The Adventure

Having booked a Europe trip to celebrate my University graduation, I was very excited for the end of April 2025, when I would leave home to spend a month abroad. You will understand my disappointment, then, when I received emails reporting that my flights had been cancelled. As it turns out, the Icelandic airline I was planning on using to get from Canada to Denmark had stopped servicing the airport from which I planned to leave, for whatever reason. The somewhat fortunate effect of this was an additional stop in Boston, from which they still flew. Boston has a fairly good reputation among American cities, and I was excited to spend my seven-hour layover exploring the city.

When the day finally came, I was ecstatic to embark on my long adventure. I left home on April 27th, staying overnight at the Toronto Pearson Airport before my flight the next morning. I arrived in Boston late in the morning and immediately embarked on a self-led walking tour of the area around the airport. My primary target was the waterfront, which I had seen from inside the airport and which had a beautiful view of the Boston skyline. There was a wonderful path along the water, ending in the Skyline Monument. This was truly the best place from which to see the entirety of Boston, and I quickly noted some cool-looking buildings in the distance that I wished to see more closely. I returned to the airport and took a free bus from there into the city. It was then that I started to explore the city, with a quick stop at Dunkin’ for lunch first.

I believe Boston is the most beautiful American city I have ever explored. Not only does it have a nice atmosphere, being on the waterfront, but has some unique and impressive buildings that make the city stand out. Much of the architecture also had a historical aspect to it, which is always a draw for me. I walked around until mid-afternoon, taking in old and new alike. Some of my favourite buildings were the Custom House Tower, the Grain Exchange, and South Station, where I both arrived and left downtown Boston. I also walked through a walkway underneath the largest flag I think I have ever seen, at least up close, on the way to the Harborwalk. I tried to spend as much time as I could by the water, of which there was no shortage, as I walked back and forth across the city. When the time came for me to return to the airport, I was disappointed to have had such little time in Boston. I was, however, excited for the month in Europe ahead of me, and hoped to return to Boston again someday.

Concluding Thoughts

Despite the initial panic when my flights were cancelled, I was thrilled to have this opportunity to explore a new city in a new state. I can say without a doubt that Boston is my favourite American city, even after such a short visit. I do regret that my visit was so limited, as there is only so much you can see in just a few hours. Someday, I hope to revisit and more fully explore what the city has to offer, both the old and new parts of the city, and the waterfront. I also hope to extend my next visit beyond Boston, into cities like Cambridge or Salem, which aren’t terribly far at all. Of course, there is also food to try from that geographical region, which I unfortunately did not try this time, so there are plenty of reasons to go back. I would highly recommend visiting if you ever get the chance!