Boston: The Best of the North End for Families

Boston is a great place for families to explore its rich colonial history and fun attractions. Colonized in the 1630s, Boston was the capital of the Massachusetts colony and remains the capital of the state today. Also, Boston was the site of loud rumblings by the colonists against the English monarchy in the 1700s. Old North Church, the Paul Revere House, and other sites along the Freedom Trail highlight that period in history. The North End is home to historical sites as well as “Little Italy” that’s lined with a variety of Italian eateries. This article highlights some of the best things to do in the greater North End area to delight kids and their accompanying adults, too. My husband and I enjoyed our visit to Boston’s North End which included three generations of the family. There’s certainly something for everyone in this beautiful city.

Boston Children’s Museum

308 Congress Street, Boston

The Boston Children’s Museum provides a wide variety of exhibits and programs to encourage children to explore their interests. Included are hands-on areas for kids to create, construct, act, and simply play. There are spaces designed just for kids from birth to 3 years to enjoy with their accompanying adults. 

Boston Common

115 Boylston Street, Boston

Boston Common is the country’s oldest park, dating to 1634, and was once used for grazing cattle and sheep. Later, it was used as a militia training area. Now it’s an expansive open area for the public to enjoy scenic spots, and the kids to ride the carousel. Also, everyone can have fun at the Frog Pond with its water fountains to cool off in the warmer months and a skating rink in the winter. 

Boston Public Garden 

4 Charles Street, Boston

Created in 1839, the Boston Public Garden was the first botanical garden in the United States. It’s just across Charles Street from Boston Common.

Today it’s a delightful place to stroll, sit on a bench in the shade of a large tree, or take a relaxing swan boat ride (a local institution since 1877) around the pond. In the northeast corner of the park is the Make Way for Ducklings statues, created as a tribute to the 1941 Make Way for Ducklings book by Robert McCloskey.

Charlestown Navy Yard / USS Constitution

Chelsea Street, Charlestown

Located across the Charles River Inner Harbor, the Charlestown Navy Yard is home to the USS Constitution (a battleship from the War of 1812), USS Cassin Young (a World War II destroyer), the 1833 original dry dock used to build and repair ships, and a family-friendly maritime museum.

From the North End, you can reach the USS Constitution complex by taking the MBTA Charlestown-Long Wharf Ferry from Long Wharf (by the New England Aquarium), by walking, or by taking one of the Hop On/Hop Off trolleys. 

USS Constitution

One of six original U.S. Navy ships, the USS Constitution was launched in 1797 and named by President George Washington. Battles with the British in the War of 1812 brought the USS Constitution glory in the eyes of the Americans.

Here was a ship and her crew – still so early in the new country’s life – that had proven their worth against a mighty naval power like England. Her nickname, “Old Ironsides,” was earned when a sailor watched cannonballs bounce offer hull and speculated that her sides were made of iron.

There’s no fee to board the USS Constitution and explore its decks. Inside the adjacent visitor center are interesting exhibits, a film, and artifacts chronicling the area’s shipbuilding history. What began as a small dock and storage area, the shipyard grew as new technologies emerged to include a forge, foundries, and machine shops.

Charlestown Naval Yard Dry Dock

Also onsite is Dry Dock #1 which is a massive structure that allowed workers to maintain the ships. Viewing it, you can imagine the process of bringing a ship into the dock, pumping out the water, thus exposing it so that maintenance workers could get to work on repairs.

USS Constitution Museum

A few steps away is the USS Constitution Museum which has family-friendly displays, videos, and hands-on experiences; this museum welcomes monetary donations (suggested amounts are posted) in lieu of admission.

Christopher Columbus Park

Atlantic Avenue along the Waterfront, Boston

This waterfront park sits between Atlantic Avenue and Boston Harbor. There’s a playground, a rose garden, and lots of open space ideal for simply relaxing or enjoying a picnic. (Quincy Market at Faneuil Hall Marketplace is just 0.3 miles away and offers a host of picnic-perfect options.)

Faneuil Hall Marketplace  

4 South Market Building, Boston

Since 1742, Faneuil Hall has served as a marketplace and meeting place. Wealthy merchant Peter Faneuil proposed the idea of a central market in Boston, and it was later built. It was here that Samuel Adams and other “Sons of Liberty” debated the taxes the British monarchy was imposing on the colonists in the 1760s. These discussions and similar ones in other colonies led to the American Revolutionary War.

Faneuil Hall was expanded and renovated over the years including the addition of the three Quincy Market structures behind it. Despite the changes over the years, the grasshopper weathervane, created in 1742, continues to adorn the top of the building.

Today, Faneuil Hall Marketplace is home to merchants as well as a museum. There are also National Park Service rangers on site to explain its history and help visitors navigate the historic area. Quincy Market (behind Faneuil Hall) is the place to find a variety of prepared food – perfect for lunch or heavy snacks – along with a variety of shops. 

New England Aquarium

One Central Wharf, Boston

The New England Aquarium has a wide variety of marine life to see and learn about including lobsters, penguins, sea lions, and sea turtles. It’s also a fascinating place to learn more about different habitats including coral reefs and the Amazon rainforest. Check online for current exhibits and whale-watching tours. 

Freedom Trail

The Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile route that links individual historic sites that played key roles in Boston’s – and later, other colonies’ – quest for freedom from English rule. Sites along the trail include Boston Common; Faneuil Hall (profiled in this article); Granary Burying Ground (where famous patriots like Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Paul Revere are buried); Old North Church (profiled in this article); Old State House; Paul Revere House (profiled in this article); and the USS Constitution (that dates to the War of 1812). 

Begin the Freedom Trail at the visitor center in Boston Common (and follow the painted red brick path) and conclude at the Charlestown Navy Yard or visit individual sites that interest you most. Check online for walking tours and special events. Also of interest may be the Black Heritage Trail.

Harborwalk

The Harborwalk hugs Boston Harbor and passes by museums, attractions, hotels, parks, fishing piers, and restaurants. Check out the online Harborwalk map to discover more about the trail.

Old North Church

193 Salem Street, Boston

Built in 1723, the Old North Church (formally called Christ Church) is the oldest church building still standing in Boston. Until the early 1900s, wealthy congregants purchased “pew boxes” and decked them out as they saw fit. During cold winter months, congregants would place warm bricks from their homes inside perforated metal boxes and place them inside their box pews. The resulting radiant heat kept them warm during church services. Step inside the pew boxes to read about the people who purchased them. In addition to the pew boxes, there was gallery seating for people with less wealth and social status.

Old North Church’s Place in History

On the evening of April 18, 1775 two lanterns were hung on its steeple that put Old North Church in history books. “One if by land, two if by sea.” Those two lanterns in the church steeple were a prearranged signal to the colonists that the British were approaching Lexington by sea (across the Charles River). Paul Revere rowed across the river and later on horseback (along with other Patriots) to Lexington to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock there. The pivotal Battles of Lexington and Concord that touched off the American Revolutionary War occurred the next day. In 1860 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow penned the poem, Paul Revere’s Ride, after visiting the Old North Church. Although known by many, the poem actually includes a few historical inaccuracies.

Visitors can take a self-guided tour of Old North Church today as well as guided tours of the crypt and bell tower. Pick up a scavenger hunt paper when you enter and follow it to make sure you don’t miss important features of the church. Adjacent to Old North Church are gardens, a working print shop in the Clough House, and a gift shop.

Paul Revere House

19 North Square, Boston

Constructed around 1680, the Paul Revere House was home to Paul Revere and his family from 1770 to about 1800. Paul Revere was a silversmith, operated a foundry that created cannons and bells, and had other business ventures, too. He’s probably most well known, however, as the courier who was sent on the night of April 18, 1775 to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams in Lexington of the British military’s positions. The house is now a popular historic site and museum and offers a window into how people lived in the 17th and 18th centuries. Some of the home’s furnishings were actual pieces owned by the Revere family or constructed by Paul Revere. Revere’s grave is at the nearby Granary Burying Ground.

Paul Revere Mall 

Located behind the Old North Church in the North End is Paul Revere Mall. It’s a shady brick-lined plaza with a statue of Paul Revere along with a fountain, some memorials, and benches. In addition, it’s the perfect spot to enjoy some goodies from nearby Mike’s Pastry Shop or Modern Pastry.

Rose Kennedy Greenway

The Greenway is a linear public park that offers plenty of spaces to play and relax. Here you’ll find landscaped gardens, beer, wine gardens, food trucks, fountains, and the Greenway Carousel featuring hand-carved, native New England animals. Near the Seaport area (close to Faneuil Hall and the New England Aquarium) are the Greenway Carousel and Rings fountain. Check online for special events on the Greenway.

Boston North End Map

Other Notable Boston Attractions

There’s still more to see! If you have time, consider other educational experiences in Boston for the family: the Boston Public Library (for beautiful art and architecture),  Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, the Mapparium Globe (a three-story globe reflecting the world as of 1935), and the Museum of African American History.

Children’s Books About Boston

A few notable books may help kids get the most out of a visit to Boston. With the background provided by this literature, kids will undoubtedly appreciate and enjoy their trip to this amazing city.

• Boston History for Kids (by Richard Panchyk) chronicles the city’s history for older kids.
• Larry Gets Lost in Boston (by John Skewes) introduces many of Boston’s landmarks and may serve as a nice introduction before visiting and a relaxing recap after returning home. 
• Make Way for Ducklings (by Robert McCloskey) tells the story of a family of mallard ducks that live in the Boston Public Garden. When visiting the garden, look for the statues commemorating this book.
• The Great Molasses Flood (by Beth Wagner Brust) and I Survived the Great Molasses Flood (by Lauren Tarshis) explain the calamity that hit the city in 1919 that killed and injured some residents. 

Getting Around Boston

Most of the North End sites in this article are entirely walkable. Other options are the Hop On/Hop Off trolley, the Boston subway, and the ferry to Charlestown. 

Where to Stay and Eat

There are so many lodging choices, but one I especially like is the Marriott Long Wharf because of its proximity to key sites. Plus the Marriott has an indoor pool that kids really enjoy and a large outside deck just beyond the pool with magnificent views of the harbor (that just get better when the sun goes down). 

For eating in the North End’s Little Italy, I enjoyed Quattro which serves up delicious Italian dishes (including pizza) in a comfortable setting. Just outside — down Hanover Street –are the iconic Mike’s Pastry (well known for cannoli) and Modern Pastry (also well known for its wide variety of pastries and cookies). Further south on Hanover Street is Boston Public Market with an array of vendors selling seafood, produce, meat, baked goods, and prepared foods. 

Finding good food near Long Wharf and the New England Aquarium are Joe’s, Legal Seafood, and Provisions. Behind Faneuil Hall is Quincy Market with an array of prepared food vendors ranging from New England to Greek to Italian fare. And along Union Street is Union Oyster House, the oldest restaurant in continuous use in the country, with good food and interesting history displayed inside. A short walk away in the Seaport area is The Barking Crab, a very casual spot with tasty food.

Final Thoughts

Boston is a city that really delights. Its historical sites along with public outdoor spaces and recreation options make it a perfect place to enjoy several days with the family. There’s literally something for everyone: kids and grownups alike.

My favorite experiences were exploring the sites along the Freedom Trail, touring the USS Constitution and visiting the USS Constitution Museum, and simply enjoying downtime and people-watching in several of the outdoor public spaces (Boston Common, Boston Public Garden, Christopher Columbus Park, Harborwalk, and The Greenway).

Once you develop an itinerary for your visit, consider introducing your child(ren) to Boston by reading one or more books about the city. 

Comments?

Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences from a visit to Boston. Your comments could help other travelers. 🙂