The Freedom Trail, Boston, MA

 Next we drove up to Boston to walk the Freedom Trail. I knew the kids would love this. It's a red brick/painted trail that runs all through the famous sights of Boston. They were intent on following the actual trail and were very perturbed if someone parked their food cart or was standing on the trail.

 I knew the trail start was at Boston Common but figured we'd look for a red line once we got there. I asked all these people we passed by who live and work in Boston and they did NOT know where the trail start was or which direction we should travel once we found it. What??? You have a long red line running right under your feet and don't know where it goes???
FYI- if you are starting on the Boston Common end of the trail, find the huge gold-domed building and you'll see the red line in front of the building. Then, follow the trail down Park Street along the side of Boston Common. Then it'll turn left and you're on the trail for about 2.5 miles. It's not a loop so plan accordingly!

 emery writing in her notebook. She's got a record of everything that happened on our trip. It says "quinn is sleeping now- oh, now she's awake, now she's crying- Augh!!! Make her stop! Now griffin is asking for food, now campbell and griffin are fighting... wait, now they're done."
You get the picture
Then she wanted to read each entry to us

 a bomb

 Meeting place before the Boston Tea Party. The girls love that story.

 Site of the Boston Massacre.

 Faneuil Hall. Where many great speeches and meetings were held.

 Paul Revere's house. Built on 1680. Paul Revere lived there from 1770-1800 and was a silversmith.

 Feed me.

 Paul Revere on his midnight ride. Another of the kids' favorite stories.

 The Old North Church. "One if by land, and two, if by sea"

 Copp's Hill Burying Ground

 "Here lies buried the body of Cap. Benjamin Seward who departed this life February 10th 1766 in the 29th year of his age."

 Bunker Hill monument looks like the Washington Monument far in the distance. "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes" Colonel William Prescott

 griffin hopped into the ergo once we got to the bridge. He kept saying "I a baby- gaga goo goo". He also wanted me to pass treats back to him constantly. He said "mommy- I not chewing anything! Mommy der's nothing to chew!" Um- get out.

 emery in front of the USS Constitution
"USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. It was first launched in 1797. Constitution is one of six ships ordered for construction by George Washington to protect America's growing maritime interests. The ships greatest glory came during the war of 1812 when she defeated four British frigates which earned her the nickname "Old Ironsides," because cannon balls glanced off her thick hull."

We missed the last stop of Bunker Hill. I was a little bummed about that. Unfortunately, you could see the huge monument from across the city so it kind of psyched us out that there was so far to go to get to it. Plus, we still had to turn around and head back.

I'm glad we planned this stop. It was really fun and kept the kids happy and entertained for hours. Bonus- the weather was perfect. Just overcast enough to keep the sun off of me.