#26 | 8.31.23 - Our Boston Experience / The Weight of Water
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This week will be a bit different as we’ve spent the last several days in Boston. It was a fantastic trip so I thought I would share some of the things we learned, in case any of you make the trip!
Our Boston Experience
This trip has been on the books for a couple years and got delayed for a couple reasons. So, it was nice to finally get to do it! Here’s everything we did, along with links and some photos.
Attractions/Sites
By far the smartest investment we made this trip. This is a pass (QR code on your phone) that will get you into all sorts of sites and attractions within Boston. We chose the 5-day pass, which means when you activate the pass, you have 5 days to take in as much as you can. Highly recommended!
This is a walking tour across many of the historic sites associated with the American Revolution. We did the shorter 90-minute tour, though we heard about a self-guided 4-hour tour. The 90-minute tour was plenty, though we didn’t get to some sites that we thought were included (mainly Paul Revere’s house). It was pretty amazing to stand at the spot where the Declaration of Independence was read for the first time, as well as the spot of the Boston Massacre.
This was on our itinerary to do, but we didn’t actually do it. We got to the site and decided to skip it. It’s not part of the Go City Pass, which means it would be $35/person. We watched a group go on the boat, throw some “boxes of tea” (they looked like styrofoam) overboard, then pull them up with a chain, then walk back. We decided the $70 wasn’t worth it. YMMV.
Home of the Boston Red Sox, this tour did not disappoint. We didn’t get to take in a game, but we thoroughly enjoyed the 60-minute tour. You walk around the entire park, with plenty of time to take pictures. Our tour guide, Julie, was quite good. She was putting herself through school and knew A LOT about her beloved Boston Red Sox. This was a “maybe” on our trip, and we were super glad we went.
This was a highlight of our trip, for sure. We did the student-led tour with Emma. Like Julie with the Red Sox, Emma knew her stuff and was passionate about her school. This tour was great to hear about all the famous alumni and how Harvard started. I didn’t know that students who come from a family income of less that $75,000 can go for free. Amazing!
This just opened in June. It’s pretty pricey if not part of the Go City Pass ($60/person, I believe) but since we had the pass, we took it in. Gorgeous views of Boston. TIP: If you go, go early. We went right when they opened at 10 AM and had the place largely to ourselves.
Even as I type this, I’m laughing to myself. This was on our itinerary, but it wasn’t our favorite stop, and I’m not sure why. There were soooo many people there, which may have been part of the reason. It’s probably worth checking out if you are taking little ones there, but we only spent about 30 minutes walking through.
Again, we thought this was part of the freedom tour but wasn’t. We were glad we found it on our own. Super interesting to walk through the space and see everything, as well as learn about a pivotal person in US history.
As children of the 80’s, we were excited to go “where everyone knows your name, and they’re always glad you came” (Google that if you have no idea what I’m talking about :)). They had an extensive gift shop AND the original bar is still setup. NOTE: If you go, you have to walk through an existing bar/restaurant to get to the bar from the TV show. This was great!
Restaurants/Eateries
We met some new friends in Boston that wanted to take us here for dinner. It was so good we went back a few days later! Very good! (Though if you’re going to go, we recommend reservations as it gets busy).
We asked Emma where to go for good pizza, and she promptly told us that Pinnochio’s was the best in the city. (I remembered this coming up in an episode of Suits as well!). Emma wasn’t wrong! Very good pizza, and highly recommended, especially if you’re around the Harvard area.
Miscellaneous
We looked at renting a car. Soooo glad we didn’t. The traffic in Boston is ridiculous on a scale we haven’t seen before (and we’ve been to Africa!) Plus, Uber was way more convenient, as well as cheaper than renting a car.
If you like mini golf, you’ll love PuttShack. It’s mini golf, with a modern twist. Everything is high-tech (no more fumbling around with scorecards and miniature pencils!) We took this on one of the days, then decided to go back a few days later. We played 3 games over 2 days, and I lost. Every. Single. Game. I’m not bitter. 😆
This one was not on the itinerary, but we’re so glad we happened upon them randomly. A high-energy acrobatic dance team (they may have pulled us into the act 😀). If you’re in Boston, check them out.
Another highlight for us! We chose the package consisting of a large (real!) sailboat. Part of the experience was getting to hoist the sail. Super fun! The only drawback was that we were thinking we would go out on the ocean and feel some speed, which doesn’t happen. You get out past the harbor, then float around for 30-40 minutes. Still, we got some great photos!
While technically not part of Boston, this toy shop in Somerville is well worth the trip. We like to frequent vintage toy stores anytime we travel, and this was one of the best we’ve seen. Toys spanning decades, this was fun to see.
History Channel ‘Revolution’ Series
We found this while browsing YouTube one night in Boston. It was fun to watch this series, at the same time we were touring these sites.
One of our days was particularly cold and rainy, so we decided to check out a nearby mall (a 30-minute Uber ride). The mall is HUGE! I mean, not Mall of America huge, but quite large anyway. It has all the usual stores you would expect in a mall, plus some nice eateries. It was a fun way to spend a day.
The Weight Of Water
This video showed up in my IG feed towards the end of our vacation, and it could not have been more perfectly timed. The lesson actually has nothing to do with water, but more… you know what, I won’t spoil it. Check it out for yourself. :)
Words to wrap up:
“Leaders are dealers in hope. Where there is faith in the future, there is hope in the present."