Boston, MA
For a budget-friendly school vacation week, take in the bounty of Boston
How can you have a fun April school vacation week without breaking the bank? If you’re in New England, it’s easy.
Greater Boston is full of fun, fascinating and affordable (often free) activities to make this break feel like one you went all out for. Consider these budget-friendly adventures. Your kids – and your wallet – will thank you.
The Freedom Trail: Chances are, your kids (and you) have never walked the entire Freedom Trail in Boston, or even a decent part of it. There’s a reason why visitors to the city flock to it; it’s interesting, fun and very pretty.
The Freedom Trail’s 2.5-mile walking path begins at Boston Common (though you can pick it up at any point) and brings you up close to 16 historical sites like the Old North Church, Paul Revere House, famous cemeteries and the Bunker Hill Monument (climb it if you dare!)
Tickets for guided tours are reasonable – $17 for adults and $8 for children – but try it the budget friendly way: Ask each family member to study the trail section you plan on taking, choose a site they are interested in, research it at their age-appropriate level, and assign them the job of giving you the tour of that spot.
Pack a picnic lunch and eat on the grassy Common or Rose Kennedy Greenway. For a special treat, pop into the Boston Public Market (https://bostonpublicmarket.org/) and buy a local-sourced lunch for your picnic, or grab some Red Apple Farm fresh made cider doughnuts; affordable and totally New England.
Boston From Up High: Bring the family to the top of the Prudential Tower’s View Boston observation deck. While adult tickets clock in at $29, kids are just $13 (5 and under free). You’ll take in indoor and outdoor observation decks, interactive exhibits and more.
Best of all, the kids will get the best view of Boston – and beyond – they may have ever seen. Bonus fun: Have each child choose a Boston landmark they’d like to spot and then encourage them to find it on the skyline.
Shipping is free: The USS Constitution, America’s oldest commissioned warship that is still afloat, sits in the Charlestown Navy Yard in all its glory.
What’s extra cool about that? Touring the historic ship and its accompanying museum is totally free.
Yes, they ask for a donation in kind since they are a non-profit, but no one is denied entry. Old Ironsides was commissioned in October of 1797, and served in just about every battle from then until the Civil War.
On board, you and your kids can learn about how such ships engaged in battle back then, why those wars happened and yes, a lot about defending what was then a very new nation.
Their website has fun – and free– games and apps for kids of all ages to download ahead of time, a great way to get familiar with what you’ll be experiencing. Want to extend the fun? Meander around the Navy Yard where you’ll see the maritime industry in action.
Love that dirty water: Okay, so it’s (thankfully) not so dirty anymore, but the Charles River truly does make one want to sing “Boston: You’re my home.” Walk the Charles River from the Hatch Shell to the bridge across to Cambridge, looping back past the Museum of Science (where you can make a stop should you wish).
You’ll see sailboats, rowing teams in training, birds, cherry blossoms and more. You’ll be in the mix with joggers, dog walkers, sightseers and folks just out for fresh air. You’ll come across playgrounds to frolic at, historic buildings to wonder about and feel very much a part of the center of the city.
It’s busy, boisterous and fun: The Charles is said to be one of the busiest recreational rivers in the world. The walk is flat and doable for just about any age.
The Swan Boats: One of Boston’ most iconic activities, the Swan boats could charge a fortune and still sell out. But lucky us: They vowed to keep the prices down and have. For just $4.75 for adults and $3.25 for children, you’ll be paddled around the Public Garden pond in the same way the Swan Boats have been doing it since 1877 – by a pedaling driver.
It’s practically required to read “Make Way For Ducklings” ahead of time. And while you could spring for a posh lunch with the cash you saved, you can also treat the kids to some of the classics served off of carts around the Public Garden. Now that’s authentic Boston.
FIFA World Cup host cities lay out security plans ahead of matches
Host cities ramp up security and anti-human trafficking efforts ahead of FIFA World Cup matches across the U.S.
The FIFA World Cup is coming to Massachusetts, and when it comes to having a place for people to hang out together, there will be a free fan zone where everyone can celebrate the big event.
Seven World Cup matches will take place at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA this summer, and the first one is right around the corner, to be played on June 13, with Scotland taking on Haiti.
Fan Zones are a public space to watch the game for people who don’t have tickets to the actual game. Held in public places, they broadcast the mach on giant screens to offer an immersive experience to watch the game, according to FIFA>
“At the heart of FIFA Fan Festival Boston, (a) Cultural Showcase will ignite the stage with a vibrant celebration of the spirit, creativity, and cultural heartbeat of Boston and communities across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” FIFA said.
Where will the fan zone be located when the World Cup games start in just 11 days?
Where is the World Cup fan zone going to be in Massachusetts?
The official FIFA Fan Festival for the 2026 World Cup in Boston will be located at Boston City Hall Plaza at 1 City Hall Sq. Boston, MA.
“The festival will run daily from June 12 through June 27, offering live match broadcasts, cultural showcases, food vendors, and entertainment,” according to FIFA.
The fan zone will open between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and will stay open until after dark, between 8:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. according to reports.
Activities at the fan zone
Here are some of the offerings at the fan zone in Boston, according to the FIFA website:
- Live broadcasts: Giant outdoor screens that broadcast tournament matches in high-definition.
- Entertainment & music: Live concerts, DJ sets, and performances celebrating global culture.
- Interactive activations: Skills challenges, mini-pitches, inflatable games, and sponsor booths.
- Food & merch: International food stalls, local beverage offerings, and official tournament merchandise.
How to go to the fan zone
While the game is free, you do need to register in advance.
“You can select which days and matches you plan to attend through the FIFA World Cup Boston 2026 website or the Meet Boston events page. Up to six people can register on a single application,” the World Cup Boston website says.
So you’re saying there’s a chance? Despite an abysmal start to the 2026 season, the Boston Red Sox remain in the mix for a playoff spot. At least according to FanGraphs, who gives the club a 27.1% chance of reaching the postseason.
Boston’s likely path to October means winning the wild card. FanGraphs gives the Red Sox a 26.1% chance of winning an American League wild card. The team currently sits threes games back of the third and final wild card, despite a record of 25-33.
Don’t look for a division title this year in Beantown. FanGraphs gives the Red Sox a 1% chance of winning the AL East. Which makes sense, since the team currently sits in last place, 11.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays.
But SI’s Tom Verducci and Will Laws thinks Boston has a much tougher chance of making the playoffs. In their deep dive of the postseason, the pair came up with what they call the “Line of Doom.” According to their research, a team that starts “no better than 23–31 and your season is almost over only one-third of the way through the schedule.” Here’s why.
“In the wild card era (since 1995), only one team made the postseason starting with less than 22 wins in the first 54 games, the 2005 Astros (20–34). Of the 231 teams to start 23–31 or worse, only seven made the playoffs—once every 33 times,” Verducci and Laws note.
“Since the postseason field expanded in 2022, 31 teams began 23–31 or worse. Only one, the 2024 Mets (22–32), made the playoffs. That leaves such slow starters with a 1 in 31 chance—virtually the same as the larger sample size,” the pair add.
“The fact is one-third of the season does a good job separating pretenders from contenders. And as the calendar flips to June, understand that the playoff spots won’t change very much. In the four seasons with 12 playoff spots up for grabs, teams in playoff position when May ended kept a playoff spot 73% of the time—35 of 48 teams,” Verducci and Laws conclude.
So what does this have to do with the Red Sox, you ask? It’s Boston’s record after 54 games: 23-31. The “Line of Doom.”
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