Visit Boston: Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

Because we were staying at an Airbnb while in Boston, that meant no access to a fitness center for my daily workout.  Fortunately, the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University was just a short walk away from our rental.

It was a popular spot for joggers, walkers, and even pet owners walking their dogs.

But as it was winter, there was not much foliage.

However, it was still nice to walk during the frigid mornings (an average of 30 degrees each morning!)

I'd walk past frozen lakes, icy trails, and many squirrels scurrying about.

There were many paved paths that made it easy (and safer) to walk (I slipped a couple of times on icy patches).

The Arboretum is huge.  Each day I'd walk a different area and take different trails.  There was still so much I didn't explore!

I would love to return to visit in the fall one day!


Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
25 Arborway

Boston, MA 02130

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Visit Boston: New England Holocaust Memorial

While in Boston, walking to and from Faneuil Hall, we passed the New England Holocaust Memorial.

The granite and glass memorial consists of 6 towers that light up at night. The number 6 represents the millions of of people killed during the holocaust.

On the walls of each tower are the inscriptions of seven-digit numbers, symbolic of the numbers tattooed on the arms of concentration camp prisoners.

Walking through the memorial was quite gut-wrenching as I realized what the numbers meant. The sheer volume of numbers was just so overwhelming.

There are many other symbolic features of the monument, and it's too bad we didn't have enough time to really absorb everything.

If you have some time while in Boston, pay a visit to the New England Holocaust Memorial. It will definitely leave a lasting impression.

New England Holocaust Memorial
98 Union St

Boston, MA 02129

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Visit Boston: Cheers

My husband has watched every episode of Cheers, so we just had to dine at the Original Cheers while in Boston.

There is also a replica Cheers restaurant at Faneuil Hall, which was built to like like the one on the TV shoe, but the "original Cheers" is on Beacon Hill (previously known as the Bull & Finch Pub).

Replica cheers at Faneuil Hall

The Original Cheers does have that cozy vibe where it really would seem as if "everybody knows your name" if you're a regular, and service was very friendly.

Kids Mac and Cheese

Rebecca's Fish & Chips

The Rebecca's Fish & Chips (a Norm Favorite) was a very generous serving of tender and flaky cod that was perfectly seasoned and nice and crispy on the outside.  The accompanying cole slaw was also yummy.

The Boston Baked Beans were delicious.  Mixed with sliced hot dogs and molasses, the beans were so tasty!

The Kids Mac and Cheese was a very generous portion.

If you're a fan of Cheers, this is a must-visit!

 
Original Cheers
84 Beacon St

Boston, MA 02108
(617) 227-9605

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Visit Boston: Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

When I was offered a chance to take the family to the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, I was hesitant.  I thought my kids were too young for this "history lesson," and that they really wouldn't be interested, or even understand what was going on.

I was totally wrong.

A visit to the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum is an educational, yet fun and engaging experience which gives guests an opportunity to participate in a variety of ways, allowing them to have a deeper understanding of this significant event in history through innovative exhibits.

The first act of the 1-hour tour begins with actors leading guests into the Meeting House, where everyone is given new identities of real people who actually took part in the Boston Tea Party.  At the meeting, we heard Samuel Adams speak, and guests were encouraged to be vocal in their support or protest of different topics as he spoke.  My kids had fun yelling and booing with the rest of the visitors.

Everyone then boarded Eleanor, one of two ships that are replicas of the 18th century ships used in the Boston Tea Party (a third ship, the Dartmouth, is being built)

Soon it was time to dump the tea! I thought the dumping of the tea would be a bigger affair than it was, but it happened so quickly.  A few kids standing next to the parcels of tea tossed them into the channel, the same area where Griffin's Wharf was when the Boston Tea Party happened on December 16, 1773.

Guests had a chance to pull the tea boxes back up and throw them back into the river again before going on a quick tour of the ship.

We disembarked the ship and perused a few more exhibits before going into the museum.

The second act involves listening to two holographic women the day after the event, as they discuss what happened.  Everyone thought the holographs were just so neat!

Guests then moved into another room where an actual tea chest is on display. The Robinson Half Tea Chest is the only tea chest from the Boston Tea Party known to be in existence, and it was interesting to hear about its journey to the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum. 

Then a lively debate between King George III and Samuel Adams takes place in a very cool way in the portrait gallery - the portraits actually come to life! This was one of my kids' favorite parts! It really made an impact, because my kids still remember the speakers and the general conversation because of the creative presentation.

The last act takes place in the Minuteman Theatre, where guests watch the award-winning Let it Begin Here - a short film about the events leading up to the American Revolution. This was my favorite part of the tour. Seeing the reenactment on screen, and watching the toll the war took on the men and their families was heartbreaking. I even got a little emotional thinking about what the families had to endure during that time period.

There is some violence because of the war scenes, but it was nothing too gruesome for my little ones.

I admit - prior to our visit to the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, my knowledge of the details of this significant event was scant, at best, but the multi-dimensional experience of the 1-hour tour left a lasting impression on all of us, and provided us with a better understanding of this important time in history.

For tickets or more information, click here.

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
306 Congress St

Boston, MA 02210
(617) 338-1773

We received complimentary tickets to the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum.

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Visit Boston: Boston Children's Museum

Our family has been fortunate to visit numerous children's museums throughout the states we've traveled to.  While in Massachusetts, we visited the Boston Children's Museum, which turned out to be one of the best children's museums we've ever visited.

The Boston Children’s Museum is the second oldest museum in the world. Founded in 1913, this popular Boston family attraction offers a variety of exhibits to engage little ones through play, as they learn about art, science, culture, and health at the same time.

Three floors of interactive activities await kids in which they can pretend, create, and imagine.

As soon as guests enter the Boston Children's Museum, an enormous three-story structure awaits kids to ascend (netting and curved platforms help to create a safe experience).

In Kid Power, kids used their strength to push, pedal, and pull, and used their agility to dance, throw, and climb.

The Science Playground was just so much fun.

My oldest son's favorite area in the exhibit was Raceways. In this exhibit, kids use golf balls to investigate the laws of motion by sending golf balls down ramps, tubes, and spirals to make them jump, fly, and fall into containers.

They also enjoyed the water play in Bubbles, and playing the "guess the objects" game in Investigate.

Another of my kids' faves was the Arthur & Friends' exhibit.  My youngest had a blast watching himself become a part of a video, and all of my kids enjoyed going on a plane with Buster.

The Construction Zone was very cool.

This was a popular spot, as kids could play with toy trucks and sit in huge ones, as well as climb on structures and scurry through tunnels.

There was still so much more to explore!

They worked with tools, learned about dinosaurs, played instruments, and pretended to work at a grocery store.

There was an abundance of opportunities for kids to just let their imagine run wild and create whatever their hearts desired.

And by playing and creating, the kids were learning a lot at the same time too!

There is a PlaySpace just for little ones ages 0-3, and the museum also offers workshops, drop-in art experiences, and even participatory plays!

The museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm, and on Fridays, hours extend to 9pm, with $1 admission from 5pm-9pm!  We were there from a Friday afternoon to evening, and it sure did get crowded!

The Boston Children's Museum is a fantastic place to visit.  Kids will absolutely love it, and parents will love watching their kids try new things, make new discoveries, and express their creativity.

For admission prices and more information, click here.

Boston Children's Museum
308 Congress St

Boston, MA 02210
(617) 426-6500

Mahalo to the Boston Children's Museum for hosting our visit!

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