Need help planning trip to Boston

[Suzy Mouse]

I'm planning a surprise anniversary trip for my dh to Boston. I have no idea where to stay...what to do...or where to eat. I plan on getting up there on a Friday and staying through Sunday.

Does anyone have any great suggestions????
Thank you!

 

[liamsaunt]

I'd be happy to give you some ideas. It would be helpful to know what your approximate budget is for lodging and for eating out, what time of year you would be visiting, and what kind of food you like.

 

[Suzy Mouse]

We enjoy Italian food. I don't mind one expensive meal but I'd prefer to keep the cost of the other meals around $25 a person. Hotel wise...don't want to go over $200 a night...that's the high end. We'll be going late Spring.

 

[mtemm]

for a hotel, check out Jury's. We stayed there overnight around christmastime and had a really nice stay. Its one of the more reasonable hotels in Boston, or at least can be.

Lots of good Italian food, especially in the north end. there are all sorts of price ranges.

Have you been to Boston before? I would say the Freedom Trail is a great way to see the city, or you could do a duck tour or the like. What are your interests? If you like art, the MFA is a wonderful museum, but I would also highly recommend the Gardner Museum. Its outstanding, really very special.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Hey Suzy.

I was there last year on a business trip, was able to get together with some folks freom the DIS and see some of the sights. The Freedom Trail tour was great, very enjoyable, informative. http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/home.htm

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=846647

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=844389


Hey, Suzy, check in on the old timers thread linked in my signature. Great to see you.

 

[Shannon G]

I LOVE Boston, and occassionally head up for the weekend (only about a 1 1/2 - 2 hour drive for me). Anyway, if you aren't set on a particular hotel, I have had really good luck with Priceline for hotels in Boston - have stayed at the Cambridge Marriott for about $75/night, and the Sheraton Prudential Center for around $100. Only problem you might run into is your timing - late spring (mid - late May) can get very busy in Boston due to all of the college graduations, so it may be tougher to get a good deal on a hotel room. If you can push the trip into early June, you may find better prices.

As far as food, if you like Italian, the North End is definitely the place to go. I like to wander over & try a different restaturant each time (I've yet to be disappointed) but a couple of favorites are La Famiglia and Loconte's.

 

[liamsaunt]

Late spring is a beautiful time to visit. Just make sure that you don't pick a commencement weekend. You probably know about all of the colleges in Boston and Cambridge. Commencement weekends the hotels will be super expensive and likely booked, and it's impossible to get a decent dinner reservation.

The duck tour is a lot of fun, I would recommend it. As long as you don't mind the walking, the Freedom Trail is very worthwhile. Guided tours are available, or you can do it yourself--you just follow the red line painted on the sidewalk. You'll end up at the USS Constitution.

The Boston Museum of Fine Arts is excellent, as is the neighboring Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. If you are coming late spring, and you go to these museums, you might also want to go for a walk in the Fens--there is a beautiful rose garden there which may be blooming during your visit.

For Italian food at $25 and under, in Boston's North End I would recommend Pomodoro (for pretty much anything), or Daily Catch (famous for their squid ink pasta, I like their clam sauce), and Modern Pastry for dessert (cannoli).

If you are planning to see a theater performance, an Italian restaurant in the theater district that might fit your price point is Teatro. It would be pushing the upper limit, but you could do it if ordering carefully. Their antipasto for two is very, very good.

I'll give some thought to hotels, and post again later. if you have any specific questions or want suggestions for particular activities or locations, let me know.

 

[RadioFanatic]

we're going this weekend for dh's bday. we used priceline and I got the 4 star Fairmont Copley Plaza for $105 per night. we're very excited to stay there. and then on saturday night, we're seeing a bruins game and sunday a celtics game. I'll write a trip report when I get back.

 

[golfgal]

Here is the best advice I can give DON'T DRIVE IN BOSTON, EVER! Take public transportation and you will have a LOT more fun. The drivers in Boston are totally crazy and traffic laws only apply to visitors, not people that actually live in Boston.

 

[Suzy Mouse]

golfgal....It can't possibly be worse than driving in NYC!

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I think hitting it late spring will save me from any commencements...hopefully!

I was thinking of touring Fenway Park. I tried calling for tickets but I don't know if you can get them in advance. HOpefully they'll return my call. With my DH being a die hard Yankee fan it was something I just had to do.( Actually he would enjoy it since the team is away when we will be there)

Thanks again for everyone's help.
I'll be checking your link soon Dan!

 

[golfgal]

golfgal....It can't possibly be worse than driving in NYC!

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I think hitting it late spring will save me from any commencements...hopefully!

I was thinking of touring Fenway Park. I tried calling for tickets but I don't know if you can get them in advance. HOpefully they'll return my call. With my DH being a die hard Yankee fan it was something I just had to do.( Actually he would enjoy it since the team is away when we will be there)

Thanks again for everyone's help.
I'll be checking your link soon Dan!

WAY, WAY, WAY worse. I have never been anyplace else that has this bad of drivers, ever. It is just unbelievable. Trust me, DON'T DRIVE.

 

[Kristi1357]

Here is the best advice I can give DON'T DRIVE IN BOSTON, EVER! Take public transportation and you will have a LOT more fun. The drivers in Boston are totally crazy and traffic laws only apply to visitors, not people that actually live in Boston.

driver here! I live in NH, but work right in Government Center!

I've stayed at the Omni Parker House and the Holiday Inn (blossom st.?) for work when they put us up overnight during a snow storm. Holiday Inn is just ok, the Parker House is very nice. BUT, the best was last year when they put us up at the Onyx! It is a new hotel, near the Garden. Down comforters, the rooms were very funky, they even had leopard patterned robes! I would stay there again in a heartbeat.

Have a fabulous time, Boston is alot of fun!
Kristi

 

[mtemm]

golfgal....It can't possibly be worse than driving in NYC!

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I think hitting it late spring will save me from any commencements...hopefully!

I was thinking of touring Fenway Park. I tried calling for tickets but I don't know if you can get them in advance. HOpefully they'll return my call. With my DH being a die hard Yankee fan it was something I just had to do.( Actually he would enjoy it since the team is away when we will be there)

Thanks again for everyone's help.
I'll be checking your link soon Dan!

lol. driving is way worse than nyc. in nyc there is some semblance of order, in boston its pretty much a free for all. It took me a while to get used to it, but eventually I did. But still, its not for the faint of heart. and more streets aren't marked than are. I've never seen a state with fewer street signs than MA.

good luck with fenway!

 

[luvmyeor]

Driving in Boston is definitely more difficult than NYC! Don't bother asking for directions as most people are afraid to give them to you since they are constantly changing the traffic patterns. I had a pin-trader friend that offered to show me around Boston. She met us at Cheers...we were headed to the Science Center. I think we made at least two circles around the area because the roads we were supposed to take were either closed or going one way in the wrong direction. The drivers in Boston are defintely more aggressive than any other area I have driven. I managed to drive a 15 passenger van throughout Boston...you just have to be aggressive. When I dropped my friend off so she could catch the train home I had to cross over two lanes of traffic to make a left turn (I only had two car lengths to do it). My friend was watching and she told me the next day that she wasn't worried about my driving in Boston after I completed that maneuver!

There are so many things to do in Boston. We really enjoyed the Duck tour and also the whale watch. The aquarium looked interesting but we didn't have time because we also wanted to tour Salem.

 

[gallaj0]

Take a harbor cruise. A lot of the tour operators do lunch and dinner cruises, or for a fancy dinner cruise, the Oddessy and Spirit of Boston do dinner and dancing.
The Fenway park tours are every weekday at a certain time, they leave from the official souvineir store across Yawkee way, unless they have something going on in the park. I don't think they sell in advance.