A Reverse "Cape Escape" Weekend in Boston

If Cape Cod cabin fever has you ready to "climb the walls", let the kids do it instead at the Children's Museum in Boston.

Relieve "cabin fever" with a weekend in Boston

By Walter & Patricia Brooks

After three feet of snow and being stuck at home with the children for a week, you really deserve a break, and we've done the research for you.

Two weekends in a row we spent a Friday and Saturday night in Boston, once with our grand children and once recovering by ourselves.

Last weekend we scoped out educational-but-fun things to do with children. Boston is an above average place to entertain kids. As the weather improves your options are endless, but since the idea is to get away now, during February, we looked for indoor activities.

We found many and selected just two for your consideration.

Again this past weekend we returned to Boston, and we treated ourselves to a "kids free" Valentine's Day weekend.

Here is how to do it;

Boston with children

The children were served milk & cookies in bed by the friendly folks at the Commonwealth Hotel in Kenmore Square.

This is a very "child-friendly" city and our two favorite spots for tots are the Children's Museum and the Science Museum, both in the heart of town. We managed to spend the whole day exploring both, with a lunch break as the Science Museum's cafeteria and forty-five minutes at their new Omni Theater show, Roar: Lions of the Kalihari presentation.

For this "escape" we chose the Hotel Commonwealth in Kenmore Square. From here it's is a pleasant ten minute stroll down Commonwealth Avenue to the head of Newbury Street or hop on the T and get off at Park Station for Downtown Crossing shops.

Red Sox fans should seriously consider this hotel during their visits because it overlooks the "Green Monster" and is within a four minute walk to the ballpark.

Imagine the convenience of strolling back to your luxury suite instead of battling the Beantown traffic after a game.

The Commonwealth offers competitive weekend prices, and it's convenient to anything a visitor wants to see.

We have dinner at the hotel's restaurant and Bistro, Great Bay which was voted the best seafood restaurant in Boston in its first season by Boston Magazine's readers.

The Commonwealth Hotel is at 500 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 0watch".2215 Telephone (617) 933-5000 Web site: http://www.hotelcommonwealth.com

Boston by yourself

If you think you've seen everything in steakhouses, visit the Bonfire at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers for a surprise

Valentine's Day beckoned, and we were ready to give ourselves another Beantown treat.

This time we chose the other end of Commonwealth Avenue and spend two nights at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers on Arlington Street a short block west of the Boston Garden.

On the first evening we treated ourselves to one of the best steakhouses in America, Todd English's Bonfire at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers.

This is a traditional, landmark hotel located near Boston Commons in the heart of Boston's Back historic Back Bay. With an unmatched location, this grand hotel is adjacent to the Public Garden with its Swan Boats and the chic boutiques, art galleries and restaurants of the world famous Newbury Street.

Out the side door of the hotel it's one block to Boylston and two to Newbury Street. Another three blocks and you're entering Copley Place shopping complex of 100 shops including the likes of Tiffany and Armani.

The hotel's web site has a good map of the downtown Boston area which is surrounded by all the information you'll need to have a ball.

The formal High Tea from 3 till 5 in the lobby of the Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers is a unique and impressive ceremony. In addition to exquisite tiny sandwiches and pastries, they offer an array of exotic martinis and teas. It's also a great place to simply "people-watch".

The Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers is at 64 Arlington Street, Boston, Ma 02117 Telephone (617) 426-2000 Web site: http://www.bostonparkplaza.com

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