Reasonable hotel in Boston for family? Don't miss sights?

[TwingleMum]

I have to go to Boston in a few weeks any reasonable hotels for a family?? Anything fun for kids?? Thanks

 

[clori]

how old are the kids? I just hop on the subway whenever we want to go to Boston so can't really comment on hotels. We did stay at the Holiday Inn in Brookline years ago and it was nice and in a very family friendly neighborhood.

My girls are 5 & 9. They like ice skating at the Boston Commons Frog Pond and if the weather is nice they love the playground there. They both like the USS Constitution Museum and Old State House Museum both of which have hands on things for kids. We have a membership to the Museum of Science which both kids enjoy. The youngest loves the Childrens Museum but my oldest has started to outgrow it. Sometimes Fanieul Hall has entertainment going on. Oh Disney on Ice is showing at the whatever the Fleet Center is now called Christmas week.

 

[okeydokey]

The Museum of Science is great and so are the Duck Tours.

 

[TIAMOMMA]

We stayed at the Radisson on Stuart St. in July and we all really liked it. It was 2 blocks from the subway, and about a block to the Public Gardens/Boston Common. The kids loved the Museum of Science, the Swan Boats and the tour of Fenway. They also enjoyed the game, but that isn't an option now, but the tours at Fenway are year round I believe.

 

[SueInBoston]

Museum of Science is currently running a Harry Potter exhibit, get advance tickets online if your kids are into Harry Potter.

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

We got the Westin Back Bay for a great rate through Hotwire. I used Hotwire as I had to have two beds. I researched on bidding for travel dot com the exact description to make sure I got the hotel I wanted. Off peak rates now would be awesome I think. It was a terrific location, connected to two malls, and subway just one block out the front door - walk in front of the Boston Public Library, and you are there.

We had such a great time. Have fun!

 

[TwingleMum]

Thanks everyone. I have 3 boys 8,6 and 6. They are huge Harry Potter Fans so that would be awesome. They are big Hockey fans (Islanders) so I thought it would be fun for them to go to a college hockey game but I don't know much about getting tickets.

 

[npmommie]

The frogpond opens tomorrow for skating

I second the museum of science
also some friends of ours went here http://www.5-wits.com/home/
and said it was fun.

for bruins games you can get them online at their site, or ticketmaster, or right at the Garden when you are in town, the schedule should be on their site.
here is the link for BU hockey tickets http://www.goterriers.com/tickets/bost-tickets.html

 

[kathmzh]

The aquarium is also fun, and I second (or third?) the recommendation for the duck Boat tours -- may be chilly though? My kids also love a climb to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument and a visit to the the nearby USS Constitution, both free. They are in Charlestown, very close by.
For college hockey, check Boston University and Northeastern University, both great college hockey teams. Have fun!

 

[TwingleMum]

Skating at the frog pond do we need to bring skates or can we rent them???

 

[dakcp2001]

Harry Potter exhibit, and the Museum of SCience has an awesome Omnimax theater, def check it out! www.mos.org

There is a childrens museum, but I have no kids, so can't say how that is. Skip the Aquarium, it is a lot of money, and not great. Your time would be better spent elsewhere.

If you guys like Italian food, you should make a stop in the North End for lunch or dinner, and stop at Mike's Pastry shop,famous bakery.

Are you guys interested in theater at all? The Nutcracker starts the day after Thanksgiving.

 

[npmommie]

Skating at the frog pond do we need to bring skates or can we rent them???

yes you can rent skates if you need them

Harry Potter exhibit, and the Museum of SCience has an awesome Omnimax theater, def check it out! www.mos.org

There is a childrens museum, but I have no kids, so can't say how that is. Skip the Aquarium, it is a lot of money, and not great. Your time would be better spent elsewhere.

If you guys like Italian food, you should make a stop in the North End for lunch or dinner, and stop at Mike's Pastry shop,famous bakery.

the childrens museum is a lot of fun, my kids love going there
oh and the pastry at mike's

 

[TwingleMum]

yes you can rent skates if you need them



the childrens museum is a lot of fun, my kids love going there
oh and the pastry at mike's

What is Mikes?? I love pastry..

 

[mtemm]

we went to the harry potter exhibit on sunday. it was very cool! did not bother with advanced tix, they run every 5 minutes so chanced it and had no problems at all.

Mike's pastry is in the north end (italian section). very yummy, and very crowded. still worth a trip, imho. its not far from the old north churcy so you can have a little history with your calories. lol.

I'm not a huge fan of the children's museum, personally, I prefer the science museum and even the aquarium.

 

[DISNEY1975]

I have to go to Boston in a few weeks any reasonable hotels for a family?? Anything fun for kids?? Thanks

The Marriot Longwarf is great for families. There is an arcade, indoor pool, its smack nextdoor to the Aquarium and IMAX theatre, its across the street from Quincy Market/Fanuiel Hall, a 2 minute walk to the North End and very close to a lot of attractions.

I was actually looking online today for a hotel from the night before Thanksgiving. Even though I live 25 minutes away, I thought it would be nice to spend a night there considering we are going to the Langham Hotel for Thanksiving Brunch.

The best deals I saw were on Hotwire. Unfortunately, they dont tell you the hotel name until you pay for it, but knowing the area, and clicking on 4 - 5 stars, waterfront/quincy market, I know I will end up at the Longwarf, Custom House, Harbor Hotel or Westin. All great hotels and the prices were around $100 per night...you cant beat that for waterfront in Boston. I only suggest Longwarf to you because of the indoor pool. All others I just mentioned are in the same area.

Priceline lets you name your price and a coworker got the Westin/waterfront for $88. I was a little nervous about Priceline because the "Waterfront" area covered a lot of area and even though you can see water, you could be a mile or more away from attractions/shopping/dining, which I like to walk to.

Good luck

 

[clori]

If you want Harry Potter Tickets you might want to price how much it costs for a membership verses tickets. I think without a membership it costs $25 or $30 a ticket. The membership has reciprical agreements so perhaps it can get you into a local place for free for close to the same price as paying nonmember rates for the museum.

My family doesn't like the aquarium. There is a sports museum at TD Bank North Center. I haven't been inside so I don't know anything about it.

 

[quentina]

We did priceline and got the Boston Renaissance (?) on the water. I bid 75 bucks, it was a beautiful hotel.

I am a firm price line supporter................always have amazing luck.

 

[mtemm]

yep, we find the membership to the museum of science pays for itself in no time. we are a family of 5, and that adds up quickly! the reciprocity agreements are great, and the money saved for the harry potter exhibit was HUGE. I could not believe how much the non-member tix were (members were $5/each).

with our membership we also got 4 free passes for the imax and plantiarium.

 

[crazelion]

I glad you post this. I going Boston for the summer of 2010. I getting a lot of ideas.

 

[Lynn CC]

We go to Boston a lot and always use priceline. I usually use the name youir own price and put in around $60. I have gotten the Hyatt Downtown three times at this price...very nice hotel and the staff treated us to a view when I called and asked them if they had anything with a view after I had my reservation from priceline. It was beautiful a view of the Statehouse.
We also got The Omni Parker House (right across from Boston Common)which is famous for their Boston Cream Pie. Very Nice too. Both are centrally located and you can walk to just about anywhere from either of these hotels. We have also stayed at Nine Zero, but no deals there unless you call and ask.

Mikes Pastries is on Hanover Street in the North End, and Pizza Reginas has the best pizza IMO anywhere. It is the pizza place I grew up eating so I'm partial. DH and I just had a pizza there!
If you kids like aquariums you should go, it's my favorite.

If your looking for a very nice meal Mooo is on 15 Beacon Street a walk from either hotel, my favorite in Boston.

Here is a link to the Frog Pond Skating as well as other events on that site
http://www.bostoncentral.com/events/frog_pond_ice_skating/p908.php

Have Fun!