# What to do in Boston for a night **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 9, 2010, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-boston-for-a-night/528245 "2010-02-09T05:38:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-boston-for-a-night/528245/1 "2010-02-09T05:38:50Z")
I’ll be in Boston for an interview this Thursday. I have Wednesday night free, and would like to see a bit of the city if possible. My hotel is in Charlestown, my plane gets in at 5:15pm. I’m 25, like museums, good beer and wine, classic rock, different places to eat. With the short amount of free time and expected weather I know getting a feel for the city will be rough if not impossible, but any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Chris\_Luongo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Chris\_Luongo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chris_Luongo)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-boston-for-a-night/528245/2 "2010-02-09T06:25:23Z")
I live and grew up in Malden, just a few minutes to the north. Your short time frame (and the possibility of a snowstorm Wednesday afternoon) don’t leave you with many choices, but: –I really wish I knew more about our local museums, but I’m pretty sure that none are open late enough for you to go to them. –Charlestown is just over the bridge from the North End, our Italian district. Cafe Pompeii is pretty good and open late, on Hanover Street. Bova’s Bakery (takeout only) is open 24 hours and has great cannoli. Maybe read some reviews on [Yelp.com](http://Yelp.com) for other Italian restaurants. –Newbury street is the fancy area, and Trident Booksellers sells a little bit of food (delicious sweet potato fries!) is open until midnight, and I’m pretty sure has free wi-fi. –I don’t know Charlestown very well, sorry. Generally it only attracts tourists becuase of its historic sites, which you probably won’t get to see in your short stay. You might get to take a quick look at the Bunker Hill Monument from the outside. –You’d be a short taxi ride from Cambridge’s Central Square, which has lots of bars with live music. The Middle East is probably the best-known place, with several others nearby. –Somerville also isn’t very far away, and the Davis Square neighborhood has quite a few bars, as it’s not far from Tufts University. –I’m more used to grabbing a Bud Light or whatever’s on hand at the party, so I don’t know much about good beer. But I’ve heard some good things about Boston Beer Works, near Fenway Park…they have lots of beer on tap (and no big-brand beers) as well as food. That might be of interest to you. Good luck on your interview, and I hope you’ll someday have more time to get to know Boston better. ---
**Author:** ![Serronaulta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Serronaulta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serronaulta)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-boston-for-a-night/528245/3 "2010-02-09T16:54:52Z")
> [@Chris\_Luongo](#): > > –I really wish I knew more about our local museums, but I’m pretty sure that none are open late enough for you to go to them. The [Museum of Fine Arts](http://www.mfa.org/) is open until 9:45 pm on Wednesdays. If you were going to be around during the day, I would’ve recommended visiting the [Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum](http://www.gardnermuseum.org/). The MFA is great, don’t get me wrong, but the Gardner is unique to Boston and has a lovely interior courtyard. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-boston-for-a-night/528245/4 "2010-02-09T17:50:39Z")
Since you land at 5:15, you should be at your hotel around 6:15, if you’re lucky. Find a nice resturaunt near the hotel. Enjoy the meal, and get to bed early. You will want to be rested for your interview. We had a candidate that was supposed to show up at 10:00 am for his interview. When he had not shown up by 11:00 am, our HR team called his hotel. He did not answer and the hotel mentioned that he had not checked out. So the HR person and someone from our security department went to the hotel and got the hotel staff let them into the room. (Our company was paying the bill at the hotel.) When they opened the room, the candidate was passed out in his bed and there were empty beer cans from an empty twelve pack strewn all over the room. When he finally woke up, he showed up at the office around 1:00 pm demanding to be interviewed. Our HR department informed him that it would be in his best interest to use the return airline ticket and go home, because there would be no further reimbursement to him for his trip to our fair city. After a bit of background checking, it was determined that he had lied numerous times on his resume and application. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-boston-for-a-night/528245/5 "2010-02-09T17:54:05Z")
The OP is 25, he doesn’t need to be in bed by 9:00 to be up, presentable, and coherent for his interview in the morning. That said, the weather is supposed to seriously suck, which means that you won’t be able to get taxis, so plan on sticking near your hotel. If you like, you can PM me with the address and I’ll let you know what’s nearby. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-boston-for-a-night/528245/6 "2010-02-09T18:17:17Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > The OP is 25, he doesn’t need to be in bed by 9:00 to be up, presentable, and coherent for his interview in the morning. Do you just feel the need to be snarky? No where in my post did I say being in bed at 9:00. I just said early. I’ll let the OP decided what is early ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-boston-for-a-night/528245/7 "2010-02-09T18:22:05Z")
3:00 am is pretty early. Make sure you have enough beer to see you through, though. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-boston-for-a-night/528245/8 "2010-02-09T18:26:46Z")
> [@Wilbo523](#): > > Do you just feel the need to be snarky? No where in my post did I say being in bed at 9:00. I just said early. I’ll let the OP decided what is early Did you just feel the need to be condescending? Because while it’s kind of you to let the OP determine for himself what constitutes “early”, I’m reasonably sure that he didn’t need a cautionary tale about how to prepare for a job interview to begin with. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-boston-for-a-night/528245/9 "2010-02-09T18:32:35Z")
> [@Wilbo523](#): > > Since you land at 5:15, you should be at your hotel around 6:15, if you’re lucky. Find a nice resturaunt near the hotel. Enjoy the meal, and get to bed early. You will want to be rested for your interview. > > We had a candidate that was supposed to show up at 10:00 am for his interview. When he had not shown up by 11:00 am, our HR team called his hotel. He did not answer and the hotel mentioned that he had not checked out. So the HR person and someone from our security department went to the hotel and got the hotel staff let them into the room. (Our company was paying the bill at the hotel.) When they opened the room, the candidate was passed out in his bed and there were empty beer cans from an empty twelve pack strewn all over the room. When he finally woke up, he showed up at the office around 1:00 pm demanding to be interviewed. Our HR department informed him that it would be in his best interest to use the return airline ticket and go home, because there would be no further reimbursement to him for his trip to our fair city. > > After a bit of background checking, it was determined that he had lied numerous times on his resume and application. So, is the position still open? ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-boston-for-a-night/528245/10 "2010-02-09T19:20:28Z")
> [@Wilbo523](#): > > Do you just feel the need to be snarky? > [@DianaG](#): > > Did you just feel the need to be condescending? I’ll take that as a “yes”. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-boston-for-a-night/528245/11 "2010-02-09T19:21:29Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > So, is the position still open? Filled it. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-boston-for-a-night/528245/12 "2010-02-10T15:00:43Z")
Well, the flight was canceled. Not sure when I’ll get back out there. I think this is a minus one for both Boston and Chicago on wanting a job in either place. Thanks for the input though. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-boston-for-a-night/528245/13 "2010-02-10T18:09:14Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Well, the flight was canceled. Not sure when I’ll get back out there. I think this is a minus one for both Boston and Chicago on wanting a job in either place. > > Thanks for the input though. Don’t rule us out. Storms bad enough to cancel flights don’t happen very often. AND, this storm is not affecting Boston a lot. Your flight may be canceled because of bad weather at some other location. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-boston-for-a-night/528245/14 "2010-02-10T19:50:25Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > Don’t rule us out. Storms bad enough to cancel flights don’t happen very often. AND, this storm is not affecting Boston a lot. Your flight may be canceled because of bad weather at some other location. Oh, I’m not. I live near Chicago and love that city. It gets about the same amount of snow. From what I’ve heard a lot of it had to do with the snow and wind combination. It’s pretty much done snowing in Chicago so I do think it’s the Boston end that’s the trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-in-boston-for-a-night/528245/15 "2010-02-10T22:01:00Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > … It’s pretty much done snowing in Chicago so I do think it’s the Boston end that’s the trouble. Nah. It only started here for real around 4pm. And it’s still nothing the airport can’t handle. Wimpy non-event storm. 😃