Exploring Boston, U.S.A. – The Traveling Kings

Boston, Massachusetts is home to a lot of rich US history. Founded in 1630, it has many historical sites that are definitely worth visiting. It is the largest city in New England and is located on a peninsula in Massachusetts Bay.

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Transportation

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority: Otherwise known as “the T”, this subway system is an easy and affordable form of transportation. If we needed to get somewhere and didn’t want to walk, we would take the subway. It’s about $3 per person for a one-way trip.

Accommodations

Holiday Inn Express Saugus (Logan Airport): Located about 20 minutes from the airport, this hotel was clean and reasonably priced. It was also nice since there was a complimentary airport shuttle. The only negative thing is that it was far from the city and not located close to any public transportation.

To-Do

Bunker Hill Monument: This monument was opened in 1843 to commemorate the Battle of Bunker Hill, one of the first major battles in the American Revolutionary War. We got our morning started with our blood pumping on the climb up to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument.

With 294 steps, this monument is not for the faint of heart, but the amazing views are well worth it. Admission is free to climb to the top but we had to obtain a pass first since they only allow so many people up at a time.

View of the city from the top of the monument

Freedom Trail: This 2.5 mile trail was brought about once Boston started losing some of it’s historic sites to modern industrialization and growth. A group of Bostonians recognized the importance of preserving these places and wanted to make them more accessible and clearer to find for both residents and visitors.

The Boston Mayor officially dedicated the Freedom Trail in 1951 and it has been a focal point for the city. It is definitely doable to walk and stop along the way to see all the historic sites. There is an option to get a guided tour as well if that’s something you are interested in. We chose to do it by ourselves and had a great time taking it at our own pace.

USS Constitution Ship & Museum: Located right off of the Freedom Trail, this is the oldest commissioned warship afloat and is considered America’s Ship of State. We were able to hop onboard and see the ship in all it’s glory. It is free admission to the ship.

After seeing the ship, we went inside the USS Constitution Museum. It was a smaller museum but there were some interactive exhibits, hands-on programs, and a collection of artifacts. A donation is suggested for the museum.

Old North Church: Built in 1723, this church is the oldest standing church building in Boston and a National Historic Landmark. It is also the location from which the famous “One if by land, two if by sea” signal is said to have been sent.

The outside of the church was really cool to see as well as the inside. It’s not anything too extravagant but a nice piece of history nonetheless. The tickets were $8 each and included entrance to the church and the chocolate shop (listed below).

Captain Jackson’s Historic Chocolate: Located right next to the Old North Church, this little chocolate shop is definitely worth the visit.

Outside Captain Jackson’s Historic Chocolate shop

There was a demonstration about how chocolate was produced and consumed during the 18th-century and we were able to taste some of it as well. It was very informative and interactive as they explained how having a cup of hot chocolate wasn’t as easy as mixing cocoa powder and milk since cocoa powder did not exist yet. We were able to try some of the Heritage chocolate’s dark chocolate drink mix and buy some in the gift shop. There were also other chocolate products in the gift shop for purchase.

King’s Chapel Burying Ground: Located along the Freedom Trail, on Tremont Street, this historic cemetery was Boston Proper’s first burying ground. It has multiple different historically important residents, including John Winthrop, who was Massachusetts’ first Governor, and Mary Chilton, the first woman to step off the Mayflower.

Headstones in King’s Chapel Burying Ground

Paul Revere Statue: Along the Freedom Trail, this Historical Landmark is worth stopping by to see and take some pictures.

Quincy Market: Located next to the Faneuil Hall, this market is right off of the Freedom Trail. Opened in 1826, it’s a great place to stop by and get some souvenirs. There are dozens of shops inside that do include restaurants if you want to grab a snack or meal.

Dreamland Wax Museum: Just 100 steps from the Freedom Trail, this museum is centrally located in Boston’s City Hall Plaza. We had never been to a wax museum before so we thought it was worth a visit to see what they were all about.

There are over 100 figures including U.S. presidents, celebrities, sport stars and world leaders. Most of them are pretty recognizable and we had fun taking photos with them. The ticket price was a little steep though for what you get, at $23 per person.

Fenway Park: Anytime we are in a huge city with a ballpark, we have to stop by and see a game! Opened in 1912, this ballpark is the oldest in the MLB (major league baseball) and is registered with the National Register of Historic Places. Also known as America’s Most Beloved Ballpark or Friendly Fenway, this is a must for any baseball lover.

We went to see the Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays and the energy in the ballpark was electrifying. It was a great game!

Food

Bell in Hand: This tavern was built in 1795 and is America’s oldest continuously operating tavern. We thought that given the history of Boston, we should try and eat somewhere that equally matched it.

For our appetizers we split some bruschetta and then each had a cup of New England clam chowder. For our entrée, we split the lobster macaroni and cheese.