The Boston Traveler

Today’s guest post comes from Mary Jo Manzanares, b5media’s Travel & Culture Channel Editor and travel blogger at Flyaway Cafe.
Boston Duck Tours are a fun, family-friendly way to see the city the Paul Revere way: by both land and water.
You board a renovated WWII amphibious craft decked out with a fun name and your own ConDUCKtor who doubles as driver and tour guide. After sightseeing in downtown Boston, you plop off a ramp into the Charles River to enjoy the Beantown and Cambridge skylines from the water. At this point, children are allowed to take the wheel and “pilot” the …read more

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This is a guest post from Mary Jo Manzanares, b5media’s Travel & Culture Channel Editor and travel blogger at Flyaway Cafe.
Where else but Salem would Halloween become a month long event?
The city that has made a cottage industry of witchcraft pulls no punches this Halloween, as it launches its month of Haunted Happenings. It’s a combination of an autumn event, celebrating the changing leaves and cooler weather, with the spirit of Halloween, complete with accompanying ghosts, goblins, witches and folklore.
The Halloween events are all found in historic downtown Salem, and it’s easy to walk from one venue to the next. …read more

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Canadian Rockies-themed Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse currently has a nice special in progress for diners with children. On Tuesday Family Nights through August 26, 2008, children 10 years old and under eat free after 4pm. The special, which includes an ice cream dessert but no beverage, only applies when orders are selected from the Children’s Menu. Just one child’s meal is free per accompanying adult meal purchase.
Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse is an award-winning, moderately priced U.S.-based restaurant chain with branches in ten states: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. In …read more

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Planning a family-friendly vacation in Boston doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, especially if a substantial portion of your itinerary focuses on enjoying the many nature-based attractions in and around the city. Since no matter where you go in Boston you’re never too far from a body of water, it’s fitting that one of the most popular activities in the area consists of hopping on a boat and taking a scenic tour of the region’s sights, many with deep historic ties.
The go-to company for a trip along the Charles River and Boston Harbor is the Charles Riverboat …read more

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It’s almost time to head over to Boston Common and play like a kid, even if you’re not one.
From 11am to 6pm on Saturday, July 19, downtown Boston will host the Life is good Festival, an annual summer event guaranteed to make residents and visitors alike feel pretty darn good, no matter what their age.
The fundraiser, always free of charge to the general public, features a number of physical activities that reflect the infectious spirit and energy of youth. One of the most popular is the competition to be crowned the World’s Greatest Backyard Athlete, a victory that announces …read more

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Tomorrow, July 17, from 6pm to 9pm, Forest Hills Cemetery will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its annual Lantern Festival. The ceremony is based on the Japanese Obon or Bon Festival, a Buddhist-inspired Japanese tradition that allows family members to honor the spirits of deceased ancestors and remember their departed loved ones. Residents of Japan have observed the family reunion-style custom, widely known as the Feast of Lanterns outside of the country, for more than a half century.
At Forest Hills Cemetery’s sunset version of the festival, participants set paper lanterns they’ve created and decorated themselves afloat on Lake …read more

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The Bard days of summer are almost here, and they’re free, too!
On Friday, July 18, Citi Performing Arts Center will kick off its three-week engagement on Boston Common performing William Shakespeare’s much-loved romantic comedy As You Like It.
The talented cast bringing the production to life includes Obie winners Marin Ireland as Rosalind and Fred Weller (of USA Network’s hit series In Plain Sight) as Orlando, along with Larry Coen as Touchstone, Johnny Lee Davenport as Duke Senior, Jennie Israel as Phebe, Ali Marsh (Weller’s wife) as Celia, Paul Melendy as Silvius, Dan Roach as Oliver, Fred Sullivan, Jr. as Jacques, …read more

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Although the French national holiday Bastille Day officially takes place on July 14, Boston residents and visitors will get to celebrate it early when Harvard Square hosts a marathon block party this Sunday, July 13, to commemorate the start of the French Revolution in 1789.
The assorted activities scheduled during the family-oriented event include attractions for children, ranging from a parade with the one and only Curious George to face painting, as well as highlights for adults, such as scrumptious French cuisine provided by Sandrine’s Bistro, Chez Henri, Brasserie Jo, the Elephant Walk, Rialto, and Petit Robert.
Attendees will also have a …read more

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Boston Harborfest 2008 is the perfect place to be for anybody seeking more history and patriotism during this Fourth of July week. Today’s 14th Annual Children’s Day makes that especially true for younger members of the family, thanks to numerous fun and educational free activities scheduled just for kids.
From 10am until 3pm at Boston’s City Hall Plaza, children will be able to enjoy assorted carnival-style entertainment provided by the agency Fly by Night, listen to youth-oriented music from Wayne Potash and the Music Fun Band, and take advantage of familiar festival staples like face painting and balloon art.
If the …read more

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Note the ou at the end of “UniverSoul” because it makes all the difference when it comes to this particular troupe of touring performers.
Atlanta-based UniverSoul Circus was established in 1994 by Cedric Walker, who was searching for a way to showcase the artistry of black culture in areas other than singing and dancing. When he happened upon an exhibit called “Of Blacks and Circus Rings” at a Black Expo one day, the first seeds of the current “Hip Hop Under the Big Top” extravaganza were sown.
On Tuesday, July 1, UniverSoul Circus arrives in Boston to launch its 15th season …read more

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