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!)
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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.
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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).
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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.
Is a trip to Boston complete without a turn on the Swan Boats? (Photo Moira McCarthy)A visit to the Prudential Tower’s View Boston observation deck isn’t just about the great views — there are fun exhibits including a 3D model of Boston as well. (Photo courtesy Prudential Center)
A Scottish man who died after collapsing outside a Boston pub while visiting for the World Cup is being remembered as a devoted soccer fan who was “Tartan Army to his core.”
Thomas Murty, known as “Tam,” died June 19 after collapsing near The Dubliner pub in downtown Boston a day earlier, according to a GoFundMe fundraising campaign to return Murty’s body to Scotland and pay for funeral expenses.Murty was born in 1963.
“Tam was Scotland daft his whole life,” the GoFundMe page reads. “He lived for it — the highs, the heartbreaks, the songs, the hope that never died no matter how many years went by. Following Scotland wasn’t just something he did; it was who he was.”
Murty had waited three decades to see Scotland play in the World Cup. Watching the Scottish team compete in the tournament was “the dream of a lifetime,” the fundraising page said.
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Oram McGonagle, who owns The Dubliner, said he was at the pub when Murty collapsed. He said he saw a Scottish fan with an oxygen tube standing by a pillar outside the building. McGonagle said employees called an ambulance when they realized he needed help.
Caitlin McLaughlin, public relations director for Boston EMS, confirmed that medics took a patient from The Dubliner to an area hospital around 4:30 p.m. that day.
McGonagle later learned from a media report that Murty had died.
The Dubliner has donated 1,000 pounds, or about $1,325, to the fundraiser.
“We had a really good few weeks with the Scottish people,” McGonagle said Monday. “This felt like a way to give some back to them.”
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Murty is the second Scottish soccer fan known to have died in Boston while visiting for the World Cup tournament. Donny Strathie, 76, died June 14 after collapsing in a hotel in Norwood. Fans paid tribute to Strathie in the 76th minute of Scotland’s game against Morocco in Foxborough on June 19.
About 2,800 people have donated more than$85,000 to the GoFundMe campaign set up for Murty’s family, as of Monday afternoon.
Ariela Lopez can be reached at ariela.lopez@globe.com. Follow her on X @ariela__lopez.
Britten partnered with the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) to bring an ambitious public-facing installation to life, celebrating Boston’s role in the global excitement surrounding the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Massport envisioned a bold experiential marketing activation at Piers Park II in East Boston, centered around a Guinness World Record attempt for the world’s largest soccer ball. The nearly 50-foot structure needed to become a highly visible waterfront landmark while meeting strict engineering, safety, and verification requirements. The challenge extended far beyond fabrication. The installation needed to withstand unpredictable coastal conditions, operate safely in a public environment, and be completed on a fixed timeline tied to FIFA fan programming.
Massport needed an experienced event production partner capable of transforming a large-scale concept into a fully engineered, installed, and record-breaking experience. Britten served as the central event fabrication partner, managing production coordination, logistics, and on-site execution from concept through completion. Working alongside Massport and engineering partners, Britten helped translate the creative vision into a buildable solution capable of meeting Guinness World Records standards. Every detail, from material selection and structural integrity to panel alignment and inflation systems, required precision to support a nearly 50-foot inflatable structure.
After off-site fabrication, Britten coordinated transportation, staging, and installation at Piers Park II. The waterfront location introduced additional challenges, including wind exposure, tidal conditions, limited staging space, and public access. Britten oversaw anchoring systems, inflation sequencing, and installation operations to ensure the soccer ball was safely deployed and successfully verified. Through close collaboration with stakeholders, engineers, and Guinness World Records officials, Britten delivered a seamless execution where creative vision, engineering expertise, and experiential marketing came together.
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The completed installation achieved official Guinness World Records recognition as the world’s largest soccer ball, measuring approximately 47.9 feet in diameter. The record-breaking brand activation transformed Piers Park II into a must-visit destination along Boston’s waterfront, creating a memorable community experience connected to the FIFA World Cup. Visible across Boston Harbor and from approaching aircraft, the installation generated widespread attention and became a recognizable symbol of Boston’s tournament celebrations.
What are the Red Sox going to do with Patrick Sandoval?
The veteran left-hander has yet to appear in a big league game for the Red Sox, having missed his first season and a half with the organization while working his way back from Tommy John surgery. But after a deliberate ramp up throughout the spring and then an April setback Sandoval is now nearing a return to the big league roster.
Sandoval made the fifth start of his current rehab assignment Sunday for the WooSox, allowing one run over four innings on three hits, a walk and three strikeouts. He threw 60 pitches, a slight uptick from the 53 he threw over 3 1/3 innings his last time out on Tuesday.
Under MLB rules rehab assignments for a pitcher can last up to 30 days, which means there’s only enough time for Sandoval to make one more start before the Red Sox would have to either activate him or designate him for assignment. Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said Sandoval might make one more start in the minors, but he acknowledged a decision will have to be made soon.
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“There’s still room to get the count built up some more,” Tracy said. “He got to 60 today and there’s probably room for another one to get it further and then we have to have a conversation after that.”
The Red Sox likely won’t want to lose Sandoval, but how he fits in roster-wise is tricky. The Red Sox starting rotation has been on a roll recently, and the most likely candidate to be optioned is rookie left-hander Jake Bennett, who has pitched brilliantly since coming up to fill Brayan Bello’s spot.
Boston could also insert Sandoval into the bullpen, but the Red Sox are likely about to get fellow left-hander Jovani Moran back off the injured list, and long reliever Ryan Watson can’t be optioned as a Rule 5 pick without being DFA’d himself.
Tracy said those will be issues the Red Sox will have to sort out, but noted that these sorts of logjams often have a way of working themselves out.
“Having depth is a good thing and it’s been tested for us, we had depth when Brayan went down and you know he’s down there and he’s got a specific purpose and mind of trying to get it right, well we’re kind of out of starting depth,” Tracy said. “So getting Sandy helps us in that way, but what we’re going to do yet we haven’t gotten that deep into it but obviously it’s looming.”
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Extra innings
Left-hander Jovani Moran (left elbow inflammation) made his second rehab appearance for the WooSox on Sunday, retiring all six batters he faced on just 14 pitches over two perfect innings. Tracy said the club hasn’t decided if Moran will need another rehab outing before he’s activated. … Tracy said shortstop Trevor Story (sports hernia) is continuing to make progress but likely won’t start a rehab assignment before the All-Star break. … Right-hander Kutter Crawford (right wrist surgery recovery) is in the early stages of his throwing program in Fort Myers but remains a long way off from a return.
