Heading to the Boston Aquarium? Borrow a toddler.

After the excitement of the whale tour, the rest of our stay in Boston was pretty calm as we took advantage of the opportunity to visit with some friends living in the Boston area.

On Saturday night we had dinner in Boston’s South End. Not to be confused with South Boston, the South End is a gentrifying neighbourhood with old Victorian buildings and a number of restaurants. Though we were with our friend Bridget, who teaches at Stonehill College and lives in the Boston area, the restaurant we had planned on going to turned out to be closed and we picked one somewhat at random. We ended up in the Metropolis Cafe on Tremont St. and it turned out to be a great choice. It was a nice intimate place with great food. If you’re in the area, I’d definitely recommend checking it out.

The following morning, we met up with another friend, Erin, and her son Gus. Gus is old enough to walk – actually he runs like a little speed demon – and young enough for his age to be counted in months. Now, I don’t spend a lot of time with kids, but I’m confident in saying that Gus has more energy than the average kid his age and runs much faster. This combination made him a pretty good guide for a trip to the Boston Aquarium.

After fuelling up with some breakfast near our hotel, we made the quick walk over to the aquarium and by the time we got there Gus was straining against his stroller harness saying “run, run, run” – a kid after my own heart. Once Erin set him free we were off on our fast-forward tour. He stopped long enough to check things out when his interest was piqued, but wasn’t really interested in reading about things. Then again, I guess he’s too young to read, so you can’t fault him for that. Katy and Erin did most of the Gus corralling while I brought up the rear with the stroller, trying my best not to run over or squish any of the other munchkins.

However, I am quite proud of my one Gus guiding moment. Sensing freedom and ignoring parental direction, he took off in one direction when we were heading in another to see the sea lion exhibit. Not knowing what else to do, I grabbed his hand and just held on while he ran in a circle around me. When he was pointing towards Erin and Katy, I let go. He didn’t even miss a beat.

So, my tip if you’re going to the Boston aquarium, or any aquarium for that matter? Take a toddler. Their enthusiasm and energy are contagious and if they’re as quick as Gus, you’ll have seen everything and be on your way to a nap before you know it.

After a great morning with Erin and Gus we had some time to do a little more wandering around the streets of Boston before heading back to the airport for our flight home. Though it was delayed by several hours, the flight was uneventful and we were soon back home to reality and a quickly approaching morning in the office.

We had a lot of fun in Boston and I’m still amazed how much we fit into the long weekend. All in all, a good travel hit as we get ready for the next big trip. More on that later.

In the meantime, for those interested, here are a few more pictures from Boston.