Back east we go! First New York City, now Boston. Feel free to recommend any fun stuff with my three-year-old girl Anya. We’ll be there next weekend (after the swan boats shut down ).
The Freedom Trail, Harvard campus, and Prudential Tower are must-do’s. We got two full days, using the T from our hotel near the Bayside convention center (Red line: JFK/UMass). Places to eat would be most welcome. And since I’m walking around with a 3-year-old, I really don’t care if I look or act like a tourist.
I’ll actually be staying on Martha’s Vineyard most of the time. We may take a “road trip” to Woods Hole to the aquarium. It seems small, has anyone been there? Any good places for lunch?
My flight arrives in Logan at 2:30, would 3 hours be enough time to get to the Woods Hole ferry? Does it matter if I take Route 3 or I-495 to get there from Logan?
New England September weather: Is it shorts weather? Or short-sleeves and jeans? Or will a sweater be needed?
If I had two days in Boston I’d say that the Museum of Science and the New England Aquarium are the “must sees” (both are easily accessable with the subway). Although, at three your daughter may be too young to enjoy them. I don’t know. Parent dopers? Input?
The Children’s Museum is great (though, it does beg the question, "If there’s art in an art museum, what’s in a children’s museum?). It’s got climbing walls for people of sub-average size and a fun bubble display. Quincy Market is fun if you want to teach your child to beg for toys and junk food and shiny things for her hair. There are fun places to eat there that will be easy to find. I can’t think of the name of the one that has a sign outside that reads, ‘This restaraunt was here before you were born.’ They serve the food family style, which I think is fun.
If you can get there, the Minuteman Trail is a lovely walk and I think the weather should be great for this. Plus, Concord and/or Lexington are nice little towns where you could entertain a little one. Oh, so are Gloucester and my favorite, Salem.
3 hours is plenty. Take 95 south to 24 south to 495 south to 25 across the Bourne Bridge, the 28 all the way to Wood’s Hole. Avoid 3 and the Sagamore Bridge like the plague.
I know plenty of great restaurants on MV. What town are you staying in?
I do have ferry reservations. 6:15 reservations, my flight arrives at Logan at 2:40.
I pretty much spent every summer of my youth on the Vineyard, where my Grandma lived in Chilmark. Unfortunately, the main reason we’re going to pay our respects as she recently passed away.
However, Grandma was the type who told us not to spend more than 10 minutes at her funeral and demand that we enjoy the Vineyard, especially with Anya.
My relatives own Larsen’s Fish Market in Menemsha, so I won’t want for seafood. The only problem is I never cooked it, Grandma did.
We rarely ate out (why, when Grandma cooked the seafood), so I’d be pleased to hear any recommendations.
Interesting, I’ve not heard much about these places. I guess that’s from all those summers of Grandma’s cooking. Usually, we go up-island, like the Aquinnah restaurant in Gay Head and The Bite in Menemsha. We’d do Giordano’s pizza during our “Flying Horses night”.
The Children’s Museum (already noted) has recently been completelt refurbished. I have no idea what’s in it now, but it’s probably worth seeing (especially because they must have fixed all the broken things in the revamp).
I note that other Boston-area museums have kids’ sections. The Museum of Science has a kids room, with special section for kids under 5. The Peabody-Essex Museum in Salem has a kids’ room, and there’s a North Shore Children’s museum not far away (although they’ve revamped since last MilliCal was there).
I recommend the two zoos as wekll – Franklin Park Zoo is the larger, but the Stone Zoo has added new exhibits recently. Both have petting zoo barnyards and kids’ playgrounds.
Heck, just take her around Boston and let her look at the weird stuff – the street performers in Quincy Market near Faneuil Hall, the “Make Way for Ducklings” statues at the Public Garden. The giant Teddy Bear sculpture that used to be in front of FAO Schwarz, and the Tortoise and the Hare csvulptures now in Copley Plaza.
Second (third?) the suggestion for the Children’s Museum; also the Aquarium. A three-year-old won’t get much out of the Museum of Science or the Freedom Trail, though.
The aquarium in Woods Hole is awesome - small enough to really explore and wander and there’s also a room of “touch” exhibits. I’ve been going there forever and love it every time. I’d check the hours, though and the seals (they usually have several that they’re rehabbing in an outside exhibit) may have already been transferred to their winter home. Found a link: New England/Mid-Atlantic
Have a great trip!
Forgot to add: definitely bring long pants and sweaters/jackets/sweatshirts. Days are still pretty warm, but nights are getting chilly.
Turns out we made it to Woods Hole with plenty of time. However, I had reserved the wrong day on the ferry! Our flight left Hawaii on the 18th, so naturally I reserved the ferry online for the 18th. Did I mention that departing Hawaii was an overnight flight? Luckily they took pity on me and let me skip standby. I’d probably still be in Woods Hole.
We did it all, and I especially enjoyed showing Anya all the places I liked when I was little. Like walking the dock at Menemsha and riding the Flying Horses at Oak Bluffs. We did make it to Woods Hole for the Aquarium, as well.
My relatives gave us plenty of seafood; my uncle cooked Anya her very own lobster. Spoiled, I tell you.
Boston could’ve gone better. It rained the whole 48 hours we were there. I guess we’ll just have to go back!
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