Where to stay in Boston with kids?

Old Mar 9th, 2011, 11:24 AM
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Where to stay in Boston with kids?

My husband and I are bringing our 2 children, ages 6 & 2, to Boston in August and would like to know the best area to stay that would be close to the major attractions.
We have considered using Hotwire to book a hotel but it would be beneficial to know the best areas (Financial district, waterfront, etc) to stay in, in order to narrow the choices.
We are looking to do the duck tours, trolley, aquarium, quincy market and boston public garden if this helps narrow things down. We also have tickets to a Red Socks game but we aren't concerned about being close to Fenway.
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Old Mar 9th, 2011, 11:46 AM
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The best areas would be:

Quincy Market/Faneuil Hall area
Financial District is fine too
Theatre District/Back Bay is also good

Probably not waterfront, if it means the convention center area.
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Old Mar 9th, 2011, 11:53 AM
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I agree with YK (and almost always do
The waterfront is fine if its in the area near Faneuil Hall and the Aquarium...like the Marriot Long Wharf. But those hotels near the Seaport are a little further off the beaten track.

I think the area around Back Bay and Copley place is fine. and there are tons of hotels there. The Lenox, Colonnade, Copley Fairmont, Westin, Back Bay Hilton...these are all very convenient. The Duck Tour starts from Copley. You can walk to Fenway from Back Bay, it takes maybe 20 minutes.

The city is pretty small, and the T easy to use, so wherever you choose, you will have no trouble getting from one place to another. Your budget is more likely to be a limiting factor.
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Old Mar 9th, 2011, 12:21 PM
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Marriot Long Wharf might be a good choice:
It's on the harbor so there are lots of things for the kids to see out the windows.
It's built right over a T stop, so it's easy to get around the city.
It's right next door to the aquarium
It's very close to Quincy Market and the North End
There is a fair amount of green space nearby for the kids to unwind.
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Old Mar 9th, 2011, 12:26 PM
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I stayed at Marriott Long Wharf last March (the weekend after the big rainstorm; it was in the 70s and sunny) and I have the same opinion as Zootsi. It is a nice area and there were tons of people on the green and around that whole area watching the boats, etc. It was really nice.
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Old Mar 9th, 2011, 09:20 PM
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We stayed at the Marriott Custom House, which is about 2 blocks from the Marriott Long Wharf. It's in a beautiful historic building. Close to the waterfront, aquarium, and Quincy Market. Columbus park is nearby, as is the Italian North End. Tour buses depart from the wharf area.
The hotel itself was very nice. The rooms have a kitchenette with a fridge, microwave, sink, utensils & dishes. There is NOT a pool, if this is important to your 6 year old. On the other hand, if you go to the top floor, there is a laundry room and a very small game room (couple of pinball tables, tv, air hockey game). And there is an observation deck which wraps around the entire top of the hotel and provides gorgeous views of the waterfront.
I believe the hotel also has timeshare rooms you can rent, which have a fuller kitchen.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.co...www.google.com
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Old Mar 10th, 2011, 04:32 PM
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We want to do a tour on our first day to get used to where everything is but don't know if The Old Town Trolley or the Beantown Trolley tour is better??

We also definitely want to do the Duck Tour....
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Old Mar 18th, 2011, 06:46 PM
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I'd go with the Long Wharf Marriot too - location is perfect and there's even a carousel across the greenway in the summer! I don't think you need to do a trolley and a Duck Tour, as they cover a lot of the same areas/content. The Ducks are pricey, but way more fun for kids. Where are you from? If you don't live near an ocean, then a ferry out to the Harbor Islands might be fun too. There's a little swimming beach on Spectacle Island or an old military fort at George's Island, depending on your interest. My kids love wading in the Frog Pond on the Common and getting soaked in the fountains on the Greenway (near the Aquarium). Since they can only tour so much, the Common, Commonwealth Ave. mall, and Christopher Columbus Park (by Long Wharf) all have good playgrounds for down time. Enjoy your visit!
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