Some people told us we were crazy for visiting Boston in the Winter since it was so cold but the direct flight ticket prices from SFO to BOS was too good to pass up! There is a 3 hour time difference between the two coasts which affected us more than we thought so be prepared! We traveled with our young children so this itinerary will be perfect for families or adults who like to have fun!

Day 1:

STAY: We checked into The Eliot Hotel which is located in the Back Bay area of Boston. We chose this area over Downtown since we wanted a more relaxing stay but really it is only a 15 minute drive between Back Bay and Downtown. We enjoyed The Eliot Hotel the moment we saw it with it’s stately brick exterior and beautiful entrance. Every one of the staff was so kind and friendly the kids couldn’t stop chatting with them! The rooms have recently been updated and their suites were perfect for relaxing after a travel day.

EAT: After settling in we walked over to Summer Shack which is famous for their oysters and lobster dishes. We loved their fun themed interior that is made to look like a traditional New England Clam Shack. They also have fun Tiki Cocktails with some shareable drink choices. Their oysters are a must especially since they are $2 All Day Every Day! New England oysters seemed to be bigger and meatier (than West coast oysters) which we found to be delicious! If you’re in the mood for lobster be sure to try Jasper’s Famous Pan Roasted Lobster! It’s like nothing we’ve had before and absolutely delicious. End the night with holding some live lobster for photos!

Day 2:

SEE: We started the day with a breakfast buffet at The Eliot Hotel which was the perfect way to start our day. We then walked to the Boston Public Library which is always a favorite when we visit Boston. One of the most beautiful Libraries we’ve ever been to that is famous for its collection of more than 23 million items which makes it one of the largest municipal public library systems in the United States. This library was one of the first large free municipal libraries in the United States and the first public library to lend books and have a children’s room. Be sure to check out Bates Hall which is the library’s original reading room and is considered one of the most important architectural spaces in the world.

EAT: For lunch we walked over to Newbury Street which is famous for shopping and eating with so many stores and restaurants to choose from! We had lunch at Little Whale Oyster Bar which focuses on classic New England fare and the third seafood concept from Chef Michael Serpa. We enjoyed an assortment of oysters and other seafood from their raw bar with one of their Plateaux towers. We also loved their lobster spaghettini which was cooked perfectly!

SEE: We took a taxi to downtown after lunch to visit the newest Museum of Ice Cream located in the Seaport district in Boston. Kid’s favorite perk was there was unlimited ice cream! Wander through different rooms that have different themes and different types of ice cream to try. Learn about ice cream trivia and interact with their many interactive displays. Don’t miss out on their sprinkles pool and a small spoiler is that they have Lobster Ice Cream for you to try at this location!

Day 3:

SEE: After breakfast and checking out of The Eliot Hotel, we took a taxi to downtown to store our luggage and visit the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum. This was such a fun and unique museum with live reenactments, multimedia exhibits, a real ship, and artifacts. This museum is located near the approximate area where the actual Boston Tea Party took place! Explore a real 18th Century boat before heading into the Museum. Pro tip: no photos allowed inside the museum part but everything outside is fine.

SEE: After the Museum we hopped on one of the Old Town Trolley Tour buses to see more of the Boston area. The buses are painted a beautiful dark Green and Orange so they are hard to miss! They have big openings for looking out and plastic tarps that are let down to keep you warm on cold days. The whole tour is narrated by the driver of each trolley and you can hop on and off at any of the stops located throughout Boston. The perfect way to get around town and learn about it at the same time! Pro tip: stop in North End for lunch which is famous for many Italian eateries, bakeries, and cafes!

After exploring for a few hours we grabbed our luggage and headed to the airport to catch our flight. Love that Boston airport is so close to town (took us less than 10 minutes from downtown). Till next time Boston!