We’ve been to Boston many time, but it is fitting that we were in Boston this week as we celebrated our country’s birthday. After all, it was the scene of so many events of the revolutionary era—and home to so many of the main players.
But this trip was a bit different. It was the inaugural education tour trip offered by the organization my husband works for. So we got a bit of fun—doing the touring—while also working—hosting the participants.
What made our time even more memorable was that my parents came along, too! And we got to spend some time with our daughter.
After a day with Elizabeth taking my parents to see her home and showing them our favorite museum in Boston—the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum—we started the actual tour with a dinner cruise on the Charles River, including fireworks.
We attended historic Park Street Church on Sunday morning, toured North Church, and ate amazing Italian food in the North End.
We spent Monday on the Freedom Trail—led by a professor—with lunch at Quincy Market. Then we went over to Cambridge to see the Harvard campus, explore Cambridge, and have dinner there.
The private tour of Fenway Park was my husband’s favorite—followed by attending the Boston Red Sox vs. Texas Rangers ball game! What a treat not only to go to a game there but to get to root for our hometown team. After a two-hour rain delay in the 8th inning (we didn’t stick around!), the Rangers brought home the win, 6-2. We finished the day with another great Italian dinner with my parents and Elizabeth before heading to the top of the hotel to watch fireworks.
Today we are finishing up with a trip to the Boston Museum of Fine Art before we celebrate our final dinner together as a tour group.
Of course we’ve also done so much more, including eating lobster rolls and cannoli (Mike’s Pastry is our favorite!), taking my parents to our favorite used bookstore (You knew there had to be a bookstore in there, right?), and enjoying conversations with the other tour participants.
It’s been a fun week, but now that we’re at the end, I’m peopled out! I’m looking forward to putting my earbuds in and shutting out the world during that three hour flight home Thursday.
Have you been to Boston? What is your favorite thing to do there? Or what do you remember most?
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What a fabulous trip! I’ve never been Boston, but I would love to soak in all that historic atmosphere someday. My husband and I took a random getaway to Baltimore years ago. I got to see Betsy Ross’s house and toured the harbor where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write the Star Spangled Banner. We also saw a ballpark, though we didn’t watch a game. And I ate some of the best crab cakes of my life. 🙂
P.S. My husband is a die-hard Texas Rangers fan, so there’s a chance he saw you somewhere in the crowd while watching the game on TV. 🙂
Ha! Jeff loves to go watch the Rangers play at different ballpark, but he really loves the history at Fenway. You should definitely do Boston at some point!
Hi D’Ann! Thanks for sharing about your fabulous trip to Boston. We used to live in Burlington, MA. My husband is originally from New England (Newport, RI, another great place to visit!), and I’m originally from Indiana (and we met in Dallas–go figure). We lived in Massachusetts for eight years, and we all LOVED it! Looks like you covered some of the best of what there is to see! There used to be a famous restaurant near Faneuil Hall called Durgin-Park, and one of my husband’s ancestors was the “Durgin” in that business. I hated that they sold and closed down the restaurant few years ago (now a Ghirardelli chocolate shop), but we have so many fond memories of Boston. Our kids will never forget living there when the Red Sox won the World Series after 86 years and going to the victory parade. The entire town lived and breathed those games (I used to go to Ranger games all the time when I lived in Texas, if that helps, lol). I worked in historic Concord and passed Louisa May Alcott’s childhood home on my way to work. If you didn’t get a chance to visit the Concord/Lexington area, I hope you can go back again! I highly recommend it. Blessings!
How fun! All the history is one of the reasons my daughter loves living here. We did Lexington, Concord and the Alcott house with her in one of our other visits! I haven’t been to Newport in years but hoping we’ll go back in the near future!
Boston is such a great city! I’m glad you’ve had a fabulous time. 🙂
We have! New England is so much fun with all the history and so m many beautiful places.
I was in Boston in 1989 and did the Freedom Trail. It wasn’t part of a tour. We must have had a guide book and just did it at our own pace. Fascinating! Growing up in the west, where “old” is 150 years, makes going back east even more interesting (never mind what is old in England and the Continent, etc.).
I agree! It’s fun to see history that goes back further than what you are used to where you live.
I’ve never been, but Boston is high on my bucket list and your trip looks amazing! I’d especially love seeing the sights in Cambridge and the Harvard Book Store. Thanks for sharing these great photos, D’Ann!
Y’all would have so much fun driving around New England!
I went to college north of Boston and didn’t go as often I would’ve liked. Still I enjoyed my visits to the city.
The first places coming to mind: Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall, Downtown Crossing, Chinatown, and the Boston Aquarium. I also attended weekend Mass at St. Anthony Shrine which is close to Downtown Crossing.
How fun to go to college in the area. I enjoy Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall as well. I haven’t been to the aquarium. Maybe next trip!😁