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Revolutionary Fun in Boston
Get Brainy in Boston, Massachusetts
By Maria T. Olia
Cobblestones and trolleys. Virtual fish tanks and Harvard hip. Boston, Mass., is certainly about Colonial American history. Paul Revere of "one if by land, two if by sea" fame really is big here. And kids will have plenty of "Oh, yeah, I heard about that in school" moments. But Yankee ingenuity means that Boston museums and attractions are loaded with fun stuff to see and do.
And although Boston has a reputation of being a bit brainy – there are more than 100 colleges in the Boston metropolitan area – the student population gives the city a definite youthful vibe. Boston is old provincial capital meets happening college town.
Boston streets are often short, narrow and winding, like the cow and footpaths the city was first built on. The city is billed as "America's Walking City" because it really is the best way to get around!
The MBTA, or simply the "T," is another great option – it is still token operated and a cinch to use. With a token, it will take you most anywhere in town.
Shh! Don't Tell Your Kids These Sights Are Educational!Be sure to follow the Freedom Trail, the red brick path that snakes through the heart of Boston and includes many important sites of the American Revolution. Walking the Freedom Trail is free, but school-age kids will definitely get more from a guided tour.
The Freedom Trail Foundation Walking Tour begins at the Boston Common Visitor Center on Tremont St. The 90-minute walking tour goes by historical places like the Boston Massacre Site and the Old State House. The costumed guides are both educators and actors. The younger guides have a "Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean