In full disclosure, we were provided with 2 Adult CityPASSes from CityPASS to make this post possible. We appreciate their support of Jersey Family Fun so that we can bring you fun things to do in Boston. We are also an affiliate for CityPASS, meaning we do make a small commission if you choose to purchase passes using our links. As always, all opinions are our own.
Boston – a city with a blend of modern and historical, high rises and waterfront. There’s so much to choose from and when we started to plan our family’s vacation it became overwhelming. With only 3 1/2 days (and most attractions closing at 5), we had to prioritize. We had a great experience using CityPASS for New York sightseeing, and were pleased to see there’s a Boston option too. Decision made!
Boston CityPASS offers admission to 4 of Boston’s top attractions, making it easy for you to save money and plan an itinerary during your trip! Visit the Museum of Science, the New England Aquarium, the Prudential Tower Skywalk and Observatory and the Museum of Fine Arts OR a Boston Harbor Cruise with one purchase. Once tickets are activated, you have 9 days to use them. Keep reading to find out how we used our Boston CityPASS!
Museum of Science
On a rainy Sunday, we headed to the Museum of Science for the afternoon. Don’t make the same mistake – this place is huge! We saw maybe 1/3 of it and each exhibit was better than the last. With a focus on science, nature and health, visitors can see live bees and dinosaur models; learn about the human body and the life of a butterfly; or be an engineer and learn about modeling. We built trampolines, watched an astronomy presentation, and saw a man get struck by lightning! It’s truly a educationally diverse and engaging museum – one of Boston’s must do’s!
While we wish we could have spent all day, we got so much out of our afternoon there. Our top three Museum of Science exhibits were:
- What I Eat. Simple pictures of people across the world and their daily food intake mesmerized me! The pictures show how differently we all eat both with calorie count and cuisine. It might give you ideas for new entrees, or be thankful for the food that you have. It was eye opening (and my children were amazed by 11 year olds smoking in far off lands).
- Archimedean Excogitation. I can’t pronounce it but we could have watched it for hours! A two story ball machine/sculpture that keeps running as the balls circle down and jump around, it gives you a lot to watch. It’s in the lobby near the cafeteria and the also fun “musical stairs.”
- Lightning! Prepare to be mesmerized. A staff member from the museum teaches all about lightning, static electricity in the shadow of the huge Van de Graaf generator. The generator and Tesla coils put on a show like none other – where else will you see a man in a cage that gets struck by lightning? It is a 20 minute must see.
The Museum of Science is at 1 Science Park, Boston MA. Hours are 9 AM – 5 PM Saturday – Thursday, open until 9 PM Friday.
For more Museum of Science photos, see our Facebook Album.
New England Aquarium
So much of Boston is on the water, so it’s fitting that a top notch aquarium would be on its shores. The New England Aquarium will impress you with the giant ocean tank – like nothing we’d ever seen! It stretches up four stories and inside there are hundreds of animals, and if you time it right, even divers! But when you first enter you can’t miss the penguins! The exhibit stretches across the full first floor and has several species of penguins. Feedings happen twice daily where they’re hand fed and it’s fun to watch! Want to touch? There’s a touch tank too, where the rays will come right up to you. Our favorites are always the seals, and we watched them put on a show in the outdoor marine mammal center. Want more? There’s an IMAX theater and whale watching cruises offered as well. The aquarium offers a cafe and a gift shop, and is about a 2 hour visit.
The New England Aquarium is at 1 Central Wharf, Boston MA. Hours are 9 AM – 5 PM weekdays, open until 6 PM weekends.
For more New England Aquarium photos, see our Facebook Album.
The Prudential Tower Skywalk Observatory
When we had our New York CityPASSes we enjoyed seeing NYC from new heights. Knowing that, we made sure to get in a visit to the Skywalk Observatory during our visit using the Boston CityPASS. The Skywalk wasn’t walkable from our hotel, so once we were packed up to go home, we drove over to check it out. The Skywalk is fully enclosed, on the 50th floor of the Prudential Tower, a shopping/office complex in the Back Bay/Copley Square area.
It was a sunny morning and we weren’t disappointed with the views! We could see Fenway Park, the Charles River, even planes taking off from Logan Airport. But the views aren’t the only things. The Skywalk also houses the “Dreams of Freedom Museum,” with so much detail about Boston’s diversity and immigration. My kids enjoyed playing Who Wants to Be An American, and stopping in to see the movie “Wings Over Boston.” I liked seeing who in the city uses rooftops, and looking at the various architecture from high up. Depending on your level of interest, you could spend an hour at the Skywalk but if you drive, be aware of the parking fees in the Prudential Tower garage (starts at $12/hour, up to 3 hours for $14 with any store purchase at Prudential)
Skywalk Boston is at 800 Boylston Street, Boston, MA. Hours are 10-10 (open until 8 in Winter).
For more Prudential Tower Skywalk and Observatory photos, see our Facebook Album.
Our last Boston CityPASS excursion had to be skipped. We couldn’t make it to The Museum of Fine Arts to head home in time; and the Boston Harbor Cruise times didn’t work into our schedule for the short trip we had. We could have easily been able to visit all 4 attractions in 4 days if there wasn’t a deadline to get our dog from the dogsitter! Once again, CityPASS didn’t disappoint. We saw things in Boston we wouldn’t necessarily have chosen, and were not disappointed!
Click over to see the rest of our Family Travel to Boston series for help in planning your Boston vacation.
To arrange a feature on your location contact Jennifer Auer, Jersey Family Fun publisher.