Activities in Boston
Boston Children's Museum
Address 300 Congress Street, Boston, MA Map, Tel (617) 426-6500 Call, Website
Known as one of the biggest and best children's museums in the country, the Boston Children's Museum is well worth a visit on your trip to Boston. The huge space has something for children of all ages, and is a great place to escape from the heat of summer or a winter chill. more
Boston Duck Tours
Address 1 Science Park, Boston, MA 02114 Map, Departures Also departs from 53 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02116 (Prudential Center in Boston's Back Bay), Hours Vary seasonally & closed during winter. Call for details, Discounts Check website for details Website
Duck tours take place on a W.W.II style amphibious landing vehicle and take you past many of Boston's most famous monuments, including the State House, Bunker Hill, Boston Common, Copley Square and the Big Dig. The vehicle splashes into the water for parts of the journey, making it a fun way to get the lay of the city with kids in tow. more
Faneuil Hall Marketplace
Address Faneuil Hall Market Pl, Boston, MA Map, Tel (617) 523-1300? Call, Website
Faneuil Hall is a stop on almost any Boston Itinerary. The historic indoor/outdoor shopping area has a great mix of shops as well as a lovely bakery and an upscale food court with some particularly delicious offerings. During the summer months you can expect to find street performers and musicians as well. more
Harvard Museum of Natural History
Address 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 Map, Tel 617.495.3045 Call, Website
The Harvard Museum of Natural History features a huge collection of animal skeletons, stuffed animals, and fossils. There are also insect collections, minerals and rocks, and glass replicas of flowers. While the exhibits are largely behind glass, there are family programs and story hours on the weekends more
Museum of Science
Address 1 Science Park, Boston, MA Map, Tel 617 723 2500 Call, Website
From huge dinosaurs, an excellent children’s’ discovery center, a butterfly garden, iMax shows, an electricity exhibit, little monkeys, hatching chicken eggs, and much more–the Museum of science is a hit with children and adults alike. This is a large museum so I like to pick just a few exhibits to explore and then head out. You can review the MOS website for daily events. On weekends, they offer a terrific story hour with live animals. If you’d like to see an iMax show, you should pre-order tickets. more
New England Aquarium
Address 1 Central Wharf, Boston, MA Map, Tel (617) 973-5281 Call, Feedings 4x per day - check for schedule Website
The highlight of the New England Aquarium is the 4 story, 200,000-gallon tank, where kids can get inches from sharks, turtles, eels and giant fish. Penguin and sea-otter exhibits also draw rave reviews from young visitors. more
Reader Favorites
Boston Public Garden
Address boston, ma Map, Website
My daughter loves it because there is lots of room to run around and also it is the setting for Make Way for Ducklings. They even have bronze statues of the ducks that kids love to play on. If you go in the warmer months there are also swan boats to go on. more
Franklin Park Zoo
Address One Franklin Park Road in Boston, MA02121 Map, Tel 617-541-LION Call, Website
It's a nice sized zoo. Not too big, with lots of playgrounds, animals, and areas for children of all ages. Our 2 year old had a blast! more
Frog Pond Spray Pool and Playground
Address Boston Common, Boston Map, Tel 617-635-2120 Call, Website
Right in the middle of the park, in the middle of the city, this is an oasis for kids (and parents) to cool down along the way of the Freedom Trail more
Isis Parenting
Address Shops at Prudential Center, 800 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02199 Map, Tel 781-429-1500 Call, Website
Great baby/toddler store and they also offer maternity and new mom classes, plus all sorts of classes and play groups for tots. more
Manchester Boston Regional Airport
Address One Airport Road, Manchester, NH 03103 Map, Website
We have family in Massachusettes and this is by far our favorite airport in the area. It is small and the security lines are always reasonable. Southwest Airlines flies into the airport so it keeps the fares reasonable. Southwest is also our favorite family-friendly airline. The rental car counters are in the airport and the cars a in the adjacent parking garage - no shuttle busses with kids, car seats and luggage. Our latest discovery is the Fisher-Price play area near gates 4 or 5. I'm not sure if it was just during the holiday season but it was great. Lots of Fisher Price toys sitting out ready to be played with. That end of the terminal was pretty empty so it could be easily missed. There is also a life sized sculpture of a moose near the check in counters and was a huge hit with our son as well. more
Modern Pastry
Address 257 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113 Map, Tel (617)523-3783 Call, Website
Lots of great pastries to choose from, with the ricotta-filled cannoli being the best. Much better than the more touristy Mike's Pastry down the street; it's where the locals go. For one thing, they make their pastries on-site instead of having them made somewhere else. more
new england aquarium
Address 1 Central Wharf, boston, ma Map, Tel 617-973-5200 Call, Website
Pack a lunch and enjoy an entire day watching the fish in the multi-leavel tank. Enjoy the different type of penguins. They have just added a petting zoo with sharks and sting rays. So much fun for kids of all ages! more
The Freedom Trail
This was an amazing experience my husband and I did on our honeymoon. It is a tour of Boston's most historic areas and monuments that you can take a guided tour or just walk on your own. My husband and I walked, it is completely free and you can find guided maps to take you along. There are famous cemetaries, the site of the Boston Massacre and Bunker Hill, just to name a few. Great opportunity to make history come alive! more
The Greenway
Address 185 Kneeland Street, 7th Floor Boston, MA 02111 Map, Tel (617) 292-0020 Call, Website
The Greenway spans a section of inner Boston that was once an above ground artery. Now it is a green park and has a section that is a sprinkler park. Just across the way is Fanieul Hall and it is a very short walk to the Boston Children's Museum! more
Twinkle Star Baby
Address 7 Upland Road Cambridge, MA 02140 Map, Tel 617--300-0177 Call, Website
Located in Porter Square, Twinkle Star Baby Boutique offers stylish clothing, toys, and accessories for newborns through preschoolers. Founded by Kerri Friedlaender, a local mom who was surprised at the lack of a trendy children's boutique in her Cambridge/Somerville neighborhood, Twinkle Star caters to the sensibilities of modern parents with hip graphics, environmentally friendly clothing, and safe mindful toys. More than a store, Twinkle Star is a friendly destination for all families with a comfortable bright play area. The play space is always open to parents and their young children. Often the play space is used for parent organized playgroups. more
