Fingers crossed Scotland’s World Cup adventure leads to Boston

MANY diehard Scotland fans started plotting their 2026 World Cup summer getaway the moment that Scott McTominay bicycle kick hit the back of Denmark’s net on an unforgettable night at Hampden.It certainly caused a frisson of excitement in the Mackenzie household, triggering the theoretical prospect (if money were no object) of a possible return visit to Boston, a US city boasting a history as colourful as our own.The impressive Boston Stadium — as it will be called for the tournament — will stage a total of seven matches from the biggest-ever World Cup, including one quarter-final.A Rocky start running into the historic heart of PhiladelphiaHighland schools embrace World Cup 2026 good vibes Brand new old fashioned Scotland football top rolls back years to unforgettable moment The stadium is home to American football outfit the New England Patriots and soccer’s New England Revolution. Whether Scotland will play there too, time will tell. The group draw for the World Cup, being hosted jointly by Canada, Mexico and the United States, takes place on Friday in Washington. What’s for sure is that Boston’s a city that clearly loves its sport and its history — suggesting Scotland’s Tartan Army would feel right at home there.The success of the Boston Celtics — who have won a record 18 NBA championships — was being celebrated by thousands of basketball fans when we visited, with high spirited parades turning buzzing streets a sea of green.Boston by bicycle was a great introduction. Picture: Hector MackenzieThis made a city cycle tour led by a huge Celtics fan a great introduction to its history and culture. From its starting point at 103 Atlantic Avenue, the Urban AdvenTours covers over 10 miles with several stops, and it all just flashes by. The passion with which our guide spoke about his city, and the opportunity to snake through vibrant city streets, made this a great up close and personal experience.Seeing Boston by bicycle with Urban AdvenTours with an experienced and entertaining guide who knows the city inside out was to prove one of our trip highlights. It took in the Charles River esplanade looking across to MIT, the Boston University campus and Copley Square, finish line for the world famous Boston Marathon. Picture: Hector MackenzieThe North End, Boston’s oldest neighbourhood, offers a glimpse of Italian heritage. The Charles River esplanade offers serene views towards MIT and Boston University.Boston University's centre for computing and data science, one the head-turning landmarks spotted on the cycle tour. Picture: Hector MackenzieAnd you can’t go to Boston without checking out Harvard University (well, of course you can, but our daughter was super-keen). A guided tour led by a student was a refreshing introduction to the Ivy League university that can count Barack Obama, J.F. Kennedy, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates amongst its alumni. The Trademark Tours guided walk starts at Harvard Square.Boston's iconic 2.5-mile-Freedom Trail connects 16 nationally significant historic sites, each one an authentic treasure, including the Boston massacre site, Paul Revere House and the Bunker Hill Monument. Picture: Hector MackenzieBoston's biggest claim to fame is its pivotal role as the "cradle of liberty" during the American Revolution, marked by events like the Boston Tea Party and the Boston Massacre. This historical significance is complemented by its status as a centre for higher education, with the flex of being home to both Harvard and MIT.The city is famous for being the site of America's first public park (Boston Common, 1634), its first public school (Boston Latin, 1635), and its first public library (Boston Public Library, 1848). It was also home to America's first subway system, which began operation in 1897.All that cycling was making us hungry so, given the history we had absorbed, where better for a comfort food full up than the Union Oyster House, which claims to be the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the United States. Its narrow staircases, low ceilings and exposed wood beams hinted at colourful times from days long gone by.It was mobbed when we arrived but we were prepared to wait for its fish and chips and thoroughly relished the meal when finally we found a seat.Old North Church dating back to 1723 is the oldest standing church building in the city and a National Historic Landmark. It's called the site that launched the American Revolution. It is best known for the midnight ride of Paul Revere and “One if by land, two if by sea.” Picture: Hector MackenzieLocated along the Freedom Trail, it’s well placed for wanders. The 2.5-mile walk winding through downtown Boston and Charleston marks 16 sites of historic importance to the city. Fortified by our fish supper, we were ready to dip back into some fascinating American history. As a family, we also seem to end up walking ridiculous distances on our travels. Happily the fresh sights, pleasant weather and good vibes kept everyone’s spirits high — though inevitably everyone was ready for mealtimes. And Boston delivered every single time.A lobster feast at The Banks Seafood and Steak. It went down an absolute treat. Picture: Hector MackenzieThe Banks Seafood and Steak (406 Stuart Street) is named for the famed fishing grounds of generations of New England fishermen and its menu caught the eye of our son, Michael — who had always wanted to try lobster. The lobster bake he chose arrived in a serving dish that resembled more an outsize frying pan than a bowl. It put an even bigger smile on his face and his verdict was a double thumbs up. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their choices and the pleasant relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant.Sumiao Hunan Kitchen at 270 Third Street, Cambridge, offered fabulous food against a very aesthetically pleasing backdrop with staff happy to explain the origins of any given dish. Picture: Hector MackenzieSumiao Hunan Kitchen was a mouth-watering visit. Picture: Hector MackenzieOn our next dining out experience, my (Chinese) wife Angela was excited to try out the award-winning Sumiao Hunan Kitchen (270 Third Street, Cambridge). This classy, thoughtfully decorated eatery looked promising from the moment we stepped inside and a friendly, knowledgeable member of staff offered a great introduction to the dishes on the menu to help us navigate our way. Angela didn’t need much encouragement and was soon ordering a plethora of dishes for us to share. This is another highly recommended spot.Boston Public Library is a historic cultural institution that was established in 1848 and was the first large free municipal library in the United States and the first public library to lend books. It's quite a place. Picture: Hector MackenzieBack out on the hoof, we were keen to check out another heralded local landmark: Boston Public Library. And what a jaw-dropper it is. I’d been reading R.F. Kuang’s stunning novel, Babel, and was intrigued to hear about her links to this local landmark. It’s the sort of place that could become a second home and scanning the reading room, I could easily imagine choosing a favourite seat and making many return visits. An absolute gem of a place.And from there it was another walk in pursuit of one of my nerdy obsessions: scenes from the Oscar-winning Matt Damon/Ben Affleck film, Good Will Hunting. I was determined to find the ‘Good Will Hunting Bench’ in Boston Public Garden. For the uninitiated, this is where Matt Damon’s troubled character (Will Hunting) has a deep and meaningful conversation with psychology professor Sean Maguire (played by Robin Williams). It was an absolute thrill to find it, I’m not going to lie.The Good Will Hunting bench is located in Boston's Public Garden. Fans of the Matt Damon/Robin Williams Oscar-winning film will get a buzz out of tracking it down. Picture: Hector MackenzieThis was not the only nerdy side quest my family indulged me in. We also took an Uber to the L Street Tavern, a real Irish pub located in South Boston. It's the spot where the main characters, Will and Chuckie, hang out. It had been a long day, darkness was falling and the rest of the family were just about ready for some shuteye. So to my shame, I didn’t buy a beer in the bar but did use the toilet. Perhaps I can make up for it by toasting Scotland’s latest World Cup adventure come June next year? I can see it now: watching another McTominay wonder goal at the bar and turning around to ask anyone who’ll listen: ‘How do you like them apples?’The Boston Park Plaza Hotel was a buzzling base from which to explore. Picture: Hector MackenzieThe Hilton Boston Park Plaza boasts over 1000 rooms and suites in the heart of the city and is a buzzing hub perfect for catching up on sleep and people watching. Picture: Hector MackenzieWhen it came to some much-needed sleep, Hilton Boston Park Plaza (50 Park Plaza) in the Back Bay, close to the theatre district, ticked all the boxes. It has the immediate wow factor as well as being perfectly placed for on foot exploration.You could happily spend an hour in its grand lobby with a coffee simply people watching, and the very comfortable interconnected double rooms we booked were perfect to give everyone a little space — a must when travelling with teenage children.It was a pleasure the following day to enjoy breakfast at another local institution, Contessa, the rooftop restaurant at The Newbury Boston. Brunch was perfect, the view inspiring and the vibes on point.It was great to slide through some of the city streets during the Boston Celtics' celebrations on two wheels. Picture: Hector MackenzieThe park squirrels are very friendly. Picture: Hector MackenzieEdgar Allan Poe was born in Boston but famously had a contentious relationship with the city's literary scene and left at a young age. A statue called Poe Returning to Boston, created by sculptor Stefanie Rocknak, was dedicated in 2014 in Edgar Allan Poe Square at the corner of Boylston and Charles Streets. The statue symbolizes Poe's return to his birthplace, featuring him with a raven, a suitcase with papers and a heart spilling out, and quotes from his writings on the surrounding sidewalk. Picture: Hector MackenzieThis book was left for me in the Boston Park Plaza and proved to be a fascinating primer on quirky aspects of the city. Picture: Hector MackenzieThe John Hancock Tower, colloquially known as the Hancock, is a 60-story, 790-foot (240 m) skyscraper in the Back Bay neighborhood of downtown Boston. Picture: Hector MackenzieA touching memorial found in one of Boston's central parks. Picture: Hector MackenzieWhile I had side quests in mind right from the start, planning our trip was made a whole lot easier through the excellent Meet Boston portal which is a great starting place. One of my most well-worn maxims is that money spent on travel is never wasted. Yes, the credit card took a bit of a pounding but Boston was worth every penny/cent.If you’re a Scotland fan swithering over making trip, don’t hesitate should the prospect of taking in Boston be on the cards. Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.

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