Travel Missteps: Following the Fall Leaves on the Freedom Trail

One of the best sounds in life is that crisp crunch sound when stepping on fall leaves.

At my old condo, the wind would blow all the leaves in this grassy ditch behind the parking lot. The pile would get huge, up to my waist. My dog would join me as I jumped and kicked up the leaves. Then again, my dog’s main goal was to eat as many fall leaves as she cool, like they were potato chips. I still miss that home just for those fall leaves.

So when I had just a single brief afternoon in Boston last fall, I spent it chasing crispy fall leaves.

It was 3:30, and everything touristy would likely be closed at 5PM so I decided to walk over to the Old North Church. On my way I found a plaza that was covered in fall leaves, and children on school field trips singing songs. It was so cute but I decided not to crunch those crispy leaves just yet. (Mainly because I didn’t want to look like a crazy person jumping in leaves in front of the children.)

When I arrived at Old North I found out the last tour would be starting in half an hour. They also suggested I headed up the block to the old Copps burial ground while I waited. I love all things Halloween, so am not a stranger to wandering around an old cemetery so decided to take their advice.

Boston in the Fall.

Although it was a fall day, it was still fairly warm so I was wearing a sweater, and the cemetery was bathed in a beautiful warm sun. I wandered around for a bit taking photos and just being a bit dumbfounded at how old the graves were. As I made a circuit around the cemetery I found an area full of fall leaves. I would cautiously step on the leaves, trying to not be too excited as there were others around. I kept thinking how awesome it was to be October, in an old cemetery, and it being a lovely fall day.

The Old North Church tour wasn’t quite what I expected, and it finished quickly. I then followed the Freedom Trail through Boston. I was able to visit Paul Revere’s house before the clock hit 5 and most of the historic sites were closed. I then walked through Faneuil Hall and up to the site of the Boston Massacre. At that point I was incredibly hungry and so went off in search of some real clam chowda.

On the way to a recomended resturant I bumped into a girl in a halloween costume. She worked for a Ghost Trolley company. It was now getting late and I still was just wearing a light sweater so I decided to go to dinner to think about it. After dinner it was just a little chilly, but I decided to to the Trolley tour.

It was kitschy, playing halloween themed music as they drove, telling local ghost stories while dressed as vampires, witches, and zombies. You’d have to really love halloween to appreciate it. The first stop on the tour was Copps Hill burial ground, where I had been earlier that afternoon. I stuck close to our guide, as I had forgotten a flashlight and my phone had died. Only the guide had light…from a single small candle. Since I was behind her, she handed me the lamp, and told me where to go. Thankfully, having been their earlier I was able to find my way…as now even with the moonlight the graveyard was very dark.

After learning about some of the graves we headed back. After a few other quick stops, we got out at the Boston Commons and walked through the dark park. We walked and walked and then they pointed us to the King’s Chapel burial ground. Once we were all inside…our guides locked the gates behind us, and ran off. Confused we wandered around for a few minutes. Everyone else was half laughing and half concerned. I on the other hand found a pile of fall leaves, and in the dark just started jumping wildly in the pile. I was happy to be having an amazing halloween experience!

As I was jumping, a man popped up from behind a large grave and scared the crap out of me while everyone else yelled out at his sudden appearance. Turns out there was a new guide hiding out in this graveyard, and he gathered the group and told us stories of that graveyard. But soon it was over, and we needed to board the Trolley to get back. I lingered a bit and jumped in piles of leaves as I made my way out of the graveyard. I was having so much fun hearing the crunch of the leaves, until I tripped and fell from a broken off tombstone that was hiding among the leaves. Ah well, still a great experience.

Travel Missteps