The Freedom Trail is an excellent way to introduce kids to the rich history of our city, as well as a fun family outing. When we made our own family outing to this series of Boston landmarks, my seven-year-old twins were as excited as I was about the things we were about to see. We'd recently read a book about Paul Revere, and had gone out to Concord to see one of the Patriots' Day reenactments, so they were definitely primed for some juicy history.

Keep in mind that while the Freedom Trail encompasses 2.5 miles of 16-plus historical sites, many of them can be viewed from the sidewalk or entered briefly for a quick look around. You'll only want to plan extra time for the types of sites that spark kids' curiosity—otherwise, it's a long day. We think the following are must-see stops with kids:

Boston rings in 2017 with its annual First Night celebration, the country’s oldest and largest New Year’s Eve arts festival. The celebration features music, dance, ice skating, and theater performances. There's a family festival in the Copley Square area and a procession to Boston Common, where fireworks for families light up the sky at 7pm. Best of all, the festival is completely free, with no buttons required.

December Vacation Week is a wonderful chance to relax with family, but it's also a time when boredom can easily hit kids who are used to daily school and activity routines. To keep everyone happy, a good strategy is to pencil in a variety of events over the time off, making sure to include some free activities in the lineup. There are too many cool events to count this December, with everything from holiday shows to outdoor fun, so peruse our picks below to find some real gems to enjoy with the kids starting before Christmas Day through the New Year. Here's to a holly jolly vacation around town!