Hubby and I are so fortunate to have been born and raised in New England.. and more specifically, just outside of Boston. I have a love affair with this city that started long before I knew what love actually was. With each season, it brings new wonders to explore and enjoy and lately we’ve been spending so much of our free time taking advantage of this. From Boston sports to leisurely walks through the parks to festivals, shopping and amazing food/drinks it never disappoints.Although we both went on a whale watch years and years ago, neither of us really remembered it and kept talking about going again. I’ve always been so entranced by the ocean. I could sit on the beach for hours just watching the waves crash or walk for miles along the shore. I remember doing my own research projects in second grade on whales and pretending I was part dolphin as I swam around my grandma’s pool. So, needless to say, I’m surprised it took us so long to plan this trip.There are many whale watching departure spots along the Massachusetts coast but we decided to leave from Boston (Boston Harbor Cruises/Boston Aquarium) since it is closest to home and we could eat lunch in the city after we returned.

If you plan to go on a whale watch.. even in the middle of summer.. make sure to bring a sweatshirt and sunblock! It was nearly 90 degrees outside but the breeze on the open ocean while cruising 30mph was chilly. And, you forget the sun is so brutal because you’re cold, so inevitably you’ll end up with a sunburn if you’re not careful!

We left at 11am and it took about an hour and a half to reach the Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary. This location is a rich feeding ground for many whale species, most abundant being the humpback. The naturalist on board our boat helped spot these beautiful creatures and spent a lot of time informing us about their behaviors, how to protect them and so many other facts about whales and marine life.

We were able to spot a few humpback whales during our trip! Most of the time they were “logging” or semi-napping just below the surface of the water. Probably the most interesting fact I learned was that whales are conscious breathers.. which means they have to always remember to breath so they can only rest half of their brain at a time and never completely fall asleep. Can you imaging having to remember to breath all day every day?!Because they were sleepy, we mostly saw their massive bodies floating along the top of the water and occasionally blowing. Another fact I learned was this blowing behavior is just a large exhale but can fill up to 1300 balloons each time! That’s a lot of hot air!A couple times the whales decided to take a dive and we got to see their tale flukes (each with a unique pattern that scientists use for identification). I should invest in a fancy camera to take these kind of pictures because my IPhone doesn’t do it justice but, believe me when I say, it was pretty amazing.We had so much fun! Definitely something to add to your to-do list if you’re visiting Boston.. especially because whale sightings are guaranteed!

After our 4 hour trip, we were starving and couldn’t wait to check out Time Out Market in the Fenway neighborhood. These markets are starting to open up throughout the United States with the goal of bringing the best of the city under one roof. There are 15 different food spots and 2 bars with ample indoor seating (and some outdoor as well). The food was on the pricey side but delicious!We started with a mezze sampler platter from Anoush’ella.. so good!For a meal I had a bento bowl (like a poke bowl) and hubby had sushi tacos from Gogo Ya.. the fish was fresh and both meals were refreshingly delicious.Of course, we finished our foodie adventure with gelato from Gelato & Chill. Definitely a cool place to check out if you’re in town!