I’ve actually visited Boston at least twice before. Once was in my college days, when I went there for a school-related function. There was no time to do any sightseeing. And I’d visited there in my childhood – either as a school trip or a family vacation. I remember being in Fenway Park, being on the observation deck of the Prudential Center, puttering about on the Freedom Trail, and visiting the USS Constitution.

But that’s it. Despite living within easy driving distance, I’d never thought of going there as an adult.

Until having to get a new car upended my vacation plans.

I had very little in the way of pre-planned Things to See and Do, other than continuing my baseball game attending by going to Fenway Park. The only other certainty I wanted was to be able to travel by Amtrak. The Northeast Corridor service stopped at my local train station (a short bus or taxi ride away), and ended in Boston at the South Street Station almost exactly in the heart of Boston. I was able to snag a room at a hotel just two blocks away from the station (which is also served by Boston’s subway lines). Hooray me! No messing about with taxis!

I wasn’t going to do any of the “history” stuff that Boston has in abundance; I can read about that on my own time, I wanted to do other, different things in the few days I’d be in town. I booked a walking food tour, because those are great time-killers for single people, and you get a much better “feel” for the place than with other sorts of tours. The city Now, instead of the city Then. I also noticed that the New England Aquarium was a few minutes walk from my hotel, so that would take care of some time. And a Harbor Dinner Cruise would be good food and drink in a different environment.

The cruise was pretty good. The food was nice, and the weather was fine. There are a LOT of boats and ships that leave out of Boston harbor for various reasons – party boats, ferries, whale watching, general tours, all of that. I didn’t get the feeling that taking a boat trip was required for all tourists, as it seemed to be in Chicago.

Looking out the window of my hotel room, I spotted the “Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum”. OK, given how close it was, I would have to check it out. Looked pretty small, so it wouldn’t take up much of my time.

Note: If you thought I’d put all my Boston notes into one single post, you haven’t been following me for that long…