I like to get up early and seize the day. I am not a person who lounges around the pool with cocktails or basks in the sun until my skin turns purple. Every day I want to see something historic, explore uncharted land and experience some adventure. While on vacation I try to have at least one activity on my agenda everyday. The activity could be something simple like going to a local market or it could be complicated like going to a show or sporting event. Having at least one activity planned out gives meaning and purpose to the day and gives me something to look forward too.
If you do not have time to do research before planning your trip be sure to take advantage of your surroundings. Whenever I visit a new city I take time to scout out the area surrounding the hotel. I make sure I know what activities are in walking distance and what restaurants are available for breakfast lunch or dinner. Upon arriving at the Boston Harbor Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts my girlfriend and I walked around the surrounding areas to familiarize ourselves with the neighborhood. I noticed just to the left of the hotel was the Boston Harbor Aquarium. History Museums, Art Museums and Aquariums in every city are a great way to see something unique to that city and learn something new. The aquarium was a six minute walk from the hotel so there was no need for the car or public transportation. Adult tickets were around $30, kids three and up were $20 and children under three were free. When we walked into the museum there was a unique penguin exhibit with no glass barrier which allowed us to get extremely close to the penguins. Penguins are, by far, my favorite bird on the planet so I spent quite a bit of time at the exhibit. Since the exhibit was so vast I found myself approaching it from different angles and focusing on different penguins for long periods of time to study their mannerisms. Next, the aquarium had a large seal exhibit and show. I always find it extremely interesting how humans are able to train and communicate with sea creatures safely on a regular basis. The trainers were able to get the seals to waive, speak and do tricks in the water and on the land. Definitely worth the price of admission.
Two hours was enough time to experience the highlights of the aquarium. If you love fish or are traveling with children, you can easily spend five hours exploring the aquarium letting it devour your whole day. Check out some of the photos I took and be sure follow me as I dive deeper into Boston for the next few weeks. Cheers!
