Beantown July 1 to 4 with teen

Hi!

My wife and I are bringing our 14 year-old daughter to Boston for July 1 to 4. Unfortunately we have to return early on the 4th. I%26#39;m very excited as I love Boston history, landmarks, dining, shopping, sightseeing, and people! (I like the Sox too!)

Can anyone help me organize our itinerary? I often waste so much time at a destination getting organized, trying to play tour director.

We%26#39;re staying at the Marriot Long Wharf because of the location and the pool. We enjoy Fanieul Hall and Marketplace and these appears to be close.

We have 3 days and we%26#39;d like to squeeze in Freedom Trail, Old North Churgh, Revere House/ Beacon Hill/ a Whale Cruise/ and perhaps a daytrip to Concord (Alcott House and more) or Salem. I%26#39;d love to do a ferry to Provincetown, but I think that%26#39;s pushing it!

We have tickets to a Red Sox game one evening (would love to hear of a burger joint and souvenier shop for before the game) and I hear the Harborfest is pretty cool. Dining ideas would be great, too (enjoy moderate ';American'; fare; considering Legal Seafood one night!)

I%26#39;d love to hear anyone%26#39;s ideas, suggestions, and comments. I enjoy seeking advice from helpful people who are experts or more seasoned in an area than I am. I can%26#39;t tell you how much this helps me plan a trip.

THANK!!!

Beantown July 1 to 4 with teen

Just for fun, thought I%26#39;d check who is inquiring about travels in MA, since I was online investigating our upcoming Alaska trip. I%26#39;ve lived in Boston suburb (next to Concord) all my life. Your Boston itinerary sounds fine - many of the sites will actually be on the Freedom Trail. The USS Constitution is actually quite intriguing.It is on the far end of the Freedom Trail, so you may want to use public transportation to get there. I would advise against a whale watch if you are the least bit prone to seasickness. I didn%26#39;t think I was until chaperoning a 4th grade field trip. It was even a mostly calm day! I would also think twice about aDuck Tour - it is hard to hear the tour guide, and too much time is spent on the underwhelming floating part in the Charles River. However, my teen aged daughter liked the novelty.

Your hotel is well located, next to Fanieul Hall. Plan one dinner at an authentic Norh End Italian eatery. One dinner at Legal Seafoods is a great idea. There is no one who prepares fish as creatively and deliciously as they do. Also, they have several convenient locations around Boston/Cambridge. Speaking of Cambridge, Harvard Square has lost its former charm. Its unique hippiness is a thing of the past. Unless your daughter is thinking of Harvard in the future, don%26#39;t bother.

Concord vs Salem - very different. Concord is a real New England town, Salem more a campy tourist destination. Alcott house is charming if you are fans, and don%26#39;t miss the Old North Bridge if you make the trip. If you are real literature buffs, you can find Emerson, Thoreau, and Alcott families%26#39; graves in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in town. Not a lot of restaurants in Concord-mostly sandwich shops. Try Walden Grill or the old fashioned Colonial Inn for a sit down meal (and bathrooms). Salem plays on its witchy history, and is a significant drive from Boston.

In my opinion, your Freedom Trail walk will hit the big history must-sees. Other sites are similar to any big city (Aquarium, Science Museum,etc.). A view from the top of the Prudential tower observation deck can be fun. Our unique Boston museum is the Isabella Stewart Gardner, a glorious former home, not an overwhelming size, and site of famous Rembrandt and Vermeer art theft (you can see the empty frames!)

You can%26#39;t miss souvenier shops near Fenway Park. My husband says there is a wonderful steak house on Mass Av, a few minutes walk from Fenway. Our middle aged brains can%26#39;t remember the name, but it has Grill in the name. You could probably find out by asking at your hotel.

I haven%26#39;t really given you anything you don%26#39;t already have on the list. Hope you do enjoy yourselves. Traveling with a 14 year old girl can be a somewhat moody experince, but happy trails!

Beantown July 1 to 4 with teen

Will you have a car? You can get to Concord via commuter rail from North Station, but I%26#39;m not sure how easy it is to get around without a personal vehicle once you are there.

As the other poster said, Salem is significantly different from Concord, but it%26#39;s not just the campy exploitation of the witch trials. Salem also has a very rich maritime history, including Asian trade. The Peabody/Essex museum is amazing.

Salem is also accessible via commuter rail from North Station and, if I%26#39;m not mistaken, in the summer time, there%26#39;s also a ferry boat from downtown Bosotn. Once you arrive, it%26#39;s about a 10 minute walk from the rail station to the Visitor%26#39;s Center. From the Visitor%26#39;s center, many places, including the museum, the Witch House, and the House of Seven Gables are very close by. In addition to those venues, there%26#39;s the typical %26#39;tourist trolly%26#39; with on/off priviliges that loops the major attractions.

Have fun planning!

You%26#39;ve got a lot on your list, probably too much for most folks. So stay put and enjoy Boston and keep maybe one of the day trips. You can get to Salem on the Commuter Rail. Rockport, on the same line, is a fishing village turned artist colony. Really great and you get to see the real New Engalnd Sore, too.

I think any family with teenagers should absolutely go to Harvard Square. Go in the evening. Have dinner at John Harvard%26#39;s Brew House. Stroll through Harvard Yard. Listen to the Street Musicians. Sure, many of the stores in the Square now belong to chains, but are you going for the shopping???

Try the Chart House right behind your hotel It was John Hancock%26#39;s offices! The food is very good and you always feel special dining there.

Hi,

Keeping an itinerary organized while on vacation is a tall task. But keep in mind so many of Boston%26#39;s ';atrractions'; are all within walking distance or a short ride on the T (our subway). I%26#39;d recommend an organized tour of some sort--Duck Tour, Boston By Foot, Trolley Tour, etc.

For dinig ideas head to the North End for a nice Italian meal. It%26#39;s walkable from the Long Wharf. There%26#39;s also a Joe%26#39;s American Bar and Grill next door if you want good burgers.

Regarding the Sox game--definitely take the T. Go to mbta.com for maps, fare info, etc. Do yourself a favor once you get in to Boston--head to the nearest T stop and get a weeklong pass or a ';stored value'; Charlie Card. The crowds are massive before and after a Sox game, and so are the lines at the new Charlie Card kiosks. If you already have a Charlie Card you can breeze right through. For food before the game I%26#39;d recommend the Longhorn Steakhouse on Brookline Ave or Pizzeria Uno right in Kenmore Square. There are other spots around the park but you have to be 21 to get in.

Have fun.

uBurger in Kenmore Square has great burgers and it%26#39;s on the way to Fenway!

Thanks much! Lots of good info!

We will have a car because we%26#39;re flying into CT for a visit several days prior to the Boston visit. We%26#39;ll probably pay more to park the car during our Boston visit than we will to rent it.

I love the idea of Rockport on our drive to Concord. All of the dining ideas and sightseeing hints are great too.

I meant to ask about the Harborfest during our visit. Is it worth spending some time checking out, and is it close to the Mariott Long Wharf. We%26#39;ll miss the July 4th fireworks and Pops, but I hear there is a concert w/o the fireworks on the evening of the 3rd.

Harborfest offers a lot of fun activities including the rehearsal at the Hatch Shell on July 3. I highly recommend you partake. Website with futher info: bostonharborfest.com

You have the New England Aquarium right out your front door at the Long Wharf Marriott as well as the many options for harbor cruises and whale watches. There is a high speed catamaran that goes from this spot to Salem, check out www.salemferry.com for schedules and prices.

The restaurant that ';afraidofflying'; was referring to is Grille 23, which is an excellent restaurant for beef.

Yes, the rehearsal Fourth of July Boston Pops concert with all of the performers present is on the evening of July 3rd. without the fireworks.

I must disagree with ';afraid of flying';. Salem, MA is definitely a great day trip destination. You can avoid the witch exhibits if that is not in your area of interest. The many historical venues are within walking distance of the commuter rail stop accessed from North Station which also intersects with the Green Line subway ';T'; stop. Salem has a few very good restaurants in the harbor area. The Peabody Essex Museum is a five star unique maritime museum which also has many exhibits from the 18th century Oceana, Japanese, Indian and China Trade.

Rockport is also interesting but does not have the museums and other attractions that Salem does.

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