Travelogue: Boston, Massachusetts
Aug. 22-25, 2026
Boston, the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state
of Massachusetts, is the cultural and financial center of New England, a region
of the Northeastern United States. It is a 3-hour, 27-minute drive from Queens,
so we planned stops along coastal Connecticut.
Boston is near major universities like Harvard, MIT, and Tufts, in the cities of Cambridge and Somerville, known as the Brainpower Triangle. I even bought a “Wicked Smaaht” Boston T-shirt, which was meant to be spoken with the Boston accent, dropping the ‘r’. Do you know that “wicked" is a regional intensifier meaning "very"? Quite coincidental that we watched the Broadway show “Wicked” the day after we returned to New York.
Boston has many medical and research facilities (Beth Israel
Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston Children's
Hospital, Dana–Farber Cancer Institute, and Joslin Diabetes Center).
ITINERARY
I’m impressed by how the “Kids” (I know they’re grown, yeah)
exerted so much effort to vet the tour stops and research the restaurants.
Jordan created a whole spreadsheet of potential attractions and restaurants, with
the girls suggesting a few, complete with popular menu items, but the adults just
gave up and told them, "We'll go wherever you want to go."
No ChatGPT chart, but real-deal travel plans with travel
coordinates figured out. Typical Millennials and Gen Z’s. I am 100% sure that
they studied as hard in College, right? They just chuckled mysteriously at this
question.
ATTRACTIONS
Duck Tours- part bus/part boat, an amphibious vehicle
that drives down a ramp into the Charles River. This is easily the most
enjoyable excursion we had. The Duck Tours traverse historical landmarks and
unique neighborhoods that make Boston a city of firsts, the birthplace of
freedom, and the “Cradle of Liberty” because of its role in the American
Revolution. The 80-minute tour includes the 20-minute river ride.
The conDUCKtours certainly made it fun. We were lucky to
have the delightful and unforgettable Papriqqa (double Q), a vivacious lady with multi-colored braids, a wicked sense of humor, extensive knowledge of her dear Boston, and a great memory for
names. She got some volunteers to steer the boat as we descended into the Charles
River, with the view of the Boston and Cambridge skylines. She was certainly popular, as several tourists on the street waved at her. She also got us to yell "Quack, quack" on cue. My son said I was too enthusiastic. She taught us how to pronounce "Harvard"", and also demonstrated several heart signs that younger kids had shared with her.
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
25 Evans Way, Boston, MA 02115
This art museum was founded in 1903 by Isabella Stewart
Gardner, an American Art collector, patron of the arts, and philanthropist. Her
collection included 7500 paintings, sculptures, tapestries, and decorative
arts. Her will strictly detailed instructions on how to display her art.
I was thrilled to be surrounded by great art from Rembrandt,
Michelangelo, Botticelli, Degas, Whistler, Raphael, and Titian.
The central courtyard is a photo-op opportunity with rotating
seasonal floral displays and lush foliage. The 6-foot-tall starry blue-and-white
chimney bellflowers are breathtaking.
Boston Public Library-
McKim Building at 700 Boylston Street in Copley Square
Opened in 1852, this is the first free, publicly funded
municipal library in America with over 20 million items (books, maps,
manuscripts) on display. The architecture
is spectacular; it almost felt like a grand European palace with massive stone
arches, a grand staircase, and stunning murals by John Sargeant and de
Chavannes. There are collections of
watercolors and drawings by Thomas Rowlandson and some early editions of Shakespeare.
I am a bibliophile, so I can imagine myself spending hours
and hours in libraries like this and, of course, the New York Library.
Boston Garden
The first public botanical garden in America, this is an
oasis in the midst of the urban jungle with beautifully manicured lawns and
seasonal trees and flowers. With benches facing the pond, we enjoyed
people-watching as all kinds of people promenaded along the path, some with
dogs, and some with children. Near the pond, some ducks promenaded too,
probably watching people too. It’s funny that they also poop on the grass, with
some lifting their back leg.
For $15 a person, you can also ride the Swan boat for a
15-minute ride around the pond.
Elephant Migration Exhibit
Along Commonwealth Avenue (from Arlington Street to Fairfield
Street in Back Bay)
This free public art exhibit features 100 life-sized
elephant sculptures along Commonwealth Avenue from August 8 through September
13, 2026. They are on a global journey from East to West in the United States;
they stopped in New York last year.
The anatomically accurate wood sculptures were made from a repurposed
invasive plant called Lantana camara by Indigenous artisans Southern India.
“The Great Elephant Migration is a global fundraising
adventure to amplify Indigenous knowledge and inspire the human race to share
space.”
https://thegreatelephantmigration.org/
And yes, since this is a fundraiser, you can buy the elephants
(Calf, Adolescent, Matriarch, or Tusker) with prizes ranging from $8,500 to $22,
500. Sorry, the calves are sold out.
Other attractions:
Acorn Street in the historic Beacon Hill neighborhood- famous for its IG-worthy pictures of charming, picturesque Federal-style brick row houses, original cobblestone streets, antique cast-iron street lanterns, colorful doors, and vibrant floral window boxes. It is cited as the most photographed street in the United States.
Freedom Trail- I opted out
of this 2.5-mile hike, but my niece Charlene (a history buff) powered through
with the journey on an audio-guided tour. The walking tour, marked by a
distinctive red line starting from Acorn Street, passed through16 significant
historical sites, each telling the story of America’s illustrious past and quest
for independence.
Piers Park-
This is a beautifully landscaped park and a 600-foot pedestrian promenade, with a waterfront view of the Boston skyline. Sorry, Boston, nothing beats the Manhattan skyline.
FOOD TRIPS
Travel affords us the luxury and the excuse to enjoy the
local restaurants. No fast food restaurants for us. If you look up the definition of “foodie” online, you might see my son’s and nieces’
names. They treat our food trips as adventures, as experiences to try new
dishes, flavors, and cooking styles from various cultures. The way these young ones plan their food trips, you would think you're going on an important mission for the country.
Here’s a list of the restaurants we tried:
1. GG at Home, Niantic, Connecticut. A quick stop with delicious sandwiches and baked goods. However, rain prevented us from exploring the beachwalk.
2. Yunnan Kitchen- authentic Chinese cuisine from the Yunnan province. Great ambiance.
3.
Mahaniyom- Thai food. Awarded the Michelin's Bib Gourmand
and Northeast Cities Exceptional Cocktails Award. Served tapa-style, the food
was great, especially beef massaman, pomelo salad, and chive cakes.
4.
Lolita Fort Point- modern Mexican-inspired
cuisine. The décor is a little odd for me, with red candelabras and skulls for
vases. The pink cotton candy was a surprise treat.
5.
Saltie Girl- a chic,
nautical-yet-contemporary atmosphere. My favorites are clam chowder, pistachio
tiramisu, lobster roll, fried artichoke, and the caviar dip. A little pricey.
6.
Jana Grill, Watertown, MA- Easily our
favorite of the restaurants. They serve Mediterranean, Armenian, Lebanese. and
Georgian cuisines. We demolished the food right after it was served. The Assorted
Khorovats & Losh-Kebab Plate served on a charcuterie board was the best.
7. Kuya Jay’s Ube Café, Somerville, MA. An unexpected trip out of Boston into Somerville to find the Ube café. The open market that we were planning to go to closed early. The café's co-owner, an Italian husband of a Filipina, was enthusiastic about the food in the Philippines. He was quite exuberant about Filipino culture and expressed his desire to expand Filipino food culture here in Boston. He said he has many non-Filipino customers who could not believe how food as purple as it was could taste so good. I loved the Ube Macchiato. We also met a family bringing their daughter to start her studies to become a lawyer at Harvard. Very impressive. The father said he had to delay his retirement to support her daughter’s studies since the family lived all the way in California.
Of course, the trip would not be complete without driving by Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Its prominent alumni include former Presidents Barack Obama and John F. Kennedy. Noted dropouts include Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg.
