Riding Boston's T or Subway on Family Fun Friday

 

Our entire family celebrated Ben's birthday on February 22 with a trip to Boston's New England Aquarium (Aquarium FFF next week).

Neither Joel nor myself wanted the torture pleasure of driving in downtown Boston on a Monday so we opted to drive to Braintree, Massachusetts and ride the T the rest of the way.

Riding public transportation may sound odd for Family Fun Friday but it was a fun experience for my kids and that's what FFF is all about. 

On Sunday night Joel looked over the MBTA website to see what lines and stops we needed.  He also checked the prices - kids ride FREE!  Yippee!

I'm sure we looked like country-come-to-town by taking pictures on the T but I couldn't help myself. For my kids it was a first time experience and their LOUD exclamations over everything (tunnels, the repeated stops, looking out the windows) probably made that obvious.

 

We got on the T at the next to last stop on the Red Line (bottom right corner), changed to the Yellow Line for one stop, then rode the Blue line for one stop to the Aquarium.  That stop put us just outside where we wanted to be!

William was very nervous about missing our trains.  He kept trying to hurry us and saying "the train's going to leave without us!!"  We tried to reassure him that another one would be along in a few minutes but he didn't understand.

If you are considering a trip into Boston, here are a few of my thoughts about the T as a mom:

• At no time did I feel unsafe, though I was nervous about losing a child when we came home during the 5:00 pm rush!  
• There were sections that were dirty, confusing and in need of TLC but I  have no qualms about taking my kids back by myself DURING THE DAY.
• 5 minutes was the longest wait for a train.
• Sam rode in his stroller.  Only once did the wheels get caught going from the platform into the train.  However, finding an elevator was not always easy.  They were NOT well marked and are quite small so a 'Travel System' would NOT be fun to use.
• Joel and I carried the stroller (with Sam in it) up and down some of the stairs.  It was easier than looking for the elevator.
• GermX (need I say more?)

The stereotype about New Englanders being unfriendly is not always true (says the Southerner who's lived in N.E. for 12+ years).

On the ride home a drywall installer struck up a conversation with Joel.  They chatted all the way down the red line!  He was very friendly and picked up on Joel's "southern" accent.  (My hubby grew up in Asia and Africa, his southern accent is extremely faint!!)

We also had a lovely conversation with an elderly lady in an elevator.  She was a former nursery school teacher and enjoyed talking with my children.

There you have our experience on Boston's T (subway).

What has been your experience riding public transportation?

Family Fun Friday is a weekly column.  Feel free to leave a link in the comments to your own posts about a fun activity your family has recently experienced.