Boston

Daisy03

Hi,

We are thinking of heading to Boston for 10 days in August. I have checked out the tourism websites but just want to see if anyone has any tips or advice on what to do/what to avoid?

It is to celebrate my mum's 50th birthday so would like to make it a trip to remember. We would be interested in sightseeing, shopping, maybe going to a baseball game or something and taking day trips further-a-field.

Thanks

Fr Tod Umptious

Daisy03 wrote: »

Hi,

We are thinking of heading to Boston for 10 days in August. I have checked out the tourism websites but just want to see if anyone has any tips or advice on what to do/what to avoid?

It is to celebrate my mum's 50th birthday so would like to make it a trip to remember. We would be interested in sightseeing, shopping, maybe going to a baseball game or something and taking day trips further-a-field.

Thanks

Boston is a nice small city that is easy to walk around and see things.

A couple of things

1. Duck Tour - It's like an open to bus tour but goes in the bay and Charles river too.

2. Freedom Trail - It's a walk, sometimes guided, around the cities main historical sites.

3. Back Bay - High end shopping and two skyscrapers with viewing floors

4. Kennedy Museum - Short subway ride from down town.

5. Harvard University - Self explanatory

6. Outlet Shopping in Wrentham - about 45 mins south of Boston.

Princess Peach

If you want to go further afield, you can take the train to Salem, where the witch trials were held. Lots of interesting museums there, I thought it was really fun.

Or take the train a little further to Gloucester and go on a deep sea whale watching tour. Very beautiful to see the whales!

If there is a baseball game on the day you can get tickets a few hours in advance at the ticket box. If there's not a game, just do a tour of Fenway park, its really enjoyable.

And you have to visit Quincy Market and Fanuiel Hall for some great food

Plenty of good malls for shopping. Some are quite pricey and have the designer boutiques. Wrentham is good if you can rent a car, theres a coach tour that goes there too. Or you can just get the T to the Cambridge Side Galleria, it has a large range of shops at normal prices. It can be really fun to walk down Newbery St too, right in the centre and has designer shops and regular shops. So pretty too.

You'll have a great time!

Daisy03

Thanks a million. Will definitely have a look at all of those.

padger

Hey myself and my wife are heading over to Boston for a week this month , we're a young enough couple that enjoy good pubs and good grub, any recommendations for good bars and restaurants that are reasonably priced?

stargazer 68

We took in Boston at the end of our honeymoon so did Quincy Market and Fanuiel Hall - great spots. Had an hour lying in the grass on Boston Common in the sun - near the lake - listening to an amazing guy playing the sax! Then headed across the road to Cheers for a couple of beers. The set bar was open so I sat at Norms spot!

Hazys

Apologies to Dovies but Faneuil Hall and certainly Cheers are massive tourist traps. Definitely go see Faneuil Hall but i wouldn't eat or drink there as the quality of bars and restaurants are sub par.

The most beautiful parts of Boston are Back Bay, Beacon Hill and the North End (Fanueil Hall is right next door to the North End) and they have tons of bars and restaurants. Like Dovies said Boston Common (and especially the public garden) which is between Back Bay & Beacon Hill is beautiful, especially in Fall.

Unless there are any specific types of restaurants or bars you want recommendations on, Yelp is your friend, it'll tell you all good bars and restaurants in your vicinity.

padger

Great, thanks for the replies and info, we would be hoping to avoid tourist traps alright as we will be going on a budget

GiantPencil

Definitely hit up the North End for food, some real good Italian places there, Regina's Pizzeria is very popular . Mike's Pastry is famous in the city for its Cannoli's, the queue outside is testimony to that. It's in the North End too I think.

padger

Great sounds good, any good pub recommendations that have reasonably priced pints?

Fr Tod Umptious

padger wrote: »

Great sounds good, any good pub recommendations that have reasonably priced pints?

Anything downtown will be pricey.

Quincy Market/Fanuiel Hall area cos it's a tourist trap, Back Bay/Newbury St area cos its high end.

Try heading up to Cambridge
Central Sq, Harvard Sq, Davis Sq, and Porter Sq are all on the same subway line and are college areas, might get some good places there, Central and Harvard in particular.

Hazys

Cheapest place downtown is Side Bar $7 pitchers buts its definitely a dive bar but good for sports as it has so many tvs.