My fiance is getting sent to Boston for training in a couple of weeks. I decided to fly out with her and spend the weekend before her training in Boston with her. We’ll get in on a Fri night and have Sat and Sun to see the sights. I will have Monday to myself as she will be at a conference. Then I will leave Tuesday night.
Any Bostonians out there with some advice? We’ve never been to Boston and would like to make the most out of our weekend.
Off the top of my head…
[ul]
[li]Fenway Park[/li][li]Boston Common[/li][li]Harvard (in Cambridge)[/li][li]Bunker Hill (Charlestown)[/li][li]USS Constitution - not far from Bunker Hill[/li][li]MIT (just across the river on Mass Ave in Cambridge)[/li][li]Haymarket/Holocaust Memorial[/li][li]Copley Square[/li][li]Boston Public Library (next door to Copley)[/li][li]Newbury Street[/li][li]Freedom Trail - you don’t have to follow all of it, but maybe the part around Park Street[/li][li]North End - see the Old North Church and get a cannoli at Mike’s Pastries[/li][li]Mt. Auburn Cemetery (in my town, Watertown) - beautiful arboretum and a bunch of famous Bostonians buried here… including Buckminster Fuller. There’s also Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain.[/li][/ul]
These are all free, I think, accessible by T (or foot) and the sort of thing you can do at your leisure (or haste). There’s great stuff to see if you have access to a car (Lexington, Concord, Walden Pond).
Oh, we’re staying here:
Boston Marriott Long Wharf
296 State Street
Anything interesting withing walking distance? What’s the best way to get around if we aren’t walking? Cabs? Subway? Buses?
You’re going to be within easy walking distance of the waterfront, not to mention downtown and Charleston. You can see
The Aquarium
Bunker Hill
The USS Conastitution
The North End (Eat in an Italian Restaurant! See Paul Revere’s House!)
Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market (Tourist city!)
There’s tons of stuff – the Science Museum and MIT (the Museum, Strobe Alley, the Hart School of Naval Architecture gallery) and Harvard ( More museums than you can shake a stick at) and Harvard Square.
Walk down Newbury Street and look in the Shops
Go to the Christian Science Mother Church. See the Mapparium!
I found Boston’s MBTA system very accessible and easy to use.
It’s a ways away, but a trip to the John F. Kennedy Library is a must-see if you’re into history. The exhibits are extremely well done.
brewha, what do you like to do?
Very good stuff. Thanks! I’ve been researching your suggestions. It looks like the freedom trail covers most of the historical stuff. We’ll have to take a detour as Mike’s pastries isn’t quite on the trail and I’ve never had a canoli!
The science museum and MIT are on my list. Maybe the Aquarium, it looks to be right close by the hotel.
Bunker Hill
The USS Conastitution
The North End (Eat in an Italian Restaurant! See Paul Revere’s House!)
Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market (Tourist city!) - these are all on the freedom trail, so got em covered!
Thanks for the suggestions!
It looks like there’s a “T” station right next to the hotel - cool. That will open up the city more than just walking distance.
I don’t know. I would like take in some of our nation’s history. I think the freedom trail pretty much has that covered.
I’m more into science and technology. That’s why I’d like to see MIT and the science museum.
I guess I’m looking for anything a first time visitor might want to take a picture of.
While that is true, most of Boston is walking distance already. It’s an extremely walkable city; none of the distances are very far.
Since you’re at Long Wharf you can also take a boat tour of the Boston Harbor Islands NP or even a ferry ride to Provincetown on the Cape (P-town ferry) for the day. Both are easy to get to from the waterfront.
There are a few water travel options from Logan Airport to Long Wharf. See this webpage. Or you could take the Blue Line directly from the airport to the Aquarium Station and Long Wharf.
If you want to take a look at Old Ironsides and the Charleston Naval Yard, taking the Inner Harbor shuttle is a cheap way to go by water.
MIT has a museum - open Tuesday through Friday, 10 am to 5 pm; Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 pm. There are also campus tours at 10:45 am and 2:45 pm.
There is a Holocaust memorial adjacent to Quincy Market/Faneuil Hall, right near the Union Oyster House. See it at dusk.
I second the mapparium and a stroll around the whole Christian Science complex.
The glass flowers exhibit at the Harvard Museum of Natural History is pretty amazing, if you like that sort of thing.
During my reunion we had a dinner at the museum. Check to see if they still have a hacking exhibit - they’ve published a few books on MIT hacks, a few of which I was involved with. 
Besides that, enter MIT at the little dome, 77 Mass Ave, right over the Hahvahd Bridge, and walk down the infinite corridor. You can get into the Great Court by turning right at Building 10 (the first big open area.) There are a bunch of interesting new buildings from after my time.
When I lived in Cambridge, we walked everywhere. Boston is a very walkable city.
Definitely do the Freedom Trail and Old Ironsides.
Harvard’s pretty explorable too. There are guided tours on weekdays, and you can walk into the Science Center and see an ENIAC on display. I think you can also get into the front of Sanders (tallest building; has a steeple).
Harvard Yard is pretty scenic as well, and Cambridge Common is a
nice spot to rest. At least Washington thought so.
I’d offer up a tour, but I’m away this week…
In my year-and-a-half in Boston, we’ve found some good food. Here are a few suggestions for places to eat in the area:
Dino’s: I’m often a bit let down by a lot of the Italian restaurants in the North End, but surprisingly it’s this little corner shop that ends up being a frequent destination. Their eggplant parm sub is to die for. Seriously–best I’ve ever had. Their subs are pretty big (16") so they can conceivably be split between two people. They get their bread fresh from the bakery across the street, which also has excellent cannolis. If you’re walking around the North End during lunch time, check it out.
Rod Dee and Dok Bua: To me, hands down the best Thai food in Boston, and just as good as, or better than, any Thai restaurant I ever found in New York or elsewhere. Rod Dee has two branches, one in Brookline and one near Feway Park.
Cafe Baraka: Really nice little place at Central Square with north African (Tunisian, Algerian) food. No liquor, but it does have the absolute best lemonade I have ever had. I think they make it with rosewater and other good things.
Chez Henri: Right between Harvard and Porter Square. French-Cuban food. Their take on the Cubano is quite good, as is the duck tamale and the ceviche.
Lala Rokh: Persian food right on Beacon Hill. A little fancier (and harder to get ino on a weekend) but very good.
B&G Oyster House: Has an excellent lobster roll (if you are pro-mayo). Certainly better than Legal Seafood, for example.
Oishii: Located out Rt. 9. Worth the trip. Far and away the best sushi I’ve had in Boston. It’s a tiny little place, though, so be prepared for a wait.
You’ve got to take a duck tour. Drive around Boston, take a splash in the River, great tour guides.
I am from Boston, but since everyone covered the obvious, let me tell you about the BEST hot dog place in the whole Northeast.
It’s called Spike’s, and there are at least two of them. The easiest one to find is right by Berkeley School of music. Go there!
Easy, Auto. The best? But I’ll agree they’re very good. I go to the one in Allston quite often! Junkyard Dawg and Texas Ranger all the way!
Make sure to check out Kennedy’s. Have a burger and a beer.
The place is great.