Looking for that remarkable family vacation? Look no further than Boston! The heart of New England and one of the oldest and most historic cities in America, Boston will bring history to life for your kids as you walk the Freedom Trail, explore the 1797 frigate USS Constitution and visit Harvard Yard, MIT, the renowned Berklee College of Music and top-rated museums. "Beantown" will entertain, educate and have you all smiling from ear to ear. Now, you may be wondering if Boston is a safe or appropriate vacation spot after the unfortunate Boston Marathon bombing; the answer is YES! The City of Boston and surrounding areas have been working hard to ensure the city is safe and secure. These new measures may actually make it one of the safer places to enjoy the 4th of July this year. Additionally, we've developed some recommendations for fun and educational sightseeing options that will keep your entire family entertained:
- Boston is one our country's oldest active seaports and seeing the Boston skyline from the water is breathtaking. Take a brief Boston Harbor Cruise and learn about the beginning of our nation.
- Take your kids for a drive and boat ride...in the same vehicle! Hop aboard a Boston Duck Tour. Learn the lay out of the city and some of the history and lore as you are guided on land and water in a WWI Amphibious vehicle.
- At the New England Aquarium experience a world of wonder at the Ray Touch Tank; for sensory overload, nothing beats the 4-story Giant Ocean Tank. Next head over to the Museum of Science. It will delight with over 500 hands-on/ minds-on exhibits, giant movies, celestial adventures and laser shows mixing music and techno-artistry.
- "Don't touch!" is never heard at the Boston Children's Museum. Visit The Recycle Shop to inspire creativity and imagination. Got Milk? Look for the Hood Milk Bottle -- it's 40 feet tall, and holds 58,620 gallons!
- Harvard Museum of Natural History displays thousands of amazing real specimens -- Ice Age mammals, whale skeletons, lions, tigers, plus meteorites and rare minerals. Look for the 42 foot Kronosaurus with banana-sized teeth.
- Catch a game or a tour of Fenway Park, the oldest major league baseball park in the country.
- Walk in the footsteps of America's forefathers on the 2.5 mile Freedom Trail. Highlights include the Boston Common, Park Street Church, King's Chapel, Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere House and Bunker Hill Monument. The Black Heritage Trail and the Irish Heritage Trail are self-guided tours to landmarks of Irish-American artists and bring to life the struggles of heroes from past to present. Walk to the Sea is Boston's newest tour, encompassing four centuries of the city's history.
- Cross Union Street and order up a cup or bowl of clam chowder at the Union Oyster House, Boston's oldest restaurant dating to 1826, where legend has it that Daniel Webster would consume a half dozen oysters and a tumbler of brandy and water - usually six times per seating.
- Prudential Skywalk Observatory: Who says you can't sightsee and shop at the same time? Located on the 50th floor of Boston's second tallest skyscraper, the Observatory offers a cutting-edge audio tour against 360-degree views of Boston and beyond. After a woozy, breathtaking twirl, take the elevator back down to shop at the stores.
- Emerald Necklace: Designed in 1896, Boston's six connected public parks and waterways span from the Back Bay to Dorchester with green open spaces, rivers and ponds, bridges, monuments and wildlife. Parks include Boston Common, Public Garden, Black Bay Fens with its Victory Garden and Jamaica Pond -- a family favorite!
- Best Day Trip Ever...Discover America's earliest foundations as you travel back in time at Plimoth Plantation and Mayflower II, then visit some of the most historic houses, museums and monuments in Massachusetts -- including the statue of Massasoit and the legendary Plymouth Rock, known as the 'Landing Place of the Pilgrims.'
- In its 40th year, the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular receives over 500,000 visitors from New England and around the globe. Another seven million tune in nationally to view the event live during a one-hour primetime special.
- Only on the 4th of July each year, the USS Constitution, (Old Ironsides) the oldest commissioned war ship in the world leaves its berth as a floating museum under full sail into the Boston Harbor.
- Boston Harborfest is a Fourth of July Festival that showcases the colonial and maritime heritage of the cradle of the American Revolution. Considered the largest patriotic celebration in the nation, the award-winning festival strives to honor and remember the past, celebrate the present, and educate the future with reenactments, concerts, historical tours and much, much more.
This year, come back to where it all began. Come to Boston.