Where to stay for 3 nights in Boston?

[pezgirlroy]

My favorite Boston hotel is the Marriot Long Wharf if you can get a deal. The location is amazing.

 

[Minnesota!]

Oh, good!

And sorry I did not contribute ideas to your Chicago question thread. Having lived here for all my 80 years, I really am not very helpful on the periodic 'what should I do when visiting Chicago?' threads. But the ideas given were good.

A small contribution here. Any of the food places listed here are great, all Chicago food icons.

https://www.tastesofchicago.com/chicago-brands/


Enjoy your visit, MN.


View attachment 921644

Thank you, Dan! My husband's main wish is to see Navy Pier. It looks soooo cold, though...I better pack some gear.

 

[Dan Murphy]

My husband's main wish is to see Navy Pier. It looks soooo cold, though.

Today, it probably looks like this, sans the boats. Unseasonably warm right now, but, it is winter. Probably not all that different than your MN.

 

[Minnesota!]

Today, it probably looks like this, sans the boats. Unseasonably warm right now, but, it is winter. Probably not all that different than your MN.



View attachment 921657

Yep - green grass, confused birds. Weird.

 

[Mle8308]

Taking my kid to Boston (both of our first times!) over spring break. We have 3 nights and are looking to maximize our time. I would like something that is reasonably priced (under 300/night, please!), good walking area, safe, on public transportation to/from Logan. I am so overwhelmed by Trip Advisor, Google, hotel sites.

Where do you suggest? I see I can get hotels north/west of the airport (Chelsea?) for cheap, but the train in and out stops me because I want more convenience than that. I just hate paying a ton of money for a room when we will be there so little time - to sleep and shower, mainly.

How "bad" is it to stay outside the city and come in and out as needed? Waste of time for a short stay?

Can you believe I ever attempted to be a travel agent - can't even plan my own stuff these days...too much anxiety!

Thanks!

Do not stay in Chelsea, it is not the safest area, lots of gang activity, among other things. I work there and in Boston (we have multiple locations) and would not recommend it. Public transportation is fine, just be prepared for homeless people in and around the stations and since pot is legal in MA, the subway system (known at the "T") can reek of it. If you are going to be out late, check the time of the last train you will need. Boston is not like NY, often the last train is at 12:30am. Public transportation, from Logan, in most cases, will require you to transfer. You would take a Silver Line bus to either the Blue Line T station or stay on the Silver Line into the city (it's free from Logan, there are fares going back to Logan) and transfer to another line at South Station. If you stay in the SeaPort/Fort Point area, the T is not bad and I would use it depending on the time of day, but if you are going to stay in the Back Bay area, I would advise against it, especially if it's around rush hour. It's not an easy transfer if you are not familiar with the T and it's not the best when you have luggage (Silver Line to South Station for a Red Line train to Park Street, then get off at Park Street to transfer to a Green Line train - make sure you get on the correct line, there are 4). A lot of the time the elevators or escalators aren't working and you have to lug it all up or down stairs. And they stink of urine (elevators). Ride shares are a good way to get around, as well as walking. You can do a trolley tour, which is a get on and off narrated tour of the city. I sometime recommend staying on for a full trip, then decide where you want to get off and explore. You can then hop back on and go to the next location. The Freedom Trail is also interesting for history buffs. It's literally a red line painted on the sidewalk or a red brick line that you follow. It is about 2.5 miles and it takes you from Charlestown (the USS Constitution) to Beacon Hill and the Back Bay. It's a self guided tour, though there are tours you can join (paid). If you like Italian food, go to the North End (where the Old North Church and Paul Revere's house are located). Boston is a great city, it's not quite as safe as it used to be, but still worth visiting. Just be smart and if it looks like a questionable area, don't go there. Boston is expensive, we pay a ton in taxes, but there is no tax on clothing/shoes! Look forward to hearing how your trip goes! Oh, and pay attention to the weather forecast. It can be crazy! We've had April's where it is over 90 degrees and we've had April's where we've had enough snow to shovel. Not sure exactly when you are travelling, but be prepared!

 

[Minnesota!]

Do not stay in Chelsea, it is not the safest area, lots of gang activity, among other things. I work there and in Boston (we have multiple locations) and would not recommend it. Public transportation is fine, just be prepared for homeless people in and around the stations and since pot is legal in MA, the subway system (known at the "T") can reek of it. If you are going to be out late, check the time of the last train you will need. Boston is not like NY, often the last train is at 12:30am. Public transportation, from Logan, in most cases, will require you to transfer. You would take a Silver Line bus to either the Blue Line T station or stay on the Silver Line into the city (it's free from Logan, there are fares going back to Logan) and transfer to another line at South Station. If you stay in the waterfront/Fort Point area, the T is not bad and I would use it depending on the time of day, but if you are going to stay in the Back Bay area, I would advise against it, especially if it's around rush hour. It's not an easy transfer if you are not familiar with the T and it's not the best when you have luggage (Silver Line to South Station for a Red Line train to Park Street, then get off at Park Street to transfer to a Green Line train - make sure you get on the correct line, there are 4). A lot of the time the elevators or escalators aren't working and you have to lug it all up or down stairs. And they stink of urine (elevators). Ride shares are a good way to get around, as well as walking. You can do a trolley tour, which is a get on and off narrated tour of the city. I sometime recommend staying on for a full trip, then decide where you want to get off and explore. You can then hop back on and go to the next location. The Freedom Trail is also interesting for history buffs. It's literally a red line painted on the sidewalk or a red brick line that you follow. It is about 2.5 miles and it takes you from Charlestown (the USS Constitution) to Beacon Hill and the Back Bay. It's a self guided tour, though there are tours you can join (paid). If you like Italian food, go to the North End (where the Old North Church and Paul Revere's house are located). Boston is a great city, it's not quite as safe as it used to be, but still worth visiting. Just be smart and if it looks like a questionable area, don't go there. Boston is expensive, we pay a ton in taxes, but there is no tax on clothing/shoes! Look forward to hearing how your trip goes! Oh, and pay attention to the weather forecast. It can be crazy! We've had April's where it is over 90 degrees and we've had April's where we've had enough snow to shovel. Not sure exactly when you are travelling, but be prepared!

Thank you for this! Freedom Trail is definitely in our sights. We are both history buffs. My great-great-great...whatever, was Admiral Hull, of "Old Ironsides" command. Family lore, I HAVE to go visit that, at least (My entire maternal side of the family is from MA/NY...grandpa came to MN for a job in the mid 50s and here I am!).

MN taxes are high, too...but pays for the good things here, so I am cool with it. Also no tax on groceries or clothing We always get a blizzard here that week - it is my birthday week AND coincides with the MN Boys Hockey tourney...so, I am used to crappy weather to celebrate another year of getting older (wiser?)... as long as my plane can land and take back off again, I am cool with any weather!

 

[Mle8308]

Thank you for this! Freedom Trail is definitely in our sights. We are both history buffs. My great-great-great...whatever, was Admiral Hull, of "Old Ironsides" command. Family lore, I HAVE to go visit that, at least (My entire maternal side of the family is from MA/NY...grandpa came to MN for a job in the mid 50s and here I am!).

MN taxes are high, too...but pays for the good things here, so I am cool with it. Also no tax on groceries or clothing We always get a blizzard here that week - it is my birthday week AND coincides with the MN Boys Hockey tourney...so, I am used to crappy weather to celebrate another year of getting older (wiser?)... as long as my plane can land and take back off again, I am cool with any weather!

Have a great trip! And I should have paid more attention to your avatar. If you can handle MN in the winter, Boston will not be an issue!

 

[Minnesota!]

Have a great trip! And I should have paid more attention to your avatar. If you can handle MN in the winter, Boston will not be an issue!

Exactly Although, working from home for almost 5 years now has made me softer as far as that goes. I see a snowflake? Maybe I will stay home in my sweats today

 

[leebee]

It's been years, so don't hold me to it, but Marriott has a couple of properties in Cambridge, right across from one of the Red Line stops. It was pretty convenient. I, too, am a fan of the Marriott at Long Wharf, but I don't think you'll get it for under $300 (or anywhere close to that... do you have Marriott points you could use?). Also, there is a DoubleTree on the edge of Chinatown, across the street from Tufts Medical Center. My niece lived there during Covid; she was a student at Suffolk and due to distancing and not being able to assign roommates/shared dorm rooms, she ended up living for the semester at The DoubleTree!

OH... FYI... not Chelsea, not Revere, not Winthrop, not Lynn (which is too far out anyhow, even though the train is reliable). I also wouldn't stay near the airport (I've stayed in that Embassy Suites, probably 20 years ago); the area is fine, it's just a hassle to take the shuttle to the Blue Line and then the Blue Line into town. If you had more time I'd suggest Salem, but really, I like to stay IN town, near the "action," whenever we travel to a big city (NYC, NOLA, Boston, SanFrancisco, etc).