Any suggestions? We'll be there in late July on our way to Maine.

Have you been to Boston before? Visiting the Kennedy library when you first arrive works well because you can get there by car, no trouble parking then go to hotel and park the car for the rest of your time. Trying the Culinary tour of Chinatown this weekend which includes a dim sum lunch. Have been on the Culinary Tour of the North End and enjoyed it very much. See what kind of show you can see at night at discount ticket booth. If you're on Friday or Sat fun to check out Haymarket pushcart vendors. Good time to pick up some fresh fruit and generally enjoy the hubub. Very crowded on Saturdays. Get some pastry and other goodies in North End. Shop Quincy Market area or just people watch.

Any suggestions?

Who is "WE"? Is it one couple in their 70s, or in their 20s? Is it a family of 4 with teenagers or with toddlers? Is it an extended family of 8 with babies and grandparents?

What are your interests? Shopping? Museums? History? Sports?

I can come up with 10 different itineraries for 1.5 days in Boston, based on various itnerests.

I suggest you start here: http://www.fodors.com/world/north-am...usetts/boston/
Once you have more basic ideas of what you want to see/do, you can post here with some sort of itinerary and we can comment on it.

For us, the Freedom Trail was a don't miss. We also loved going to a Red Sox game, but tickets are hard to come by. The duck tour is good for a quick overview of the city. Don't forget to get some cannoli and gelato!

Our family is my husband and me, three kids (13, 11 and 6) and my parents, both 70. We like history. We like everything. Just want to get an overview of the city before we drive to Maine for the week.

Here you go, "Following the Freedom Trail"
http://www.fodors.com/world/north-am...ure_30009.html

and
http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/

The trail is 2.5 miles long; with young children and older parents, it'll probably take you guys 1.5 days to finish the entire trail - stopping for food, attractions, and breaks along the way.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that the weather is perfect. Boston is an awesome outdoors city on a warm, sunny day. Great for walking and sightseeing.

The Freedom Trail is, in my opinion, a *must do* for Boston if you like history. http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/ . It's worth it to go over to Bunker Hill/Old Ironside if your parents are up to the walk. You can then take the ferry back to the Quincy Market area. nb: Old Ironside is not open on Mondays - http://www.history.navy.mil/ussconst...nformation.htm

There are organized tours but I prefer to get the guide and do it at our own pace. One of your kids might enjoy being the tour guide.

We like to get Canoli from Mike's in Little Italy to take with us when we go up to Maine (my dad has a cabin on a lake up there). http://www.mikespastry.com/specialties.html

The Boston Museum of Science is great fun - especially for kids.

Ok - so with that in mind, and assuming you are planning a full day and then half you could do something like this...

Boston Common Freedom Trail Office - pick up guide
Freedom Trail to Faneuil Hall
Lunch at The Union Oyster House (oldest restaurant in US - historical and good food)
continue on Freedom Trail get some Gelato in Little Italy.
Continue to Old North Church then over to Bunker Hill then to the USS Constitution (old ironside).
Do the Old Ironside tour.
Take the Ferry back to town. There is a metro stop right near the ferry so you'll probably want to go back to your hotel at this point. For dinner I would go somewhere in Beacon Hill.
Next day in the morning go to the Museum of Science, have lunch in Chinatown and then swing by Mike's in Little Italy to pick up the canoli (my husband drives around the block while I run in - easier than trying to park). Head on up to Maine.

Hope that helps...
Heather

Heather, awesome itinerary! That sounds great. I'm printing it out...

one more thing - between Copps Hill Burial Ground and Bunker Hill there really isn't much to see. It's only a mile but could be worth catching a cab if you're feeling a bit walked out. Have Fun!

I just did the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) tour yesterday. There is another ship close by from WWII that you can tour also.

The tours are completely FREE! The USS Constitution is undergoing some repairs so the tour groups are smaller which makes it much better. Make sure you ask extra questions of the guides as there are other things on the boat they may not explain.

All of the guides are enlisted Naval personnel, not actors.

It was such a nice day yesterday, Jaya! I need to visit the USS Contitution some time (my last visit was probably 10-15 years ago)! The other ship is USS Cassin Young.
http://www.nps.gov/bost/planyourvisit/guidedtours.htm

To the OP, I'll repeat this again, doing the entire Freedom Trail in ONE single day is a lot - as there are 16 stops along the way - esp when you have young children AND older parents.

Yesterday was a gem among an otherwise dreary start to the summer here!

The USS Cassin Young is self guided, but by the time we finished the USS Constitution is was after 4pm and the Cassin Young was closed.

I have never done the Freedom Trail. Next nice weekend I'm going to start it and see how far I get.