Submitted by ThereGoesChickenJane t3_11au0pk in boston

As the title says, I am planning to visit Boston in the near future. I'm temporarily living in Quebec City so I thought I would take advantage of being closer to some cool places! (Originally from Western Canada.)

I have two potential time frames:

  • March 4-13 (not the whole week, but a few days anywhere in there)
  • April 7-10 (Easter weekend)

I have a list of things I would like to see in Boston. I realize that not all of these things are available to me in all of these time periods (a Red Sox game, for example) but I figured I'd throw out the whole list and see if anyone has recommendations about which time frame would be best to see a few of them. I'm only going for 2-4 days so it is unrealistic for me to see every single thing on my list in one go, that's okay.

Things I really enjoy: history, architecture, nature. Love me a good history museum or historical spot. I love walking, always happy to just walk around and enjoy the scenery. Not as fussed on art museums, they wouldn't be something I would prioritize.

Also looking for lesser-known spots that are great. I always love finding hidden gems that aren't quite as touristy, so any advice about that would be appreciated!

Lastly, if anyone has any recommendations about which neighbourhoods to stay in order to access the below, that would be great! At this time I am not planning to rent a car (except perhaps for a day trip to Salem) so would be relying on walking/public transportation.

The List:

  • Fenway Park (ideally a Sox game as well)
  • Freedom Trail
  • Faneuil Hall Marketplace
  • Boston Common & Public Garden
  • Harvard University/Square/Yard
  • Old North Church
  • Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
  • Boston Public Library
  • Newbury Street
  • JFK Presidential Library
  • Boston African American National Historic Site
  • Boston HarborWalk
  • Boston Pops
  • Arnold Arboretum
  • Salem Witch Museum/Witch Village
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ndiorio13 t1_j9u0pnk wrote

The rare sextuple auto mod response. Impressive!

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AutoModerator t1_j9tyzzk wrote

Ok. Head on in to Faneuil Hall. Wander around for approximately 5 minutes. Congrats you have seen Faneuil hall. Take a pic or two and post them online. Go to the Dunks at 20 North St and grab an iced coffee. Next you want to see Beacon Hill. Wander up Cambridge St and then poke around Beacon Hill. Take some pics of yourselves. Congrats you have been to Beacon Hill. Reward yourself by going to the Dunks at 106 Cambridge St. get an iced coffee. Next head to the North End. Take a pic of yourself outside of Mike’s Pastry and grab a slice at Regina’s. Then wander to 180 canal st where you will find a dunks. Grab an iced coffee and look at the TD Garden which is across the street. Next go to 22 Beacon St. there is a Dunkin’s there. Grab an iced coffee and check out the state house and then wander through the Common towards the public garden. Take a detour to 147 Tremont St. There is a Dunks there. Grab an iced coffee. Go back into the common and head toward the public garden. Wander through the public garden and check out all the cool stuff there. Wander down Newbury St and then cut over to 715 Boylston St where you will find a Dunks. Get an iced coffee. Now head towards Kenmore Square! Make a stop at 153 Mass Ave and grab an iced coffee at Dunks. Then continue onward to Kenmore. Wander through the edge of the Fens then go past Fenway Park. Hit 530 Comm Ave and get an iced coffee at Dunks. Next you will want to see Harvard Square! 65 JFK St has a dunks. Get an iced coffee. After that, I suppose you can hit the Hong Kong and get smashed. Hope this helps.

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OddWar6668 t1_j9u0wpz wrote

Here's some advice, use the search option and read what the other 10,000 posts say from peoole asking the exact same question

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ThereGoesChickenJane OP t1_j9una1h wrote

Yeah yeah yeah

I never mind answering questions about my city. Clearly I can Google but I like hearing from actual people. That's what people did before the internet. 🤷‍♀️

If you don't want to answer, don't. The Quebec City sub has posts like this every day. If I don't feel like answering, I scroll past it. Easy.

No need to be snarky. Save your time and energy for more important things.

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hellno560 t1_j9uvcka wrote

I live very close to JFK library. It’s adjacent to our little Saigon if you enjoy Vietnamese food I recommend pho Le for pho and Ba Le for bang mi. If the weather is nice there is a pleasant beach along the harbor walk, it’s the best place to find sea glass if you want to take a souvenir home. The commuter rail will get you to Salem cheaper and likely faster than a rental car FYI. Enjoy your trip.

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lpn122 t1_j9uuoq4 wrote

Their point was that people from Boston have already answered these questions. Read the old posts first, and then post your own if you really can’t find an answer.

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ThereGoesChickenJane OP t1_j9v4v80 wrote

I know what their point is. I just don't agree. I don't think there's anything wrong with people asking individual questions. You can't get all of your queries answered via FAQs, which is why people ask for personal experiences. I've already received some responses that I found very informative that I wouldn't have found via Google.

You can disagree with me, I don't care. I don't think there's anything wrong with people using a social community to connect socially and ask questions. And I maintain that a person who doesn't want to respond should just not respond instead of choosing rudeness.

Telling everyone to just Google shit has contributed to social dysfunction on a global level, IMO. But that's a broader discussion.

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twowrist t1_j9x37ui wrote

The witch stuff in Salem, though sometimes informative, tends to be kitschy. The House of the Seven Gables might be more interesting to you. Also, the Peabody-Essex Museum, while having a lot of art, also has the Yin Yu Tang House, a large 18th century Chinese house that was disassembled, shipped to Salem, and reassembled there.

Personally, I prefer the Lowell National Historical Park. It’s a collection of old water-powered textile mills, some of which still operates and is demonstrated. There’s a museum with more info about that period as well as about the early labor movement. The guided tour is worth the extra expense. You can get there by commuter rail, then either a walk about a mile to the Park, or bus/Lyft/Uber. For both this and Salem, make sure you understand the commuter rail schedule.

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ZippityZooZaZingZo t1_j9u3dok wrote

One thing you could take off your list would be Faneuil Hall. It is nothing special and you will not be missing anything by not going. Also, you could skip Salem as it is a bit overrated especially if you have limited time and a long list of other things to see in Boston. If you do decide to go to Salem though, you don’t need to rent a car. The commuter rail goes from North Station right to Salem. If you stay in Back Bay, that would be a central location allowing you easy access to the Common/Public Garden, Freedom Trail, Old North Church, Library, Fenway, Copley Square and Newbury. Other items on your list could be accessible by T from there as well. Have fun!

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iliketuurtles t1_j9ud190 wrote

That's funny, I totally disagree with the 2 things you would give up. Faneuil Hall is so close to beautiful views of the water, walking to the Aquarium and seeing the seals fo free, and the Sam Adams Brewery there is pretty great. And Salem (outside of October) is one of my favorite places in New England. Great food, great brewery and cidery, very walkable, and beautiful public spaces.

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ZippityZooZaZingZo t1_j9uh1an wrote

I’m sure it is subjective, but with all the options in the city I would classify Faneuil Hall as a tourist trap offering sub par food and underwhelming very generic shopping. Sam Adams is low on the list of good breweries here. There are way better options. Salem is ok (better in the Summer) but probably not worth this person spending a full day on when they have 15 other items on their list and only a few days in Boston.

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iliketuurtles t1_j9ujk74 wrote

But SA is consistent, centrally located and near the T, easy to step into without a reservation, has multiple different types of beer/seltzer, has a full food menu, and might be a fun tourist spot for someone coming into town. Is it my favorite? No, but I think it's a good suggestion for a tourist/vacationer that isn't getting a rental car and talks about doing things in the city.

But yes, agree to disagree. We just have different tastes :)

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ihatepostingonblogs t1_j9u8u9l wrote

Everyone is dissing Faneuil Hall but if you like history you will like the Hall. The shopping area is touristy but the actual Hall is historically interesting. The old State house is across the street which is a beautiful building. The old cemetery is @ the corner with some cool dead people. Copley Library is definitely worth seeing and if its a nice day there is a beautiful courtyard. The old basement archives is cool. I know you said you are not into museums but the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is cool, another beautiful courtyard and you can see the frames of the stolen artwork :) Charlestown is worth a couple hours, the BunkerHill Monument, Constitution and lunch at the Warren Tavern (oldest consecutively run pub). I find walking the Charles River more interesting than the Common but the Common is nice too. If you go to are at the Common you can walk to Acorn St which is the most photographed street in the State. Salem is worth a day trip imo.

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singalong37 t1_j9vh55v wrote

Even the shopping area is interesting as a circa 1830 urban renewal project reclaiming land from the harbor and building a handsome granite wholesale market building with flanking rows. The accomplishment is somewhat trivialized by the corporate consumer uses it’s been put to.

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ihatepostingonblogs t1_j9vjevt wrote

Yeah and I feel like when you live here we all take it for granted. We get annoyed at all the people and ignore how cool it is. I wish it was more boutiques like it used to be instead of all the chains but the history/architecture is still very cool.

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AutoModerator t1_j9tz00k wrote

Boston's nearly four centuries of history are showcased by the city's must-see sites.Start your city tour on the Freedom Trail,which will lead you to landmarks like the Paul Revere House and Boston Common.Or, discover Beantown's artsy side at the Museum of Fine Arts and its fashion sense along Newbury Street.If you're a fan of baseball, you can't miss catching a game at Fenway Park, home to the beloved Red Sox. Though blowing through your travel fund is an easy thing to do in Boston, there are also plenty of things to do that won't cost you a penny; the lovely Boston Public Garden and the lively Faneuil Hall Marketplace can be experienced without opening your wallet.Four buildings – Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, North Market and South Market – constitute Faneuil Hall Marketplace, with the oldest being Faneuil Hall. Built in 1742 and now located on the Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall has had a long and important history in Massachusetts politics.Samuel Adams once stood here to push for resistance against the British, and abolitionists and suffragists have stood on their soapboxes here.In fact, this is where Jonathan Mayhew famously challenged the Sugar Act of 1764 by proclaiming, no taxation without representation. Since Mayhew's declaration, the marketplace has expanded to include more than 100 shops and restaurants.Some former visitors caution that the items sold at Faneuil Hall Marketplace are a bit overpriced.However, if you're looking to kill some time or snap some great photos, consider strolling through the market's halls.You'll also find various cuisines served in Quincy Market if you're in need of a quick bite.Keep in mind that this market gets crowded quickly (especially on weekends and in the summer), so it's best to visit during a weekday if you don't want to encounter hordes of people.The marketplace welcomes visitors Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sundays between noon and 6 p.m. (Restaurant and store hours may vary, so it's best to consult Faneuil Hall Marketplace's website before you visit.) To reach Faneuil Hall Marketplace, which sits just south of the North End in downtown Boston, travelers can take the T to the Aquarium, Haymarket or Government Center subway stations. Eight bus routes stop a block away on Congress Street, and a parking garage can be accessed on Broad Street. An hour of parking will cost you $28, but garage tickets can be purchased on the 75 State Street Garage website for a reduced rate, and parking validation coupons are available through select retailers. No fees apply to enter any of Faneuil Hall Marketplace's buildings, and free tours and performances are occasionally provided in South Market and outside Faneuil Hall. After Isabella Stewart Gardner's husband died in 1898, the art enthusiast bought land in Boston's Fenway area to open a museum to display her impressive collection of Italian art. The museum, which was fashioned after the Palazzo Barbaro in Venice, was completed in 1902, at which point Gardner moved in to the fourth floor and began installing her collection. Today, you can visit this Boston museum to get your fill of the Italian masters, such as Raphael and Titian. The building also showcases a cache of beautiful furniture, photographs, sculpture and rare books straight from Europe. In 2012, the museum unveiled a new wing designed by acclaimed Italian architect Renzo Piano. The most recent addition includes a glass atrium, greenhouses and landscaped gardens.Recent museumgoers said the collection captures Gardner's penchant for art, architecture and horticulture through its diverse displays. Though some previous visitors described the museum as a bit of a hodgepodge rather than a cohesive layout, many praised the property's vast collection of artifacts and intimate atmosphere. Also, remember to turn off your camera flash before entering since flash photography is not permitted inside.The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum sits a few blocks west of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston's Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood. Several buses drop within walking walking distance of the museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts metro stop is situated about five blocks away. Multiple parking lots are also located nearby. The property is open most days between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Extended hours are offered on Thursdays, and the museum is closed on Tuesdays. Tickets – which include access to all exhibits, as well as restrooms, a cafe and a gift shop – cost $15 for adults. Children 17 and younger enter for free, and reduced rates are available for college students, seniors and visitors with recent ticket stubs from the Museum of Fine Arts. Travelers who have Go Boston Cards, visit on their birthday or are named Isabella and register on the museum's website get in for free.The grounds of Boston Common started as a cow pasture in the mid-1600s. After a few years, overgrazing became a problem and the area was transformed into a British camp. After the Revolutionary War, the park became a popular locale for public speeches and rallies. Now, the Common is best known because of its status as the oldest public park in the country. You'll also find a variety of activities and events, including theater and musical performances, hosted here throughout the year.Though some visitors said you won't find much to do in this park, Boston Common is great for picnics or a leisurely stroll. Recent travelers also noted that this site is a wonderful spot to take young children. In addition to ample running room on the park's green space, kids can play at the Tadpole Playground or Frog Pond. Frog Pond offers a spray pool during the warmer months and an ice skating rink in the winter.Boston Common sits alongside the Boston Public Garden near the center of the city. The easiest way to get to the site is by the T – the Boylston Street and Park Street stations are located at the southern and eastern edges of the park – or by walking from downtown. You can also park for a fee in the underground parking garage or on the surrounding streets. The area is free to visit, but additional charges apply for food purchased at Frog Pond Café, rides on the carousel and ice skating on Frog Pond. Public restrooms are available, and in the summer, free yoga classes are offered by Frog Pond. The Common is open 24 hours a day, however, most park facilities are only open between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. To learn more about Boston Common, visit the City of Boston's website. And for more information about Frog Pond's events and amenities, check out the official Boston Common Frog Pond website.If you want to make the most out of the Museum of Fine Arts, one of the oldest art institutions in the country, then you'll need to spend a good chunk of your day here. The museum is home to one of the best art collections in the world, including the celebrated Art of the Americas wing. Inside this sprawling collection, which debuted in 2010, you'll stumble upon 53 galleries showcasing iconic pieces from pre-Columbian times to the 20th century. John Singer Sargent's dazzling pieces are one standout here, and as you delve deeper into the collection, you'll see his paintings sharing wall space with those by masters like John Singleton Copley and Edward Hopper.You'll also find an impressive collection of Asian art here, plus works from Monet, Renoir, Manet and Rembrandt on display in the European collection. And in special temporary exhibits, you can admire masterpieces from masters like Georgia O'Keeffe and Picasso.According to recent museumgoers, if you're an art lover, you'll want to devote plenty of time to explore. Additionally, consider taking a complimentary guided tour of the collections. And to save some money during your trip to Boston, plan your visit for after 4 p.m. on Wednesdays or on select open house days throughout the year when there are no entrance fees.The Museum of Fine Arts can be found a few blocks away from the Isabella Steward Gardner Museum and the Northeastern University campus in Fenway-Kenmore. Multiple bus routes have stops nearby, and three T stations – Museum of Fine Arts, Ruggles and Northeastern – sit within walking distance. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. If you don't visit on a free day or have a CityPASS or Go Boston Card, expect to pay $25 to enter. Children 17 and younger get in for free on weekdays after 3 p.m. and on weekends, while students, seniors and travelers with recent Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum ticket stubs receive discounted rates. Once inside, you'll have access to most of the museum's exhibits, restrooms, restaurants and gift shops. Separate tickets are required for select exhibits. Learn more about the Museum of Fine Arts by visiting the property's website. Please check the sidebar for visitor information.

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-CalicoKitty- t1_j9wc0ga wrote

List is pretty good, but you're missing USS Constitution and Cassin Young. Bunker Hill is nearby if you want to check that out and there's a nice view from the top.

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BasilExposition75 t1_j9x4rhz wrote

The Gardner museum and the heritage museum on cape cod. You must take the cape cod tunnel. It is really a beautiful work of engineering.

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OddWar6668 t1_j9y3a5x wrote

I second the tunnel ,it so much more convenient and quicker than going over the bridges

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AutoModerator t1_j9tz01j wrote

Given its geographical location, Boston quickly came to rely on its port for commerce and sustenance. Trade was paramount and it was the emergence of Boston’s maritime merchants – trading goods like tea, sugar, fish, and tobacco – which ultimately led to a collision course with the British Empire. As the China Trade grew, along with Boston’s reliance on tea as an import and an export, and as Britain’s East India Company depreciated, a fraught situation developed; Britain, facing debt and discord, transferred war debts and trading deficits to its colonies. Boston was in a state of defiance and non-compliance from the outset. As the British Parliament passed a succession of acts aimed at taxing the colonists and restricting their political power, leading figures such as Sam Adams, John Hancock, John Adams and Paul Revere initiated a movement which transcended class lines and drove the people of Boston into open rebellion. Catalytic events such as the Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party drove events inexorably towards revolution. By the time Paul Revere road into the countryside on April 18, 1775, the city of Boston was ready to fight. The Battle of Bunker Hill occurred two months later and by early 1776 General George Washington was in Boston to take control of the Continental Army. Following American Independence, Boston’s economy entered a new era of Clipper Ships, textile manufacturing and global trade. In terms of social and political developments, abolitionist fervor took the town by storm, led by Charles Sumner and William Lloyd Garrison and supported by a vociferous contingent of female abolitionists. Boston was home to a vibrant and active African-American community which populated Beacon Hill during this era; the first African-American Church, Meeting House, and School were all founded on Beacon Hill. Also during this era, America’s nascent literary culture began to find its voice as esteemed Boston writers such as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and James Russell Lowell ushered in a prolific era of American writing. In the mid to late 19th century Boston underwent dramatic change to its landscape and population. The arrival of immigrants from Ireland during the Potato Famine, and then from Italy, Germany, and Poland later in the century, fundamentally changed Boston’s human makeup and political leanings. Boston’s older caste, the Republican Yankee establishment, was slowly pushed to the margins of Boston’s political life. While the Yankees maintained control of Boston’s economic and educational institutions, Irish and Italian immigrants took over the city’s political apparatus. The immigrants brought to Boston a bevy of skilled and unskilled labor that was critical to Boston’s physical development beyond its downtown and port peninsula. Boston had outgrown its physical size by the 1840s and needed to create new land With the help of Irish labor, the city developed the South End and then the Back Bay, relocating the Yankees during the 1860s and 1870s to the Victorian brownstones and town houses so associated with Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. Soon enough, iconic landmarks such as Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library existed in the Back Bay as well. Not bad for an area that had been part of the Charles River Basin for millennia untold. Always innovative, Boston spearheaded a number of firsts throughout the mid-19th century and early 20th century; ether was used as the first anesthetic at MGH, the nation’s first subway system went into operation, Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone, and the first mutual fund went public courtesy of MA Financial Services. The city contracted with Frederick Law Olmstead to beautify Boston with a network of urban parks stretching from the Boston Common to Jamaica Plain. The Emerald Necklace was born and the project included the creation of the Back Bay Fens which, in turn, facilitated the development of Fenway Park, the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball. In the 20th century Boston continued its emergence as an innovation hub and world-class city. MIT moved across the river to Cambridge and transformed from a college to a world-class institute of engineering and technology. Bizarre and controversial events such as the North End Molasses Flood, Boston Police Strike, Brinks Robbery, Boston Strangler crimes, busing crisis, and destruction of the West End caused a fair share of intrigue and discordance while political figures such as James Michael Curley, John F. Kennedy, Thomas Tip O’Neill, Kevin White, and Michael Dukakis became household names. As the nation celebrated its bicentennial in 1976, Boston used funds generated from the anniversary to transform and revitalize Faneuil Hall Marketplace and create the Boston National Historical Park. In the 1980s and 1990s, monumental tasks were undertaken to make Boston a cleaner, more aesthetically-pleasing city. The cleanup of Boston Harbor and creation of the Big Dig were the most prominent examples. Boston Harbor is now one of the cleanest urban harbors in the world. And while the Big Dig vastly exceeded its allotted budget and timeframe, it was a transformative project of unprecedented size that made Boston more efficient for travelers and more beautiful for tourists. The sprawling Rose Kennedy Greenway atop I-93 is a lush urban space affording visitors and residents alike relaxation and recreation within the city center, not to mention eclectic artisan markets, food trucks, public art installations, outdoor movies and interactive festivals. As Boston looks ahead to 2017 and beyond, the development of One Seaport Square and the Innovation District in South Boston will hum along and continue to bring new industries of life sciences, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and consumer technology to the bustling district. General Electric will relocate its headquarters to Bostons Seaport District at some point in the next year. Alongside the Seaport District, Kendall Square in Cambridge makes Greater Boston one of the worlds foremost innovation clusters, and a hotbed of biotech engineering and life sciences research and development. Boston will continue to embrace its past while formulating next steps to encourage the multiculturalism, inclusivity, and youthful character which collectively make the city a great cosmopolitan hub.

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420MenshevikIt t1_j9u33u5 wrote

Salem is easier to get to by train than by car and unless you wanted to go to Winter Island or the Willows it's all pretty centrally located and doesn't need a car. As for the witch museums you mentioned, honestly those are tourist traps. At least the Witch Village certainly is, never done the other. Better spending your time strolling around Salem, looking at buildings, checking out the waterfront, or at the wonderful Peabody Essex Museum.

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BostonUniStudent t1_j9yunq1 wrote

I would remove the witch museum from the list. It's really not good. Salem has some cute shops. And an ok museum: Peabody Essex. I wouldn't recommend Salem for international visitors though.

I highly recommend the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. She was an eccentric collector. And her house was made into one of the best private museums I've ever seen. She had a lot of gay friends, actors, notable occultists. So her collection reflects that. I would have loved to have met her.

The Egyptian stuff is amazing. And a beautiful central garden. And it's the site of the most famous art heist in history. So you'll notice some blank spots on the walls. Those were all stolen. A mystery that remains unsolved.

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ThereGoesChickenJane OP t1_j9zaj9v wrote

You're the 2nd or 3rd person to mention ISG Museum. I dismissed it initially because I'm not really into art (and what I read online painted - heh - it as an art museum) but it actually sounds super interesting.

Thanks for the advice!

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BostonUniStudent t1_j9zbw7m wrote

Are you traveling alone?

You like bar/restaurant recommendations?

I like Versus downtown. It's a video game bar that is good for meeting new people. They have controllers at the bar. You can just pick one up and strike up a conversation with the people next to you or the bartender. Only a $5 cover, and that means you can play all the games for free all night. Pretty good deal.

I'm kind of an introvert. So it definitely helps to have an excuse to talk to others.

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ThereGoesChickenJane OP t1_ja1w1r3 wrote

Yeah, I'll be by myself.

That sounds cool! I've never heard of that before. I am absolutely dreadful at video games though lol

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AutoModerator t1_j9tz01y wrote

Your post appears to be one of a number of commonly asked questions about the port city of Boston. Please check the sidebar for visitor information. Ah Hi! Ive always wanted to respond to one of these, but I normally reach the post a few hours too late. I'll do my best to give you some good recommendations. So first things first, Boston is VERY walkable and easy to get around, especially if you take the T (what we call our subway). People on this subreddit love to shit on the T (and everything else honestly, very pessimistic group of people), but in actuality its great, especially by American standards. I would consider getting a day pass so you can ride it as much as you want, but I am not sure how much they cost/if it would be worth your while (a single ride is around $2.75 I believe?? Not really sure). With that being said, I would say one of the first places you should check out is the North End. It is a very Italian American neighborhood, and has a pretty strong European-esque feel to it. There are great Italian restaurants and shops everywhere. The touristy thing to do is to go to Mikes Pastry's for cannolis, but I (and I think most locals would agree) recommend Bovas instead. The whole neighborhood is super compact and dense, and it will be mad easy for you guys to walk around and check it out. Nearby the North End is Faniuel Hall/Quincy Market, which is probably the epicenter of Bostons historical/tourist scene. The food there might be a bit overpriced/overhyped, but I personally have to recommend the Boston Chipyard. Its a stand within Quincy Market that sells fresh, mini cookies. Ive been living here for five years (and visiting my entire life) and I STILL always go there whenever I am feeling sad and need a pick me up/just craving a cookie. I love it and its absolutely delicious. Id also suggest just strolling around Beacon Hill and the Back Bay neighborhood (particularly Commonwealth Avenue). The architecture there is beautiful, and both are very serene and picturesque, and really just great places to walk around and soak in the ambiance. Both neighborhoods have plenty of bars/restaurants/shops, so youll have plenty of other things to do besides walk around. They are super close to one another, and very conveniently located right in the heart of the city. Also gotta check out the Esplanade, its a cool park right along the Charles River, its super pretty and relaxing, and also right next to Back Bay/Beacon Hill, so really convenient to get to. One of my favorite places in the city. In terms of less touristy things to do, Id suggest going to the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain. Its basically one giant park/tree zoo, and its filled with really beautiful trees and plants, and is just a lovely place to walk around. This is definitely one of the cooler places in Boston, and definitely not something that the average tourist does. Its right at the end of the Orange Line (Forrest Hills), so while it is kinda far out compared to the other places I have mentioned, it really is not that hard/complicated to get to. Great place to just vibe out and relax, and its one of my favorite places in the whole city. Obviously Boston/New England is known for its seafood, and it really is tremendous. There is a lot of debate about which place has the best clam chowder/lobster roll, and it ultimately comes down to preference, but I always recommend to visitors the Barking Crab. It is located right on the water in Bostons Seaport neighborhood, so again, very centrally located. I think the food there is delicious, and I think it offers the best ambience/overall dining experience. It does a good job of kinda replicating the traditional New England seafood shack, while still being more of a legit restaurant. Again, some people may shit on me for that answer, but at the end of the day, if you go, youre gonna have a good time/delicious meal. Other quintessential Boston things are the Freedom trail, Duck Boat Tour, harbor walk, and visiting Fenway (which it seems like you are already doing, although i highly recommend going to a game if you can, not sure if the Sox are in town this weekend). Cambridge is located right across the Charles River from Boston, and while it technically is its own city, it feels like it might as well be an extension of Boston. Both Central and Harvard squares are a lot of fun, with plenty of cool restaurants and stores to check out. One last non-touristy thing I recommend is visiting East Boston, or Eastie. Its really easy to get to on the Blue Line, and is just a really underrated neighborhood as a whole, and definitely is not the type of place a tourist would usually go to. It has some beautiful parks right on the water that have great views, as well as many really good Latin food spots. There is the ICA watershed, which is a really cool contemporary art museum located right in the Boston Shipyard. Also, there is an Australian meatpie place right there called KO Pies that my friends and I always go to when we are in the area. For all I know, it might not even hold a candle compared to the meatpie places you have back home, but the people working there will definitely get a kick out of serving a fellow Aussie. All in all, Boston is an incredible place with a unique sense of charm and distinct identity, and it takes a lot of pride in itself, which I love. It does a great job of blending the big city/small town feels, and in my opinion, is the best city on the East Coast. Please feel free to message me if you want any more specific recommendations. Enjoy your visit!!

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