A Three Day Layover: Boston.

So, we found a dream fare to Reykjavik with Iceland’s new discount airline, WOW Air. The single qualification was Boston departure, so Krissy cashed into our growing stash of airline miles, and we were set. Neither of us had visited Boston before, so we decided to make an extended Layover out of it: Three days exploring the birthplace of America, eating good food, and getting our travel-legs back before our next big European adventure.

Travel Notes:

We arrived at Logan International around noon and headed to the baggage claim.. While waiting, I noticed a booth offering application for the TSA pre-check program. For those that aren’t familiar, approval means shorter lines AND you get to keep your clothes on, at most US airport checkpoints.. Upon inquiry, the attendant informed me that the application only took about ten minutes, BUT, he was leaving for lunch in five minutes, so I should just go ahead and apply online.. OK…? Maybe it was the St. Louis Rams hat I was wearing??

We grabbed our bags, hopped in a cab towards our Airbnb reservation in Mission Hill, and for the next twenty minutes we were entertained by our animated Ugandan driver.. For no extra charge we received a synopsis of Ugandan history, highlighting the trials and tribulations of his people and government. We also learned of his 24 children, four of which are now American citizens. However, two of his American children are very lazy, and he will not waste time or money by bringing any others here. He also harbors a great mistrust for religious leaders and politicians, but assured us that the power of a witch doctor is VERY real..

Boston

Boston is an easy city to explore, much more compact than the megalopolis of New York City, has a great public transit system, and is very walkable.

“America’s First Subway”, also known as the “T”, will get you just about anywhere you’d like to go, and we found the Embark Boston T app very helpful navigating the underground system.. Of course, exploring a new city from the cozy confines of a subway car can often leave much to the imagination, so we spent most of our time walking Boston’s beautiful and interesting city streets..

In three days, our iPhone Health app logged over twenty miles of walking. Even so, Boston offers such a limitless supply of amazing architecture, culture and history that we barely put a dent into things.. Although, what we did see lends to an easy nomination as one of our favorite American cities. Here’s some of our favorites:

North End

The North End is Boston’s oldest neighborhood. Continuously inhabited since the 1630’s, it has a very European feel.. Tightly winding cobblestone streets, with brick buildings housing old-school Italian bakeries and delicatessens set the scene.. This is where Paul Revere lived, lanterns were lit warning of approaching British, and his famous ride set off a Revolutionary chain of events in American history.. We used our favorite scavenger hunt app, Stray Boots, to really get a feel for things, tracing the Liberty Trail, with stops at Paul Revere’s home, Copp’s Hill Cemetery, and Mike’s Pastries for a deliciously sweet cannoli.

Boston Green Space

Although I will likely never tire of city skylines, towering glass structures contrasting with 19th century brick and stone megaliths, or concrete monuments of days gone by, sometimes it is refreshing to take a little walk in the park. One thing that makes Boston such a walkable city is it’s never-ending park system, or Green Spaces. A walk through Boston Common, America’s oldest park, could be just what the doctor ordered. If it’s not enough, just keep on walking through the adjoining Public Garden, a beautifully manicured Victorian garden. And if that’s not enough, cut over to the The Esplanade for a stroll down the Charles Riverfront with magnificent views of the Cambridge skyline. And if that’s not enough, keep walking through the.. Well, you get the point. You can walk, run, bike or stroll through Boston’s adjoining Green Spaces for tens of hundreds(?) of miles if you need to get out and smell the flowers..

South End

There’s really no better way of exploring a new city than with a private guide.. We are extremely fortunate to have a couple of local Bostonians as friends and great-grand uncles(a whole other story). Though jet-lagged from a recent trip to Amsterdam, Doug Dolezal and Greg Welch were gracious enough to give us a walking tour of one of their favorite Boston neighborhoods, the South End. As previous residents, they shared considerable insight into the area’s architectural history, showing us the streets and buildings they hold personally dear, and even introduced us to friends at some of their favorite watering holes.. With an incredible meal at top restaurant, Coppa!? What a perfect way to cap off our Boston layover.