Fenway Park, the Freedom Trail and more of Boston’s best

Boston is a city full of history, delicious food and bucket list sports venues. We headed to Boston because we were excited to visit the city for the first time and also because our Texas Rangers were playing the Red Sox at Fenway Park that week. Since we planned on catching a few ballgames as well as touring Fenway, we stayed at Hotel Commonwealth, which is walking distance to the ballpark and also has a train station right next to it for easy access to the rest of the city.

Duck Boat Tour

Our friends from the Boston area recommended we take a Duck Boat Tour to get acquainted with the city. The tour was a lot of fun and allowed us to see the highlights of Boston from land and from sea (or the Charles River). And there was plenty of quacking of course!

Freedom Trail

The next day, we went on Ye Olde Tavern Tour of the Freedom Trail. The tour began at Boston Common, America’s oldest park, and wound through downtown, stopping at various pubs and historic sites along the way.

It was a fun way to see such landmarks as the Massachusetts State House with its impressive golden dome.

Across the street from the Massachusetts State House, we stopped at the 21st Amendment pub for a drink and saw where John F. Kennedy was rumored to have written speeches by the fireplace.

I thought it was interesting to see the Old State House nestled among the taller, more modern buildings. It served as the seat of colonial and state government in the 1700s. There are exhibits inside which you can tour.

We made a stop at the Green Dragon Tavern as well to enjoy some beverages. The Green Dragon is called the “Headquarters of the Revolution” and it was in the pub that plans for the invasion of Lexington and Concord were overheard, which in turn started the famous ride of Paul Revere.

Boston Public Garden

Boston Public Garden, the first public botanical garden in America, was established in 1837 and is delightful to walk through. You can also take a ride on the swan boats and check out the statue of George Washington.

Where to eat

After walking around for a few hours, we deserved a treat. Boston is known for its North End Italian area. Stop into Mike’s Pastry for every flavor cannoli imaginable or head to Modern Pastry for more cannolis and other yummy desserts. We might have tried both during our stay. If you’re in the mood for dinner, we ate at Limoncello and Giacomo’s in the North End and both were very good.

Another option is to check out Cheers, where everybody knows your name.

Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market offer a variety of choices in a food hall setting. Lobster rolls are always a good choice!

Boston Tea Party

To soak up more of Boston’s history, check out the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, where you can throw tea into the harbor just like the colonists, as well as see what their ships were like back then.

Paul Revere House

The Paul Revere House, built in 1680, is by the North End and an interesting look back in time.

Fenway Park

Finally, it was time for some baseball! We toured Fenway Park in the afternoon, checking out the view from the Green Monster and all of the stadium’s history. Fenway has been the home of the Red Sox since 1912 and is the oldest active major league ballpark.

We headed back to Fenway in the evening to see the Rangers take on the Red Sox. We always enjoy getting to watch the Rangers play in different ballparks.

A cool place to dine before the game, or any time really, is the Bleacher Bar, a restaurant beneath the bleachers in centerfield of Fenway Park. There is a huge window that looks right onto the field to give you a view of all the action.

We had a great time at the game and got to see the Rangers win. We even ended up on the Dallas broadcast of the game back home! We had such a good time, we decided to go back the next night for another game.

JFK Library

For a little more recent history, we also visited the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, which is just outside Boston on the water. I’ve visited several presidential libraries and have found them all to be very well done and educational. You should visit if you have the chance.

We had a great first trip to Boston and would love to go back! What is your favorite thing to do there?