Pint-size summer in the city: Fun things that kids will actually want to do
We recently revisited a sampling of local family-friendly attractions with a rotating posse of children under the age of 10. Here are some highlights. Of course, your results — with your kids, little buddies, or grandkids — may vary.
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Kids are often pretty entertained by the squirrel action in the Public Garden, and it's easy to see why.
John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
Fun freebies
Attractions aren't cheap. Happily, Boston is full of fun freebies that score high with small fry, like the
splash fountains on the Rose Kennedy Greenway
(
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The chaos that is the
Haymarket?
The child in your party may well be entranced; ours was. But plan to carry that tot — this is not the place for a stroller. (For more tips, see
Cyclists, runners, and walkers don't have to worry about cars on a section of Memorial Drive on Sundays.
Vincent Alban For The Boston Globe
How much fun is it to ride your bike in the street when there are no cars around? It's a blast. Our tester kids — old enough to ride two-wheeler bicycles — enjoyed
Memorial Drive Recreation Sundays
(
A pool of sprinkles at the Museum of Ice Cream.
Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff
New and topped with sprinkles
We asked an 8-year-old if she wanted to go to a museum. 'Yes! The ice cream one!' she replied. We should have seen that coming. Boston has its own outpost of the
Museum of Ice Cream
(timed entry; weekday tickets from $25; weekend tickets from $33;
Advertisement
View Boston, the observatory on top of the Prudential tower, is where Top of the Hub used to be.
Lane Turner/Globe Staff
Room with a view
We were eager to check out
View Boston
($34; ages 6-12, $15;
"Back Bay Bertha" splashes into the Charles in 2020.
Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
Duck, duck, boat
Hard to believe the duck boats, a.k.a.
Boston Duck Tours
(adult tickets, $55; 3-11, $40; under age 3, $11;
The jokes come fast and furiously, and will go right over the kids' heads. For them, the fun comes with that splash into the Charles River, and the chance to pilot the vessel for a minute or two. Our take: Out-of-town adult guests and older kids will enjoy this most, while little ones get antsy. (Tip: If your party includes two adults and two kids ages 3-11, ask about their Family 4 Pack; it's $165, good at the Museum of Science location only. Not valid on Saturdays.)
Advertisement
Martin's Park was officially opened in June 2019 with a celebration of music and family-friendly programming.
John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
Awesome twosome
Yep, the bubble exhibit is still there. And the Japanese House. The
Boston Children's Museum
($22; under 12 months free;
Visit on a nice day and make it a two-fer with a visit to
Martin's Park Boston
(
Legal Sea Foods gives little diners some options on their kids' menu. Of course, ours chose chicken fingers, along with rice pilaf and slaw.
Diane Bair
Best kids' menu
If we never saw another chicken finger, we'd be fine.
Legal Sea Foods
($10, for kids age 12 and under;
Advertisement
Maelynn Munro, 8, watches a penguin feeding session at the New England Aquarium.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
Sea creatures? Yes please
Harbor seals. Parading penguins. Seahorses. Sharks. Opened in 1969,
New England Aquarium
(adults, $39; ages 3-11, $30,
We're running out of space and didn't have a chance to share the details of the
Boston Public Library's
(
Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
(
Sugar Factory Boston
(
Advertisement
See you on the Greenway Carousel — and in line at Cookie Monstah.
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8 Unique Funeral Themes for the Most Meaningful Send-Off
There's plenty of beauty and meaning in a traditional funeral or memorial service, but that doesn't mean the usual funeral style is right for everyone. If your loved one had some specific interests or just a unique perspective on the world, we have some awesome ideas for funeral themes to make your tribute super personal. Everything from the decorations to the eulogies can follow the theme or relate to it, and you'll find this actually makes it easier to plan and create a really meaningful event. For many people, having a theme makes the event even more special and lets you really show what was important to your loved one (or how they loved to have fun). Things like birds and balloons can be very important symbols of letting someone go or fly away, and you can use these symbols as a theme for the entire funeral. Choose decorations that emphasize the air, such as bird cut-outs or ribbons that can move in the breeze if you're outside. Select readings that touch on the subject of birds or other things that fly. You may even want to fly kites together after the service. For someone who valued nature and the environment, a touching tribute can be a funeral with an environmental theme. Choose natural, local decorations that can be reused (living plants, for instance). Serve farm-to-table food that is locally sourced. You can ask guests to donate to an environmental charity or organization instead of giving flowers. If you're hosting a themed funeral, be sure to communicate the theme to everyone who is involved. The time after a loss can be challenging, and no one wants to be surprised. The night sky and all the points of light in it can be very comforting when you're facing the loss of a loved one. Let the stars inspire your funeral theme by decorating with star cut-outs, asters and other star-shaped flowers, and even star charts or space telescope photos. You can use the stars to inspire your readings and also host an evening star-gazing event after the service. Funerals are already formal, but you can take your formality to the next level with a black-tie attire service. Have people dress in gowns and tuxes as a way to show their respect in the most stylish way possible. This is especially fun if the person you're honoring loved dressing up. For an added touch, host a formal cocktail party as a reception after the service. Related: Most funerals are held during the day, but you could host an evening event by candlelight. This can be very touching, especially if you pass candles around and let everyone light theirs. After the service, release sky lanterns together in a safe place to give your loved one a beautiful send-off. It may sound like a weird funeral theme, but centering the whole event around your loved one's favorite movie can be a light-hearted but still very personal tribute. You can use cardboard cutouts of characters from the movie (like Star Wars, for instance), have guests dress in costumes if they wish, and even do readings from movie scenes that seem especially fitting. You could also show a small clip or the entire movie after the service. A special funeral theme for a book lover could involve all things reading related. Have book-themed decorations or flowers made out of book pages. Read parts of your loved one's favorite book at the service, and have guests bring books to exchange with one another. You could also ask for children's book donations to take to a local library or school. Another wonderful and unique idea is to let their cultural heritage inspire your themed funeral. If they're Irish, for instance, you could decorate with flowers like bells of Ireland, read an Irish blessing, sing an Irish song, and serve Irish food. Your loved one's cultural heritage is a rich source of inspiration for everything from the funeral flowers to the food. There are so many wonderful unique funeral ideas to choose from that it can seem a little overwhelming to pick one. This can be even more challenging if you're in the midst of dealing with grief. These tips can help you keep the stress to a minimum and choose a theme that's perfect: Think about what your loved one really appreciated in life. Let that inspire you. Ask a few friends or family members for ideas if you're not sure what you want to do. It can be healing for people to have input. Don't choose a theme that's going to make things more complicated for you or that involves a lot of set-up. One of the great benefits of funeral themes is that they can make the whole process easier. Consider the formality level you want at the service. Some themes are casual, and you may want a more traditional event. Your wishes matter here. Remember that the theme you choose is to honor your loved one, but it's also to comfort the people at the funeral. If you think a theme might be upsetting, consider tweaking it a little so everyone will be comfortable. A memorial service or funeral doesn't have to be totally traditional. There's no rule that says you can't have an event as unique as your loved one. The perfect funeral theme will make the whole event more meaningful and special for everyone involved.
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Dear Mike White, look no further. This is where you should film the next season of ‘White Lotus.'
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The living room area of a tent at the Mahali Mzuri safari camp. Christopher Muther/Globe Staff Advertisement The Sir Richard Branson Mahali Mzuri Virgin Mega Safari Camp features a swimming pool, a bar, and a dining room, where a chef prepares multi-course, restaurant-quality meals for an eclectic mix of guests. Between the unbridled opulence of it all and the mix of guests, I immediately knew that this stylishly-appointed camp is where season four of HBO's 'The White Lotus' should be filmed. Listen carefully, Mike White. I broke my pledge of not working on vacation to tell you that your show needs a safari season, and Sir Richard Branson's quaint camp is the obvious setting. You don't even need to give me creative credit, but I certainly wouldn't refuse it. Advertisement The dining area at the Mahali Mzuri safari camp in Kenya. Christopher Muther/Globe Staff The The mix of guests at Mahali Mzuri during my stay could easily translate to the small screen. I was traveling with a group of seven gay men from Boston (a.k.a. the drama). There was a honeymooning second-marriage couple from South Carolina (cue the Parker Posey accent), a large family from Hawaii celebrating a non-descript and unspoken milestone (suspicious), a solo traveler enjoying her birthday (sad), and a pair of young couples from Southeast Asia who had a wardrobe better suited for Coachella than Kenya. The script writes itself. Heck, I'm happy to help, for a small fee, of course. The pool area at Mahali Mzuri safari camp overlooks a valley where guests can watch animals such as giraffes, elephants, hippos, and baboons stroll through. Christopher Muther/Globe Staff I'll give you an anecdote for free, and you can decide if it works for 'White Lotus Kenya.' My friends and I visited a traditional Maasai village near the camp to see how the locals live, except this village had more handicrafts for sale than residents. Now, picture a group of gay men sitting inside a traditional mud hut listening to a local describe how the huts are constructed. Before he could finish, an elderly woman from the tribe had a question for us: 'Where are your wives?' Advertisement Did I mention that homosexuality is illegal in Kenya? This is comedy gold, Mike White. It's not just the culture that works for 'White Lotus.' There's also room for danger. A month before our arrival, a lion killed a 14-year-old girl at a camp in Kenya, and while we were on a safari, a lion killed a man in Namibia when he stepped out of his tent in the night to use the toilet. On our twice-daily safari rides through the conservancies, we frequently saw lions gnawing on freshly killed prey. Think of the possibilities of killing off a character by mauling. A pair of giraffes keeps watch for predators at the Maasai Mazari National Reserve in Kenya. Christopher Muther/Globe Staff The beautiful locations are part of the 'White Lotus' television-as-travel brochure appeal, and the 580-square-mile Maasai Mara National Reserve, where Sir Richard Branson's Mahali Mzuri Virgin Mega Safari Camp is located, is breathtaking. Each evening, the sunset was like a painting, and the sheer amount of wildlife was impressive. Throughout the trip, our group stayed at three different camps. They were all notable in their own way, but even the wildlife around Mahali Mzuri seemed more extravagant. Were they on Branson's payroll? Are you picking up what I'm putting down here, Mike? I think we've got a hit on our hands. Two of the 12 tents at the luxury Mahali Mzuri safari camp. The tents are stretched over steel supports. Christopher Muther/Globe Staff You can even draw upon our wacky experiences of occasional power outages, an actual spear being used as a 'Do not disturb' sign, and a policy that allows guests to step behind the bar and mix their own drinks if there's no bartender in sight. Those three elements alone can serve as a story arc. Advertisement It may sound surprising that I knew so little about Mahali Mzuri before I arrived, but since my job involves planning travel, I was happy to leave the planning to others for my vacation. I just showed up with a duffle bag of what I thought were appropriate safari clothes and prepared to rough it. Little did I know I'd wind up in such glamorous surroundings. That's my pitch, Mike. I know you're looking at setting the new season Even if you don't use my idea — and you'd be crazy not to — I won't hold it against you. I'll always have the memories of the luxury, the lions, and the local woman asking a large group of gay men why we left our wives at home. Staff prepare the restaurant for diners at the Mahali Mzuri safari camp in Kenya. Christopher Muther/Globe Staff An outdoor table is set for an evening dinner party at the opulent Mahali Mzuri safari camp. Christopher Muther/Globe Staff Christopher Muther can be reached at
Boston Globe
8 hours ago
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Pint-size summer in the city: Fun things that kids will actually want to do
We recently revisited a sampling of local family-friendly attractions with a rotating posse of children under the age of 10. Here are some highlights. Of course, your results — with your kids, little buddies, or grandkids — may vary. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Kids are often pretty entertained by the squirrel action in the Public Garden, and it's easy to see why. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Fun freebies Attractions aren't cheap. Happily, Boston is full of fun freebies that score high with small fry, like the splash fountains on the Rose Kennedy Greenway ( Advertisement The chaos that is the Haymarket? The child in your party may well be entranced; ours was. But plan to carry that tot — this is not the place for a stroller. (For more tips, see Cyclists, runners, and walkers don't have to worry about cars on a section of Memorial Drive on Sundays. Vincent Alban For The Boston Globe How much fun is it to ride your bike in the street when there are no cars around? It's a blast. Our tester kids — old enough to ride two-wheeler bicycles — enjoyed Memorial Drive Recreation Sundays ( A pool of sprinkles at the Museum of Ice Cream. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff New and topped with sprinkles We asked an 8-year-old if she wanted to go to a museum. 'Yes! The ice cream one!' she replied. We should have seen that coming. Boston has its own outpost of the Museum of Ice Cream (timed entry; weekday tickets from $25; weekend tickets from $33; Advertisement View Boston, the observatory on top of the Prudential tower, is where Top of the Hub used to be. Lane Turner/Globe Staff Room with a view We were eager to check out View Boston ($34; ages 6-12, $15; "Back Bay Bertha" splashes into the Charles in 2020. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff Duck, duck, boat Hard to believe the duck boats, a.k.a. Boston Duck Tours (adult tickets, $55; 3-11, $40; under age 3, $11; The jokes come fast and furiously, and will go right over the kids' heads. For them, the fun comes with that splash into the Charles River, and the chance to pilot the vessel for a minute or two. Our take: Out-of-town adult guests and older kids will enjoy this most, while little ones get antsy. (Tip: If your party includes two adults and two kids ages 3-11, ask about their Family 4 Pack; it's $165, good at the Museum of Science location only. Not valid on Saturdays.) Advertisement Martin's Park was officially opened in June 2019 with a celebration of music and family-friendly programming. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Awesome twosome Yep, the bubble exhibit is still there. And the Japanese House. The Boston Children's Museum ($22; under 12 months free; Visit on a nice day and make it a two-fer with a visit to Martin's Park Boston ( Legal Sea Foods gives little diners some options on their kids' menu. Of course, ours chose chicken fingers, along with rice pilaf and slaw. Diane Bair Best kids' menu If we never saw another chicken finger, we'd be fine. Legal Sea Foods ($10, for kids age 12 and under; Advertisement Maelynn Munro, 8, watches a penguin feeding session at the New England Aquarium. Barry Chin/Globe Staff Sea creatures? Yes please Harbor seals. Parading penguins. Seahorses. Sharks. Opened in 1969, New England Aquarium (adults, $39; ages 3-11, $30, We're running out of space and didn't have a chance to share the details of the Boston Public Library's ( Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum ( Sugar Factory Boston ( Advertisement See you on the Greenway Carousel — and in line at Cookie Monstah.
