Anyone from Boston

[Logan Sapphire]

We''re thinking about going there for an anniversary trip, and I was wondering if staying on the waterfront next to the convention center would be a good location. Is it too far away from everything else? Is it safe? Thanks!

 

[mia15]

I am!

Everything is easy to navigate in Boston/Cambridge, so it would depend on when you''d be out a lot, and how much walking you''d like to do. What are you hoping to see while you''re visiting?

 

[Logan Sapphire]

Date: 7/20/2006 10:56:30 PM
Author: emeraldlover
I am!


Everything is easy to navigate in Boston/Cambridge, so it would depend on when you''d be out a lot, and how much walking you''d like to do. What are you hoping to see while you''re visiting?

I''m not familiar at all with Boston so I really don''t have any clue what there is to do there, other than general "historical" stuff. I would love any recommendations you might have. We definitely walk a lot and most likely won''t have a car while there.

 

[Kismet]

Is it the Seaport hotel where you''re thinking of staying? If so, I can''t say that it''s especially central although they probably have shuttles to bring you to the nearest T (subway) stop. The area around the Seaport is safe enough though. If you want to stay on the waterfront, then the Boston Harbor Hotel or Marriot Longwarf might be a bit easier to navigate to and from. If you want something more central then one of the hotels in Copley Square (Westin, Sheraton, Copley Plaza) might suit. In any case, Emeraldlover is correct, Boston is a very compact city and nothing is really too far from anything else, especially if you''ll be walking and not driving.

If you''re into historical things then walking the Freedom Trail is probably a must. The park service does walking tours or you can do a self guided tour (just follow the red line on the ground). Going up to the top of the John Hancock building or the Prudential tower gives a nice view the entire city. The Pru has a bar/restaurant at the top and the last time I was in the JH tower it had a revolutionary war display.

 

[lizzyd]

Hi Logan,

Do you like to do shopping type stuff, historic sightseeing type stuff, museums, cafe people watching? All of the above?

What''s your budget like?

If you''d like to stay on the waterfront, I''d go to the Boston Harbor Hotel. It''s spectacular and you can take a ferry around Boston Harbor from there. It''s about a five minute walk to the Red Line (the T as we call it, aka subway), and a 5-10 minute walk to Fanueil Hall (kinda like Center Harbor in Baltimore if you know what that is), and another 5-10 minutes betond that to the North End (best Italian food). The food at the hotel is award-winning too.

I wouldn''t stay near the convention center. There''s not nearly as much over there that''s easy to walk to.

Staying on the water kinda puts the financial district between you and the rest of the city.

If I was coming to visit, I''d stay at the Four Seasons, or The Ritz Carleton. They both overlook the Boston Common and the Public Gardens, where the Swan Boats are (as in Make Way for Ducklings, and the Trumpeter Swan by E.B. White). They have great food and service (go to the Four Seasons late on a Saturday night and order a really good coffee drink and their desert buffet, OMG,, to die for).

They are on the edge of what''s called The Back Bay. You can walk up and down Newbury Street for two days straight and not get tired of it. All the high end, antigue, contemporary vendors are there. Hair salons and spas, jewlers, Armani, Hermes, Burberry, you name it. I think Cartier is over one block on Boylston Street. Also check out Copley Place (Tiffany and lots of designer stores are there).

On the other side of the Public Garden is Cheers (known as the Bull & Finch to locals). Walking down Charles Street is also fun, very quaint shops etc.

The reality is Boston is a really tiny, very walkable city. You could stay almost anywhere and get to anywhere else pretty easily.

If the Ritz and Four Seasons are too expensive, there are a few others in good places.

Right on Copley Square (where Trinity Church and tha John Hancock tower are) are the Copley Plaza Hotel, in Colpey Place are The Westin and I believe The Marriott). Then smaller stand alone places include The Lennox Hotel, The Boston Park Plaza and the Parker House.

There are tons more, http://www.hotels.com/processSearch.do?destination=usertyped&usertypedcity=Boston&displayAd=false&PSRC=G21&googlekw=Boston_hotels&js=1&zz=1153489019974

Be sure to get across the river to Cambridge to check out Harvard Yard and Harvard Square. Also check on-line to see if there are any musical events going on at the Hatch Shell (where the Boston Pops plays on July 4th for the fireworks on the river).

Now that I''m thinking about it, you can rent a boat at Community Boating on the river, or over at the Boston Sailing Center for a sail on the harbor.

Definitely get some good seafood while you''re here. All the high-end restaurants have great stuff, but if you want a "smack open your lobster claw with a mallet on a picnic table" kind of experience, try Jasper White Summer Shack.

OK, I''ve gone on long enough. Now I wanna come too (I live about 12 miles outside of the city, but now with three small boys almost never get in there any more).

I''m going to enjoy this vicariously through you.

When are you thinking of going?

Have a blast! I''ve mentioned about one millionth of the stuff you could do. If you want more ideas, just let me know.

Best,
LizzyD

 

[pinkflamingo]

I will second everything Lizzie said:

Adding a few of my favorite things:

Museum of Fine Art is spectacular... the impressionism exhibits are extraordinary.

Walk around Beacon Hill by foot- it is the neighborhood that in back of the Cheers bar. It is really cool, gas lanterns, 19th century townhomes, etc. I want to live there someday, LOL! There''s a good pizza joint there- The Upper Crust, but everything there is good. There are some tiny village greens there and it is just beautiful if you can find your way in. (sometimes they are locked by fence.)

Check out the graveyards while you are there. There is a great one on the Freedom Trail in the North End of Boston- which is the Italian section. Lots of ancient graves, famous people too! The north end has FABULOUS Italian food, wander around dinnertime and you can''t resist. The main drag has the most expensive popular places, but if you wander off the main street a little, you can find where the locals go, less $$$ and equally good food. Don''t forget to go to Mike''s Pastry shop (on the main drag) as it is a legend.

I love it there! DH grew up outside of Boston and his parents still live there. He lived there for 5 years while he went to college so he knows every nook and cranny. We visit every summer, it is probably my favorite place in the world!

 

[lizzyd]

Date: 7/21/2006 10:00:57 AM
Author: pinkflamingo
I will second everything Lizzie said:

Adding a few of my favorite things:

Museum of Fine Art is spectacular... the impressionism exhibits are extraordinary.

Walk around Beacon Hill by foot- it is the neighborhood that in back of the Cheers bar. It is really cool, gas lanterns, 19th century townhomes, etc. I want to live there someday, LOL! There''s a good pizza joint there- The Upper Crust, but everything there is good. There are some tiny village greens there and it is just beautiful if you can find your way in. (sometimes they are locked by fence.)

Check out the graveyards while you are there. There is a great one on the Freedom Trail in the North End of Boston- which is the Italian section. Lots of ancient graves, famous people too! The north end has FABULOUS Italian food, wander around dinnertime and you can''t resist. The main drag has the most expensive popular places, but if you wander off the main street a little, you can find where the locals go, less $$$ and equally good food. Don''t forget to go to Mike''s Pastry shop (on the main drag) as it is a legend.

I love it there! DH grew up outside of Boston and his parents still live there. He lived there for 5 years while he went to college so he knows every nook and cranny. We visit every summer, it is probably my favorite place in the world!

If you start down on Charles Street and walk up the hill along Pinckney Street (I think), about half way up the hill you''ll see one of those tiny little village greens, all locked up tight. That one is called Loiusburg Square. It''s where John Kerry and Teresa Heinz Kerry live (when they are in residence). So, if you see a bunch of black, bullet proof looking SUV''s around the square you might bump into the Kerry''s

hehe.

Best,
LizzyD

 

[pinkflamingo]

sometimes they *look* locked up but there is a gate that if you push it, it will open. it''s worth trying! i fell in love with my dh in one of those squares- i think it was the louisburg sq.--- sitting on that park bench on a crisp autumn day.

 

[nytemist]

Just chiming in: another good hotel to stay in is the Radisson on Stuart St. It''s near the theater district, right down the street from the Public Gardens and Beacon Hill. You can walk to Downtown Crossing shopping area in one direction and Copley Square in the other direction. Your''re also right near the Green Line T. I like this Radisson; my fiance and I stay in downtown every New Year''s and have spent the past 3 there.

 

[sean_morrison44]

helpfull hint.
They sell "Boston Go cards" where you can do almost everything you want in boston for a day (or 2 days if you pay a bit more for it" for just the cost of the card.
There is a slight catch to it thou- a) have a plan. You dont want to spend your day stuck in public transportation
and b) the duck tour is pertty good, but if your not there early, most liikely you''ll be in a 2 hour wait for your turn.

 

[mia15]

I will second what everyone has said.

I vote for the Back Bay area. It''s fun to stay in a more historic area, and it''s almost impossible to miss a subway station in Boston. The convention center area is more isolated than any of the other places mentioned.

These days I tend to stay in Cambridge near Harvard. It''s a little cheaper and quieter at night, and it''s so easy to hop in the red line and get into the city. There are also a lot of cozy and clean hotels in Harvard Square.
But if you''d like to skip taking the subway all the time, it''s possible to walk to almost anything from the Back Bay area and Beacon Hill.

Let''s see, what else can I tell you the guidebooks won''t? Subways - the red line is very well-maintained, the green line mostly so, and the orange line not as much.
Be reasonably careful at night near downtown crossing, which is a popular shopping area.

Have fun!

 

[Logan Sapphire]

Thanks for the tips and suggestions everyone! We have reservations right now at the Westin on the waterfront (not the one in Copley Square), and also looked into a hotel (the John Jeffries) which is closer in.

While I would love to stay at the Ritz or the Four Seasons, one night there would probably cost way more than our budget for the whole weekend!

 

[dendon]

I would stay at the Marriott Longwharf. The Marriott Copley is also a beautiful hotel. Make sure you walk through the North end and check out fanueil Hall. Have a good trip and have some dunkin donuts coffee for me!!