OT: Advice Needed on Trip to Boston

[SyonaraStanz]

The wife and I are travelling to Boston in late May to mark a Fenway visit off the bucket list. I've never been there and know nothing about the city. Do any of you have any suggestions on where to stay, where to eat, where to drink, etc, etc?

Thanks in advance.

 

[patdog]

Can't help you out on where to stay or drink since I stayed in Providence. But a few cool things to do are the Freedom Trail tour, whale watching cruise out of Boston Harbor, Aquarium at the Harbor, eat at Legal Seafood at the Harbor.

 

[hullabaloodog]

Eat at Neptune Oyster if you don't mind spending a little $$$. It's tiny, so be prepared to wait. But it's really damn good.

 

[RocketDawg]

I've been there several times but when on business always stayed in the 'burbs. But we went once in 2001 on vacation and stayed at the Marriott-Copely Center, and there's a Westin next door. That's a very nice place to stay. We were there over July 4 that year. If I recall correctly, you can catch the subway (they call it the T, or Tee) nearby and go directly to Fenway. We went to one game while there. Boston is my all time favorite northeastern city to visit for history, second in the country only to Washington. There is an endless variety of things to see associated with American history.

As it turns out, some of the terrorists that hijacked the planes out of Boston on 9/11 stayed at the same place, and could have been there when we were. Kinda spooky.

 

[Digging dog]

I'm watching this thread and taking notes. Wife and I are planning on Boston trip to watch State vs UMass game and to spend an extra day or two. Never been and excited.

 

[dawgman42]

Thread marked. I'm taking my HS senior there during the week after July 4th. He's a bandwagon follower of Boston sports teams, so I knew he wanted to go there at some point. Freedom Trail is already on our list, but I'm open to other ideas for our family up there. We're planning to go see our Texas Rangers play the Red Sox that week, so the timing worked out well.

 

[Cossa]

The Fairmont at Copely Square is good. It is within a do-able walk to Fenway. The concierge can probably hook you up with good tickets if you call in advance. Wear comfortable shoes, you'll do a lot of walking in Boston. Take a cab or Uber if you're not up for walking. The historical tours are a little hokey but interesting and well worth the time. You probably ought to take a DUK tour early on to get the lay of the land. I don't remember any restaurants specifically but had some good Italian food kinda north of downtown... I think it was near Tom Brady apt. At least it was at the time. Get ready to go through some cash. Everything costs multiples of 20. It ain't cheap but it's a worthwhile trip. Enjoy.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

http://m.unionoysterhouse.com cool history, good food

 

[bulldogcountry1]

Plan to spend a lot of time in the Faneuil Hall Marketplace. It's a really nice area to eat, hang out, or just people watch. The Union Oyster House is in the area. We spent almost every night in the area.

We stayed at the Doubletree by Tufts hospital. It's not exactly a prime location, but it was good value. We used the subway for everything with no problems.

Be sure to stop by Mike's Pastry for dessert.

We loved Boston and want to go back. I can offer more info anyone is interested. You won't run out of things to do.

 

[Vv83]

Do the USS Constitution tour. Pretty cool history

 

[DawgatAuburn]

I did Priceline on the hotel and ended up at the Lenox. It's at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Very nice. PM me if you want the Priceline zone info.

I would not call myself a history buff, but I have a healthy respect for it. That being said, Boston sucks you in. I loved the Old North Church and even went on the special insiders tour that takes you in the tower and down into the crypt. Paul Revere's house was also interesting. Neither take a particularly long time to do. Be warned there is no bathroom at Paul Revere's house though.

We saw the Sox and Cubs play on a Monday, but the Sox were out of town that weekend, so we did the Fenway Tour. Absolutely do this if you get a chance and you are a baseball fan. You get lots of time atop the Green Monster and in a Red Sox memorabilia museum. (The game I attended was the one where Arrietta took a no hitter into the 8th.)

The Duck Tour is certainly touristy, but I was a tourist so we did it. You do get to see a lot and take a spin around the Harbor.

We alo did some other things like the Boston Tea Party Museum and the USS Constitution tour.

Imma be honest. I was underwhelmed by the food everywhere I went. I have no good suggestions for you.

 

[patdog]

Also, you have to have a drink at the Bell in Hand Tavern. It's on the Freedom Trail just off the main square and I can vouch for the fact that after you've walked the Trail, you'll be more than ready for a beer or several there. Bills itself as the oldest pub in America.

Link

 

[seshomoru]

Duck Boats, eat Italian in the North End, Freedom Trail (follow the bricks)

Harvard, bar hop Boylston, stay in Copley Square.

I'm as far from a history geek there is, but even I had a few moments where I thought, "holy ****, these guys committed treason in this room and then the USA happened. This is pretty awesome." And Fenway is easily the coolest place I've ever seen a sporting event. You'll love it.

 

[dawgoneyall]

Try Cheers

 

[TaleofTwoDogs]

Boston is a candy land if you love early US history. Take a tour or pick up some brochures in the hotel lobby because there is a ton to do. The tour of Old Ironsides at the harbor is great. If you rent a car, be warned that the central city has a **** load of one-way streets. Easy to get lost and turned around. May is a great time to go.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Boston is a great place to visit and is easy to get around as long as you're staying at a place with great access to the T.

Freedom Trail tour is great & I would like to go there again on a July 4 weekend to go to the Pops rehearsal and July 4 show.

 

[InTheIttaBenaHotSun]

If money is no object, Boston has some great hotels. If money is an object then I'd stay at the Newbury Guest House. There's so much to do in Boston that your not going to be in your room except to sleep. Save this money for trip activities. NGH is a converted row house on Newbury Street that is nice just not fancy. Doesn't have a cool lobby or cool piano bar but it's on a great street with a ton of activity and it's only a 15 minute walk to Fenway. Saw the Sox lose to the Royals in the 11th or 12th with a home run over the monster. Be warned, have thick skin, a few locals will be brutal when they hear you talk. Just ignore'em and enjoy the game.

Our meal on the plan up was better than our 1st three meals in Boston. Nothing stood out from a steak or seafood standpoint. However, if you like Italian, be sure to make it over to the North End - Boston's Little Italy. We had two great meals over there....most any place will be good in the North End.

If you decide you want to get out of town for the day and go to the Cape - Don't. Really nothing but beaches and they're not very nice. Drive down to Newport, RI instead and tour the Robber Baron Mansions. Hard to believe the grand scale these homes were built on in the 1800's unless you see them. Newport is a 1.5 hour drive but well worth it.

Be sure to take a jacket. May in Massachusetts is a little different than May in Mississippi.

 

[MississippiHeavyMetalDog]

Things to do in Boston

The wife and I are travelling to Boston in late May to mark a Fenway visit off the bucket list. I've never been there and know nothing about the city. Do any of you have any suggestions on where to stay, where to eat, where to drink, etc, etc?

Thanks in advance.

Agree with the Duck Boats but go early in the trip, then pick out what you want to see later. Super cool history in the city. Love the Freedom Trail from Paul Revere's home to the Old North Church to the USS Constitution.

I enjoyed the Bunker Hill monument. You can climb to the top for great views of Boston. I visited before the renovation and not everyone climbing the stairs used deodorant.

Cheers is the tourist trap that you would expect. Take a selfie on Norm's stool. Buy a mug.

Eat at more than one of the hundreds of Italian restaurants in the North End (Boston's Little Italy). I've tried Antico Forno and Artu. Mike's Pastry for dessert. We did an Italian food tour in the North End that visited local grocery stores, pizzerias, and restaurants. Saw a few Ferraris in the North End as well.

Visit Harvard. Hahvahd tours are led by alleged current students.

I watched the Celtics and the Red Sox. Fenway was better; wish I could have seen the old Garden. I got to watch Paps close out a game. Pay extra for good seats. You'll remember it forever.

Try more than one Lobster Roll. I had never had one and wasn't a big lobster fan. It's as addictive as crack. I was shocked at the price ($15 for a little sandwich) until I ate one. Had another. And another. Try one at a food truck or hole in the wall.

We spent time in Plymouth, Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Newport (RI). Can't go wrong with any of the above. Don't expect much from Plymouth Rock. It's a rock.

Legal Seafood is a chain in the northeast. It's okay, but you can do better.

As far as hotels, Hotel Commonwealth was nice and an easy walk to Fenway. Not much else close by. Also, stayed at the Boston Park Plaza. The average person must've been 5'3" when they built that place, but it is close to the Commons. The trains (the T) are not a bad way to get around the city. I visited in pre-Uber days though.

Watch the HBO show about John Adams on Amazon Prime before you go.

If your accent is like mine, they LOOOOVE to hear you talk. I can't wait to visit Gillette Stadium with the Dawgs!

 

[Digging dog]

Harvard, bar hop Boylston, stay in Copley Square.

I'm as far from a history geek there is, but even I had a few moments where I thought, "holy ****, these guys committed treason in this room and then the USA happened. This is pretty awesome." And Fenway is easily the coolest place I've ever seen a sporting event. You'll love it.

Hometown acquaintance use to own those "Ducks" ran the delta tours in them around memphis.

 

[OurPrideAndJoySnots]

Have a Sam Adams at Beanton Pub and toast to Sam Adam's grave across the street. Make sure to visit the Granary Burying Ground.
As mentioned earlier in the thread, Union Oyster House, Bell in Hand, most anything on the Freedom Trail.
Take the ferry out to the USS Constitution. It is near the aquarium so you could plan these two on the same day if interested.
Go see Paul Revere's house and the Old North Church and on the way back have some limoncello in the North End and go for a cigar at Stanza dei Sigari
If you do go to Cheers, make sure to visit the one on Beacon, not in Faneuil Hall Market.
If venturing away from downtown... (this is likely influenced as I stayed out at Packard's Corner with a friend that went to BU)
If you visit Fenway and need a beer hit up Boston Beer Works or Cask n Flagon
If around Copley Square make sure to visit Trinity Church
Jamaica Plains is where the Sam Adams brewery is. Take a tour. You will need a cab or Uber.

 

[o_JFP3]

Since you're doing Fenway, I would recommend staying at the Residence Inn Back Bay. http://www.residenceinnbackbay.com It is about two blocks from Fenway. Great rooftop bar area that looks out to Fenway.

If you are an Uber user, Uber will not pick you up from the airport, but will take you back to the airport and will take you around Boston. Apparently they have some fairly severe rules against Uber drivers and the fines are pretty high if Uber drivers are caught picking up at the airport; therefore, most won't risk it.

I absolutely agree with the Freedom Trail suggestions above. It's walkable and if you like history at all, it's a must-do IMO. The North Church is still an active Episcopal Church and one of my favorite spots on the trail. The pub referenced above is pretty cool if you consider the people that have allegedly spent time in there. I believe the USS Constitution (the oldest commissioned warship afloat - built maybe 1797 or so) is dry docked (okay so I get it that means it's not actually still afloat, but you get my point) for the time being undergoing repairs and maintenance, but is still a cool deal.

Tons of stuff to do in Boston, many of which within walking distance of the hotel above. Also, the subway is pretty easy to use and navigate.

If you have enough time, I would recommend renting a car and driving down to the cape and taking a ferry across to either Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket. Count on that being an entire day, but is pretty cool that time of year. The ferry runs several times a day. Go as early as possible. https://www.steamshipauthority.com

Have fun. Boston is a great city. Go Sox!

 

[chefdawg]

The wife and I are travelling to Boston in late May to mark a Fenway visit off the bucket list. I've never been there and know nothing about the city. Do any of you have any suggestions on where to stay, where to eat, where to drink, etc, etc?

Thanks in advance.

A few restaurant favorites, for what it's worth:

O ya (Super $$$$, but best dinner in the city)
Neptune Oyster (as mentioned, long wait but worth it, and they will take your cell # and you can walk around the area while waiting)
Island Creek Oyster Bar (best oyster selection, great menu)
Toro (upscale tapas place- amazing food)
Sportello (outstanding Italian food)
Prezza (Italian fare but in small plate format- great spot)
Late night bar food: Franklin Cafe', Lincoln Tavern

 

[ugabully]

If you do rent a car and want to look at stuff outside the city, Concord, MA has a lot of possibility, depending on how nerdy you want to get. It's less than an hour's drive outside the city.

You can go to Minute Man National Park for the military stuff http://www.nps.gov/mima/planyourvisit/placestogo.htm

You can also see a bunch of American literary nerd stuff if you want to branch out from pure history. You can go out to Walden Pond; you can see Emerson's house, two different houses Hawthorne lived in, etc. Sleepy Hallow Cemetery is really beautiful (it's apparently noteworthy in the history of landscape architecture) and has a monument designed by Daniel Chester French who did the Lincoln Memorial sculpture, as well as the graves a bunch of famous people.

http://www.concordmuseum.org/places-to-visit.php


They've got a couple of museums and a nice downtown.

 

[Nate.sixpack]

Ah...the North End. I'm a bean pole, and after a few days of eating that wonderful Italian, I'd gained 5 pounds!

 

[goodknight]

Stayed at the Hotel the Black Sox scandal was hatched in by Fenway

You will like Boston. Subway system is the oldest in the country and very very easy to navigate. Boston is actually smaller than I thought from a downtown perspective and contains an awful lot of history. We used public transportation the entire time we were there. Also purchased a package deal that included several things like, tour of Fenway, whale watching tour, duck boat, aquarium and maybe 1 or 2 other attractions, offered through the city of Boston. Several good restaurants and like I said downtown Boston is small and walkable.

 

[RocketDawg]

You will like Boston. Subway system is the oldest in the country and very very easy to navigate. Boston is actually smaller than I thought from a downtown perspective and contains an awful lot of history. We used public transportation the entire time we were there. Also purchased a package deal that included several things like, tour of Fenway, whale watching tour, duck boat, aquarium and maybe 1 or 2 other attractions, offered through the city of Boston. Several good restaurants and like I said downtown Boston is small and walkable.

Using public transportation in Boston is the way to go. Drivers there are just as bad (or discourteous) as you've heard they are. That said, get them from behind the wheel and they're pretty nice folks. It's definitely my favorite big eastern city.

 

[BiscuitEater]

I'm watching this thread and taking notes. Wife and I are planning on Boston trip to watch State vs UMass game and to spend an extra day or two. Never been and excited.

Me too. Taking kids, meeting brother from Maine and his family. Spend a few days together and take in the game. Unfortunately, Red Sox will be in the middle to a 10 game road trip.

I really enjoyed the Sam Adams Brewery tour. It's at 30 Germania St, a couple miles south of Fenway near an orange line stop. It's in their original brewery but now they do mostly testing out new beers there. Tour guide was informative and funny. Hung out with our group after the tour and supplied a few 'extras'.

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

If you do Newport, make a stop in Plymouth.

 

[mcdawg22]

If you go to Boston during the Springtime. Stay with some friends that have lots of room.