We are traveling to Boston for the first time this summer in mid July with a teenage girl age 16 and boy age 14. I want to cover as much as possible but still hold their interest (as they are not huge history buffs). Any suggestions of where the best use of our limited time should be spent?

check out
http://improvboston.com/

THey have an improv comedy night for families, teens tend to really enjoy it.

Walk the Freedom Trail - I know you said they are not into history, but you could just walk straight thru entire length in about an hour or so, and you see cool old buildings and cemetaries even if you stop at nothing else. Ice cream places and Starbucks along the way if they complain. The almost end point is at Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market area - bribe the girl with shopping there (lots of cute little shops) and the boy with food from the scores of food vendors.

A little further along Freedom Trail is Old Ironsides (big old historic wooden hull ship). It is interesting, even if you ignore the history part.

If it is hot, a Harbor Cruise is fun, or take one of the harbor cruise shuttles that go to one of the Boston Harbor islands (there is a website for these, if you can't find it or someone else doesn't know, repost and I will research)

Duck Tour if you haven't already done one in a zillion other cities - they do a little "history lite" in the commentary.

If you want to spend a lot of money from a ticket broker, go to a Red Sox game (as they are already sold out), but you could also just take a Fenway Park Tour.

If by chance they are into art, Museum of Fine Arts and Isabel Stewart Gardner Museum are good.

Look at some of the colleges right in Boston - who knows, one of them may like the city so much they return for college and this will save you a trip later.

I am not crazy about New England Aquarium, but if it rains, a possibility - unfortunately on those days it is often mobbed with camp groups and the layout is not a great one for crowds.

If you live far from the ocean, take the train to Manchester (Singing Beach) - an OK beach but has advantage of having no non-resident parking so it usually is not that crowded.

If you are here on a weekend, there is almost always some Italian saint festival (sorry, am neither Catholic nor Italian so do not remember correct name for these) in the North End (Italian section). Street vendors, procession where they carry the saint statue and people pin money to it.

Eat food in a North End restaurant - walk around and read menus on windows and see what appeals to you.

Go to Harvard Square in the evening. It is the most unique collection of people I have seen in many US cities - everything from businessmen to Harvard stereotypes (even in the summer) to a group of eclectic teenagers that hang out around "The Pit" near the MBTA stop. Usually some street musicians ranging from terrible to outstanding.

Pick up the Boston Globe calendar section or read on-line (published with paper on Thursdays) which will list all sorts of special things going on when you are here, many free. Since summer in Boston lasts about 6 weeks, we manage to cram a lot of things into that time, so there is always something going on.

Have a great trip - I love this city except that winter lasts 6 months.

For teens, I'd recommend the Museum of Science. Check out their Imax offerings and special exhibitions at www.mos.org

Many kids who aren't into big art museums get a kick out of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, which is quirky, personal, and full of treasures.

There will be lots to do outdoors in mid-July, though the saints' festivals in the north End don't start til the end of hte month, there are some processions in July:

http://www.northendboston.com/news-religious.htm

Probably not "worth the trip" just for themselves, but easy to combine with wonderful North End food even when there's no festival, and just a few blocks from Faneuil Hall/Quincy Marketplace.

If the weather is typical for mid-July, I would not foist the entire Freedom Trail on anybody; get a map, choose a section of it.

Anon - good point about weather and Freedom Trail in heat (although our guests from Madrid found 85-90 degree heat in the summer normal for them!)

Take the Old town trolley tour.A harbour boat tour is included. You get an overall view and can the decide where their interest lies.Paul

If you want a tour, be sure to check out the Duck Tours as well as trolleys. Most kids (and Fodors posters) would choose the Duck Tours, they're lots of fun, covermuch of the same area, and go into the river.

Thanks for all of your input. We are looking forward to visiting Boston!

if the weather is really hot, check out the ferries out to Provincetown on the outer cape. It would take up te entire day, but a great excape from the heat!

There is also a tour of fenway park that runs almost every day.

Take a ferry to George's Island. My kids always get a charge out of that place.

You've gotten some great ideas. I'd add North End to them. Cambridge is a great little city, as someone else recommended. Besides Harvard Sq, you could check out Inman and Central Squares. Also, Davis Square in Somerville. Definitely Fenway Park. Ferry to Provincetown is terrific idea-as is a whale-boat ride either from P-town or Boston. Weather will be hot and sticky. You might be able to catch a show-both our Theater District and regional theater are good. Also many venues for any other kind of music you could want. As noted before, check out the Calendar Section of the Boston Globe, which comes out every Thursday.

and .......Bunker Hill Monument is another interesting way to get a great view of the city.

You can also share a bit of my family history. My Grandmother played with her dolls at the base of the monument while it was being built, she and her lifelong friend Mary. My Grandmothers uncles (my Great Uncles) helped lay the top stone on the monument. The two brothers fought in opposite sides of the Civil War and met each other on the battlefield twice. They came home to Chelsea, with minor injuries. Don't know if the reason why one fought for the South made it through the family history, but stories like this make seeing the monument a bit more interesting.

Have a great time, and when you land at Logan Airport the houses you think you might land ON are part of a little town called Winthrop, wave hello for me.

There are several websites that might help you out:
the www.gobostoncard.com, even if you do not buy the card, is a good site for an overview of things to do in Boston. The kids (and you) might like a day on Boston Harbor and to the islands (some history, but also fun to be on the water and see Boston from that view) www. bostonislands.com - plus most teens like the waterfront area.

Kids also usually like the Prudential Center Skywalk - observatory w/ fabulous views on a good day and exhibit on history of city, (maybe they'll get a little history through osmosis of some sort by at least glancing at it!!)

You can walk the Freedom Trail, as Gail said, you can take your time and do the parts that interest you. www.thefreedomtrail.org will give you an idea of what you would pass/ etc - most teens still get a kick out seeing even the old north church and paul revere's house, eating in the north end, roaming the streets, eating at Mikes pastry, people watching in that area.

also the cityofboston.gov site lists a lot of good info.

Most kids like Harvard Sq in Cambridge , and as Gail mentioned, check out the 'pit' area, plus just walking around in and out of stores, harvard (which has national history museum)

In boston: walking along the Charles River esplanade, -lots of activity there in summer and many free concerts, usually sponsored by local radio station and the Boston Parks -might be one there during your stay, you can check on mass.gov/mdc/special events, although they may not be planned until much closer to spring/summer - or you can find out when you arrive

Get a guide book and have them do some research on the trip -- find things they want to do. They are old enough to participate in planning the trip.

You've been given good suggestions. I would do Duck Tours, North End (definitely for history and eating), Charlestown (the Warren Tavern is a great place for lunch with colonial flavor), Harvard Square (your kids would love the local color and Harvard is worth seeing), Museum of Science (if it rains--Aquarium is too expensive these days, I think), Fenway Park tour if you like baseball, Newbury Street for shopping/looking, Public Garden and swan boat rides for quintissential Boston experience, ride the T (our subway).

If you have a car, biking the Battle Road trail in Lexington/Concord gives you history with exercise. Plimoth Plantation is also very interesting for all ages.

Check Boston.com for entertainment listings. If you can catch an outdoor concert at the Hatch shell (where the Boston Pops play at 4th of July) that's a treat or a City Hall outdoor concert.

And to wantsomesun....how ironic that you have a strong connection to Charlestown! You were a great help to me in planning my November trip to Harbour Island and I lived for seven years on High St. in Charlestown just two blocks from the Bunker Hill monument!