sfmaster

We are a family of 4 (kids 6 and 3) landing at Logan at noon. We have to wait around until 6pm to meet another family member before we hit the road to Cape Code for family wedding.

After doing some quick searching... I was thinking of the following plan.

Land - get luggage and pick up car (install car seats/store luggage in car) park car back at airport. Then take bus to water taxi terminal. Take taxi to aquarium area. Let kids run around, grab something to eat and then head back to meet our arrival.

I figure it will be 2pm before we are heading for the water taxi. It isn't a lot of time at our destination but we figured the journey would be fun and help us kill time.

Questions:
I figured rent the car first so we know all that is settled and have place for luggage. Is there something though about airport that makes this a bad idea? Is parking super expensive at the airport for 5-6 hours?

If we don't go into the aquarium or commit to any particular site, but just hang out run around, is that a decent plan? Are there benches, places to walk and sit, enough of a vibe to enjoy just soaking it up?

Appreciate any help.

joethekay

You may want to check out parking at the Hyatt Harborside Hotel which is directly adjacent to the water taxi pier. You may have to pay around $ 15 to park there or at the airport garages.
The water taxi costs $ 17 RT per adult children ride free.
Another thought would be to ride the MBTA BLue Lne from the airport station
A shuttle bus connect all terminals to the T stop and ride to Revere Beach which is a funky area just east of the airportwith a boardwalk and a sandy beach ideal for walking. Fare on the MBTA is 1.25 pp each way. The Blue line also runs into Boston with a stop at the Aquarium and State street/Fanueil Market, which is another great area to walk around especially with kids. Enjoy.

Anonymous

I agree: Taking the subway just a couple of stops to the Aquarium area makes more sense than the water taxi. Thee's a nice waterfront park for the kids to run around.

dfrostnh

It's been years since I went to the Aquarium but isn't it within walking distance of Quincy Market? Sometimes there are street performers. There's lot of benches and places to get snacks. There's a huge pedestrian area between two long buildings full of shops. If it's a Friday, the pushcart vendors are next door at Haymarket. It wasn't crowded on Friday afternoon but on Saturday it was very crowded, too much for small children but a great place to get fresh fruit.

gail

Where are you meeting family member - if it is back at airport, I like your plan of leaving car at airport. If it is not, then after you pay for water taxi and parking at Logan, you might do just as well to drive to Aquarium or other area and park car in garage. If it is a weekend, you can get a cheaper rate than weekdays.

If you are not going to see Aquarium, then I agree go to Quincy Market/Faneuil Hall area. Lots of vendors to get something to eat, tables to sit at, and short walk to waterfront park for kids to race around.

Some of your planning depends on where you are meeting other family member. Another thought is even if they are flying into Logan, have them take mbta and meet you in Boston rather than hauling kids back and forth - unless they are also hauling kids.

If you run the kids around enough they may sleep on the way to the Cape.

joan

Why not just drive?
I looked into the water taxi (to see if it would take me to Black Falcon cruise pier) and it was not cheap, and I believe on weekends you have to call for it and then wait, it is not regular. After you add the cost of four people, and factor in parking that rental car at the airport, it seems easier and cheaper just to drive to the sites you want to see, then return to the airport to pick up the last person.

Or perhaps you could pick up the rental car when you return to the airport, thus saving hours and dollars?

Kathysa

I take my kids to the area by the aquarium fairly often and there's plenty of space to hang out. Behind the Marriott Long Wharf are benches and a park area. Faneuil Hall is across a couple of streets and a good place to wander around in. Next to the aquarium is a Cinemax theater so you could check out what 3d movies are playing if you have the time. Logan parking is around $5 per hour at the central garage, and I'd look into the water taxi or mbta (subway)if the weather is lousy. The blue line comes out right in front of the aquarium area. Rumor has it, getting out of the airport (for those who don't know the area well) is still a hassle due to the tunnel closing.
Hope that helps.

rb_travelerxATyahoo

If you want a boat ride as part of your experience, take a CHEAP water taxi (~$1.50) from near the Aquarium over to Charlestown Navy Yards, where you can visit "Old Ironsides" and the destroyer (name escapes me) next to it.

I would be tempted to just check with the auto agency to make sure the car will be available, and just leave your bags unclaimed at the airport while you visit the town. Return to get bags, car, and other traveler.

John_T_Cuttino

I agree with rb traveler.
Leave bags "unclaimed" to be picked up later. They will be put by the carrousels in a pile (you could also advise the baggage claim of your airline what you are doing, though they might give you a hard time). If you have anything "valuable" in them, take it out.
Then take the T to Aquarium/Fanueil Hall,etc. Come back, get bags, get car meet family member.

Ackislander

This is not an easy decision.

I agree that going to the Aquarium/Long Wharf/Columbus Park/Quincy Market with kids is a good idea. The food court at Quincy Market has better food at lower prices than anything at the airport, and if the weather is lousy, the Aquarium is a good place to kill time.

I do not agree about not picking up your luggage until hours later. Bad idea at Logan or anywhere else. No one ever checks luggage receipts, and the longer it is there, the more likely that someone will walk off with it.

If you are meeting the family member at Logan, take the T to Aquarium. It is fast and cheap.

If you are meeting them elsewhere, leaving the car at the airport is an awful lot of going back and forth for very little saving of money. I would buy the kids off with a snack, pick up and load the rental car, and drive to downtown (get directions) where I would park either at the Quincy Market, Post Office Square, or Government Center garages.

Do not park at the Aquarium Garage or the Marriott Long Wharf since their hourly rates are extortionate. When I lived in Harbor Towers next door, I used to want to stand in the street with a sign to tell families that much cheaper parking was available only blocks away.

You can do better cost-wise at some of the open air lots on Commercial Street or across the Channel by the Federal court house, but I would worry about leaving my stuff locked up in the car. Post Office Square has good security.

landlcochran

I would never leave my bags unclaimed. Best to gather them up and get the car. I thought the suggestion of parking at the Hyatt and taking the water shuttle from there is great - we've done that. Why do you want to go through the aggravation of driving and parking when you can take a scenic boat ride. It's worth a few extra $$.

It's also fun to walk around the North End - stop in for lunch or gelato at one of the Italian cafes.

lina

rb_travelerxATyahoo

I've left my bags unclaimed many times with no problems ... one could hang around and make sure airline personnel pick them up, or tell them as suggested by Mr. Cuttino. Besides, you've already entrusted them to the airline for a few hours already. I'd trust them more to be at the airport than in an over-loaded car in a parking garage (where a window was smashed & ALL our bags stolen once).

As far as aggravation of driving and parking ... if they DO drive & park at Hyatt or anywhere downtown, then they must then drive back to airport. Tt would be better to tell the one family member to take public transportation to downtown than for the other 4 to go back to Logan.

I guess "worth it" is quite subjective. They can use T r/t to Aquarium, and the T-water shuttle to get r/t to Charlestown all for about $10 (I think the kids will be free, at least the 3 y/o anyway) vs $34 for the water-taxi - and besides, the kids often find the subways an adventure. I'd rather spend that $24 for lunch or aquarium tickets.

landlcochran

rb_travelerrx,

The Hyatt is at the airport. You're 5 minutes from the terminal. The grounds are secure and you are not parking in a parking garage.

This would work if they are meeting someone flying in - the individual could take the hotel shuttle to the hotel.

L

rb_travelerxATyahoo

I was thinking of the Harborside Hotel ?? a bit south of the Aquarium. Whatever the name, I think it senseless to rent a car, drive downtown, pay to park, drive back to Logan, maybe park, and drive south again, as I inferred some were suggesting, nor do I see any benefit of using the airport water taxi. Maybe my Scottish is getting the best of me.

sfmaster

Here is an update on what we did - we had a great time.

We got the the airport (around noon after flight from ATL) and rented the car. We thought this was best because 1) we needed a place to store luggage 2) we didn't have to build in time or predict how long it would take to rent car at the back end...we had that business done with before so we knew how much time we had.. we thought it would be crazy to get back to the airport and for some small chance find out there was a problem or delay with our car and that we had just spent 3 hours hanging out in Boston. We had a quick picnic lunch before we left the airport.

We took the train (for convenience and to save $$) to the State Street stop. Super easy! We looked at a couple of stops on the Freedom trail, went through Quincy Market and Faneual Hall. Nice energy and people watching.

We then continued on Freedom Trail to North End and Paul Revere's house (about a 5-10 minute walk with kids). We loved the North End streets. Sat down for a gelati. Walked back toward Aquariam and looked out at harbor and boats before jumping on the train back to the airport. We were happy to not have been driving (because now it was 5pm and we weren't worried about traffic and much less stress about finding our way with all the construction). We met our aunt at her baggage claim from her flight. Now about 5:45.

We then went the the C concourse and had a lovely sit down dinner at Legal Seafood. Went to our car and left at about 7:30pm avoiding the major weeknight traffic, kids fed, and hit the road to Cape Cod for a great family wedding.

We did pay about $20 in parking for all those hours but again we had a place to keep all our luggage ( I am not sure what I said that gave some the idea that I would ever NOT pick up my luggage!)

It was only a few hours but it was so easy and we really felt we soaked up a little Boston flavor. We felt quite proud of ourselves given all of this was with 3 year old and 6 year old. It was a long day but worth it.

Thank you Fodors Folks for all the suggestions

rb_travelerxATyahoo

Thank you for the follow up. Glad all went well, especially your experiences with the "T". I often forget about how having some small ones along can complicate things.

gail

Thanks for giving us a follow-up.