New England, Boston

It's been on my list to return to New England and do the whole thing with the kids, so this summer, we figured why not? Hadley had just finished US History in 5th, and Owen was about to do it again in 8th, Texas summers are miserable, and we could finally swing a longer vacay from work. We arrived at our boutique hotel in Boston on Friday night. It was an old firehouse right next to the MIT campus in Cambridge that oozed charm and cutesy dalmatian-themed decor.

There was just enough time to grab a late dinner and arm wrestle before bed.

The next morning we took a walk around MIT and the Charles river. It was a little too warm and humid for our taste (felt like Houston!), but we persevered and enjoyed the skyline,

the Great Dome with a goose parade, and the Stata Center, designed by Frank Gehry.

Here's the outside of our hotel. See, it's charming, right?

It was still warm, but rain was in the forecast, so we headed inside the MIT museum in the afternoon. It was an interesting mix of university artifacts, hands-on science, and quirky displays. Perfect when it was pouring outside, and conveniently located right next to our hotel.

The following morning we road the T into Boston proper. The overnight rain had brought in cooler air, and we strolled around Boston Common and Public Garden, taking in the sights and sounds.

We didn't feel like waiting in line for the famous swan boats, so we went for a ride on the ducks instead. 😆

Finally, we were ready to get on the Freedom Trail at the Massachusetts State House.

We discovered that Boston is full of old cemeteries (burying grounds).

We covered all 2.5 miles and saw all 16 historic sites: Chapels, meeting halls, monuments, and ships. So neat to have so much history within an easy walk.

We even climbed to the top of the Bunker Hill monument. 294 tight, spiraling steps up 221 feet - the vertigo and exercise-induced asthma almost killed me, but I survived and didn't tumble back down. 😅 I had to enjoy the view from the top with another family, as mine headed down as soon as I made it up, but whew! I can say I did it. 

Finally, we ended our day at the USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides"... 

And had about 10 minutes to look around on the USS Cassin Young.

Cannons never get old for some. I liked these aimed toward downtown Boston.

Before we had to head back to Cambridge. Business idea: bike taxi / Uber pickup at Charlestown Naval Yard to the nearest T station (~0.5 miles?) - too long on a hot afternoon after walking the whole freedom trail. I believe some called it a "Death March" rather than a Freedom Trail. ha ha.