We've taken many, many Boston trips at this point and I still can't believe we never managed to complete the Freedom Trail as a family. The Freedom Trail is a two-and-a-half-mile distinguished path in Boston with over a dozen monumental and/or significant pieces of historical markers that tell of the American Revolution and so much more. Paul Revere's house, the Old North Church, and various burying grounds are just a few stops on this trail and so much of what you are able to take in are hundreds of years old. It's pretty cool. Boston is often referenced as "the cradle of liberty" and between my history major (and enthusiast) husband and our now history buff that is our eldest child, I knew this was going to be an experience that we remembered for a lifetime.
We opted not to take a guided tour for this experience. Ironically enough, anytime we take in some new part of this city, more times than not, it's been guided. A sense of direction, history, or location is always appreciated by someone who knows Boston like the back of their hand. Also, locals have the real 4-1-1 on all the eats here. Not choosing a guided tour allowed for more freedom to take in each location at our own pace and not place expectations on our small children. I think we left a little later in the morning than we normally would so Nana wouldn't have to wake up before the sun and even still, we made a great time and didn't feel rushed at all while along the trail.
It took us pretty much all day to get through each location (pretty decent for four kids, me, Justin, and Nana) and we had a complete blast! The kids loved "following the brick roads and symbols" that kept us on track within the trail. From the Boston Massacre site to Faneuil Hall, the kids got to experience parts of American history they weren't aware of before (that was truly my favorite part) and indulge in yummy gelatos and lobster along the way. We ended up stopping at Quincy Market for food, a bit of a rest, and shopping. Ava is obsessed with Boston lobster and oyster everything -- so she appreciated this stop more than most. Nana got to talking to another family sitting close by and they were in Boston on a layover before heading to... guess where? Washington State -- JBLM of all places! That was neat. Olivia found her favorite violinist that plays all of her favorite songs at the market, Liam was just excited to be able to run around and do all the things, and Tatum had her first carrier-free trip!
This was also Nana's first time to Boston, so that was just a little sweetness on top of an already amped-up trip. Aside from the last haul of the trail ( a lot of walking done... nearly 15K steps), I'd say we all faired really well. We opted to take the Metro Water Ferry back downtown rather than walk all the way back. It started to rain like 30 minutes before we were done for the day and Justin and Liam ended up Ubering back to the car garage while we girls bought more Boston memorabilia while we waited.
Biggest Takeaways from this experience --
* This was a historically iconic experience and everyone American should opt to see it just once.
* Wear comfortable shoes when walking this much. Should have been a no-brainer, and yet I wore vans... Ouch!
* We truly feel like we've explored every inch of Boston possible (with kids) and absolutely feel more "pro-like" about this city.
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