Each month, the participating affiliated communities will host a Port of Call program. This program is designed by the Life Enrichment departments at each community, and they will plan food, fun, and games for the residents. A different destination is chosen for each month. This month, the theme is Boston, MA!

About Boston, MA

Boston is the largest city and capital city of Massachusetts. It is one of the oldest cities in the United States, founded in 1630 by Puritan Colonists. Today, Boston is known as a hub for education, innovation, professional and business services, and government activities.¹

Things to do in Boston, MA

Walk on the Freedom Trail

The Freedom Trail is a famous trail with lots of museums, churches, cemeteries, a ship, and historic markets centered on the American Revolution.  11 of the 16 American Revolution sites actually took place on this famous trail. There are also guides wearing fun and dynamic costumes who serve as tour guides for people visiting the area.²

Take a Boston Duck Tour

The Boston Duck Tour is a famous tour where you can take it on both land and water. On the tour, you will pass breathtaking neighborhoods and sightsee famous landmarks. Each tour is led by a conDUCKtor, who knows facts about Boston and is a historic guide.³

Visit Museums

There are so many museums to visit in Boston, MA, that encapsulate the history and culture of the Boston Area. One museum perfect for art enthusiasts is the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, which offers a variety of art exhibits based on history and diverse groups of people. There is also the Boston Tea Party & Ships Museum, which focuses on learning about the historic tea party event through reenactments, ship exhibits, and historic artifacts.

Boston Public Garden

Many people travel to Boston to visit the Boston Public Garden, which is the first public garden in American. The garden is filled with historic monuments, with fun activities such as a swan boat tour to help you see it all. There are over 80 species of plants cultivated and cared for that are planned to be added to the garden as well as other parts of Boston.⁴

Shop Until You Drop

Boston is a great city for people who enjoy shopping. The Prudential Center is a mall with many major department stores as well as an observatory that offers a panoramic view of the city. The Natrick mall is located 30 minutes from Boston, and is known as a family friendly mall offering plenty of shopping and dining options. For those who enjoy Farmers markets, there are plenty of places that offer local growers to come and sell their delicious grown foods and homemade dishes to the public.⁵

Go to a Game at Fenway Park

Fenway Park is a baseball stadium and the official Home of the Red Sox. It is the oldest ballpark in the Major League World and is a famous tourist attraction for sports enthusiasts. Over the years, this stadium has expanded to include new features such as The “Triangle,” Pesky’s Pole, and Green Monster.⁶

The Food of Boston, MA

Boston, MA is a city filled with unique restaurants and creative chefs. This city is rich in history, with so many staple recipes that created the cornerstone of the unique flavors Boston offers today.

Here are some famous dishes you can find in Boston:

• Boston Cream Pie: A cake filled with vanilla custard topped with chocolate glaze and whipped cream. Originally invented in 1856 by William Hanson Richardson after eating a similar dessert in England, this has become a favorite in Boston. ⁷ Many local restaurants will offer their own spin on this classic recipe.
• Lobster Roll: Lobster rolls became popular in the 20^th century, with the first cold salad recipe being recorded in 1829 by Maria Child. Lobster rolls soon became popular because of their portability, and now there are many restaurants today offering their own unique spin on these original ⁸
• Chocolate Chip Cookies. Ruth Wakefield ran the Toll House restaurant in Boston, MA, and this is where the original chocolate chip cookie originated. Eventually, these cookies became popular throughout the city, making chocolate chip cookies a classic ⁹
• Fenway Franks. These special hot dogs are the official hot dog of the Red Sox. These hot dogs are both boiled and grilled to be juicy but also have that slight grill. These hot dogs are popular, with Red Sox fans eating 15,000 per game in 2013 during the World ¹⁰
• New England Clam Chowder. Clam chowder is a famous soup that takes clams and broth to create a unique flavor. Common ingredients include diced potatoes, onions, pork, milk, celery, butter cream, and bay leaf. Saltine crackers or hexagon crackers are a common side for clam ¹¹

Activities for the Port of Call

The Life Enrichment teams at the participating communities plan on having some amazing activities centers on Boston, MA! Check out the fun that they are planning on having this month. Keep in mind that these lists are tentative and activities are subject to change.

Hillsville Health & Rehabilitation Center

Hillsville’s Life Enrichment team plans on offering Boston Cream Pies for the residents and staff! They also are going take a tour of the historic home of the Boston Red Sox and have a little fun with some Boston Trivia Questions. The winners of the trivia will win a grand prize!

Gastonia Health & Rehab

Gastonia Health & Rehab plans on having an All Things Boston day! They want to have a Boston Tea Party with Boston Crème Pie, as well as play table baseball like the Boston Red Sox. The residents will also play slam dunk in honor of the Boston Celtics, enjoy a Boston Travelogue to mark their passports, have a magazine hunt centered on the Boston Ultimate Bucket list, and watch a slide presentation highlighting all the fun things to do in Boston. For residents in their room, the Life Enrichment team plans on creating an “All things Boston” packet which includes fun facts, trivia, pictures, word search and crossword puzzles, DIY crafts, adult art sheets & a cannoli.

Autumn Care of Norfolk

For the Port of Call, Autumn Care of Norfolk look at This Day in Boston History to start the morning. Then, they will play “Boston Bruins” Ice Hockey.  The residents will be making cannolis and playing Jeopardy.  Lastly, the residents will watch a film from Youtube: Unfiltered: We Been Here – African American Culture in Boston, MA.