Boston Attractions

The hands-on, interactive exhibits are so much fun, the kids won't even know they're educational too. Adults and kids alike can scale the rock-climbing wall, or try on clothes from a different time period in "Grandparent's Attic." Kids can act in short plays put on by museum professionals or try their hand at a kid-friendly indoor construction site. Great for kids up until about age 8, after which point they will be bored.

On your way out of the Children's Museum, stop for lunch and ice cream at the snack bar housed in the giant, 40-foot Hood's Milk Bottle (summer only) and dine in the outdoor picnic area. In colder months, there is an indoor picnic area in the museum perfect for bring-your-own lunches.

Boson Common is the oldest park in the country, and the starting point for the Freedom Trail. Take pictures of the kids on the bronzed statues of Mrs. Mallard and her eight ducklings -- a tribute to Robert McCloskey's "Make Way for Ducklings" about a duck family who found their home in the Public Garden. Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack and Quack's real-life descendents are in the pond nearby. To get a good look, take a ride on the foot-paddled swan boats ($2.75 for adults, $1.50 for kids). If the kids haven't read the book, make sure to pick up a copy to read as a bedtime story tonight. The book is available at nearly every gift shop in Boston and at the Barnes and Noble and Borders book stores, both on Washington Street in Downtown Crossing.

Boston Duck Tour ($30 for adults; $20 for kids age 3 to 11; $6 for kids under 3). Parents will appreciate the informative and entertaining tour while kids will love the DUCK, an amphibious landing vehicle that, once the land portion of the tour is complete, drives right into the Charles River. "ConDUCKtors" let kids "drive" the DUCK in the River and encourage them to quack at pedestrians on the street. You can pick up the tour at two locations: the Prudential Center or the Museum of Science.

Get out that map of the Freedom Trail and pick your starting point -- the trail is not a loop so it's best to start at one end or the other. Most people start at Boston Common and make their way along the 2.5-mile red brick path to visit some 16 of Boston's most important sites. Allow a minimum of three hours to walk the trail and stop in at some of the attractions like the Paul Revere House and the U.S.S. Constitution. When the trail winds its way through the North End, divert off the path for lunch at Pizzeria Regina and sample Boston's most popular pizza steaming hot and fresh from the brick oven.

If you feel your children are old enough, take a tour of Boston's darker side on a Ghosts and Gravestones Trolley Tour. Visit the final resting place of many of the most famous heroes of the American Revolution including John Hancock, Paul Revere and Samuel Adams. Hear the tales of the Boston Strangler and visit some of the city's most famous cemeteries and burial grounds. The tour is fun, but it is also scary -- don't be surprised if you find the whole family in your bed tonight!

After you've had your fill of history and sightseeing, head over to Kings Bowling Alley (Green Line to Hynes station). Get there by 4 p.m. to enjoy 16 state-of-the-art lanes with cool graphics, name personalization at each lane and automatic scoring. At 6 p.m. when the place clears everyone under 21 out, head upstairs for dinner at Jasper White's Summer Shack. The casual and fun seafood joint serves all your favorites from clam chowder to boiled lobster to fried clams.

The Museum of Science is incredibly popular with school-age kids. Stop in and spend some time at the planetarium or take in a film on the giant screen at the Mugar Omni Theatre, or the impressive 3-D theater. Also check out the Butterfly Museum, a conservatory filled with exotic plants and living butterflies overlooking the Charles River. Admission for the just museum is $19 for adults, $16 for kids, add-ons are extra if you want to visit the theaters or Butterfly Museum.

The New England Aquarium houses more than 15,000 fish and water mammals. The aquarium's crowning jewel is the 200,000-gallon Giant Ocean Tank that contains coral reefs, sharks and other sea creatures. There is a delightful performing sea lions show and, in a separate building, an IMAX theater showing educational 3-D films (additional admission charge).

Quincy Market is in Faneuil Hall Marketplace; and with over 50 food stalls serving everything from pizza to clam chowder in a bread bowl to hot dogs and lobster rolls, everyone is sure to find something they'll enjoy. Take a seat at one of the communal tables or head outside and find a bench to dine on. The warm months often find the steps of Quincy Market packed with street performers -- magicians, jugglers and clowns -- to occupy the kids' attention.