Taking the Kids: One of the most famous walks in the country
Ready for a walk? It's not just any walk -- it's one of the most famous walks in the country.
Welcome to Boston's Freedom Trail, the 2.5-mile-long route over cobblestoned streets that lets you travel back in time to when Boston was still a colony and people argued about what to do about the increasingly difficult demands from the king of England.
Three million people -- a lot of them parents and kids -- walk the Freedom Trail every year, or at least part of it.
"History isn't boring just because the people are dead. It's about people's lives," said Ava, 11, visiting from Rochester, N.Y. She was one of many kids I talked to for my new "Kids Guide to Boston" about what makes a visit to Boston fun.
"I think every place in Boston is like a field trip, in a good way!" added Adrien, 14, who lives in a Boston suburb.
(You can download the official Freedom Trail app for $4.95 http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/book-tour/smart-phone.shtml, or sign on for a Walk into History tour from Boston Common or Faneuil Hall (reasonably priced at $13 for adults, $11 for teens and $7 for kids 12 and under, led by "18th-century" costumed guides who will regale the kids with stories of those who lived in Boston during those turbulent times).
This month, of course, all eyes will be on Boston (www.bostonusa.com) as we mark the first anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing and on Patriot's Day, April 21, many will run in the 2014 Boston Marathon to honor those who died or were so grievously injured. I can't think of a better time to celebrate all that makes Boston such a wonderful place for families to visit. (Download a Family Friendly ValuePASS (http://www.bostonusa.com/visit/bostoneveryday/great-deal/family-friendly-valuepass-/) offering special deals and discounts. If you plan to hit most of the major sites and museums, consider CityPASS (www.citypass.com), which not only saves you as much as half on admission but also allows you to skip the lines.
There's even history to be learned watching the World Champion Red Sox play at Fenway Park (http://boston.redsox.mlb.com), which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2012 and is the oldest Major League baseball park still in operation. Every kid I interviewed said that if you are visiting Boston during baseball season, you've got to go see a Red Sox game. If you can get tickets, of course.
"When someone scores a home run, the crowd goes wild, and it's so cool to see," said Arianna, 13, of Walpole, Mass.
"Every other second people are yelling! It's really fun!" said James, 10, visiting with his grandparents from Little Rock, Ark.
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