Boston is a great city for exploring with kids, especially in the summer. There are a ton of free things you can see and do, particularly if you're up for walking a little.
We spent a day in Boston this summer with our three boys, four and under, recreating scenes from Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey published in 1941. We read the book dozens and dozens of times during the pandemic and our oldest asked over and over to go to Boston and see the ducklings. So we took the chance while staying in nearby New Hampshire to drive into Boston before heading out to California on our year long trip. (We are taking a year to travel around the US as a family making stops in Maine, New Hampshire, Sonoma, San Diego, Dallas and more.)
My husband and I went to college in Boston and this was the first time that we brought our kids to the city, so it felt special to us. I planned to first take them to the Boston Public Garden to see the little island that Mr. and Mrs. Mallard and their eight ducklings make their home on. If you haven’t read the book it centers on two ducks Mr. and Mrs. Mallard and their journey to find the perfect place to build their home and raise their ducklings in Boston. They settle on an island in the pond in the Boston Public Garden.
Our oldest wanted to go to the island and walk up the stairs and over the bridge that goes over the pond. This is the same pond where you can sit on a swan boat and tour the pond (also featured in the book). When we got there, however, after waiting for two years our oldest son was not as excited anymore about seeing the ducklings. He was probably short on sleep too. Oh well.
Boston is a great city to visit with kids. With a bit of walking there are a lot of things that you can do that are relaxing for parents (as relaxing as things can be with little kids) and fun for kids. My husband dropped me and the boys off at the Boston Public Garden. He parked by Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market at the Dock Square Parking Garage and walked back to the Public Garden. It is a bit of walk (1 mile), but doable for one adult. That way we could spend the day making our way back towards Faneuil Hall and only do the walk one way with the kids rather than walk there and back.
We wandered around the Public Garden where we found a mama duck who we called “Mrs. Mallard” and her eight ducklings. We had a snack on the grass (after some meltdowns), walked around the gardens, and up the stairs of the bridge and over the pond. Then we made our way through the northern part of the Boston Common to see the sculpture of Mrs. Mallard and her eight ducklings dedicated to Robert McCloskey. This was more exciting to our boys than seeing actual ducklings, perhaps because they could climb on them.
What I was really excited for was the boys to play in the Frog Pond. The Frog Pond is an enormous man-made shallow pond, perhaps about 1- 1 ½ feet deep that kids can play in for free in the summer. I came here in college both to go ice skating in the winter but also to take pictures as part of my photography class, capturing the light in the reflections of the water as the sun was setting. I felt pretty lucky to go with my own kids. There’s also a concession stand and tables here where you can buy drinks, chicken fingers, fries, etc.
Afterwards we walked over to Quincy Market where we grabbed lunch. We had clam chowder in bread bowls and hot dogs with French fries. We ate on some benches outside the market, though there is lots of seating upstairs in the market.
We walked along the outside of Quincy Market over towards The North End, which is perhaps my favorite part of Boston (though there are SO many great spots). The North End is the Italian section in Boston. I’ve been to a number of restaurants here (without kids) and have always been impressed by the food. I love the atmosphere of the old streets here.
Because we were a bit tired from the walking, we stopped at The Greenway, a small city park that I remembered being built as part of the Big Dig (a massive project moving interstate 93 underground). The Greenway is architecturally brilliant. It is a simple, eye pleasing, and comfortable park that fits so many things for so many people. There are swinging benches, lounge areas, a nice greenway, gardens, and best of all tall arching fountains that act like an elegant splashpad. Although the kids had already changed out of their swim clothes from the Frog Pond, they jumped at the chance to run through the fountains and get soaking wet! It was hot and I dunked my head in too!
I stayed at The Greenway with the boys, while Sebastian walked over to the North End to pick up some cannoli from Mike’s Pastry (apparently connolo = singular, cannoli = plural). These pastries are SO good. I almost never fail to get one if I am anywhere nearby in the city. I’d recommend getting the regular chocolate dipped cannoli. Everything is great, but simple is best. I also love the bustle of the bakery itself. It can be quite crowded at times, but they are excellent at managing the crowd and things move quickly. I also thrive on and love situations like crowded bakeries where sometimes you have to yell over the counter to be heard.
We wrapped up our day there, kids changed into dry clothes, cannoli in hand, leaving on a high note. It was a short walk back to the parking garage and the boys fell asleep on the hour-long drive back.
There is so much to see and do in Boston and because of how the city is laid out there’s a lot you can see by walking. Everything that we did was free: walking around the Public Garden, the Frog Pond, walking around Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, and The Greenway fountains. The parking is on the expensive side, but when that’s all you’re paying for (and some lunch and cannoli) it’s very much worth it.
How to Spend a Day with Kids in Boston in the Summer:
- Boston Public Garden: One adult and kids are dropped off at the Public Garden, explore gardens, green spaces, the pond, watch the swan boats
- Park at the Dock Square Parking Garage (near Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market), have one person walk back and join group at the Boston Public Garden
- Boston Common (Ducklings sculpture): Make your way through the northern part of the Boston Common to see the Make Way for Ducklings sculpture.
- The Frog Pond: bring bathing suits and splash and play in The Frog Pond in the summer
- Faneuil Hall/ Quincy Market: Get lunch at Faneuil Market (there are dozens of food vendors in the market, we usually get clam chowder in bread bowls).
- The Greenway: Swing on benches and get wet in the fountains. Bring another change of clothes or switch kids back into swimsuits.
- The North End (Italian Section): Walk to the North End and explore the Italian section (so many good restaurants)
- Mike’s Pastry: Stop by Mike’s Pastry for some cannoli, and if you’re staying in the city longer pick a restaurant for dinner.
- Bring: Bathing suits and changes of clothes for the kids, snacks and water
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