Boston help

[macs4us]

I am planning a Fall Foliage trip as an anniversary present for my husband. We are taking around 10 days in October and going to Maine, NH, VT and the Cape. What I am having a problem with is the Boston portion of the trip. I was thinking about staying at an inn on Charles Street, but is that a good homebase for a three night stay? We will be doing mostly historic sites, pub hopping, ghosties, etc. Also, since we can be flexible, are we better off doing the three nights during the week rather than with the other fall weekenders?

We have never been to the Northeast, so ANY tips would be appreciated. You guys always know so much...

 

[wdw4us]

Not sure about Boston because I can travel there in an hour so I haven't stayed overnight for quite some time.

But if you come to NH for leaf peeping during the week would be a lot better for traffic and hotel rates. The best part about NH is that what ever you purchase is tax free. Of course we have hotel and meals tax but regular shopping in the malls and such is without extra tax.

It's beautiful here that time of year. Weather is usually nice, not too cool except in the Mts at night but in Boston and Southern NH you should have very nice weather.

denise

 

[TLinden16]

Charles Street is a very quaint area of Boston. There are lots of neat shops and restaurants on the street. Please note that it's a hill, so if you are walking to public transportation or just trying to get from point A to point B, you'll be walking up and down a hill to get there. It's not too steep, but it is a hill

That being said, Charles Street wouldn't be my first choice when I suggest places for people to stay in the Boston area. I think the Back Bay area is nicer, or the Downtown area. The Omni Parker House and the Nine Zero are both right near downtown crossing and the Boston Common (a good place to start the Freedom Trail). It's a short walk to Fanuiel Hall (great shopping and dining area), and also to the theatre district (The Lion King should be playing here when you are here).

In the Back Bay, check out the Back Bay Hilton, Copley Marriott, The Westin, or the Sheraton. There are two shopping malls right near these hotels, your steps from Newbury Street for many great dining and shopping options. You're also steps from the Maporiam at the Christian Science Church--definitely worth checking out if you have the time--it's a big globe that you can walk through.

If you have any further questions, let me know

Karen

 

[goofy4tink]

Have to agree with Karen. My bil lives just off Charles and it is no picnic getting around Parking is awful. Back Bay area is terrific for what you want to do. As far as week-end/week-day, it could be a toss up. During the week you will have the business travel out there. I don't think the week-end would be bad in the city. But I think a week-day trip to NH would be better.

There's nothing better than NE in October. Pure heaven!!

 

[macs4us]

I was favoring the Charles Street Inn because of the quaint location and our room would have a good tub and a fireplace, but maybe it would be better to save that for our second trip. Your suggestions of the Omni and places in the Back Bay seem like a better option for a short first time sightseeing trip. In fact, I was leaning toward the Omni, before I saw the Inn.

Would it be a good idea to ditch the rental car while we are in Boston? Since we don't have good public transit out here, making a car a necessity, I wasn't sure if I would need a car or not while we are actually staying in the city. At first glance, it appears that the majority of National Historic Sites and Historical Parks (as well as the Sam Adams brewery) are served by public transit. It will be the last few days of our trip, so I thought we could go check in and leave our bags, drop off the rental, and take a taxi to the airport when we depart. Any thoughts?

Thanks again for your advice - any other suggestions on things (walking tours, restaurants, ice cream, etc) would be great.

 

[pjlla]

Driving around Boston is a NIGHTMARE!!!n I cannot emphasize this enough. Use the rental car to get from the airport to the hotel and back to the airport (or to your next major destination), but don't try to drive around Boston to do you sight seeing. Rely on the "T" (public transit). We live about two hours from Boston and go down several times a year to see shows, the aquarium, museums, etc.... the last time was such a fiasco trying to get back on the highway that we have decided from now on we are driving to the nearest "T" station (about 1 hr away from us) and riding in. No more parking fees!!........................P

 

[Margie J]

IMO, you're better off without a car in Boston. I have driven into the City everyday for work since 1983 so believe me, I urge tourists to not drive here. I also lived in Boston for 5 years, happily without a car.

First of all, the Historic sites within the City can be reached by foot, T or tour bus. Despite our complaints about the T it does get you to most places within the City. Sometimes you have to make a train switch but things are mapped out for you.

Check out MBTA for more info.

Getting to/from the airport can be done MUCH easier by either T, taxi or airport transfer buses. Logan and the surrounding Big Dig are still under construction. It was bad before and slowly getting better but still tough to navigate sometimes.

Then there is the parking issue. Many neighborhoods, like Charles street area, have limited on-street parking &/or Resident Only restrictions. Meter Maids love to tag and tow around town. Garage parking is also limited in some spots and expensive everywhere. Daily rates average around $20-$25. If there is a Fleet Center or Fenway Park event many of the garages and lots ask for $20-$30 up front to park (if you can get a space), even if you aren't attending the event. A few hotels, shops and restaurants do offer validated, reduced parking rates but you may still pay in aggrevation.

 

[castlegazer]

I am going to totally disagree with everyone prior to this post - I think what you are planning is great and totally in keeping with what you are doing for your vacation. The Charles Street Inn is a fabulous place for you to stay. You would park your rental car for the time you are in Boston either at the Inn or in the Common Garage (if its in the garage you can get a weekly rate and its the most inexpesive lot anywhere near there). You will be a great location for seeing some of the most historic areas of Boston. The T is at the end of Charles Street towards MA General or there is another location over on Boylston Street - all within a quick five to ten minute walk. You will be able to walk to the State House, to Faneuil Hall and to the North End from there. The restaurants on Charles Street are fabulous and you will have great shops and be within a very quick walk to Newbury Street for more very high end shopping.

You will not find a better location for keeping with the historic nature of Boston to stay at than Charles Street. The other areas mentioned have the typical hotels, but Charles Street gives you ambiance and history. It is what I think of when I think of Boston - Beacon Hill and the cobblestone streets.

Have a great trip - its sounds fabulous.

 

[castlegazer]

Oh, and I forgot to mention that there is no better place to stay to place you smack dab in the center of the Common and the Public Gardens with the Swan Boats and beautiful walks which are great during the fall. AND you can pick up the Freedom Trail right from the Common. Plus - its really easy to get on the T from here and go to The Prudential Center to get a Duck Boat which is something you HAVE to do during your three days.

I really like Charles Street and Beacon Hill. I worked there for six years.

 

[Margie J]

FYI

Boston Common Garage Rates


If you must insist on driving. I still stand by my recommendation on the car. As a suggestion you can always see what traffic is like first hand before renting a car (Downtown).

 

[macs4us]

We are going to be camping in Acadia and Cape Cod for part of the trip, so we will have two duffels with our tent, sleeping bags, etc., with us. When we went to DC we rented a car to take us from Dulles to our hotel (via Mt. Vernon), and returned the car near our hotel. We then picked a car up at the end of the "city" portion of our trip to go to camping and visit Gettysburg and Harper's Ferry. So, we don't mind the lugging or car returns, as long as we can get to the sites we want to see and the airport.

Does anyone have any ideas on where we could rent a small sailboat for an hour or two? My husband loves to sail. In fact, I just came across a B&B that's on a boat - Golden Slipper. Has anyone heard of this? Would this be a viable option as far as location? Would I get any sleep? More decisions!!!

Oh, and any Salem tips? Thought we would visit there as well (my niece will want to know if we saw any ghosts). There is so much to find out about.

Are there Farmer's Markets in October? I would love to pick up some local flavors. We usually pick things up and send "Taste Of" gift baskets to our parents on our trips. Please keep the suggestions coming.

 

[dejr_8]

For Salem check out this site...

http://www.hauntedhappenings.org/

 

[LUVDSNY04]

Hi,
The teachers at my school will be attending the NCEA convention next month in Boston. We did not get our first, second, or third choice for a hotel. Instead they assigned us to the Boston Park Plaza. What is this hotel like and is it in a good location? Thanks for your help.

 

[DocRafiki]

What is the NCEA? Is it a huge convention? I am also going next month but haven't reserved a hotel room yet.

 

[Margie J]

Here's some boating info for you:


Charles River Reservation


Community Boating


Head of the Charles Regatta Oct. 23-24, 2004


Be aware that during Regatta weekend the local hotels and surrounding area is packed with participants, families and visitors. Many book hotels a year in advance.


On Salem - October is the month to visit this City on the North Shore. You can get there by bus, car or commuter rail train (out of North Station/Fleet Center). The whole month is packed with activities, many regarding the infamous Witch Trials.

This site has a nice on-line guide and info:

Salem

 

[TLinden16]

Originally posted by LUVDSNY04
Hi,
The teachers at my school will be attending the NCEA convention next month in Boston. We did not get our first, second, or third choice for a hotel. Instead they assigned us to the Boston Park Plaza. What is this hotel like and is it in a good location? Thanks for your help.

The Park Plaza is in a great location, minutes from the Back Bay, Downtown Crossing, the Boston Common, and the theatre. It's a very old hotel, but very nice. There are lots of great dining and shopping options in that area, and there is usually something great playing at one of the theatres in that area.

Karen

 

[TLinden16]

I would suggest not bothering with a car. Boston is a very difficult city to drive in these days--you never know what streets are going to change or close due to construction (although it shouldn't be as bad in October as it is now, as most of the Big Dig stuff should be done by then). It's really much easier to use public transportation, cabs, or your own two feet. Boston is a great city to walk around--I think you soak up a lot more of a city's atmosphere when you walk it than when you take a car.

You should look into taking a Duck Tour while you are here. It's a 90 minute tour of the city by land and by water. It's a lot of fun. The Ducks leave from the Prudential Center, and the Museum of Science.

One of my favorite restaurants is Fire & Ice on the corner of Berkley St. & St. James. It's a Mongolian grill--basically you pick out the meats, veggies, pasta, and sauce you want, and bring it up to the grill for cooking. It's a great deal at lunch time Monday through Saturday--just $7.95 all you can eat. It's still a good deal at dinner time at $17.95.

The Boston Park Rangers (or something like that--can someone help on that?) offer walking tours of historic sites in the Downtown/Fanuiel Hall area. They have on Devonshire Street near the State Street T Station.

There is a Farmer's Market near Fanuiel Hall every Friday and Saturday. It's really packed, and there are tons of vendors.

If you are up for a good walk, you should consider walking the Freedom Trail. Just follow the red line on the sidewalk to many different historical sites. A good place to start the Freedom Trail is at the Boston Common, where there is a visitors center.

Oh, and just as an aside, I walked up Charles Street today for the first time in a while, and it wasn't as much of a hill as I remembered (it's more at the bottom of the hill). I saw where the Charles Street Inn is, and it's pretty much in the middle of Charles Street. It's not a bad walk to the T.

Karen

 

[Teejay32]

Hi there,

You probably don't want to be in Salem too close to the 31st - it's a zoo. Very crowded, hard to get in and out of. There are Happenings all month though.

When you are situated in Boston (I third or fourth doing without a car), you can take the commuter rail (T) from North Station into the Salem station - about a 25 minute ride - and from there walk wherever you need to go. Head straight down Washington St. and toward Old Town Hall, and you'll pick up the Heritage Trail, which is a red line painted on the sidewalk that guides you around to the historic places for a couple of miles. In the evenings in Oct. there are guided walking tours - the Terror Trail, the Witch Trial Trail - where you'll get to see the spookier places. Salem is great for a half-day trip. I'm not sure about renting sailboats here - it's a possibility.

 

[pammypooh]

We visited Boston last August and loved it. Wished we would have had more time. The Boston Duck Tour was a wonderful way to see many of the sites and get a nice history lesson in a fun way. Definately worth the money. We found Boston to be a great city to walk around and utilized their public transit when we needed. Have a great time!

Pam

 

[kirstyfly]

You should look into taking a Duck Tour while you are here. It's a 90 minute tour of the city by land and by water. It's a lot of fun. The Ducks leave from the Prudential Center, and the Museum of Science.

Karen [/B]

I agree we were there in November and the duck tour is a great way to see the sites. It was very cold while we were there as we had come over from New Zealand where it was summer to Boston weather. I had to go and buy some gloves to go with my big thick winter jacket i had on.

It is a very beautiful place Boston from what we saw of it, we weren't there long. We also headed up to Salem to and had a look around,

It is great that you can walk around most of the boston historic sites in town.