[Americas] Boston Discussion thread

[petetherock]

I will be going to Boston soon, and would appreciate opinions on what I can do in Boston.
Places to eat, shop etc....


Just sharing some tips I already recieved:

Getting around
The best way to get around is probably via T or walk, cos the weather in Boston in pretty nice now. You're probably on the green line, which is good. You could probably even walk to Park St, which is really central. It's not that far, but I am quite the walker (walked from Mass Gen to Newbury... mistake)

If you are there for about 3 days, get the 3 day pass (board Ts and buses without limit)... otherwise the charlie ticket is an option- sth like an EZ link card that allows you to pay for fares that are cheaper than if you bought a trip each time.

Places to visit
I'd probably start from Park St- very central. It's smack in the middle of the Boston Common's- nice park for just chilling. There's a visitors' centre there where you can free maps, and ask about places you wanna go. From there you can walk to many places.... (see below) or do a walking tour (walk yourself with signs along the way explaining stuff OR buy a book from aforementioned centre OR do a tour with them) on the Freedom Trail. Meaningful if you like history... and it brings you to many historical places of note throughout Boston.

Places you can walk to from Park:

1. Chinatown, just a few streets southwest of Park St- for your fix of chinese food, dim sum, viet food, bubble tea for USD 3 each (i like!), cheap bosox stuff (caps for USD 10 or less), Filene's basement, Marshall's, TJ Maxx (mass retail stores).

2. Quincy Market- touristy place but ambience quite nice... some nice buildings of historical or architectural interest around it. Keep walking from Quincy Market a bit more and you'll reach the coast/pier. Tia's is an OK place to eat lobster. Alternatively, Boston Legal Seafood is another place (that's also where the catamaran's leave for whale watching) to eat clam chowder and that sorta stuff- not bad, pretty touristy.

You probably can give the New England Aquarium a miss.

Other places I'd go to
1. Harvard- along the red line. Nice university town. THere are unofficial tours daily i think- 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.? check the website and search for 'unofficial tours'. Free, tho they do appreciate tips. Great university town, if you like things like that. And great tour that gives you a nice feel of the place from Harvard students' perspective. Nice museums there if you like that sorta thing. Can spend half to one day there.

MIT campus not so nice and not so safe, although in exploring it, you get to walk along the Charles River, which is nice.

2. Newbury (name of street)- they don't call it New England for nothing. Nice quaint places to eat here, and just sit in the sun outdoors to watch the world go by. If you're at Newbury, walk along Boylston too- atas shops mainly, but pretty.

Oh yes, it's along Newbury that you can find SABON- a shop selling toiletries.

3. Fenway Park- OF COURSE! Boston IS Red Sox nation. If you got pinched everytime you saw someone toting Red Sox paraphernalia, you'd come back black and blue. I think the T stop to take is Kenmore tho, NOT Fenway (ask the pp at Park). From there, 5-10 min walk to the Green Monster. They have daily tours too. Don't think you can prebook, just get there early to get tickets. Tours last about 60 min or so, and start in a shop full of (expensive) Red Sox paraphernalia.

4. Maybe JFK museum... at south end of red line... take the T then the bus. Check the website.

5. RSS Constitution. Old Ironsides. A ship.

Places to eat
This really depends on what you like and what you want. Boston abounds with many nice places for fine dining, or just cheap college student food.

1. Little Italy (take T green line to North End) is, well, Little Italy. Lotsa nice Italian restaurants with great food. Pretty quaint surroundings too. The longest queue (and longest wait) is prob what will bring you to the best food. Here, you can find Mike's Pastry... my idea of heaven on earth. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...8&id=566408196

2. Harvard Upstairs on the Square... interesting avant garde place. Get the hot dates.

3. L'Espalier... another quaint place to eat... need to make reservations though.

4. Anywhwere along Newbury's...

[fionalee16]

Boston is a historic city. So if you are into american history, boston's freedom trail would be the thing for you to do/visit. Even if you're not into history and stuff, but have an open mind, freedom trail would be pretty cool for you to walk and appreciate the city a little better.

I would strongly recommend going to Quincy Market, Harvard University (walk around the campus, have a picture with John Harvard (statute), MIT campus too (although it's not as gorgeous as Harvard), afterwhich you can walk along the river and enjoy the boston skyline.

Chinatown in boston isn't really fantastic or anything. You can skip it. But you would go to chinatown for food. Other than that, there's nothing much in chinatown. In terms of food, you should definitely try their seafood. Depending on when you go, there will be a crab or lobster season. But, be prepared to pay for all those fresh seafood. Don't forget to tip too! Tipping is necessary. Usually 15% before the taxes.

Well, boston is a really beautiful city. I really like the weather there. Oh and with Fenway Park, you can only get in the stadium if you pay an entry fee or something. (i can't remember) but you can still walk around the surrounding

hope it's helpful

[petetherock]

Thanks for your reply and welcome to clubsnap! Nice of you to help me with your first post

I look forward to this trip, will there be shuttles and trains to the city centre?

I have free accomodations at the Boston Plaza hotel

[joanne232]

Any good bookstores and art destinations in Boston? I'd like to head there someday.

[Canonised]

When in Boston you are supposed NOT to miss this place ...

Union Oyster House

The lobsters and Oysters are supposed to be the best .... and the special local soup, the clam chowder.

in the Chinatown, somewhere in the centre there is this Japanese shabu shabu ... like our Seoul Garden here but price is about 3x ..... go if you are sick of angmo food.

I agree with Fiona .... Boston is really a beautiful city.

[hamtaro]

Hi

If you want to explore further, Cape Cod is a nice day trip...alternatively you can always join a tour (check out grayline tours) for the day trippers out of town. Trips can be done in a day are: Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard (further south), New Hamsphire, New England coastline (the tour I took brought us to "visit" the Bush's places @ Kennebunkport....you can check out the scenery @ my website: http://public.fotki.com/chorguan/200...gland--boston/).
And if you are into outlet shopping: Wrethnam Premier Outlet (http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=10) is just 45 mins drive away....there's a shopping coach (found in the transportation page) that takes you there if you don't intend to drive..

Boston is a walking city...and it is more convenient to take the T (the locals called it Charlie) to travel within Boston...FYI
all the trips irregardless of distance is USD2/-.

[petetherock]

Thanks for all the tips, I am off to my Boston / Avignon adventure today, appreciate all the feedback and I hope to take lots of pics...
I already have a large cache of boxes from amazon waiting for me at my hotel... ha!

[Aneurysm]

will be off to Boston this October. Anyone else with more recommendations on where are good photo spots in Boston?

[petetherock]

Have a look at the guides for the usual historical sights, but just roaming the historical sector and also the baseball stadium will give you plenty to shoot.
Cheers

Originally Posted by Aneurysm will be off to Boston this October. Anyone else with more recommendations on where are good photo spots in Boston?