Last minute post here, but I’m going to Boston Wednesday (12/31) to the following Monday. Saturday is going to be taken up by my friends’ wedding, but other than that, we’re an open book as far as things to do.
Okay, I lie. We have a rental car and I will be dragging my fiance over to WEBS yarn shop. 
We were thinking of a quick day trip to NYC so I can show it to him (I visited in July and loved it). Any tips for that?
What kind of tourist-but-not-expensive recommendations do ye have?
NYC is pretty far for a day trip. It will realistically take about 5 hours door to door each way.
Oh I know it’s far. It’s more than likely something we won’t end up doing (it’d be extra money anyway). I’ll probably save that for another trip. This is his first one ever and I’m just excited to show him that other areas can be awesome, too.
You mean, what to do in Boston?
Blue Man Group is a good time: http://www.blueman.com/tickets/boston
Or, Comedy Connection is also a good time: http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/8252?camefrom=GGLE_VEN_SEM&WT.srch=1
Both are within walking distance to Chinatown.
For museums, gotta go to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts: http://www.mfa.org/
There’s about a billion and one other things to see as well.
Have a great time!
Chinatown and Boston’s MFA might be awesome; we’re not really “show” goers and not really into the Blue Man Group. The Paul Revere Houselooks pretty cool. The ticket price is much more up our alley, too. 
I mean, Blue Man Group is a cool suggestion, but they tour everywhere. It’s not something that says THIS IS BOSTON. A friend just suggested The Freedom Trail and it looks like good nerdy fun!
Are there any passes that you can get for multiple areas? Kind of like how NYC has a bunch of them.
[thread=460978]Thread[/thread] from this past March. And I say again: Harding House B&B in Cambridge!
Those look like good choices.
Unfortunately, I don’t know about passes.
The only bad thing is that walking in Boston on a winter day is… cold!
If it were me, then I’d hit the Paul Revere house mentioned. I’d probably park near Faneuil Hall (shown on the Paul Revere map as Quincy Market). Zuma’s Mexican restaurant is in one of the basement shops and has great food and excellent service.
Then I’d branch out via the T or walking. On a nice day, a lot of Boston can be experienced by walking.
The North End (think little Italy) is a short walk from Faneuil Hall. Great food to be found. It’d actually be a good destination to end a day with a good Italian dinner.
Since you say you have a rental car and a few days, I’d suggest heading north along the coast on Rte 95 to Portland, Maine (maybe about 2 to 2.5 hour ride). Portland is a great city to visit, and you could also hit Portsmouth, NH on the way up or back (also a nice city, though small enough to experience in a an hour or two).
http://www.nps.gov/bost/planyourvisit/guidedtours.htm
I’ve been on this, and also recommended to out of town visitors…
nicely done tour… and free. Leaves from State Street.
Not to be a bummer, but… We might get 5-8 inches of snow on Wednesday, last I saw on the TV. Bring snow clothes and find a hill! (Or books and a comfy chair.)
If I ever visit Boston, I’d want to have a drink at Cheers.
(the real bar that inspired the TV show )
Well, Wednesday night is First Night in Boston. So all sorts of free and almost free stuff going on. Two fireworks shows, one in the center of town! Yes, it’ll be snowy and cold, but that’s part of the charm of it.
If you ever visited Cheers, you would immediately learn that the real version looks almost completely unlike the version in the show (now that I think of it, the “almost” comment was an exaggeration. It is 100% completely unlike it at all). It is a nice place but it will make your brain explode if you try to figure out how the show had any real relevance to the Bull and Finch Pub. The general area is very pretty and interesting however so a visit isn’t a complete loss as long as you know what to expect.
Seriously, don’t bother. Inside it has nothing to do with what you saw on TV (except the exterior). It’s a tourist trap through and through. There are lots better (and cheaper) bars with better beer and food then the Bull and Finch (the real name).
With the current weather forecast a trip to NYC for the day doesn’t make any sense. Actually, a 10 hour drive day trip doesn’t make much sense at all.
It’s going to be cold and possibly messy on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday look like your best bets. It’ll be cold (20’s and 30’s) so bring warm clothes. The Freedom Trail is excellent for history. With a car a daytrip to Cape Cod in winter is fun, but lots of stuff will be closed. I like the beach in winter, myself, if it weren’t for the draw of skiing up north that’s when I’d go.
Lots of restaurants to try, what kind of food do you like? A trip to the North End for Italian food can’t be missed. Lots of good seafood options as well.
Salem is fun, as is the aquarium.
Check http://www.firstnight.org/ to get an idea of what’s going on, and where. There’s a parade, ice sculptures in the parks, usually some of the churches will have organ or choral music, other music in some of the theaters. I haven’t checked this year’s schedule. Outdoor stuff is free, for any of the indoor stuff you’ll need to have a button.
Dopefest?
Yeah, I’m going to First Night with my friends. And yes yes, I know the NYC trip is out. I just mentioned it as a little pipe dream o’ mine. 
And guys, I’m from Michigan. I know cold and snow, I’ll be fine. 
Thanks for the suggestions so far.
From our last trip to Boston, the one things we keep referencing is Mike’s Pastry. Just in case you needed a place to stop for more desserts than I’ve ever seen in one place 
Off the top of my head (all in Boston unless noted otherwise)…
The Public Garden and the Make Way for Ducklings sculptures
Faneuil Hall / Quincy Market / Holocaust Memorial (all close by)
State House
Old State House
The North End for some Italian Food (and Cafe Vittoria for dessert)
Harvard Square in Cambridge
Minuteman Park Visitor Center in Concord (excellent multimedia presentation)
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Science Museum (Cambridge)
…the T is very convenient but can be confusing for first-time visitors (especially the Green Line) so I would recommend checking it out beforehand. Have fun!
While Mike’s is good, there are better places close by. Mike’s is the most famous and you’ll get good pastries, but others (who’s names I can’t recall right now) are better.
Please get back to us when you remember the names of those “better” pastry places!