One of my favorite summer adventures is my annual mother/daughter overnight trip to Boston. As soon as school lets out, my daughter and I board the ferry and head to the city for some bonding time and fun adventures. These trips typically involve some jointly agreed-upon activities as well as a surprise stop that I plan for the two of us. Since my daughter is a tea aficionado and an avid reader, our last trip involved an afternoon tea time at the Boston Public Library's secret Courtyard Tea Room.

Each year we pick a different section of the city to explore. Since our high tea was the highlight of our trip, I decided that the Copley Square/Back Bay area would be our focus. We arrived in the city and took the T to the Copley Square Hotel, changed into some fancier clothes, and set out to explore the area.

We had a few hours before our 3:15 p.m. tea reservation, so we visited the nearby Trinity Church and then did some “window shopping” at the delicious Boston Eataly Italian Market at the Prudential Center. We headed over to the library a few minutes early and wandered through the older sections of the building. We discovered stunning architecture, beautiful old staircases, and brilliant paintings. I vowed to return when I had more time to explore!

Soon it was tea time! Until this point, I had given my daughter a few hints about our intended destination, but it wasn’t until we walked into Map Room Tea Lounge that she realized what we were about to do.

The tea room was very elegant, yet cozy. There were several intimate tables scattered throughout the hidden room. The tables were set up with cloth tablecloths and fine cutlery.

A peek outside revealed the perfectly manicured courtyard filled with greenery and a magnificent waterfall statue.

Our hostess brought us each an old library book. We opened them up and found our fixed menus tucked inside. There were so many teas to choose from that it took us a while to make a decision. Ultimately, my daughter went with the green wedding tea and I chose a fruity blend.

Both types of tea turned out to be delicious! So was our seasonal soup and salad starter dish.

Our waitress cleared our plates and set out a gigantic three-tiered tray filled with more treats than we could have ever imagined. There were six types of tea sandwiches, including Chilled Maine Lobster, Deviled Egg Mousse, and Coronation Curry Chicken Salad (this last one was my favorite).

We enjoyed every bite!

Our stomachs were getting full, but we couldn’t take our eyes off the desserts. Macaroons, strawberry cupcakes, and two different types of scones were just a few of the treats that adorned our tray.

We had such a good time sampling all the delicious food and tea that time quickly got away from us. We suddenly looked up and noticed we were the only remaining party in the room! With full bellies, we packed up the leftover desserts and headed out to explore more of the city.

Have you visited the Courtyard Tea Room? If so, please tell us all about your experience. You can find more information on the Courtyard Tea Room website and The Courtyard Tea Room & Map Room Tea Lounge at Boston Public Library Facebook page. Other fun places to stop for great eats in the Copley area include Boston’s Central Perk Coffee Company and Dirty Water Dough Company.