Adventures in Beantown

I am neither a fan of NASCAR nor country music, so I was hesitant to visit Bristol, VA, a town which has deep roots in both. We recently made the long trek across the commonwealth to Bristol (about a 5.5 hour drive from our hometown) for a work assignment. Bristol, it turns out, has some interesting aspects. After lunch at the Burger Bar (a burger, fries, and milkshake joint where country singer Hank Williams Sr. supposedly had his last meal), we toured the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. There, we learned about the history of early folk and country music (The Bristol Sessions dates to 1927) as well as the evolution of recorded sound and music (which made me yearn for my first boombox from second grade and my oversized record player/stereo from my high school days). Our kids, who were also leery of Bristol at first, actually had a blast crooning out tunes in the museum’s sing-a-long recording studio (they spent most of their time in there). Later, we mosied on over to State Street, and stood in awe in the middle of the road (yes, halting traffic a few times) with one foot planted in Virginia and the other in Tennessee. Now, I’ve been in two states simultaneously (Arizona and Nevada at the Hoover Dam), but never in the middle of street with cars whizzing by. I don’t think you can do that anywhere else in the country except Bristol, and it was pretty cool. My husband and I had a beer at State Street Brewing Company in Virginia while the kids enjoyed free popcorn as well as free games of foosball, skeeball, ping pong, and the old Atari game Phoenix, then we crossed the street into Tennessee for dinner at The Angry Italian. Bristol, VA also has a great doughnut and pastry shop called the Blackbird Bakery for those with a sweet tooth, but beware the line is long any time of the day. We stayed at The Bristol Hotel, which has a roof top bar with a fantastic view of the old railroad town, the mountains, and the ginormous “Bristol” welcome sign, which shines bright with light at night. We were able to get a feel for the town and see what we wanted to see all in one day (of course, those who love country music and race car driving will likely wish to stay longer). And, now that our Bristol trip is complete, I believe we’ve checked off visiting nearly every corner of this vast state we are blessed to call home. From beaches and mountains to city and country living, Virginia has it all.Make Way for Ducklings has long been a favorite bedtime read for my son and daughter. From the first moment I shared the story with my kids, I’ve yearned to take them to Boston to experience the sights of the city just like the little duck family from the book. We finally made the trip to Boston last summer (2018), and the town did not disappoint.

Day One

Boston is roughly a 12-hour drive from our hometown. We made a pit stop in Orange, Connecticut en route to Boston to tour the Pez Factory. My kids have quite the Pez dispenser collection and got a kick out of seeing retro dispensers and designs along with current favorites on the tour. The factory tour costs $5 for adults and $4 for kids aged three to 12, but each ticket includes credit to the gift shop. We also participated in a scavenger hunt during the self-guided tour and each of us received a free Pez dispenser at the end of the hunt. During our afternoon there, we brushed up on the history of Pez (Did you know the popular candy was actually started back in 1927 in Austria as an alternative to smoking?); saw the world’s largest Pez dispenser on display; watched as workers prepared and packaged Pez products for Halloween (In June!); took photos of what each of us might look like as a Pez dispenser; and admired the various Pez dispenser designs through the decades. My daughter was disappointed that the Pink Panther Pez dispenser is retired and not for purchase, but we did do a little shopping while we were there and then headed on our way to Boston on a sugar high.

We spent the night getting a feel for the city, starting off in Boston Common, then walking along the Freedom Trail path to the North End section of town, or Little Italy. Here, families have countless meal options from pizza to pasta and everything in between. We dined al fresco at Bencotto, a small Italian café, then made our way to Mike’s Pastry for dessert: eclairs the size of our heads. Mike’s Pastry is the most famous bake shop in North End and the checkout lines can be quite long, but we went early and lucked out.

Day Two

The Boston area has many wonderful opportunities for family fun. We spent one morning at the Museum of Science in Cambridge. Admission to the museum is free for those who carry passes to the Virginia Living Museum thanks to a reciprocal arrangement (trust me, the annual pass to VLM is worth it just for this alone!). My kids loved the dinosaur, bird, and special crocodile exhibits. The museum also has interactive exhibits related to space and human life to educate and entertain families as well as a planetarium, an I-MAX theatre, a butterfly garden, and live animal exhibits.

Of course, no vacation is complete without ice cream. We took a recommendation from the AAA TourBook of New England and indulged in some local homemade ice cream from Christina’s, which is a 15-minute walk from our hotel in Kendall Square in Cambridge. The scoop of chocolate and banana ice cream I had was divine.

Day Three

Boston is steeped in history, and we spent one day exploring all the sites along the city’s Freedom Trail. You can take a self-guided tour or follow the trail with a tour guide; we opted to explore on our own. We saw the final resting places of John Hancock and Paul Revere at Granary Burying Ground; observed the site of the Boston Massacre; toured Faneuil Hall; and learned more about Paul Revere’s life and family during a visit to the Paul Revere House. The Freedom Trail covers more than seven miles with various historical stopping points including old churches like King’s Chapel and Old North Church; the Benjamin Franklin statue and Boston Latin School; and the Bunker Hill Monument. Most places along the trail are free or have a nominal fee. My husband, kids, and I ended our day of stepping back in time by dining at the Bell In Hand Tavern,the oldest tavern in America (It’s been around since 1795) near the Faneuil Hall Marketplace. The Green Dragon next door is also a popular restaurant among the tourists.

Day Four

Cape Cod is not that far a drive from Boston, so we embarked on a day trip to the beach. Avoid going on a Saturday or Sunday during the height of the summer season, however; traffic is next to impossible. Cape Cod has a plethora of family-friendly beaches along the ocean or sound side. We spent the afternoon frolicking along the shore of Sea Gull Beach in West Yarmouth, then stuffed ourselves with a late lunch of fresh seafood fare at Captain Parker’s Pub. You just can’t leave New England without indulging in some lobster! For those looking to take home a souvenir of their trip to Cape Cod, be sure to check out all the quaint little shops in Hyannis. Here, you can also pick up the ferry to the islands of Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard.

Day Five

We really lived it up as tacky tourists on our last day in Boston. We spent the morning strolling in Boston Common and the Public Garden, and, of course, waiting in line for a photo with the Make Way for Duckling statues and a ride on the Swan Boats highlighted in the book. And for lunch? Why, yes, we dined at that famous place where everyone knows your name, Cheers. We ate in the regular dining space, but there is also an option of eating in a separate room featuring the set of the popular 1980s TV show. (The kids obviously had no clue what the fuss was about). Go early to avoid a long wait time. Our bellies full, we hopped on the subway and took a ride up to Harvard University. Here, we walked through Harvard Yard and soaked up more culture at the Harvard Museum of Natural History as well as the Peabody Museum of Archeology & Ethnology. Again, both were free admission with our VLM passes. Don’t miss the exhibit Glass Flowers: The Ware Collection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants at the museum of Natural History museum. It is fabulous. For dinner and dessert, we recommend a local bakery, Tatte.The dishes are outstanding.

Make Way for Ducklings has long been a favorite bedtime read for my son and daughter. From the first moment I shared the story with my kids, I’ve yearned to take them to Boston to experience the sights of the city just like the little duck family from the book. We finally made the trip to Boston last summer (2018), and the town did not disappoint.