Fun Attractions for Your Kids in Boston

Looking for places to take your kids in Boston? Whether you're in Boston for a few days or one day, you and your kids will have plenty to do. From Duck Tours to 3-D sharks, you and your kids will find Boston offers a lot to explore. Here are some attractions

The New England Aquarium (www.neaq.org; Central Wharf
617.973.5200) There was a commercial for the New England Aquarium from which any 30-something adult from Massachusetts will undoubtedly recall the line "I can walk like a penguin." Your kids will have the option to mimic the penguins that live at the New England Aquarium, but they may find the sharks more interesting. Kids these days!

Among the aquarium's features (besides a beautiful spot on Boston's harbor...) are the central spiral ramp surrounding a huge fish tank, and an indoor overlook where said penguins swim, play, and get fed on a regular basis for visitors to see. Kids will also enjoy the stick-your-hand-in-here tank where sea urchins and other crawling creatures somehow manage to survive constant manhandling by youths. Outside the aquarium, you can board the ferry boat where they hold the sealion shows. You kids will enjoy the trickster sea lions and, if they sit close enough to the front, possible get picked to participate in the show. What the ferry amphitheater lacks attractive ambience, it makes up for with very uncomfortable bench seating.

More comfortable is the IMAX theater, which, why wouldn't an aquarium have an IMAX theater? IMAX shows bring nautically themed movies to Boston with films like Sharks in 3D or James Cameron's Titanic documentary. There's an extra cost for getting in.

General Admission to the NEA is $17.50 for adults, $9.95 for kids, which they count as ages 3-11. (Kids over 11 may not find the aquarium as interesting as the younger guys, and don't show up as much, so maybe it wasn't worth discounting them?) IMAX tickets are $9.50 for adults, $7.50 for kids (3-11) with discounts for double-features. That's a lot of IMAX.

But there's not really a lot of aquarium. While the outside of the aquarium make it look pretty big (you can watch the seals outside right by the entrance), it really isn't. Depending on the age and interest level of your children, you need not consider this a day-long event. Also, use caution when planning your trip, as school groups and summer camps love to come here.

Children's Museum (300 Congress St, www.bostonkids.org, 617- 428-8855)

Young kids will love this favorite Boston museum which has tons of interactive exhibits allowing kids to do everything from dress up like construction workers to dress up giant paperdolls. Science themes run through exhibits in the Science Playground. There bubbles, a place to do experiments, and turtles. What kid doesn't love turtles? Other sections of the museum celebrate Boston's diversity with several interactive exhibits like "Supermercado" where kids can play store with Latin American grocery items and cash registers, and "Boston Black" which involves different exhibits connected to Caribbean, African, and African-American culture. Then there's the Japanese House, an actual small Japanese House where events are regularly scheduled. For more interactive fun, there's a weaving room, an rock climbing wall (seriously) and a climbing maze. There's also a theater where 25-minute shows are put on for the visitors. Cartoon characters Arthur and Clifford get their own exhibits.

Admission to Boston's Children Museum is $9 for adults, $7 for kids 2-15 years old, though, this is really a place for the under 12 crowd. There's also a discount for senior citizens. Friday nights from 5-9, admission is only $1 a person, regardless of age.

Older kids may be more interested in Boston's Museum of Science (www.mos.org; Science Park) where there are artifacts from Star Wars, laser shows, a planetarium, an IMAX theater, and also interactive activities for younger kids too, though, no sea urchins. You could easily spend a few hours in here, and don't miss the giant musical piano and the replica space capsule, both are long-standing fan favorites.

Tour of Fenway Park (Yawkey Way, 617.226.6666)
Whether you're a kid, or an adult who feels like a big kid whenever your Red Sox play, you're bound to enjoy a tour of Major League Baseball's most amazing and historic park, good ol' Fenway. Tours of the park don't let you run the bases, but, you and your kids can touch the famed Green Monster outfield wall (just see if you can resist pretending to catch a fly ball..) and the hand-turned scoreboard, see what the view's like from a luxury box, and go into the dugout where the Sox sit for home games. To get a view of Fenway from the outfield is alone probably worth the price of admission for diehard Sox fans. It's truly a gorgeous venue. And, at almost 100 years old, who knows how long it will be around? You and your kids can interact with part of history. Tickets for the guided tour are $8 for adults, $5 for kids. Tours start in the Souvenir Shop across from the park. Be sure to call for availability on games days and keep in mind tours don't run in winter.

Duck Tours (www.bostonducktours.com, 617-267-DUCK)
In case you've forgotten Boston is a seaside town, a tour on land, and on sea, via Boston's Duck Tours will bring that point to vivid life. The Duck of the Duck Tours is " a renovated WWII amphibious" craft which rolls along on the street just fine than splash, you'll drive - or swim, or float or whatever it is, right into the Charles River. And you won't sink. The tour part of Duck Tours includes a guided trip through Boston's big draws: Boston Common, The State House, Quincy Market. Kids will enjoy the bizarre vehicle and seeing sites in a very non-conventional way. They might not even realize it's educational.

Fanueil Hall/Quincy Market (Off Government Center)
If your kids are getting hungry, why not stop by for a bit of…anything and everything, at Quincy Market's food court. From Boston's famous Pizzeria Regina to "chowda" to kabobs to smoothies to Mexican to ice cream, you will find it in the Quincy Market food court. You will also find a shopping area that mall-loving kids will enjoy. There are basic stores like Banana Republic and Shaper Image, more unique shops selling high-end gifts, and plenty of souvenir carts with all kinds of Massachusetts and Boston memorabilia. What you might not find at Quincy Market is seating, as the dining area is traditionally packed, especially at peak lunch hours. Outdoor benches may be of help. Quincy Market isn't too far from the aquarium, so you may want to connect the two trips, if you don't mind doing a little walking.
And if you're looking a sit-down meal, the North End Italian section of the city is right there, too, with plenty of places to grab a slice or a gelato.

There's much more to do in Boston. You can explore the Freedom Trail, following in the footsteps of historical figures like Paul Revere and Sam Adams. You can pick up the trail at Fanueil Hall, which is right at Quincy Market. Or, you head down to Boston Common, take a paddle on the Swan Boats (or skate, depending on the season) and check out the gold-domed state house. The view of Boston from the 52nd floor of the Prudential Center's Skywalk Observatory is second to none (My advice, cut through Copley Plaza at Back Bay Station, 617.236.3100)

Some tips? Follow the usual rules of planning a trip: call ahead or consult the websites to make sure everything you want is going to be available and double check prices and times. Also, Boston not only has first-rate attractions for kids, but it also has a very good public transit system for a buck a token. If you don't live in town, you might consider taking the commuter rail or the "T" into town to avoid the traffic headaches. One last thing to consider is a City Pass (www.citypass.com) which will allow you to go to the Aquarium, Science Museum, the Skywalk Observatory and a few other locales for a low combined price. Might be worth your while, you'll have to decide.

Most of all, enjoy spending time with your kids - make some great memories in a great city!