Trip Motivation
We have a running list of places that we think would be fun to go to if we have an open weekend. When brainstorming for Thanksgiving weekend, we decided Boston and Vermont would be a really fun trip! For more on our long weekend, see posts here:
Points and Miles for a New England Trip
Flying: BNA to BOS: 2.5 hrs
We purchased tickets for this November 2022 trip from Southwest Airlines for $320 RT/person. When we buy cash flights, we like to use gift cards from Costco for 10% off. You can fly using Southwest points from Southwest credit cards or by transferring Chase points using the Chase portal. Read more about tips for airline trips here.
When traveling with layovers or to new cities, we always check the local airport website and the Priority Pass Lounge website prior to the trip. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card (in addition to others) comes with Priority Pass access. This card gets you access to various airport lounges. It is much more common internationally. In Nashville, there is a Minute Suites lounge in terminal D and a new addition to eat at 400 degrees.
Another perk you can get from several credit cards we have used is Global Entry/Pre-Check. This is always helpful for avoiding long lines and spending as little time as possible with others. After you activate your credit card, you’ll use it to pay for the Global Entry fee and get reimbursed immediately. If you want more on this particular benefit and how to use a credit card to receive it for free, check out our tips here.
Hyatt Regency Harbor Hotel
We spent 3 nights at the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor. The hotel is about 10 minutes from the airport and quick 15 minute train ride into the city. The airport shuttle will drop you off at the Blue line station and then it is 2 stops across the Harbor. In the summer months, you can take a water taxi, although it is a little pricier.
We paid out of pocket a really reasonable price of $120/night. I think because of the distance and the fact that its more of convention hotel and not a tourist destination made the price awesome. We made up this price just with the perks. This price came with a ton of perks, some available to all guests, and some because of our hotel status. We received $20 towards dinner, free breakfast, and a gift at the end that included some candy and a phone charger (?) Weird! When sleeping with kids, extra space to spread is always a great perk and we were said to not get a suite but not overly dissapointed.
You can earn Hyatt points from Hyatt stays, the Hyatt credit card and Chase points, which can be transferred to Hyatt. Learn more about points here.
Note that it is a little isolated from other areas of Boston so we ate dinner at the hotel for several nights. It was a little pricey ($20-$30/entree) but not overly so and the lobster mac and cheese was amazing. Our included breakfast included buffet or menu options and I had lobster benedict 3 days in a row. #NoRegrets.
Getting Around
We knew we would need a car rental to get to Vermont .For more on renting cars and which card to use, see this post here.
When we returned to Boston, we didn’t want to worry about parking so we returned the car and relied on trains and lyft. The kids have been to numerous big cities and are familiar with public transportation. Prior to and during the trip, we reminded kids that they need to stay close, especially in train stations. As much as possible, Ellie’s hands and often Carter’s are super-glued to an adult from the time the train pulls in to doors close.
Because of the distance of our hotel to the main parts of the city, this was the perfect opportunity to use our inflatable car-seats. We were able to deflate them and pack them for navigating public transport always knowing we had them available if we needed to take a quick lyft back to the hotel. They are very lightweight and portable and a great option for trips where you don’t want to have to lug around car-seats.
Boston Highlights
Day 1: We took a water taxi across the harbor and spent all day exploring freedom trail highlights including Old North Church, Fanuiel Hall, City Hall, and more. We spent some time in Boston Commons and wrapped up our day in the Seaport neighborhood.
Day 2: We took the train to the New England Aquarium and enjoyed oohing and ahhing at the pretty colors and cute penguins. After a brief walk, we ate dim sum for lunch (A favorite for any big city!) and then took the train to the Museum of Science.
See this post here for more details!
Vermont Highlights
We love adventuring to new places and checking off new states. We drove 3.5 hours from Boston to the towns of Waterbury and Stowe. These cute towns are reminiscent of cute European towns. We enjoyed our food tour eating donuts, cheese chocolate, and ice cream. We also enjoyed introducing the kids to the Sound of Music. Did you know the Von Trapp family settled in Vermont after leaving Austria? Our ski resort hotel was pricey but charming and we’ll need a return trip when the kids are old enough to ski!
Final Thoughts
This was a fun trip! Not too rushed and we hit a lot of highlights while spending quality time together. Favorites were definitely ice skating and lobster!
For more on our long weekend, see posts here:
Points and Miles for a New England Trip
