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Days 17-22: Boston, Family, and Museums

This entry is part 5 of 11 in the series 56 Nights North East Summer Airstream RV Trip

“Sometimes, it’s the detours that make the journey unforgettable”—at least that’s what I kept reminding myself!

Days 17-22: Wonderful Family Time, Museums and Parks (Jul 29 – Aug 03)

Florida, NY to Abington, MA – 239 miles, 4.5 hours
With our tow vehicle in the shop, we had to decide on our next steps. The morning of Day 17 saw us back on the road, this time in a rental car, determined to stick to our plans and reach Boston, MA. Did you know that Boston is home to the first public park, public school, and public library in the U.S.?

We rented a Jeep Wagoneer from a nearby Enterprise rental location. Loaded up essentials including the two kid bikes and drove to Abington (20 miles southeast of Boston) at 4:30pm and arrived at 9:15pm. A lovely homed cooked meal was ready for just to enjoy together!

For this leg of our adventure, we stayed with our aunt and uncle, along with our two cousins and their fluffy white cat, in the suburbs of Boston. It had been nine years since our last visit, so it was a perfect time to relax, enjoy home-cooked meals, and reconnect with family. And of course, lots of exploring around the Boston area.

Day 18 – Tue, July 30, 2024: Relaxing, Cooking, and Making Art
After a few weeks on the road and our recent tow vehicle hiccup, it was rather nice to stretch our legs a bit. We spent the day relaxing at home. The kids enjoyed with hanging out with their First cousins once removed, making food, various creative play, and doing digital art.

Thao even made meat chips to refill our protein snacks for next leg of our trip to Acadia National Park in Maine.

Day 19 – Wed, July 31, 2024: Boston Children Museum
Being fully rested the day before, we were ready to start our adventures in Boston. Before heading into Boston, that morning, the kids helped make some rice balls with spam for us to bring along as a snack. Landon also got in a game of chess with Co Hieu.

Our first stop was the Boston Children’s Museum, a hands-on wonderland for kids, located on Boston’s waterfront. Shortly after spending time here, I found a photo on my phone of us bringing Logan here when he was under 2-years old! Our kids hit up all things they wanted to in 2.5 hours.

While there are over 20 exhibits across three floors, below are our kid’s favorites:

  • Bubbles: Experiment with a variety of tools to create bubbles of all sizes—from tiny spheres to giant floating creations.
  • New Balance Climb: Test your agility on this iconic three-story climbing structure that’s as challenging as it is fun.
  • Raceways: Discover the laws of motion by rolling golf balls along tracks of different shapes and designs.
  • Kid Power (2nd Floor): Get active by shooting hoops, climbing walls, and bouncing on power pump seats to explore how your body moves.
  • Johnny’s Workbench: Try your hand at real tools—twist screws, turn a hand drill, and operate a saw in this hands-on workspace.
  • STEAM Lab: Dive into science, technology, engineering, art, and math through engaging, interactive experiments.

Lobster Roll Lunch and Martin’s Park
Not far from the Boston Children Museum is the Boston Tea Party Ship & Museum. We did not participate in the tour due to time constraint and only spent time in the gift shop. It does look fun though!

For a quick snack, we stopped by James Hook & Co for lobster rolls. I know it’s been 8 years since we visited the New England area but what a sticker shock at $40 for one lobster roll! So we only got one to share. We also discovered Martin’s Park, a wonderful playscape built in memory of an 8-year-old boy who tragically lost his life in the Boston Marathon bombing.

Day 20 – Thur, Aug 1, 2024: Boston Naval Yard and Boston Museum of Science
Our second day into Boston included a visit to the U.S.S. Constitution at the Charlestown Navy Yard. explore. The magnificent wooden warship, launched in 1797, is the oldest commissioned naval vessel still afloat in the world, and it retains functional cannons! Well, only used for ceremonial purposes. It earned its nickname, “Old Ironsides”, during the War of 1812 when enemy cannonballs seemed to bounce off its sturdy oak hull.

We were able to step aboard and explore the ship’s three main decks. Top deck or open-air weather deck is where the ship’s masts and rigging rise into the sky. It’s where sailors handled the sails and navigated the ship. The gun deck has rows of heavy cannons that were the Constitution’s primary weapons. The berth deck lowest level of the ship served as living quarters for the sailors. It’s where they ate, slept, and socialized when not on duty.

Museum of Science
If you only had a day to do one awesome children thing, the Museum of Science in Boston gets my vote. After leaving the Boston Naval Yard, we came across a BLUEBikes station and rented two e-bikes since Thao and I did not have our bikes with us. This worked out great since we enjoyed a fun ride through the parks and going under memorial bridges like The Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge. Conveniently, the Museum of Science has BLUEBikes station right in front as well for easy drop off and pickup.

We arrived to the museum around 2:30pm so only had about 2 hours remaining before it closed. While we made the most of our time, clearly we had to revisit again the next day given the kids really enjoyed it. I believe our pass allowed us in another day at no extra cost.

Day 21 – Fri, Aug 2, 2024
We arrived at the Museum of Science again around 11am and stayed thru closing which gave us a full day of exploring, interacting, and learning.

While there are over 25 exhibits and a dozen live presentations, below are some of our kids’ favorites during their visit.

  • Engineering Design Workshop: Get hands-on with engineering challenges, from building to testing creative solutions.
  • The Hall of Human Life: Explore the science of biology and human health through engaging, personalized experiments.
  • Science in the Park: Play while learning about physics with interactive stations like pulleys, pendulums, and balance beams.
  • Arctic Adventure: Become a polar explorer who can trek across virtual ice fields with ground-penetrating radar and search for wildlife with interactive tools.
  • Planetarium: Immerse yourself in stunning shows that take you on journeys through space.
  • Exploring AI: Discover where AI is being used, and learn how the choices we make affect the impact of these technologies.
  • Tesla Coils! Explore electrical energy using the Museum’s collection of Tesla coils! Enjoy the sights and sounds as sparks arc and dance through the air.
  • Science Live! These interactive demonstrations cover a variety of scientific topics, such as chemistry experiments, physics phenomena, or biology discoveries. The content rotates, so you might witness anything from fire and explosions to quirky animal behaviors.
  • Live Animal Presentation! Meet some of the museum’s resident animals up close. Educators introduce you to reptiles, mammals, or birds and share fascinating facts about their habitats, diets, and adaptations.
  • Astronomy Live! Held in the Charles Hayden Planetarium, these presentations explore the night sky in real time, offering an interactive and immersive journey through stars, planets, and constellations.

Hot Pot and Korean BBQ Dinner
After a full day at the science museum, we were ready to eat! We met at Royal Sushi and Korean hotpot with our boston family for Korean BBQ and Hot Pot. It was definitely a treat!


Day 22 – Sat, Aug 3, 2024: Boston Commons and Boston Library
Day 22 marked our last full day in Boston, and we made it count. We started with homemade Phở Bò (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup) and Phở Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup) for brunch. I did mention at the beginning home cooked family meals would be a big theme! Our Aunt and cousins are such great cooks and very accommodating to Landon’s food allergies, hence the Chicken version Landon is allergic to Beef.

After brunch, we toured Boston with our family, starting with a visit to the Boston Common. It is the oldest city park in the United States with a wonderful green space. Established in 1634, it offers a mix of history and recreation, featuring lush lawns, shady trees, and pathways perfect for strolling. There was a bustling farmers market when we were there. Key attractions include the Frog Pond, which transforms into a splash pad in summer and a skating rink in winter, and historic monuments like the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. As a gateway to the Freedom Trail, Boston Common is a must-visit spot blending nature, history, and community in a vibrant urban setting.

From there, we indulged in desserts at Lady M Cake Boutique on Newbury Street, one of the world’s most expensive retail street. With a bit of sweet streets in our belly, we continued our Boston tour at the Boston Public Library, where we marveled at its massive halls and beautiful architecture. Logan even checked out Space Case, a book by Stuart Gibbs who authored Spy School, his favorite series. Afterward, we cooled off at the Prudential Mall area before hopping on the Green Line subway to cap the day with Sushi at Ink Block for some super tasty sushi, sashimi, and Japanese small plates. Another wonderful treat!

Series Navigation<< Days 10-16: NYC Playscapes, Brooklyn Bridge, Liberty & Ellis Island, and Legoland New YorkDays 23-26: Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor >>

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