A Destination Celebration

Whether as a destination in itself, or as a stop enroute to beaches to the south or the cooler climates of Maine, Boston is a great trip for a family. For a starter, Boston is the epicenter of American history and any visit – for adults or children – should take full advantage of visits to Paul Revere's home, the Old South Meeting Place, North Church, and the battlefields of Lexington and Concord, just across the Charles River, where the first shots of the American Revolution took place.  To remind our readers, the first act of rebellion against King George III and confiscatory British colonial taxation started in Boston Harbor with the famous Boston Tea Party, the iconic event leading up to the revolution.

American History Unfolds

A walking tour of Boston's North End will cover the major sites of early Boston.  On the waterfront where the colony grew, there is the new Harbor Walk, in the area of the early buildings of the city. Faneuil Hall, including Quincy Market, while touristy today, dates back to the 17th century. (Along the Harbor Walk is also the city's world-class New England World Aquarium, circa 1967.)  In the center of the city, take time to visit the Boston Common, the oldest park in American, which dates back to the 18th century, where British troops were garrisoned in colonial times.  Riding the Swan Boats in the summer is a must.

A tip for tourists: Whip around town in one of the Duck Tours. Utilizing the amphibious vehicles of World War II, the Duck Tours will take you to all the major Boston sites, plus a tour in the Charles River and across to the other side to view the U.S.S. Constitution, best known as Old Ironsides, the United States' oldest warship dating to 1779, as well as the Bunker Hill monument before crossing back to Boston proper.

Where to Stay and Where to Eat

Boston is known for its genteel hotels, notably the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, at the head of fashionable Newbury Street. Still a genteel hotel, where afternoon tea is an honored tradition, the Taj hotel chain has taken over the venerable 1927 hotel, while the new Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common, has a new address just a few streets away. There are also the Four Seasons Hotel, the Boston Marriott Copley Place and the Charles Hotel in Cambridge.  Now that the 15 year "big dig" has been completed, with the once-obtrusive overhead roads along the waterfront now sheltered underground, there are exciting new hotels with waterfront views.  Both the InterContinental Boston and the Boston Harbor Hotel enjoy the waterfront and easy access to the Harbor Walk and boat tours of the harbor.  On the street side, they face the idyllic Rose Kennedy Greenway which tops the underground maze of tunnels.

Iconic Julia Child helped to make Boston a gourmet hub by the time she published Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  Blessed with available fresh fish and produce, the restaurant scene is vibrant. The Union Oyster House, dating back to 1826, is Boston's oldest restaurant known for great seafood and chowder.  Legal Seafoods and Locke-Ober are other seafood favorites and Boston landmarks. Our Boston-local foodie friends speak highly of James Beard winner Barbara Lynch and her "gruppo" of restaurants including: B & G Oyster House, featuring an award-winning lobster roll; No. 9 Park, overlooking Boston Common; the upscale  Menton; and Sportello, recently named one of Bon Appétit Magazine's top 10 places for pasta.   Bistro du Midi on Boyleston Street gets raves, and no one should miss the North End as a destination for Italian Restaurants, a cultural legacy of the Italians who populated the area.

Culture and Sports

Culture rates high in this city of major academic centers. Its symphony, opera and museums are top-notch, especially the recently-refurbished Boston Museum of Art. While it is an encyclopedic museum with strength in all areas, the wealth of American art of the Colonial Period is a fine complement to a Boston visit.  The great paintings of the nation's early founders are important as well as their collections of colonial silver, including pieces by Paul Revere.  Nearby is the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, a great collection of world importance, and the scene of a still-unsolved major art theft.  Housed in a building modeled after a 15th century Venetian Palazzo, the Gardner Museum is a destination in itself.  The Fogg Museum of Harvard University is also a gem of a museum.

Bostonians, with all their assets, have yet other focus, almost a mania, and that is sports.  Any baseball enthusiast knows of the fanatic following of the Red Sox, the city's baseball team. Then there is the recent Stanley Cup winner, the Boston Bruins, who also have the passionate following of the city residents during the winter months. The Patriots fill the fall football season.  Last, but hardly least, are the many sports of the area's colleges.  Lucky is the visitor who catches the rowing on the Charles River and especially the late October Head Of The Charles Regatta, the world's largest two-day rowing event, similar in tradition to races held in England, such as the famed Henley Royal Regatta held each year in June.  The Head Of The Charles Regatta has grown tremendously, and today, more than 8,000 athletes from around the world compete in 55 different race events.

"Take Aways" for the Host and Hostess

While enjoying the family celebration, we encourage you to find a gift to remember the occasion.  Something for the home, especially for this site, from one of the unique shops is a natural inclination.  Our favorite in Boston is Devonia, newly moved to 15 Charles Street, whose collection of tableware is among the best anywhere and gives insight into the Gilded Age of dining. The shop's array of English porcelain and American and European stemware (especially from 1880-1920) exemplifies the craftsmanship of premiere artisans including Minton, Coalport, Baccarat, Steuben, Royal Worcester and Pairpoint, in addition to thousands of museum-quality pieces.

Charles Street is Beacon Hill's main street and is worth a visit for its charming homes as well as shops.  Catering mainly to the surrounding affluent neighborhood are wonderful deli shops such as De Luca's, a Boston institution, antique stores and quaint cafes and restaurants. The area is also a treasure trove for fans of the famous local architectural icon, Charles Bulfinch (the man behind the nearby State House, among others), who designed many of the patrician homes on Beacon Hill.

The other shopping street with antique shops and art galleries is Newbury Street. Cultural and retail uses have now surpassed the original residential design, providing the basis for its 20th and 21st century fame. The street has taken on a life and meaning far beyond its architectural design.  Known as the "Rodeo Drive of the East," it serves as Boston's representative of fashion and style, on par with the most exclusive districts of San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. The street is home to an eclectic mix of independent shops and high-end fashion and dining establishments. Pierre Deux, Simon Pearce and also Christofle on parallel Boyleston Street are part of the mix directed toward the home.

Our other special destination would be Formaggio Kitchen, which has been has been an institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts for over 30 years - a gourmand's paradise doubling as a neighborhood grocer.  Visitors come to stock up on cheeses, cured meats & baked goods, always leaving with something they've never seen before that is sure to become a new house staple.  And then there are the chefs - professional and amateur alike. Those in the know are certain to find that special ingredient they can't find anywhere else.  The owners scour the world in search of the world's finest artisan products. Formaggio Kitchen has now opened a New York location, which we have yet to visit.

A National Academic Resource

Before leaving Boston, it might be worth visiting one or two of the 52 colleges within the Boston proper area, including some of the nation's most prestigious, such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, the latter being the oldest college in the United States, founded under the auspices of the British in 1636.  Both are located in Cambridge, just across the Charles River.  Harvard provides student-led campus tours.  If there are children included in your travels, they may be interested in catching a glimpse of college life and an incentive to reach for the top.  Even if not taking a scheduled tour, walk through the famous "quad" and look at some of the residential colleges.  Many famous people have walked through those buildings.

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