Boston, Massachusetts (Apr 23)

A short off-season break to New England and the historic city of Boston, Massachusetts.  

It’s my first visit here and wow, somewhere I’d definitely recommend for a short break!

We were joined by Hannah who flew in from Minneapolis along with Ben, who came by coach from New York. Toby came with me and Emma from London.
Both Hannah and Ben are reaching the end of their respective placements in the USA, so it was the ideal excuse for us to take a trip out to see them. 

We enjoyed oysters in the oldest restaurant in the US, sampled a vast array of New England IPAs, visited numerous tap rooms and Irish bars, walked around the oldest commissioned warship in the US Naval fleet, popped into Harvard,

….wandered along gas lit cobblestone streets, and enjoyed wide open spaces in the warm spring sunshine. 

I hadn’t quite prepared myself for just how old some of the buildings here are; many of them were built between the mid 1600s and 1700s and are architecturally stunning.

We visited many of them whilst waking along the Freedom Trail (alternatively known as the “tax dodging traitors’ trail” by my ancestors back in Blighty). 

If I’m honest I wasn’t sure what to expect from Boston as I didn’t research it as much as I ought to have done ahead of our arrival (given it was our second choice of destination on account of some visa restrictions held by one of group). Of course we all know about the Tea Party and revolutionary stuff, but there is so much more to see and do when you get here… so all’s well that ends well!  

We were lucky to be staying very centrally at an apartment in Columbus Avenue, not too far from Boston Common, the oldest in the USA and where the Freedom Trail starts. As a result we didn’t need to worry about taxis or public transport, everything is pretty much on your doorstep and within waking distance. The only day we hopped on a bus was when we headed off to Harvard University, but on realising how close it was we ended up waking back, via a watering hole (or two) of course.  

After waving goodbye to Ben at the historic South Station ahead of a 22 hour train journey to Chicago, the rest of us headed off for the airport where Emma, Toby and I checked onto our 5 hour 15 minute flight back home to London courtesy of a favourable trade wind. Hannahs flight was at the same time as ours but she was home before all of us as Minnesota is a mere 2 hour hop.

So. All in all a great experience in a city that again wasn’t high up on my list of places to visit but which is perfect for a three or four day break, especially out of season when flights and accommodation are cheaper, and there is an absence of crowds.