Boston is one of my favorite cities and I try to get back there as often as I can.  I have a lot of family and friends in the area so while vacationing there, I divide my time between visiting  different friends and trying to fit in as many sites as I can.

There are plenty of places I tend to return to, but Gogobot trip planner reminded me of some of the great places I forgot about and has pointed out plenty of new places to see and things to do.  Apparently nowadays there is so much more happening on the foodie side of Beantown besides beans and chowda.

Gogobot.com took me back to the Boston of my past, to places I want to take my kids and go to again with friends.  A blast from the past for me was coming across, The Top of the Hub at the Prudential Center.  I first went there to celebrate getting my driver's license back in the last century sometime, and have pretty much neglected it for the last number of years.  We will definitely be dining there on our next trip.

As to lodging, these days our big brown dog goes where we go so we are always on the lookout for laid back places that don't charge us an extra $250 a night pet fee.  On Gogobot I found this really cool hotel to try out on our next stay.  The old Charles Street Prison has been renovated into the popular  Liberty Hotel where our baby is welcome to meet local pooches for "Yappy Hour" one of the the outdoor terraces.  My daughter who now lives in Boston confirmed that  her  Great Dane has enjoyed a big welcome at many a Yappy Hour.

If you are taking kids to Boston don't miss the Boston Children's Museum, probably the best I've been to. Right down the street Boston is revitalizing the waterfront at Harborside. Lots of trendy shops and new restaurants are appearing.  Last time we were there we ate at Legal Test Kitchen, a scaled down version of Legal Seafood which I found a bit disappointing as "Legal" is my go to for fresh fish, even in Florida.  Instead, try the "regular" Legal Seafood restaurant a block away on the water, but make reservations.  

Speaking of fish, not too far away is the New England Aquarium, another favorite of mine for kids and adults.   We have been there so many times, the seals recognize us and we are on a first name basis with the big grouper.  Penguins great you on the first floor and terrific displays and exhibits encircle a massive 200,000 gallon tank filled with tropical fish, turtles, sharks and other plants and animals.  Call first to check on their progress as a major renovation is underway, but expected to be completed by the early summer of 2013.

Of course Boston is one of our oldest cities, the site of many revolutionary war landmarks.  A Tea Party (the original) exhibit is near the Children's museum.  The subway (The "T") can get you around town quickly, but the entire downtown area is very walkable.  A relatively new addition to the city is the Rose F. Kennedy Greenway, a unique park built on land which used to be occupied by the since buried expressway.  The park stretches along a mile of the waterfront from the North End to Chinatown.  Just off the Greenway is the historic and well marked Freedom Trail.  On this walk, you will come across places like the Old north Church and Paul Revere's house.  You'll be traveling along the Bay and into the North End, the Italian neighborhood with great food and a hint of the old world. 

Also nearby is one of the most visited areas of Boston, the Quincy Market. While maintaining the original structures and cobblestone feel, this old warehouse area has been beautifully renovated into a series of restaurants, shops and kiosks.  There you'll be entertained by some amazing street performers. A great place at the Market for a cool drink and/or a simple but good meal, is the Ames Plow Tavern, located at the bayside end of the central building.  A great mesh of regulars and tourists creates a great ambiance that can't be beat.

For even more fun stuff to do in and around Boston, you can check out Gogobot's Boston Travel Guide.

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Gogobot. The opinions and text are all mine.