We visited the Public Garden, where I insisted on finding the bench where Robin Williams and Matt Damon filmed Good Will Hunting. People had written quotes from Robin Williams movies all over it, so we had to contribute by writing "Beeee yourself!" He has always been one of my favorite actors and it was neat to see how many other people loved him as well.
These are the duckling statues from the childrens book "Make Way for Ducklings," which is based in Boston.
We also visited the Cheers bar! The set is upstairs and there is an actual bar and restaurant downstairs, which used to be called Bull and Finch Pub. That was where the producers met before they created the show and based the setting for the show on that pub.
The second day of our trip we did the Freedom Trail, which is a 2.5 mile self guided tour of all of the historical landmarks throughout the city. Right next to our hotel was the site of the first public school in the US.
This picture was taken inside the Old South Meeting house. This is where the Sons of Liberty would meet to plan different events leading up to the Revolutionary War, such as the organization of the Boston Tea Party and to protest the Boston Massacre. It was also where Benjamin Franklin was baptized and where George Washington spoke after the end of the war.
This is the Old State House, where the government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was located following the war. It is also where the Boston Massacre occurred, and following the evacuation of British troops, where the Declaration of Independence was first read to the people.
This picture is from the balcony of the Old State House, where the Declaration of Independence was read. The circle on the ground is supposed to mark the place where the Boston Massacre happened. Actually, it would have been closer to the entrance of the Bank of America building across the street, the bank just didn't want to put a landmark there, so it was moved near the State House! This is where five citizens were killed after a stand off with British troops.
Trent and Paul Revere....
The Battle of Bunker Hill Monument.
We also toured the USS Constitution, the oldest warship in the world! It's nickname is "Old Ironsides" because in the War of 1812 the British were amazed that their cannonballs would bounce off the side of the ship and not sink it. They were sure the ship had to be made of metal, so it got it's nickname. (the sides are actually made of wood)
Below deck where 500 men used to sleep.
The ship still sails the harbor once in awhile for tourists.
There were two cemeteries near our hotel- the King's Chapel Burying ground, which is the oldest cemetery in North America, and the Granary Burying ground. The first female pilgrim to set foot in the US is buried in King's Chapel and many famous people are buried in the Granary cemetery, including Paul Revere, Samuel Adams and the victims of the Boston Massacre.
We took a boat to Salem, where a lot of their tourism is based on the Salem Witch Trials. Halloween is the huge holiday for them. Over one hundred thousand people come to Salem to celebrate Halloween!
There are a lot of beautiful mansions there....
This was a wand shop, very similar to the one in Harry Potter!
Back in Boston, we ate lunch in Little Italy, which has 150 Italian restaurants in a very small district. We also waited in this huge line...
For this cannoli....
Which was delicious. Time well spent. :)
And of course, the main reason we went to Boston was to see Tom Petty play at Fenway Park! It was so much fun to see one of our favorite musicians play at such a historical venue!
Jackie Robinson's number.
We had such a great time!
But we were happy to get home to our baby.
And show him his souvenir.
