Summary:
Hyannis, MA 02601
Phone: 1-888-881-2447
Website: http://www.capecodchips.com/about-us/factory-tour.html
Tour Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Self-guided tours are free. Closed Weekends and Holidays
Phone: 1-888-881-2447
Website: http://www.capecodchips.com/about-us/factory-tour.html
Tour Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Self-guided tours are free. Closed Weekends and Holidays
1) Pool
BU actually has a couple of different pools, but the one I thought was the most note worthy is the kid pool.
2) Changing Rooms
The Boston University Pool has family changing rooms! These are amazing! There is a set of 6 (if I remember correctly). You can take your family in and lock the door. Inside each changing room is a toilet, sink, bench, a handful of lockers and a shower with a pull down shower head. This made getting kids changed so much easier since I didn’t have to chase them around the locker room and keep them from running out of the shower and away or getting in anyone else’s space.
3) Price/Getting In
Unfortunately you have to know someone at BU to have access to their amazing pool. If you can find a friend you can get in on a daily pass for $12/adult $8/child which gives you access to so much more than the pool. (There is a climbing wall, gym equipment, dance classes etc.) Learn more about Guest Passes.
4) Getting There
The green line drops off right in front of BU, and there is also a parking garage behind the fitness center.
Four Stars. We thought this pool was amazing and for a family swim it’s perfect with warm water, leveled ramps, toys, a lazy river and family changing rooms. The only down side I can see if that you have to know someone from BU to get in, there are no single day/single use passes otherwise, which is a complete bummer because the place is amazing.
Boston University Fitness and Recreation Center
915 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
Phone: 617.358.3740
Website: http://www.bu.edu/fitrec/
Hours: Vary
We went out on a Friday night in early fall and enjoyed a walk through the city before getting to Mike’s. There were so many people milling about on the street and stopping in intersections to check maps among other ridiculousness. I suspect it has lots to do with “the invasion” (what us Bostonians call all the student’s coming back after summer vacation). There are hundreds of thousands of these students filling the city, and for the first couple of days many of them have their proud parents helping them settle in and touring the area… so yeah, things get a little bit busy.
I think that was part of the madness at the North End. The line for Mike’s Pastries was out the door and around the side of the building, but the workers at that place have skills and move people through. We waited only a few minutes before being directed to one of 8 lines in the store and we were quickly helped and on our way with two delicious cannolies. I got the chocolate dipped (which was fantastic) and my husband got the moca, which was still good, but not as excellent as my chocolate one.
We ate in a little park with splashing fountains that kids were running through in the dark and since it was a nice night we decided to walk home. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Boston is a pretty fantastic city. I ♥ Boston.
1) It’s Cash Only, Cannoli’s are between $3.50-$4/piece.
2) Parking is a mess, the closest “T” stop is “Haymarket” so you’ll have to do a little bit of walking.
3) If there is a long line, don’t fret. It moves really fast.
4) Know what you want before you get to the front of the line. This place moves “Soup Nazi” style.
5) Don’t plan on eating inside, there are only a handful of tables (maybe 8?) and on the weekend or during cold times they are going to be filled.
6) You can bring a stroller, but know things are tight and the shop is small.
7) There is a new Mike’s Pastries open in Harvard Square!
Five Stars. We have really enjoyed embracing the hype about Mike’s Pastries and whenever we’re in the North End visiting Mike’s is a must. It’s fun to be in the middle of something so fast paced and the cannoli’s are delicious. If you visit in the summer there are a bunch of park like green spaces near Mike’s that offer a great place to sit down and enjoy you food and if you have children with you they can splash in one of Boston’s many splash pads.
Mike’s Pastry (North End)
300 Hanover Street
Boston, MA 02113 USA
Harvard Square
11 Dunster Street,
Cambridge, MA 02138
Phone: 617.742.3050
Website: https://www.mikespastry.com
Hours: Sun-Thurs 8AM-10PM; Fri & Sat 8AM-11:30PM
We walked to the Stadium, (though it’s also really close to the “T” if you want to take the subway), and then ended up walking around the whole stadium looking for gate D where the tour tickets were sold. There was a reporter/camera man out front and when he saw us (mostly my sister, decked in her Sox apparel) he asked if he could talk to us about the team, but we declined knowing we would sound so silly and clueless since we’re not really that into sports – I wish my dad could have been there, it would have been his moment to shine.
Online they said the tour was handicap accessible, which I took to mean I would be fine bringing a stroller, but when were got there it seemed like that was going to mean we would have to go way out of the way and keep catching up with the tour guides, so we left the stroller with security and I hauled my fat baby around the park. Holy crap my son is heavy and giant!
The Red Sox were on the field practicing during out tour which was pretty sweet, I mean we didn’t get to go to a game but it still kinda felt like we were at one, especially ten minutes into our tour when they started blasting music through the stadium for the Sox to warm up to. It was so loud it pretty much drown out our tour guide, but it made my sister and I dancey, and the tour started to feel like a party where we got to keep moving seats. It was so loud our tour guide gave up his lecture for half of the tour and just led us over to the Green Monster (giant wall with a great view of the field) to watch batting practice. I think someone from our group even caught a ball.
Things to Note:
1. Pricing
It’s fairly expensive at $18/person or $12/child/student. You can buy you tickets online in advance and I think you can also get them at the ticket window when you get there. My infant son (and kids two and under) are free.
2. Stroller Friendliness… not so much
They say that the tours are handicap accessible, so I’m sure in a pinch you could haul along a stroller, but most of the tour was walking up and down the bleachers and through different areas of the park. I think you would end up going way out of your way to use the elevators and you would miss out on a lot of the tour. I would suggest avoiding bring a stroller if possible. Also, you can bring one to the stadium and leave it with security while you take your tour.
3. Workout
You will be walking up lots of stairs, beware this could be considered a work out.
4. You Don’t Get to Touch the Green or See the Dugouts. 🙁
Summary:
Even though we only got half the audio tour guided tour (due to the loud music the Red Sox were warming up to) we still really enjoyed it. It was great being able to walk around the park, learn the history, see the sights you wouldn’t be able to if you were going to a game. Most of all we enjoyed seeing the team warm up with the stadium to ourselves.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Three stars. We really liked the tour. It was expensive and I did feel like we missed out on a bit of the information. It would have been nice to be able to get around a little more easily, but all in all we enjoyed being able to see the team and it was great to be able to see so many parts of the historical stadium.
Fenway Park
4 Yawkey Way
Boston, MA 02215
Phone: 877.733.7699
Website:
http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/tour.jsp
Tour Schedule:
1) Start Time
Around 5 PM, when the sun is just starting to set. If you get here too much earlier than this you can expect the residents to be unprepared to greet you and slightly annoyed that you’re started the festivities so early.
2) Getting There
Take the “T”. The closest parking is probably at Boston Commons but on Halloween night there is no guarantee you’ll find a spot. Both the “Park Street” and the “MGH” stops make for a very short walk to Beacon Hill.
3) Stroller Friendliness
If you can avoid a stroller I would suggest it. The Beacon Hill streets are really steep, many are paved in brick and hauling a stroller up and down across that bumpiness while navigating the crowds and keeping up with over excited trick or treaters can get a little crazy. We brought a stroller the first year and I regretted every second of it, even with a 1.5 year old.
4) Bathrooms
Eek! Why is the potty such an issue with children? Better go before you get started and be prepared to do a fair amount of out of the way walking to find a business that will let you use theirs. There are a few restaurants lining Charles Street that you might be able to beg a bathroom stop from but we ended up walking clear to Massachusetts General Hospital when we needed to use the restroom…
5) Be Prepared for Lots of People and Lots of Fun
Many of the residents dress up, lots of houses are decorated and the streets are flooded with trick or treaters. We go early and leave early, as our children are young, but at 6:30 it seems like the party is just getting started. We loved seeing all the kids and all the fantastic costumes and we had so much fun enjoying the celebration with so many people.
Five Stars. The trick or treating experience doesn’t get any better than Beacon Hill in my opinion. Seeing such beautiful homes and being able to enjoy the festivities with so many people was amazing. I loved seeing all the cute kids in their costumes and the residents were so nice and fun, happily greeting the children, many of them dressed up themselves. If you live in Boston this is on experience you’ve really got to try.
Beacon Hill Trick or Treating
Beacon Hill
Boston, MA 02114
Hours: 5PM-8PM October 31st