Friends. I finally made it to Boston. It’s only been on my bucket list since I was a kid! Ha! We did a girls weekend and I was not disappointed. It might have taken me, oh, 30+ years to make it to Boston, but it was worth the wait. And, as you can imagine, I took lots and lots of photos! So let me tell you about my trip!
Downton Boston
Our first full day in Boston started at the Paul Revere House (which was closed both times we were there. We were too early when we got there and too late when we arrived back at the house). We kept most of our plans kind of loose, but knew we wanted to do three things: see some of the Freedom Trail, hit the Boston Public Market, and visit the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. So we started off at the Paul Revere House and then walked over to the markets. We were actually really early for everything! It was funny! So we perused the market (Faneuil Market) and then walked over to Boston Common. It was a beautiful day for a walk, although it was a little windy and cold. But we were all in Boston for the first time so what’s a little wind and cold? hehe.
Boston Common was beautiful! There’s a duck pond, fountains, and a carousel. There are even squirrels and pigeons that will literally follow you around begging for food. I’m not sorry to say that we hand feed a squirrel. Bad, I know, but cute nonetheless. We also stopped by the Granary Burying Ground. I don’t have words to describe it. Historical for sure (Paul Revere, John Hancock, Samuel Adams are all buried here), but the graves are all so close together. Right up against each other and the buildings. The graves were old and very moving.
Then we lunched in Beacon Hill. And walked the historic streets. I loved Beacon Hill. I could have spent days there just wandering the streets and the shops! I think Beacon Hill was my favorite stop. I loved it all but it was definitely my fav.
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Day two was about the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Yes, the museum that is the feature of “This is a Robbery“. The museum that was robbed in 1990 and nothing has been solved nor recovered since. I didn’t know a lot about the museum. The Mister grew up going to the museum on school field trips but I hadn’t heard of it nor knew anything about the heist. I do find these things interesting so it was worth a trip. A little background that I didn’t know going in. I thought Isabella Stewart Gardner had lived there (it looked like a big mansion) but she actually built the museum to look that way. She never actually lived there. Also, she specifically stated that the museum could not change in anyway, otherwise the collection had to be dismantled and sent to Paris for auction. Which is why you see the empty frames hanging on the walls still.
It was a little more crowded than I anticipated. And I also didn’t anticipate needing a guide (the audio version that you listen to on your phone. With earphones) so I actually didn’t learn anything other than what I knew beforehand. There weren’t any markers on anything. That was disappointing. But I hope there will be return trip and next time I will be prepared for it.
The Harbor
The second half of our day (after the museum) we spent walking around the harbor. We had a seafood lunch (I had a lobster roll!) and then hit some of the stores and just walked around the wharf. We hit up a plant store where they were giving away from tree samplings! There’s this funny thing in Boston about snake plants. They’re everywhere. Office buildings. Our Airbnb. And they’re huge! Totally crazy. Anyway, we all bought plants to take back. I’ve had snake plants for years but never let them get that big. Now I’m rethinking it. I always presumed they were like aloe plants and if you kept repotting them and letting the ‘babies’ grow, they would get bigger and bigger. I made that mistake with an aloe plant long ago and it ended up in a container that had to be moved with a hand truck. Never again. HAHA.
Our walk took us to a cute little restaurant with outdoor dining. Just what we were looking for. So we had dinner and a drink and then walked the two miles back to our house we were renting! That was a good end to our nice weekend.
Anyway, it was nice to get away for a couple of days. I loved Boston. I hope that I can get back there again. Next time I want to do a duck boat tour! We do our yearly trip to Cape Cod and Boston is just a short ferry ride away. Here’s to hoping!
’til next time
-k
xoxo
Daenel
Your photos are beautiful. I feel as if I were there and can’t wait to note the actual places when I do visit. Now I have to look up the heist because I think I remember hearing someone talk about it this weekend, which would be such a weird coincidence.
chickenlibrarian
AWW! Thank you Dani! I loved Boston. I loved taking pictures of Boston. I want to go back some day and I hope you make it there to see your son and to see the city. The heist is very interesting and it was interesting seeing the empty frames on the walls. The museum is beautiful and I’m glad we chose that one to visit.
Steph - Elder Oaks Farm
Sounds like such a fun trip! I grew up in Western MA, but surprisingly have only been to Boston a handful of times and. Red Sox game was usually involved. Im definitely not a city person, but Boston is such a charming little historic city! I’m biased of course as a MA girl, but I still think it’s one of the best cities. Loved all of your pictures!
chickenlibrarian
I’m definitely a New York City girl (and not much of a city person obviously) but I loved Boston. It was indeed charming! I’d love to take a day trip here and there when we are in Cape Cod (which is my only yearly trip that I must do). We stay super close to Provincetown so getting a ferry to Boston is totally doable. There’s still so much to see and experience in both Boston and NYC that I need to put visits back on my list!