Travel Guide // Boston

I’ve visited Boston before, but as a freewheeling, child-free adult (remember that?) or with one rather well-behaved ten year-old girl. Traveling to Boston with my full child army is a different beast entirely.

As it turns out, Boston is a terrific family destination, rich with history, art & some rather excellent shopping. We also ate EVERYTHING. The children had such a blast they asked if we could recreate the entire trip every June before sleep-away camp drop-off. (I’m in.) These spots were among our favorites:

STAY // The Langham Boston, for family-friendly comfort. We always have terrific luck with Langham hotels & this was no exception. The breakfast menu came on viewfinders — a darling touch! — and the children appreciated afternoon swims at the indoor pool.

DINE
🥐 Tatte Bakery (multiple locations), for v. v. v. excellent coffee, pastries & light bites.
🍝 Sportello, for upscale Italian food in a chic diner setting. (*Closed. I am heartbroken.)
🦪 Neptune and B&G Oysters
🍕 The OG Regina Pizzeria, for real-deal pizza worth waiting in line for.
🇮🇹 Modern Pastry and Mikes’s Pastry, for cannoli.
🍝 Coppa, a stylish little enoteca with terrific negronis & antipasti.
🦞 Saltie Girl, for seafood.

DO
🦢 Swan Boats, for classic, touristy fun.
🇺🇸 Boston Tea Party Museum, which is surprisingly interactive & engaging. There are costumed re-enacters, a chance to toss tea overboard, a Sons of Liberty meeting. Kids LOVED it.
👦🏼 Boston Children’s Museum, if you’re traveling with children 5 & under.
🌳 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, one of my favorite art museums anywhere!
🦖 Harvard Museum of Natural History, for your resident dino nerd.

SHOP
📚 Beacon Hill Books & Cafe, because you’ve been drooling over the interiors on Instagram. (There are also, as an aside, some books.)
👗 Dress Boston, truly one of the best women’s clothing boutiques in the country. I’ve been ordering from them for years.
💄 Credo, for chic, clean beauty buys.