Boston - 2 Days
 

I will spend a June Sat/Sun in Boston (first time) with wife and 3 yr old daughter. What are your top five must see spots? We have Freedom Trail, Hotel and Food arranged.

Be sure to stroll the Public Gardens and take a photo of your daughter at the "Make Way For Ducklings" sculptures.

Childrens museum a must as is teh acquarium my 3 yr old loved both

Duck Tour (make reservations in advance), Swan Boat, Freedom Trail, USS Constitution, new immigration museum in the financial district. <BR>

Oh and the Tea Party tour is fun and historic. You will also find the spot near the Fanuiel Hall area where the "Boston Massacure" happened, it is a plaque in the middle of the street not far from Old City Hall. Lots of History everywhere you look in that part of Downtown. Most of the Buildings are National Landmarks. <BR> <BR>Also have lunch or dinner at Durgin Park, lots of fun, and good food. Another favorite is the Union Oyster House, just a block away, great bisque and stews there. <BR> <BR>The swan boat was also mentioned and that is alot of fun for your little one, you get a bit of a tour of Boston Garden, which is a beautifully done formal garden area, and across the street is the Boston Common. On the books, the only place you can legally graze cattle, of course cows are legally kept out of the city. Once as when I was a kid, someone helicoptered in a cow, as a kind of joke and technically since the cow was there legally, it was a problem to have it removed. LOL. <BR> <BR>Also you might try some of the restaurants in Chinatown, several have good Dim Sum on the weekends. <BR> <BR>YOu will have a great time in Boston. <BR>

Before you see the Public gardens, the swan boats, and the ducklings statues, read the book Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCluskey to your three yr old. She'll be enchanted.

Also try Harvard Square--it's not as cool as it used to be, but still an interesting place to visit. As for the dim sum places--China Pearl on Tyler Street is hottest place, but prepare for a long wait. Also take a stroll down Newbury Street in the Back Bay and do some people watching. <BR> <BR>

These are our top five choices with children though I don't necessarily think all in one weekend but worth a try! Swan Boats (go early there are lines), Aquarium, Childrens Museum(they love the Arthur exhibit,they have a wonderful educational toy store and getting a snack from the Milk Bottle restaurant outdoors), Museum of Science (esp. the Childrens Discovery Room) and Faniuel Hall (for shops, places to eat and very fun for children if there are performers or special events going on). Have fun!

I need to correct AnnK - the swan boats and Make Way for Ducklings are in the Public Gardens, not Boston Gardens (if you ask a local for directions, they will think you mean Boston Garden, which is where the Celtics play). <BR> <BR>Anyhow, I live in Boston and have a 3 y.o. daughter, so here's my top 5 with her: <BR> <BR>1. New England Aquarium (even has some hands-on exhibits) <BR>2. Harvard Square (some people think it has lost some of its charm, but to an out of towner like you it will still be interesting). A break for you: sit on a bench in Harvard Yard and let your kid run around and burn off some energy. <BR>3. Copley Square area (Back Bay, Newbury St) <BR>4. while in the North End (on the Freedom Trail), stop into Mike's Patries and load up on awesome Italian pastries <BR>5. Boston Common/Public Gardens (swan boat rides, ducks to feed, etc.) <BR> <BR>I did not include Faneuil Hall nor any of Boston's historic sites, since they are on the Freedom Trail and -therefore- already on your itinerary). <BR> <BR>Have a great time. Remember, Boston is a walking city, so bring a stroller and plan on taking many rests with your daughter. Enjoy!

We were just in Boston for 2 days (no kids though) but since the Duck tours weren't running, (March) we enjoyed the Trolley tour that was hop on hop off and was lead by a series of very knowledgeable guides. It was a great way to see the city or parts of the Freedom trail that interest you without having to traverse the entire trail on foot. We also really loved the aquarium that had plenty of interactive exhibits that would be appropriate for children.