Other Boston ideas...

[bettyandbob]

I asked about one museum. I think we will take in the Aquarium. Is there a rail or subway stop where a bunch of fun stuff is close together. We are a family with a 13 yob, 10 yog, and a almost 7 yob (with intellectual disabilities). We often split up for things because the needs of our youngest are far different than the others, but if we can avoid that it would be great.

 

13 yob thinks he wants to go to Harvard and wants to see it.

 

And in a perfect world someone will know great, inexpensive restaurant which can serve gluten free food, hopefully near some of the great sites we will visit. (I've check Yelp and have some restaurant listings).

 

thanks!

[kokotg]

you could see the glass flowers at Harvard! They're pretty cool, at least for the older kids. Marianne Moore mentions them in one of her poems. I can't really think of much "fun stuff close together" except maybe downtown (lots of Freedom Trail stuff, the Public Garden and Boston Common, swan boats, etc). Most of the museums are pretty spread out, but it's easy to get around on the T.

[kokotg]

oh. looks like the glass flowers are now part of the Harvard Museum of Natural History:

 

http://www.hmnh.harvard.edu/index.php

 

that sounds like a more exciting set up than when I saw them years ago.

[Philothea]

I think the Museum of Science is a lot more fun than the Aquarium.

 

I've been to other aquariums around the US, like the outstanding one in Baltimore, and I think the one is Boston is really overpriced and disappointing. I know that sounds really gloomy, but it was a loooong trip on the T for us to get there and I thought it would be so much more.

 

My husband still has not taken me to Faneuil Hall yet for lunch, though he has been promising me for the last 7 years. I hear there are a lot of food options there.

[kokotg]

I agree with the MOS v. Aquarium assessment (my DH used to work at the MOS, though, so I'm maybe biased). If you're up for some walking, you could make a lovely day of it by seeing the MOS and then walking through the Esplanade, along the river to the Charles MGH stop and taking the red line to Harvard. It's maybe a 20 minute walk?

[Amy in NH]

Quincy Market & Faneuil Hall are a lot of fun. I would definitely plan to eat there.

 

http://www.glutenfreeceliacweb.com/2008/06/20/massachusetts-gluten-freepart-1/

 

Edited to add: You can park in the garage at MOS and take the subway from there. It's much easier than some other places to hop on the T. Quincy Market is a very short walk from another T stop.

 

The Public Gardens/Swan Boats are also very nice if you have good weather.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

The MOS is wonderful! We spent two entire days there, and still wanted more! There's stuff for all ages, and all the hands-on activities are well maintained and they actually work! (at least that's the way it was two years ago when we were there).

 

I don't know about their aquarium.

 

We also enjoyed the Freedom Trail because we were studying American History at the time.

 

The duck boat rides were a big hit, too, and going to the top of the Prudential Bldg.

 

Dunkin' Donuts is on almost every street corner!

 

I love Boston, and want to go back!

Have fun,

Suzanne

[Philothea]

A lot of libraries in this state give discount passes to their card holders. I don't know if you would be able to get your hands on one, but in some towns it makes things like the MOS or Aquarium $5 per person, sometimes even free.

 

I know that quite a few towns allow vacationers to get a library card but I don't know if they let the people reserve a pass. I suppose if you had the card you wouldn't have to tell them you were from out of town.

 

Example:

http://www.town.ipswich.ma.us/library/ipl_info.html#Museum%20Passes

[bailey]

Betty,

I don't know if 5W!ts is still on your list of things to do, but here is what my friend who recently went told me. You'll work within a group of about 12 people to solve puzzles (she said there were musical note clues, reflect laser beams off mirrors, etc.). The puzzles were easy for her 10-12 year olds; she would recommend this more for ages 7-10. She said the set was good, there was nothing educational about ancient Egypt, and that the "spirit" that the group disturbs threatens harm. It takes about one hour. She said she thought it was overpriced and would not recommend it. HTH

 

As far as other things to do in Boston, I definately would recommend the MOS over the Aquarium. Also, it is fun just to go and walk around Quincy Market/Fanuel Hall. You'll see street performers there and from there you can walk to Boston Common/Public Garden where you'll see the Swan Boats and Frog Pond. You can also hop on the T wherever you are to get to Harvard, other musuems etc. The Children's Museum in Boston is also alot of fun.

 

Hope you all have a wonderful time while you're here!

bailey

[LMA]

A lot of libraries in this state give discount passes to their card holders. I don't know if you would be able to get your hands on one, but in some towns it makes things like the MOS or Aquarium $5 per person, sometimes even free.

 

I know that quite a few towns allow vacationers to get a library card but I don't know if they let the people reserve a pass. I suppose if you had the card you wouldn't have to tell them you were from out of town.

 

Example:

http://www.town.ipswich.ma.us/library/ipl_info.html#Museum%20Passes

 

To get a museum pass, you must reserve the pass ahead of time. There is only one pass for each institution per day. If it is taken for that day, you are out of luck. Then you must pick up the pass at the library that same day that you use it.

 

I recommend to the OP to check any museum/zoo memberships that she has and see if there is a reciprocal membership (free or discounted admission) for MoS or for the aquarium. We can get into the MoS for free with our zoo membership.

 

The MoS has a discount for homeschooled groups of 9 or more, which could mean just a family or two. I don't know if the OP's family is that large.

 

http://www.mos.org/field_trip_resources/field_trip_activities/tips_for_home_school_visitors

 

The other place I recommend is the Franklin Park Zoo, which is still in Boston, but toward Milton. Again, I would check reciprocal memberships to see if any apply to this zoo.

 

I also recommend the Museum of Fine Arts.

[KarenNC]

We loved the Boston Children's Museum, particularly the entire Japanese house inside.

http://www.bostonkids.org/

 

We chose to go to the Museum of Science over Fine Arts because of limited time and I was disappointed. At the time we went (two years ago), the website for the MOS said that they still had a mummy, but when we got there we found it had been on loan and returned. It was one of the things we really wanted to see while we were there and Fine Arts has some, IIRC. We have a good science museum (albeit smaller) at home, though, so that does make a difference, as well as my child being younger at the time.

[Philothea]

I totally forgot about the reciprocal agreements! Good idea!

[SkateLeft]

We went to Boston for 2 weeks last September, and my kids FAVORITE things were:

 

1. Walking the Freedom Trail, which we did twice.

2. The Museum of Science

3. The Museum of Fine Arts

4. Community boating

 

#3 was hands-down the biggest hit for my kids. We ended up spending two days there, because there was just too much to see. We could have spent a third day there as well!

 

We're an avid sailing family, so being able to rent a little boat so we could say we'd sailed on the Charles River was very cool. :D

 

We did not rent a vehicle, and took the subway everywhere. My husband was attending a conference, so we stayed in the downtown area (a few blocks from the public garden), and the kids and I were on our own all day.

[whitestavern]

By community boating, do you mean the duck tours? We took those several years ago and they sound hokey, but they're so much fun! There's a tour at 5 Wits, something about Egypt, haven't been but it's supposed to be good. Museum of Science is great, as is the Aquarium, although I agree that MOS is much better. The Children's museum is good for little ones.