Submitted by SanguinePenguinPete t3_z636bh in massachusetts
My family and I are coming to Boston in early January for about a week. I lived in Somerville about 12 years ago but I didn’t have kids then.
What are your recommendations for stuff to do with kids (10 and 6)?
We’re planning a move to the area in the summer.
And take the T, if there isn’t such transportation where you live.
And not crowded in January, especially the aquarium which can be packed in the summer.
Agreed
Science Museum for those ages!
Children's museum will be a bit of a stretch for the 10 year old, I was sad when I realized my kids had kind of aged out of it. Definitely science museum though.
If you feel like splurging out the big bucks, a duck boat ride is worth doing once.
I’d save the duck boat for the summer move, not in January.
True. My now 16 year old still likes it when she was 10, but probably for the nostalgia.
Cliche for a reason. I love the aquarium
Yep, all good spots
If you can find someone with a local library card, stop by any library in the BPL or Minuteman system (Somerville is Minuteman). Go to the reference or children's section (depends on the library) to get super discount coupons for museums all over the area. The coupons can also be use for non-residents/library card holders.
BTW, this also goes for locals - the savings are truly spectacular. I had four family members vacy in Boston; our trip to the Museum of Art would have run $100, but the coupons knocked it down to $20 total.
Ice skating on the Boston Common
Oooh, that just opened
The Harvard museums of Natural History - they're free on Sundays. Lots of dinosaur stuff, rocks and minerals, and other cool things.
See the mummies and other Egyptian things at the MFA (use a library pass to get in free or visit on Wednesdays from 4 to 10, when it's pay-what-you-wish).
Go snowboarding at Mt. Wachusett - only 45 minutes from Boston.
Spend a day on the north shore: hike Plum Island and see snowy owls and then have lunch / dinner in Newburyport or Gloucester, visit the maritime museum or the Wenham museum.
Do a behind the scenes tour at Symphony Hall and then the Mapparium at the Mary Baker Eddy / Christian Science Center.
Science museum or NE Aquarium.
Tour Fenway park - it's cheap and you get to go into a lot of parts of the park you don't get to see as a regular patron.
Sledding or skating at Larz Anderson park in Brookline.
See Life of Pi at the ART.
USS Constitution museum / Bunker Hill Monument/ Monument Tavern for lunch.
Drumlin Farm / DeCordova museum.
The beach at Plum Island is currently closed, unfortunately, but there’s a great walkway in Newburyport along the water with sculptures along the way, fun hammocks and cool benches, and the front half of a boat sticking out of the ground for small children to play at turning the wheel.
So OP or others aren’t caught off guard: Harvard Museum of Natural History is only free if you show your Massachusetts license/ID (each adult in party):
Free to Massachusetts residents every Sunday morning (year-round) from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and on Wednesdays from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm (September through May). Proof of residency required. Via HMNH website
Thanks for adding this. Turns out, the MFA isn't free even with a library pass - it's $10 each, including kids. I'm 99% that kids were free until recently, but now it's only kids under 7. Inflation, I guess.
coldest trip ever
Constitution is really cool.
Great list! I’d also recommend getting a tour of the garden (whatever the name is now, I can’t keep up).
> Go snowboarding at Mt. Wachusett - only 45 minutes from Boston.
It's an hour without traffic
Dim sum in Chinatown. Very interesting experience, pick what you want to eat, yummy food. If your kids don’t like what they see, you can order rice or chicken fingers instead. We used to take my kids there all the time, and they loved it!
Any recommendations on a dim sum restaurant?
We go to Hei La Moon at 84 Beach Street, across the street (Surface Road) from the Chinatown gate.
Feels like you’re in China.
I take it you’ve never been to China.
Lol, of course not, everyone on reddit is racist, apart from you.
No, I haven’t . Seems like Dim Sum is a cultural experience, very different from the “Chinese” food takeout places in every town. If that’s racist, I guess…
I’ll ask the guy across the street from me. He’s Chinese. He’ll let me know if he thinks I’m racist. We get along great.
Serving Chinese food as opposed to American Chinese food is not the same as “feeling like you’re in China.”
When I went, we were the only non-Chinese people there. Felt authentic. The manager would be glad to hear that.
Glad you had a good time.
10 is aged out of the children's museum IMO. But both will love the Museum of Science.
Also fun: ice skating on the Frog Pond on Boston Common.
Snow Tubing :-)
Lego Land in Assembly Row
They're currently closed for major renovations. I think they reopen in the spring.
In January you want indoor activities. The Aquarium, Children's Museum or Museum of Science are good options. If they like sports, check to see if the Bruins or Celtics are at home when you'll be in town.
Children’s Museum
When you move back definitely Lego land in assembly row. Currently closed now for renovations.
Duck tour was really cool when I was around 10 yo
This is really cool https://artofthebrickexhibit.com/ it's up until April. Lots of good food options in that area also
$28??? Straight up wtf is with the price of museums in Boston? Absolutely bonkers
Most museums have free or greatly reduced pricing on certain days. Some libraries also have museum passes you can check out.
Ok fair, I was basing this off of just the art of the brick and the MFA which has at some point recently dwindled their free nights from 12 to 4 a year
Looking at prices of other museums in Boston as well as taking into account their free nights (ICA EVERY Thursday!) it’s easier to swallow.
Regardless $28 for an adult and $24 for a child for Art of the Brick is shameful. A family of 4 would pay $104 to see this.
Oh also the Harvard museum of Natural History is pretty amazing
Take them to the observation center in the prudential building
Good replies so far. If you feel like driving a bit north into NH the white mountains are great hikes for the kids (except Washington, it's a hard one).
Early January though??
Why not? Maybe not for a full hike, but it's still a great area even in the snow
Well if you're gonna go all the way to the White Mountains with a 6 year old, then you got to make time for Santa's Village and/or Storyland!
I agree. Just know that my kids loved some mountains
Where are you moving from?
If they’re into art and you’re up for a drive, the Eric Carle museum near Amherst was awesome. They had an arts and crafts room and a library. Lots of little interactive stations, too. Also, it was super peaceful and not too crowded.
Edit: a word
Take them to Faneuil Hall. Think TreeTop adventure is pretty fun too.
If they enjoy sports check out a local college hockey game. Very underrated here
Everyone loves bowling
Pray for snow
Frog Pond Skating. Duck boats if they do winter?
r/boston
Children’s museum in Boston
Will you have a car available, do they like snow sports, and do you want to focus strictly on Boston itself, or the region?
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Pizzeria Regina in any location. Cheapest place to eat is at any Whole Foods, hot and cold bar and pizza also good.
Candlepin bowling too.
Lego land at assembly row
not sure when you'll be there but the boston pride - our pro women's hockey team - play 1/14 & 1/15. tix are $20-40
Highly recommend the Harvard Natural History Museum!
People have suggested the aquarium and science museum (I agree!) if you have family in the area, I’d suggest asking them if they have library cards and can get the library passes for the museums! :)
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is nice in the winter. ☺️
go to bow market in somerville for food & cute stores!! it’s hidden away in union square and my friends & i love going. wicked cool spot :)
Boston Bruins or Celtics game. MoS, Childrens Museum, Aquarium.
Lego place in assembly square
MIT Museum has cool holograms. Worth the trip.
You left Somerville, where did you move to and why? What’s bringing you back?
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joelav t1_ixz4jyh wrote
Children’s museum, science museum and the aquarium. Touristy and cliche, but still my kid’s favorite childhood memories.