Trip planning assistance for a clueless Canadian’s first trip to Boston?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Some background: We’re Canadian, this is our first trip and it will just be the two of us. We have three days to try to squeeze in as much as possible (we’re arriving on the evening of Wednesday the 22nd and departing at the ass-crack of dawn on Sunday the 26th).

We’re staying at Fairmont Battery Wharf, and have have Citipasses for:
New England Aquarium
Harvard Museum of Natural History
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum of Science
Skywalk Observatory

I realize we probably can’t squeeze all these things in, however. We will almost certainly skip the JFK Library and need to prioritize among the others. We have tickets for the late afternoon show of Blue Man Group on Thursday. Apparently, we have to pick up our tickets there (Ticketmaster didn’t give me any other choice since I’m not American).

I would love some assistance with logistics, recommendations of economical/moderately priced eats, and some basic tips on American/Boston travel.

We won’t have a car and are not only unfamiliar with local transport, we’ve had no experience with public transit anywhere (we don’t really live in an urban area). We’ve had a suggestion to spend a day using Old Town Trolley to visit some of the above locations - they main selling point (other than the tour) was the on and off privileges. We have passes for 2 days for the price of one. Another person suggested going on a Duck Tour, largely for the amphibious portion on the river. This may be interesting, but since we can’t get off, we wouldn’t be able to use it for transport to any attractions.

As to logistics, we don’t know the area and I can get turned around in my local shopping mall. I’m trying to figure out how best to map out activities so that we’re not doing a lot of backtracking and we’re visiting attractions at optimal times. We also need to figure out how to get places, including how to get where tours start. Any suggestions in this area would be hugely appreciated!

We don’t know where to eat and would love to know what decent, economical/moderately priced places anyone would recommend in the area of our hotel specifically. We’d like to do a bit of shopping as well.

I’m assuming we’re going to need some US cash in addition to using our credit card. Since I don’t travel, I don’t know whether there is any point in standing around at my bank for the exchange or if I should just use my credit card at an ATM there and get US money (I assume I can do this?) I’m not sure how much paper money we will need - we will surely need some for tips at the hotel and for cabs (?) - I don’t know how many other places are cash only.

Finally, for our trip back to the airport, would you recommend a regular cab or a water taxi?

This is our first real vacation (short though it may be) in over ten years of marriage and we want to make the most of it. Not knowing anyone in Boston (or the states really), and not having a lot of lead time, I just don’t know where to start. Any help whatsoever would be appreciated. Thank you in advance!

2

Well, that’s kind of like a lot of questions. I would suggest that you cut your tourist activities in half so that you have a little chance to actually see Boston.

Get thee to Quincy Market. Eat at Durgin Park.

If the weather is nice, take a walk on the Commons.

Get around via the T. I’m pretty sure that you can buy passes for just the time you’re here, although you can load up a Charlie Card for whatever amount you want. But it’s a small city – you can walk most of it.

Visit the Granary Burial Ground. Go to Old North Church. Get out to Castle Island.

PM me and we can meet up for beers and lobstahs. In fact, we could make a Dopefest out of it.

3

Thank you! We know we’ll not be able to see everything - just wondering what the best choices might be (I realize that is kind of subjective). I shall ask spouse thoughts re: dopefest!

I realize I asked ten million questions, more than any one person could answer - just thought I’d throw it all out there :slight_smile:

4

Yet another question: Massachusetts sales tax - how much and on what? Included in the price or on top of posted prices? (Here in my part of the world, everything except non-junk food groceries has 14% added at the cash.)

5

5% at the register (NOT included in the listed price 99% of the time) however, the following categories ar exempt from sales tax-- food*; prescription drugs; fuel costs**; clothing costing up to $175.

*Restaurants, however do charge sales tax.
**fuel has its own taxes, but they are included in the listed price; no sales tax is charged on top of the price you see at the pump.

6

Is your wife also directionally impaired? How are either of you with reading maps?

FWIW, I am so directionally impaired that I got little “L” and “R” tattoos on my wrists to be able to tell my left from my right. I’ve used underground public transportation in a few cities and find it very challenging; the T is definitely not easy. I highly recommend studying a map of Boston and a T schematic before you go: studying the map and becoming familiar with neighborhood/area names will help a lot in asking for directions (which of course you should be willing to do!). It will be especially helpful to learn the names of subway stations, including both the ones you want to exit and enter AND ones immediately after (in case you miss a stop) AND the names of line-end stations. That sounds kind of excessive, but it will help you a lot in navigating the underground stations. The signage down there assumes you know. You go down a different staircase and hallway, ending up on a different side of the tracks, depending on which direction you want to go, and direction is identified by the station at the end of the line.

Note that the official T schematic has been sort of streamlined – depending on how your brain works, it may be helpful to study a realistic map of the T, too.

I keep this map in my purse when I’m going to Boston, as it covers the area where I usually have errands, includes a T schematic, is laminated, and folds up small.

Whether you can (and you probably can) is up to your credit card company, but they almost surely charge you a fee every time you do it. I’d ask them first.

I’ve been surprised a couple of times by cash-only diners, and very few cabs seem to take credit cards at all, unlike other cities I’ve been in.

Good luck!

7

As far as the restaurants you might want to check out, there are:

Durgin Park (If you go nowhere else, go there)
The Chart House
The No Name Restaurant
Union Oyster House

But that’s without knowing what your budget is, what type of food you like, and how fancy schmancy you want to get. Maybe if you tell us your wishes, we can give you better suggestions.

8

The Boston subway (aka the “T”) is pretty easy to get around. There are 4 lines, color coded, and a few stations where you can change between lines (free of charge). Here’s a map. It runs pretty frequently, so you don’t need a schedule or anything. It looks like your staying near the North End, so North Station or Haymarket are probably the stations closest to you.

In terms of your list of destinations - the Harvard Natural History museum is fantastic. Make sure you get to the room with the whale skeletons. Just be careful - it’s a little tough to find once you get off the T.

The Science museum is also very good. You can take a duck tour right from there as well - they last about an hour or so.

The Aquarium is IMHO mediocre, and oriented more towards kids. There are much better aquariums elsewhere - you can probably skip this.

If the weather is at all agreeable, walk around the North End and/or the commons. Boston is a very walkable city.

Definitely eat in the North End. I don’t have any specific suggestions, but there are a ton of good restaurants there.

9

Husband is better at directions than I - simply overconfident and unwilling to ask for directions :slight_smile:

Good tip on the cabs. I’m surprised they don’t take credit cards.

10

The T is pretty easy to use, and frankly, unless you are going really long distances (like the JFK Museum) you can walk to everything on your list. Boston is an ideal walking city on a nice day.

How long do you want to spend in each museum? If you catch an IMAX movie at the MoS it can take a good part of a day. The MFA is also a good portion of a day (and the restaurant inside is actually pretty good). IMO, the Aquarium is more of a half day thing and it’s right next to your hotel.

If you are directionally challenged just learn which T stops you need to get out at for what you want to see. But as I said, you can walk from your hotel to most of your venues pretty easily. If taking the Green Line to the MFA make sure you get on an E train, not B, C, or D. That will also take you to the Skywalk at the Pru.

I like Durgan Park, but a quick walk to the North End will get you a much nicer Italian restaurant and some real local flavor. Stop at Mikes or Modern Pastry for dessert. Kingfishers, also in Quincy Markets, is a bit more expensive but has great seafood. No Names has gone downhill IMO in the past few years.

If you’re at the MoS or the Pru (The Prudential Center) you can go on a Duck Tour. It’s corny, cheesy, and a whole lot of fun and a great way to get on the water in Boston.

11

Excellent suggestions everyone! This is really helpful. I think the Science Museum and Natural History Museum are a definite go.

Re: food. I love seafood but husband inexplicably doesn’t like seafood (a shame considering we live in Atlantic Canada and delicious lobster and Malpeque oysters are easy to come by). He loves steak, we both like pub food. We’d prefer to spend less than $50 a person (less at lunches). We’ll be eating at Senses at least once (we get a considerable discount) but I don’t have much in the way of dressy clothes. I’m a beer gal, but neither of us are big drinkers. We are on a budget (if it weren’t for Airmiles and a significant discount at the hotel, we wouldn’t be going at all). Some treats are fine, though.

Is it difficult to get to the Charles Playhouse for Blue Man? I’m hoping it isn’t a hassle to pick the tickets up there. Is there someplace decent to eat in that vicinity?

12

Ooo - one of my favorite topics - Boston tourism.

If I’ve done this correctly, this Google map is accessible to the public and editable by anyone, and maps out the major sights you’ve already identified (minus the JFK museum).

I’ll be back later to give you my opinions on grouping sights into days and possibly some restaurant suggestions nearby the sights, if I have time.

13

Good advice so far. I think the T (subway) sells two-day passes, but the aquarium would be easier to just walk to from your hotel, and the Museum of Science isn’t hard on foot either, and all the historic buildings are within walking distance. You’ll have to walk a bit from your hotel to get to the Haymarket T stop anyway. The T is pretty easy to figure out: you can buy either a pass, or a card that you can put money on. You just put the card in the entrance gate, go through, and you’re all set. There are maps everywhere, too.

Some cabs take credit cards, many don’t. You can always call a cab company and ask them to send one that takes credit cards. If you take a cab from the airport and want to use your credit card, tell the airport employee at the cab stand, and they’ll make sure you get a credit-equipped cab (you may have to wait a bit longer).

Foodwise the North End is decent Italian everywhere you go, and probably worth doing for dinner once (for lunch, the value place is Panino Express, but I assume you’ll be seeing things in other places at lunchtime). Faneuil Hall has a big food court that’s good for lunch and moderately priced (for a big city, anyway) if you’re in the area (the Indian and Thai stalls are pretty good). The MFA restaurant is good, but not cheap; however the MFA is (like most of Boston) near a university, so if you leave the MFA and walk back towards downtown a block or two, there should be plenty of cheap eats.

A couple other suggestions: if you like quaint architecture, you could walk through Beacon Hill at some point, seeing the beautiful brick townhouses (just go northeast of the State House). If you like baseball, you should know that Fenway Park is easily accessible from the T (though tickets are hard to get). And even if you don’t like hockey, you might want to know that the (new) Boston Garden is near Haymarket, so depending on how the NHL playoffs go, wearing visible Canadian flags might spark some interactions (nothing dangerous, but just saying this so you’d know what people are talking about). If shopping is your thing, Newbury Street is the place to be, though it’s getting more chain-store all the time.

14

Picking up tickets at the venue is common practice. I wouldn’t anticipate any problems. Just have ID of the person who bought the tickets.

Charles Playhouse is near Boylston Station on the GREEN line (any of B,C,D, or E will go there). When you get above ground look for a Starbucks and a Dunkin Donuts (they are on corners of the street), The direction you want is the road between the starbucks and dunkin donuts. Walk one block down hill. Take a right at the next fourway intersection, and a left at the next road. You will be able to see the BMG sign at this point. (or just take a taxi)

Eating choices near Charles Playhouse - There’s actually quite a bit.
Pricy : Pigalle (yum)
Not nearly as good as it used to be, but still OK: Legal Seafood
Meaty: Some steak-house is nearby (I’ve never eaten there)
There is an italian place in the vicinity too, but I’ve never eaten there.
Desserty: Finale. It’s a dessert restaurant. If you are a fan of sweets, I highly recommend this. You can have a light meal and a significant dessert. If the show is early, you could go there after the show too.
Chinatown is in the area as well if you like Chinese food.

15

This is great! When you don’t have a honeymoon and have never had a relative-free vacation, you really want to make the most of it, you know?

16

Absolutely. But choose the place wisely. There is a dramatic difference between good Chinese food and bad Chinese food, and both are represented in Chinatown. China Pearl is a fantastic place, though it seems more set up for groups than couples. Sunday morning dim sum there is awesome, but you may have to wait more than an hour for a table.

17

In the Theater District, two blocks from the Charles St Theater, is Jacob Wirth’s. Great food and beer, another Boston tradition.

18

It may be cheesey, it may be too touristy, but if you have any interest in U.S. History, it’s hard to beat the Freedom Trail.

The Trail makes it VERY easy to see a LOT of history in a very short time. From a tourist’s perspective, Boston is about the most pedestrian friendly as any city in the U.S.

19

Out of the attractions I have passes for, are any in the vicinity of the Charles Playhouse? I’m thinking maybe we could do something in that area during the day (the show is at 5:00) and then grab dinner afterward.

I think our priority on attractions are as follows:

  1. Museum of Science
  2. Harvard Museum of Natural History
  3. Museum of Fine Arts

My understanding is that Skywalk Observatory is on top of a shopping centre, so if we go there we could potentially swing it. Potentially opportunity for a quick bite somewhere there too I imagine. Skywalk is not a priority, and we won’t be using the JFK pass.

Quincy Market for some browsing.

Some sort of tour.

What attraction will be least busy on a Saturday? I’d like to try to plan around crazy crowds.

Thanks all!

20

I’m mainly an art person, so I could be biased. However, of the attractions on this list, the ones I would most highly recommend are the Museum of Fine Arts and the Harvard Museum of Natural History. The MFA is probably the institution that can best hold its own compared to similar institutions in other cities, and the Harvard Museum of Natural History has the most distinctive exhibit: the Glass Flowers. You can get your science museum fix at the Museum of Natural History, and before or after you go you can stroll around Harvard’s campus and soak in the ambience of America’s most storied university. Plus, Harvard Square has some very good shopping and dining to boot.

The other museums are perfectly fine places to visit, but not Boston must-sees, in my opinion. Since you only have three days, I would skip them.

The MFA and the Skywalk Observatory (located at the Prudential Center) are on the same train line (the Green E line). Your hotel looks like it’s in the North End. One thing you could do is to walk to either the North Station or Haymarket T stations, take the Green E out to the MFA, spend the better part of a day there, then take the Green E back in and get off at the Prudential Center stop to go to the Skywalk.

(I mention the Green E line in particular because the Green Line is split up into different sections, each section having a different destination. You want to make sure you’re getting on the right Green Line train, since, for example, not every Green Line train stops at the MFA or Haymarket or North Station. I’m making it sound harder than it is to keep everything straight, though–it’s pretty simple once you get used to it. And if you’re unsure about where to go or which train to take, just ask someone. We don’t bite.)

The MFA is pretty far away from most of Boston’s other tourist attractions, so that’s another reason I suggest starting with it first. In general Boston is compact and very pedestrian-friendly, but I don’t recommend trying to walk to the MFA, especially for people who don’t know their way around.

If you like unique boutiques with cute items for sale, good streets to check out are Newbury Street (close to the Prudential Center), or, in the unlikely event that you have time to go there, Charles Street between the Public Garden area and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Prudential Center and its neighbor Copley Place (the two malls are connected to each other) have plenty of shopping opportunities, but they’re just malls, with stores that can be found lots of other places.

I would definitely keep some cash on hand for cabs. I would never expect to be able to use a credit card in a cab I just hailed off the street. Remember to tip the driver.

I’ve never taken a water taxi to Logan Airport, but surely a cab would be more convenient, if only for ease of scheduling or carrying your luggage around?

You don’t mention if you like history at all, but walking the Freedom Trail is a great way to acquaint yourself with Boston’s layout and pick up info about Boston’s role in American history. Some of Boston’s most famous landmarks are on the trail (like Boston Common, Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market, Paul Revere’s house, and the Old North Church). Your hotel is well situated for you to start walking the Freedom Trail in the North End. The Freedom Trail can easily eat up a day (or two or three…).

I was just in Atlantic Canada myself last summer. Visiting Boston without seeing some of the places on the Freedom Trail is like visiting Halifax and not seeing the Citadel, or going to PEI and not seeing at least a couple of places related to Anne of Green Gables.