Boston trip

[Lucys dad]

Hi, looking for any advice/suggestions. Planning a solo trip to Boston toward the end of October start of November. Maybe 5 or 6 nights. It’s an area I’ve even planning on visiting for years. No issue walking several miles a day taking in some decent bars and restaurants. Done some very basic research and currently thinking of staying at The Godfrey ? Open to other suggestions. Would also like to visit a few towns along the coast by train maybe a couple of hrs max from Boston. Spending a night in a coastal town If required. There seems to be a lot of places that look really nice but I’m not sure what would be best at that time of year. Quite relaxed about the whole trip, really just looking for a walk about and some decent food and drinks.

Many thanks

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

Stay a night in Portsmouth, NH, it's a great little town and lots of good food.

 

[RogueX]

A lot of people like Salem in October, though be forewarned, it gets really busy with the Haunted Happening festivities. You can reach that easily by train.

The subway has been a hot mess, so look at areas in Boston where you can get to without the subway.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

We did a Ghost & Graveyard bus/ trolley tour and it was amazing - I was not looking forward to it but I must say I enjoyed it tremendously - I do love history but even still it was so interesting - the guide was fabulous and had so much information - I could have spent the day and night with her !! Great Tour !!!

 

[mjkacmom]

A lot of people like Salem in October, though be forewarned, it gets really busy with the Haunted Happening festivities. You can reach that easily by train.

The subway has been a hot mess, so look at areas in Boston where you can get to without the subway.

I thought it would be finished by then (my daughter is a grad student at BU and I want to wait for that to be better before visiting).

 

[JayMass]

I live just north of Boston and late October and early November is a great time to be here!

There's train called the Downeaster that runs up the coast to Portland ME. I've never taken the train but the drive from Boston to Portland is about 2 hours. Portland is a beautiful New England port city! Another option would be to rent a car. That way you could stop in Portsmouth, NH and at the York lighthouse in York, ME.

Boston itself is a great city with a lot to offer from museums to architecture to entertainment to history. What exactly, besides seeing the coast, are you interested in? I can offer some insider advice!

 

[Erica Ladd]

Interested to read replies as dd and I would like to visit Boston around the same time!

 

[JayMass]

Interred to read replies as dd and I would like to visit Boston around the same time!

Give me an idea of who is traveling, likes/dislikes, and I can try to steer you in the right direction.

One piece of advice I will give EVERYBODY visiting Boston:

Do NOT select a hotel that says a town's name/Boston. For example: "Marriott Courtyard Woburn/Boston." That will save you money but you will be in a suburb miles from the city. Book a hotel in Boston (Faneuil Hall, Downtown, Fenway, Back Bay, Seaport, North End, Theater District) or Cambridge.

 

[RogueX]

I thought it would be finished by then (my daughter is a grad student at BU and I want to wait for that to be better before visiting).

The orange line shut down in theory should be. The green line portion is not lasting as long. Unfortunately though, what's expected and what's reality with the MBTA don't often match. I've commuted into Boston since I was 15 and have experienced trains overshooting the platforms, derailments, being stuck on a train for 9+ hours with no way off (we were stuck on a bridge).

 

[Erica Ladd]

Give me an idea of who is traveling, likes/dislikes, and I can try to steer you in the right direction.

One piece of advice I will give EVERYBODY visiting Boston:

Do NOT select a hotel that says a town's name/Boston. For example: "Marriott Courtyard Woburn/Boston." That will save you money but you will be in a suburb miles from the city. Book a hotel in Boston (Faneuil Hall, Downtown, Fenway, Back Bay, Seaport, North End, Theater District) or Cambridge.

DD and I would like to go visit the universities areas - and shopping! We would only have a long weekend as she is in school. My nephew plays football for MIT so maybe catch a game? Look around the areas of MIT, Harvard, BU... am I missing any? Stroll along the big shopping street - Newberry or something? I think my nephew stays on the south? side of the river so maybe a hotel close to that. We were hoping to use public transportation as I grew up with it in NJ/NYC but DD is new to it - but the subways are a mess right now?? Maybe do the freedom trail or part of it? Catch a good meal or two? I also have a friend who lives in Wayland - not sure just how far that is or if she might come to Boston or we go to her house... any input would be great!

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Ooh Portland ME is an awesome town to visit - been there a few times !!! Anywhere in ME is nice !! Lobster rolls anyone ?!!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I always recommend Plymouth. Tons of history, lots of great restaurants, beaches, seafood, walkable lantern and ghost tours through cemeteries and colonial-era homes, concerts, museums and living museums, a winery, The Mayflower replica, a working Grist Mill, herring run, pirate tours, whale watches, boat to Provincetown for the day, shops, parades and fireworks on holidays, etc. And very walkable. The John Carver Inn is a nice place to stay.

You can take the Commuter Rail from South Station down to Kingston or Plymouth (oops, Plymouth currently down, apparently). There are shuttle options from Kingston and it’s only about 15 mins to Plymouth center if you don’t want to drive.

https://seeplymouth.com/

https://seeplymouth.com/listings/visitor-info/how-to-get-around/

https://www.mayflowertaxi.com/Services/Train/Kingston-MBTA-Station/

A nice shoot-off from there is Sandwich, MA, at the top end of Cape Cod - The Heritage Museum, Sandy Neck Beach, shops, restaurants, etc. From there, there is a nearby bus that goes back to Boston.

All this is very easy with a car, too.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I like to recommend Gloucester. Very pretty New England seacoast town. Also, at that time of year, Cape Cod ("the Cape" to locals) is nice.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Maybe some ideas from this? Keep in mind that tis was 17 years ago.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/an-historic-day-in-boston-with-diser-mare-pictures.846647/

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

Plan on doing the freedom trail--you can get a trolley tour ticket that will not only take you around but drop you off at various places around Boston. I wouldn't recommend going to Salem in October, it's a zoo and takes forever. Come back sometime in the non-Halloween season for that. Plan on eating one night somewhere in the North End, just pick any restaurant and it will be great! But be warned they don't open until around 5 pm. Don't wait in the long lines at Mikes, keep going down the street to Modern Pastry, which is better (but still not as great as Lyndells used to be). Keep in mind the pastry shops are cash only.

 

[Southernmiss]

Dh and I are going in September for 4 and a half days and staying at the Godfrey. Looks convenient to a lot of stuff.

We are planning to get a 2 day hop on hop off trolley pass to site see and hop off at sites we'd like to see more of. With the pass, there are discounts to other attractions.

The Boston Tea Party, USS Constitution, Isabella Gardner museum and Fenway park are a few tours we will do.

We hope to do a long drive into the White Mountains one day maybe overnight and see more of New England.

 

[AaronB]

Has been a long time since my college days in Boston, so not sure if specific restaurants would even be there anymore. But for general areas, Newbury Street has lots of shops/restraints for a fun walk. For Italian, you would be near the North End in the Godfrey, and Salem Street is a good one to explore for an Italian restaurant. The Faneuil Hall area has a ton of stuff around it, so worth a walk around there. Walking around Harvard Square is fun.

The one specific restaurant that may still be there would be the Legal Seafood Test Kitchen. Make sure it is the Test Kitchen specifically if you go, any of the other Legal Seafoods are mostly the same as a Legal Seafood chain restaurant you would find anywhere.

 

[Lucys dad]

Dh and I are going in September for 4 and a half days and staying at the Godfrey. Looks convenient to a lot of stuff.

We are planning to get a 2 day hop on hop off trolley pass to site see and hop off at sites we'd like to see more of. With the pass, there are discounts to other attractions.

The Boston Tea Party, USS Constitution, Isabella Gardner museum and Fenway park are a few tours we will do.

We hope to do a long drive into the White Mountains one day maybe overnight and see more of New England.

Sounds good, could you keep me posted on the trip and the Godfrey ?

Have a great time

 

[Lucys dad]

I live just north of Boston and late October and early November is a great time to be here!

There's train called the Downeaster that runs up the coast to Portland ME. I've never taken the train but the drive from Boston to Portland is about 2 hours. Portland is a beautiful New England port city! Another option would be to rent a car. That way you could stop in Portsmouth, NH and at the York lighthouse in York, ME.

Boston itself is a great city with a lot to offer from museums to architecture to entertainment to history. What exactly, besides seeing the coast, are you interested in? I can offer some insider advice!

Much appreciated. Will have a look at Portland, that sounds ideal.

I’m trying to avoid renting a car, I do enough driving when I’m working. I’ll definitely be doing the freedom trail, Fenway park tour and hopefully catch a Celtics game. ( sports is a big thing for me )

I plan on walking a good few miles every day, broken up by lengthy lunches/dinners and drinks.

I’m coming over from Scotland and have only ever been to Florida and New York. Any inside info would be great.

Many thanks

 

[JayMass]

Much appreciated. Will have a look at Portland, that sounds ideal.

I’m trying to avoid renting a car, I do enough driving when I’m working. I’ll definitely be doing the freedom trail, Fenway park tour and hopefully catch a Celtics game. ( sports is a big thing for me )

I plan on walking a good few miles every day, broken up by lengthy lunches/dinners and drinks.

I’m coming over from Scotland and have only ever been to Florida and New York. Any inside info would be great.

Many thanks

Boston is a great little city--much more like NY than Florida.

Here is a link to the train to Portland. Looks like it's about a 2.5 hour ride. Looks like a beautiful ride and I definitely recommend Portland for a night or two if you want (select a hotel in the Old Port).

A car is definitely not necessary, especially in Boston. The Freedom Trail is great--my suggestion is start in the Charlestown Neighborhood with the Bunker Hill Monument--you can hike to the top of it. Fenway tours are great and they take you up on top of the left field "green monster" wall which is awesome. The Celtics will be in season at the end of October and beginning of November, so a game would definitely be doable (Oct. 30 vs. Wizards), (Nov. 4 vs. Bulls).

Cambridge is not technically Boston but it's where MIT and Harvard are and they are worth a walk around. Harvard Square should definitely be on your list.

In Boston, don't miss the Common and Public Garden. Faneiul Hall is very touristy but a walk through the food court in Quincy Marketplace is a must. I really like the Back Bay/South End just past Copley Sq. The South End, in particular has some of the city's best restaurants. The area around Fenway Park has been built up over the past few years as well as the Seaport (However, they don't have the "old" feel that the rest of the city does). I think the "Duck Tours" are better than any of the sight seeing trolleys you might encounter. You get a tour through the streets and then the truck you are on turns into a boat and you get a tour on the Charles River. For a great meal you have to go to Boston's Little Italy, The North End. There are so many great choices there, but after dinner (or any time!) you have to hit either Mike's Pastries or Modern Pastry for cannolis. Mike's is take out only but you can sit down at Modern's and get an espresso as well.

Hopefully this gives a little insight!