We’ve been to Boston two times. In August 2017, we took a trip to the Northeast, hitting five states in ten days. Starting in Massachusetts and making our way to Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maine it was a quick but fun road trip mixing history and nature. Our second visit was another short 2 days on the back end of a trip to Maine. It’s one of our favorite US cities.
How to Get Here
There are many options for getting to Boston, air and car being the easiest. Amtrak is also a feasible option for those already on the East Coast. It was a direct flight for us from Seattle to Boston. We utilized public transportation and ride shares in Boston itself and then rented a car for the remainder of the trips where we explored other Northeast states. Boston Logan International Airport is very close to downtown. Public transportation from the airport is available but we chose a ride share since the cost was reasonable and it was much quicker.
Trip Length
On our first trip, we were in Boston for three full days. This was definitely enough time to get a good feel for the city, but our days were packed, and we still missed a few highlights. If you like a more leisurely pace or are very interested in history, we recommend four or five days.
Where to Stay
In 2017, we used points from Amanda’s work travel and stayed at the Courtyard Boston Downtown. The hotel is a nice Marriott property and is conveniently located. We were able to easily walk to a lot of the main attractions and there were plenty of dining options close by. In 2024, we stayed at Yotel Boston. This has the feel of a European hotel room. Very small and modern but since we don’t spend a lot of time in our hotel rooms, this worked really well for us. It is in the heart of the Seaport neighborhood which seems like it’s been revitalized recently. It’s also easy to walk across one of the bridges to get to downtown Boston.
What to Do
Being one of the older cities on the east coast, there is a ton of history in Boston. We prefer to walk around when we explore new places, and it was definitely easy to do here. We took a stroll on the Freedom Trail and visited many of the important historical sites still protected today in the city. Boston would also be a really good place to have a weekend getaway with friends. Lots of good restaurants, bars, pubs in a condensed area with lots of lodging options.
The Go Boston pass gave us discounts on a lot of the tourist activities with an added bonus of transportation on the Hop-On Hop-Off trolley. There are forty-five attractions to chose from and it gives you a lot of freedom to pick and choose what interests your group. A few of the spots we hit were the New England Aquarium, Old State House Museum, Paul Revere House, and the Old South Meeting House. There are a lot of kid-friendly options as well for those traveling with little ones.
The Aquarium has a huge cylinder tank in the middle of the building that is a few stories tall. So cool to see the creatures from many angles. This is a great spot for kids. It’s also great for those hot days when you need a few hours break in the air conditioning. The Boston Children’s Museum is located in Seaport along with Martin’s Park (kid tested and approved).
Old South Meeting House and Old State House are historic buildings in the heart of downtown. These buildings represent the original site of the Boston Tea Party and the original seat of colonial government & later state capitol, respectively. We visited the Old South Meeting Hall for free in 2017 but unfortunately the Old State House was not open. In 2020, ‘Revolutionary Spaces’ was formed and there is now an admission fee to enter both buildings. Exhibits on topics that range from the revolution to slavery are included in the price of admission and additional tours are available on the website.
Old North Church, the launch point for Paul Revere’s ride found in the North End neighborhood. Still functioning as a church, admission is free but there are also tours available.
Charleston Navy Yard – Part of the Boston National Historical Park, this is one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities of the Navy and is home to the USS Constitution.
USS Constitution – Step aboard the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat. Admission is free!
Boston Public Garden and Boston Common provide a touch of nature in the heart of the city. This is one of Amanda’s favorite parts of the city. Similar to experiencing Central Park in NYC, stepping into these green spaces smack dab in the middle of the city feels like you’ve been transported to a completely different place. Musicians play music, families have picnics, couples read their books, it’s just so peaceful. The Swan Boats are a well-known symbol. Family owned and operated since 1877, they are a classic whether you’re watching them from under a tree or taking the quick spin around the pond.
No trip to Boston would be complete without catching a game at Fenway Park. It was a great day for a game and seeing one of the iconic American ballparks was a highlight of the trip (even with those tiny little seats).
Bring a pair of comfortable shoes and make sure to walk around the city, taking in the sights. For us, the city feels safe and is so clean compared to some of the other cities in America these days. Here are a few photos of some of the sights we saw while exploring. We’ll be back Boston!
