Model Builder consultants. There’s additionally a 4D cinema and play space.
A brief drive from Boston itself (with free parking), it’s simply one of the vital enjoyable issues to do with children in the event you’re visiting the town.
Buy tickets to Legoland Discovery Center Boston with free cancellation right here, plus it’s included within the Boston Go City all-inclusive go and Boston Go City Explorer go.
*First revealed 2021, final up to date 2022*
PIN FOR LATER: THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN BOSTON WITH KIDS
Disclosure: This submit accommodates affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I could obtain a small fee
Images courtesy Depositphotos