Need help planning a Boston/Maine trip...

[Anonymous]

We are thinking of taking a trip next summer to Boston and then up to Maine and Acadia National Park. I am thinking 1 day to drive up, 3 nights in Boston, 5 nights in Maine, 1 night on the drive back home to DC.

We would likely drive but are open to flying and renting a car. Does anyone have ideas for an itinerary? Things we shouldn't miss? Anywhere else in New England we need to see? Any recommendations for hotels or restaurants? We will have a 7 yr old and 4 year old with us, but they are decent travelers. We honestly don't really like to rough it for lodging, but $400/night is probably our limit.

Thanks in advance!

[Anonymous]

In Boston, stay near long wharf. There is a great Children's museum, also the Boston Tea party. Short walk to the best lobster rolls ever. Spend a bit of time over at Quincy Market/Faneuil Hall, though there is not much to do with kids. They can get ice creams at one of the food trucks there.

Boston Common has swan boats, a playground and the duckling statues. You can also look into ferries, whale watching or boat rides off boston, but I'm not as familiar with that.

Will you be there in June or August? That makes a big difference on the Maine coast

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In Boston, stay near long wharf. There is a great Children's museum, also the Boston Tea party. Short walk to the best lobster rolls ever. Spend a bit of time over at Quincy Market/Faneuil Hall, though there is not much to do with kids. They can get ice creams at one of the food trucks there.

Boston Common has swan boats, a playground and the duckling statues. You can also look into ferries, whale watching or boat rides off boston, but I'm not as familiar with that.

Will you be there in June or August? That makes a big difference on the Maine coast

Thanks, PP. super helpful. We are thinking of going late July into August. That the busiest time though, isn't it?

[Anonymous]

If you're driving, don't rule out Cape cod and Martha's Vineyard! Its much closer (still a long drive) and it's gorgeous! We were supposed to drive to bar harbor, but ended up driving to cape cod instead and so glad we did. IMO more stuff to do in that area than in Maine (Bar harbor Maine, anyways). We'll do Maine this year hopefully but probably end up flying instead this time.

[Anonymous]

If you are going to in Boston for three nights, I'd do air bnb and get an apartment.

In Boston I'd spend a day doing historical stuff downtown, a day doing the children's museum, swan boats etc and a day in Cambridge/Science museum.

[Anonymous]

We're doing the same trip next summer. We're driving to Boston in one day and spending two nights. Then we're driving to Acadia. We're camping on the water. We might look for a cabin but we also might camp. We're driving so we can take bikes and kayaks. We're going to do day trips to Vermont. Maybe will look into Martha's Vineyard but that's pricey so it's not definite.

[Anonymous]

DH is a Boston native and we talk about doing this trip all the time but we never do it. I would rent a car and do 1 night in NYC, 2 nights Boston, drive to Acadia and maybe fly back. DH has memories of going to Acadia when he was a child. I have never been.

[Anonymous]

I would fly to Boston and rent a car. In Boston I would go to the children's museum, science museum, Quincy market/fanuiel hall, swan boats on the common, get pastries in the north end and eat them on the greenway, maybe the MFA.

[Anonymous]

I sort of think Boston isn't a great city with this age group (6 and under). The historical stuff will be lost on them (the 6 YO might get it but would get it more when he's older). Some of the other stuff could be done in any city (childrens museum, etc, unless this one is really special). Am I wrong?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I sort of think Boston isn't a great city with this age group (6 and under). The historical stuff will be lost on them (the 6 YO might get it but would get it more when he's older). Some of the other stuff could be done in any city (childrens museum, etc, unless this one is really special). Am I wrong?

OP here. Funny you should say this! I actually completely agree with you, but DH hasn't been and wants to go, so we are going. Plus, it seems to break up the trip between urban and countryside.

[Anonymous]

Harvard Museum of Natural History. Used to have really big tortoise shells and cool stuff there. Maybe it still does. A ride on the subway (the T?) into Cambridge, I think. Inevitably, in Boston, you will encounter rude, drunken men. If you are driving, you will be honked, mercilessly.

[Anonymous]

The Museum of Science is really amazing. Duck Boat Tours are a fun way to see the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sort of think Boston isn't a great city with this age group (6 and under). The historical stuff will be lost on them (the 6 YO might get it but would get it more when he's older). Some of the other stuff could be done in any city (childrens museum, etc, unless this one is really special). Am I wrong?

OP here. Funny you should say this! I actually completely agree with you, but DH hasn't been and wants to go, so we are going. Plus, it seems to break up the trip between urban and countryside.

You could say that about any place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sort of think Boston isn't a great city with this age group (6 and under). The historical stuff will be lost on them (the 6 YO might get it but would get it more when he's older). Some of the other stuff could be done in any city (childrens museum, etc, unless this one is really special). Am I wrong?

OP here. Funny you should say this! I actually completely agree with you, but DH hasn't been and wants to go, so we are going. Plus, it seems to break up the trip between urban and countryside.

You could say that about any place.

You can say that about many cities, in that the activities that are kid appropriate (under 6) are not unique to that city. All things being equal, I'm not traveling 500-1000 miles to go to some random kids museum that costs $$ when our museums are free in DC.

But, some cities do have unique activities for kids- Seattle (Pikes Street Market, Space Needle, Ballard Locks); NYC (Natural history museum, ride ferries, etc).

I'm not a native Bostonian, so happy to be proven wrong. But most kids will not get the significance of the historical sites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I sort of think Boston isn't a great city with this age group (6 and under). The historical stuff will be lost on them (the 6 YO might get it but would get it more when he's older). Some of the other stuff could be done in any city (childrens museum, etc, unless this one is really special). Am I wrong?

I agree. We did that trip and could have skipped Boston altogether.