Independent Families: 'Where can we find good self-catering in Boston?'

Q. This Easter my husband, 14-year-old son and I would like to visit Boston for around 10 days. We are looking for self-catering accommodation not too far out of town at a reasonable rate. Do you have any suggestions? Ann Rooney, via e-mail

A. Boston is an unusual city for the United States. Its historic centre is compact and ideal for exploring on foot. While a hire car will be useful when you need to go further afield it's possible to enjoy what the city has to offer simply by walking round or by hopping on and off its excellent public transport system, known as "The T".

To make the most of your visit try to stay somewhere central. Beacon Street Guest House and Furnished Apartments (463 Beacon Street, 001 617 536 1302; www.463beacon.com) is based in Back Bay, the opulent area just west of downtown. The company has apartments (with kitchens or kitchenettes) in the Back Bay, Copley Square and Kenmore Square areas. Prices are very reasonable at $595 (£331) to $695 (£386) weekly. Happily, there are no US taxes on apartment rentals.

You can't go far wrong renting in Back Bay, defined by in-demand Victorian brownstone townhouses to the north and gleaming skyscrapers in the south. The 19th-century residential area along the banks of the Charles River is ideal for shopping, and for catching some performing arts. The Esplanade - a wide, long park along the river - is a good spot for rollerblading if your son is a fan or simply walking on a sunny day. You'll also be able to enjoy some of the city's finest restaurants if you decide to have a night off from your kitchen. Be prepared for the fact that residents of most East Coast cities eat out a lot so the kitchen won't be lavishly equipped.

A little more upmarket is Oakwood Corporate Housing (001 800 724 9660; www.oakwood.com), which has a lot of properties both in Boston and across the river in Cambridge. While some are obviously intended for relocating executives on an all-expenses-paid budget, others are more modestly priced. Oakwood currently has 48 two-bedroom apartments available over the Easter period for around $180 (£100) a night.

A friendly and reasonably priced company is Furnished Quarters (001 212 367 9400; www.furnishedquarters.com) which is based in New York but offers six, chic properties in Boston and two in Cambridge; two-bedroom flats over the Easter period cost from around $200 (£111) per night. However, like many US letting agencies, it won't release apartments for short-term rental until 30 days before the desired check-in date, so it may be a question of making contact now and confirming nearer the time.

Another good organisation is the Bed & Breakfast Associates Bay Colony (001 617 449 5302; www.bnbboston.com), which represents properties in Back Bay, Beacon Hill, North End, Waterfront, South End and Fenway. This long-established company offers B&B homestays and furnished apartments in the neighbourhoods of Boston and Cambridge. It inspects all the properties on its books, which range from brownstones to skyscrapers.

To get a feel for the city and its dramatic past, follow the Freedom Trail which starts on Boston Common but can be picked up wherever you see its red line of paint or bricks on the pavement. Along its route you will take in, among many other historic buildings, the Old South Meeting House (where the Boston Tea Party started), patriot-hero Paul Revere's house (dating from 1680 and the oldest structure in Boston), and the Old State House from which the Declaration of Independence was read in 1776.

Look into purchasing the Boston card ( www.GoBostonCard.com). Its cost varies depending on how long you intend to use it (from $49/£27 for one day to $79/£44 for seven, children's rates only apply for under-13s). For this you get unlimited subway use in the centre of Boston, plus free admission to museums and historic sites and up to 20 per cent off dining at selected restaurants. You'll also receive a 172-page guidebook to help you plan your visit. If you don't order in advance you can always pick one up from the Visitor Information Centre (001 617 536 4100; www.bostonusa.com) which is above the Park Street T station on the Tremont side of Boston Common and opens 8.30am-5pm daily except Sunday.

There is plenty to keep a family with a 14-year-old occupied in the centre of Boston. You should certainly spend half a day at the Museum of Science (001 617 723 2500; www.mos.org; open daily 9am-5pm) which has great hands-on exhibits about dinosaurs, the human body and the universe. It also boasts the world's largest Van de Graaf generator, which produces truly impressive thunder and lightning. Admission to the exhibit halls is $16 (£9), with over-11s paying the adult price, but it's worth buying the $24 (£13) ticket, which gets you into the exhibit halls plus a choice of two from the extras list - planetarium, omni movie theatre or laser show. Your son may also want to take in a 3D movie at one of the Imax theatres ($4/£2.20 extra).

Also worth visiting is the New England Aquarium on Central Wharf (001 617 973 5200; www.neaq.org; open daily 9am-5pm, until 6pm weekends) which has a huge four-storey tank full of sharks and giant sea turtles. Scuba divers enter five times a day to hand-feed the occupants. Admission is $17.95 (£10) or $22.95 (£12.75) if you buy a combined Imax ticket.

For something with a bit more "edge", your son might like to take a trip to Newbury Comics on Newbury Street (001 617 236 4930; www.newburycomics.com). This locally founded shop is a throwback to the 1970s record store and hugely popular with students. It sells vinyl, CDs, cassettes, DVDs, a wide array of T-shirts, posters and "Wicked Fun Stuff" such as lava lamps, Nunzilla dolls and mooning garden gnomes.

Finally if you're coming back in the summer you could consider Bay State College's Garden Halls Residences (001 617 267 0079), a series of brownstones and Victorian townhouses facing the tree-lined Commonwealth Avenue and only one block from the best shopping areas. During the vacation these houses offer one- to four-person bedrooms. Weekly rates can be negotiated, based on the number of guests.

Send your family travel queries to The Independent Parent, Travel Desk, 'The Independent', 191 Marsh Wall, London E14 9RS or e-mail crusoe@independent.co.uk