Travel to Boston, Massachusetts – Episode 630

Hear about travel to Boston, Massachusetts as the Amateur Traveler talks to Lillie Marshall from AroundTheWorldL.com about her hometown.

Lillie says, “Part of the reason that I traveled around the world in 2009-10 was to find a better city than Boston because I had lived there my whole life and I thought there must be something better out there. I tried on all these different cities. I had high hopes for certain ones. At the end of the day, what I realized is Boston is the city of my heart. It is a beautiful green city. It’s got both the river and an oceanfront. It’s got an amazing education scene, it’s known for all our universities and colleges. It’s got a vibrant arts scene and culture as well. Above all, I love that it’s walkable.”

Lillie starts with a walking tour starting at Copley Square and walking down Newbury Street to the Public Garden and then back via the Esplanade along the Charles River. It’s not a traditional thing to do but will give you a feel for several neighborhoods that are particularly beautiful, enjoyable, and delicious. The Public Gardens are part of the “Emerald Necklace” of parks that surround Boston and the gardens are known for their swan boats.

We then head to Cambridge to Harvard Square and possibly touch the foot of the John Harvard statue for luck. Lillie also takes us to Grafitti Alley in nearby Central Square.

Chris, the history nerd, talks about the 2.5 miles long Freedom Trail and the series of Revolutionary America sites that it links up like Boston Common, “Old Ironsides”, the Bunker Hill Monument (oddly not on Bunker Hill), and Faneuil Hall. We also talk about the Black Heritage Trail and a moving Holocaust monument. We learn where the Boston Cream Pie was invented (and the Parker House roll, although we failed to mention it).

We talk about 5 different National Parks in the Boston area other than the Boston National Historic Park (Freedom Trail) including where the U.S. started its first industrial textile industry and also one of its first ironworks. These make great day trips from Boston.

There are a number of places near the city to get out into nature including Minute Man National Historical Park and the Arnold Arboretum.

Lillie encourages everyone to get out on the water at some time during their visit. That might mean kayaking on the Charles River or taking a boat out to Fort Warren and the Boston Harbor Islands National & State Park. Fort Warren is a particularly fun thing to do in Boston with kids.

Know your school schedules as you might not want to come to Boston when students are moving in or graduating if you want the best deals on a hotel.

Boston is a beautiful city no matter when you choose to visit. It is rich with art, culture, and history. It has cheap functioning public transit, but take some time to explore on foot as well and you may find yourself also falling in love with Boston. There are many things to do in Massachusetts and Boston is the perfect place to start.

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Show Notes

AroundTheWorldL.com
DrawingsOf (Lillie’s educational cartoons)
teachingtraveling.com
Boston
Travel to Boston, Massachusetts – Episode 112
Copley Square
Newbury Street
Public Garden (Boston)
Boston Common
Boston Pops
Liberty Hotel (and Click Bar) in an old Jail
Harvard Square
Central Square, Cambridge
Graffiti Alley
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
John Hancock Tower
Boston Public Library
Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston
M.T.A. (song)
MBTA – The T
Fenway Park
Freedom Trail
Bunker Hill Monument
USS Constitution
Boston Omni Parker House Hotel
The Ames Boston Hotel
Old State House
Faneuil Hall
Boston’s North End
Quincy Market
The New England Holocaust Memorial
Black Heritage Trail
Glory (1989 film)
Copp’s Hill Burying Ground
Beacon Hill, Boston
Crispus Attucks
Jamaica Plain
Arnold Arboretum
Tasting Counter
Terangas
Rockport
Salem
Beverly, Massachusetts
Cape Cod
Walden
6 National Parks Near Boston Worth Seeing
Minute Man National Historical Park
John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site
Zaftigs Delicatessen
Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site – Lynn, Massachusetts – Video #92
Boston Harbor Islands National & State Park
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
Fort Warren (Massachusetts)
Cruise Tours of Boston
Science Museum
The House of the Seven Gables
Old Sturbridge Village
Blue Hills Reservation
Middlesex Fells Reservation
Boston Children’s Museum
Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum
Fluff Festival
Travel to the Finger Lakes in New York – Episode 529
Travel to Ghana – Episode 234

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