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)
BOSTON (WHDH) – The maker of the online learning platform Canvas has reportedly reached a deal wit the hackers who took down the site last week to get their data back.
The company did not reveal what was given to the hackers in exchange for the return of more than 275 million users’ data, but said they confirmed the data was detroyed.
Canvas was down for several hours last week because of the cyberattack.
The hacking group said nearly 9,000 schools worldwide were impacted, including Harvard University.
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They said they accessed billions of private messages and personal information.
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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Investigators identified Tyler Brown of Boston as the man who allegedly opened fire on Memorial Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts, leaving two victims with life-threatening injuries.
Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said Brown fired 50 to 60 shots on the busy road shortly after 1 p.m. Monday.
Two male victims were hit in vehicles, Ryan said. They are in critical condition and fighting for their lives.
A Massachusetts State Police trooper and a civilian with a license to carry a firearm went toward the gunman and fired their weapons at him. Officers treated Brown at the scene, and he was brought to a Boston hospital, where he is in intensive care, according to the district attorney.
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This video shared with NBC10 Boston appears to show a man opening fire at cars on Memorial Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Monday, May 11, 2026.
Authorities have, so far, shared limited information about the suspect.
“Mr. Brown is from Boston, and apparently was in the process of moving here. We understand that Mr. Brown was under the supervision of either the Massachusetts Probation Department or Department of Parole,” Ryan said.
She did not elaborate on why Brown may have been on probation or parole.
“We will address Mr. Brown’s criminal record, if any, at the arraignment,” she said.
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Ryan added that she did not know enough about Brown’s condition to say whether he would be arraigned in court or in a hospital bed. The timing was also not clear.
He will face two counts of armed assault with intent to murder and firearms charges, and “a variety of other charges as we unfold what took place, exactly, and we have a chance to speak to the many, many people who were out there,” Ryan said.
An inbound stretch of Storrow Drive and Soldiers Field Road will be closed each night through August for tunnel repairs, officials announced.
Starting Monday, the closures will begin at 8 p.m. and last until 5 a.m., state officials said.
Road closures begin at North Harvard Street in Allston and stretch along the Charles River Esplanade to Mugar Way in Boston, near the Hatch Memorial Shell, officials said.
Traffic will be detoured into Cambridge over the Anderson Bridge, along Memorial Drive, and then be routed into Boston over the Longfellow Bridge.
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The closures will allow ongoing repairs to the Storrow Drive Tunnel in the Back Bay.The work is the first phase of a two-stage project to extend the lifespan of the tunnel, which carries roughly 50,000 drivers to and from downtown Boston daily.
The outbound portion of the tunnel and accompanying roadways will not be affected.
State transportation officials said changes to the work schedule will be made when necessary to minimize impacts during major local events at TD Garden, Fenway Park, or during the FIFA World Cup and 250th anniversary celebrations scheduled for this summer.
Additional changes may be made without notice due to weather.
Transportation officials have not specified when the closures will end.
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Bryan Hecht can be reached at bryan.hecht@globe.com. Follow him on Instagram @bhechtjournalism.
