The Boston Summer is Wet on Arrival

Summer is alive and well in Boston, and it’s one of my favorite times of the year. It’s so amazing to be in the City during the summer, when there are so many things to do and Bostonians are dead-set on enjoying as much of the nice weather as possible! No one wants to think about how the cold and gloomy winter will be back soon.

However, this summer has been incredibly wet and rainy. It’s a little discouraging, to wait for this time of year and then not get to actually spend much time enjoying it! However, as someone that’s from drought ridden areas of Texas (which is pretty much the whole state), I appreciate that the rain is keeping everything in bloom and keeping the sweltering heat to a minimum.

This got me thinking. What are some of fun activities around the City during mucky, rainy weather?

1. New England Aquarium – during the summer months (because school is out and tourists flock to the area), the Aquarium can be incredibly packed! It’s a very cool facility and there are four or so floors of aquatic life that will keep the entire family (or animal lover) engaged. Of course, don’t miss the scheduled animal chats, where the keepers provide you with a look at the life of the animals at the facility and there is a fantastic sting ray touch tank, among other activities. I would definitely recommend putting on those rain boots and hiking it out to the Aquarium, which is located by the waterfront and the Faneuil area. Check out the schedule for the IMAX Theater, while you’re out there also.
2. Museum of Fine Arts – another destination in Boston that gets incredibly crowded on the weekends, the MFA is a great place to hit up during those wet weather days. The museum is large, and you can easily spend a whole day there. Plus, the MFA has food inside the building but you’re not far from anything in the Fenway area, if you want to eat somewhere more unique. In the summer, the MFA holds Summer Friday events, where they host live music (and have a cash bar). The best part? They keep these scheduled even during rainy days – you just report to the Upper Rotunda in the museum.
3. Let’s Bowl! – one of my personal favorite activities is bowling (big ball, for those of you New Englanders). A great place in the City to bowl is Jillians/Lucky Strike. It’s in the Fenway area, and has three floors of bowling, pool, etc. If you’re in the Boylston area, try Kings instead. While it doesn’t have three floors, it does have a considerable amount of space for its bowling alley, a large arcade and a restaurant/bar. Plus, the Summer Shack (a Phantom Gourmet recommended seafood locale) is right next door. If you would rather get in touch with your “New England” roots, and try candlepin bowling instead, I would recommend Boston Bowl (Dorchester) or Lanes and Games (Cambridge).
4. Roller Derby – a favorite summer activity for me is attending Roller Derby matches hosted by the Boston Derby Dames. Rain or shine, these local events are held in Wilmington, MA at the Shriner Auditorium and are less than $20.00 for tickets. Beer, derby and “sick” player names like the Secretary of Hate Killery Clinton? Yes, please!
5. Eat! – of course, no rainy day would be complete without a day spent snacking or eating. As you’ve seen on this blog, there are always plenty of restaurants to grab delicious grub from, so I’m not going to necessarily make any recommendations for food places but you can always check out the Boston Globe’s Chow Down Beantown blog, for reviews of the newest restaurants. I like to watch the Phantom Gourmet on Saturday’s, and pick out new or yummy looking places to try. Or you can mix it up, and try to attend a cooking class at the Boston Center for Adult Education.

Hopefully, the rainy season will end soon but until then, I’m going to try to enjoy the Boston summer as much as I can…even if it’s indoors.