Re: Boston College Trip - Need Pointers - Tiger Boards Archive Forum

I'm born & raised near Boston so I'm pretty familiar with the area...plus I absolutely love the city, so hopefully I can be of some help! There are tons of places to stay, all of which are nice, but it's also the third most expensive city for hotels in the US behind San Francisco and New York so it can get pricey. What sort of budget are you looking at? As a tourist, I'd say the best area to stay in would be Downtown Crossing. It's a far cry from its old identity as the "Combat Zone" in the 70s-80s, and now it's back to being the retail hub that it was known for before White Flight really took hold back in the day. Several new hotel & condo projects have been built in the past few years to move this along (the beautiful Filene's Tower being the centerpiece of both the neighborhood and its recent reclamation). There are tons of places to eat, explore and shop. It's also right next to Chinatown, Theater District, and Boston Common, with just a short walk to Back Bay, Beacon Hill, South End, Faneuil Hall and the North End. It also sits above the Orange, Red, and Green Lines (you'll take Green B or C trains to BC for the game) so getting around the city is also the most convenient from here.

In terms of places to stay, it's not as expensive as Back Bay, but it's still not great in terms of price. You can go top shelf at the Ritz-Carlton (starts at $700/night), but The Godfrey is a new boutique hotel that was just refurbished and opened just a couple of years ago. It's still expensive (probably ~$400/night), but there's also a Hyatt Regency for around $275/night nearby too. In my opinion, if you're looking to maximize your ability to explore while still staying in a great area, Downtown Crossing is your best bet.

Other places include Back Bay, which is generally very, very expensive but is right next to lots of beautiful areas (Commonwealth Avenue Mall, Newbury St, Public Garden/Boston Common).

There's also the North End, aka Little Italy which has some decent options near the fringes of the neighborhood, and also some other new options right next to TD Garden. The North End is a gorgeous old neighborhood that feels almost like a different country. It's characterized by tiny streets that have no real direction, pretty little squares and beautiful historic landmarks. Many of the locals still speak Italian to one another on the streets and outside the dozens of cafés. If you find yourself at the Paul Revere House, make sure you stop in next door at North Square Oyster to get some raw oysters & clams and be sure to get a hot lobster roll with butter. Wash it all down with a Whirlpool by Night Shift Brewing, one of the best breweries out there right now.

Speaking of beer, if you enjoy craft then you need to go to Trillium Brewing in Fort Point. They don't currently have a tasting room, so you'll have to buy cans (16 oz), growlers or bomber bottles. They're constructing a new brewery/tasting room a block away, and they expect to open at the End of 2018...not sure if that'll be by November, so cross your fingers! Their flagship is Fort Point Pale Ale, and they make tons of IPAs & Saisons all in New England style. Their stouts & sours are incredible too...it's a treasure, and if you really like craft beer it's a must-try. The aforementioned Night Shift Brewing also has an amazing tap room in Everett, a few miles North of the city...but it's a dodgy city and tough to get to. They too are constructing a new taproom which will be located next to TD Garden at 1 Lovejoy Wharf, and it's also expected to open at "End of 2018", so once again keep those fingers crossed! They have a super wide-range of offerings. They do offer the classic IPA/Pale Ales, but also like to deep dive into a wide variety of European styles as well.

Fort Point is near the South Boston Waterfront, which just a decade ago was a sea of parking lots. Nowadays it's a sea of cranes, as dozens of projects have shot up over the past few years. It's turned into a cool area, though it's quite expensive. It's also mostly brand-new buildings (with the exception of the old Fort Point area) so it feels a little strange when compared to the old-world charm of the other neighborhoods nearby. It's also only about 50% built out at the moment, so it may be worth to wait until the 2020 game to really give this area a try.

I hope this helps! Please don't hesitate to reach out if you need any other info!

Rhodyrams1987

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Re: Boston College Trip - Need Pointers

Jul 25, 2018, 2:00 PM

With regard to hotels in Boston, you have 3 areas of town to consider – The Seaport, The Financial District/Harbor, and The Back Bay. Boston's subway system services all these areas and the green line gets you to BC.

The Seaport is the hot new area of the city where there is a ton of construction of new buildings (office, residential, and hotels) and new restaurants, shopping, and other amenities opening daily. Essentially they are building a whole new city within the city. There you will find The Seaport Hotel, Marriott Renaissance, the Envoy, and a Westin. All nice hotels to choose from. The Seaport is a bit separate from downtown so an Uber or The Silver Line (part of our MBTA mass transit subway service – it is actually a bus) are the way to get around if you don’t walk.

The Financial District/Harbor as it’s name implies is the business district, with such touristy venues as Quincy Market/Faneuil Hall, etc. Along the water there is the Marriott Long Wharf, the Rowes Wharf Hotel, The Langham Hotel, and The Intercontinental. There is also a Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor near the North End (Italian section of town). Depending upon your price point, I love the Rowes Wharf Hotel, The Langham, and The Intercontinental – they are all very nice, both are higher end hotels. I made some restaurant recommendations as noted below, but you have to hit the North End at some point if you like Italian food. From a non-chain perspective there is the Ames Hotel on State Street, and a cool funky hotel called The Godfrey Hotel. Downtown in the financial district can get a little quiet at night.

In the Back Bay, which is the more cosmopolitan part of town, with plenty of shopping and restaurants (think Prudential Center and Newbury Street). In the Back Bay there are the name chains like the Hilton Back Bay, the Sheraton, the Boston Marriott Copley Place, or the Westin Copley Place. There is also the Taj Boston which is a former Ritz Carlton. There is a Ritz Carlton and a Four Seasons Hotel adjacent to Boston Common and the Boston Public Garden which are the main parks in the middle of the city.

There are a host of other fine hotels that I did not mention, you might want to check out Hotels.com and if there is another that catches your eye and you want to inquire about it, let me know. Hotels can sometimes be subjective depending upon what you want for amenities, if you like chains or if you want the unique ambiance of a boutique.

Below are some suggested attractions/activities that you may find of interest during your visit to Beantown. I tried to suggest a mix of options. Looking at my list you might need to stay for a month (Ha! Ha!):

Boston Public Garden - Beautiful park in the middle of the city with walking paths. The Public Garden also is the location for Boston’s famous Swan Boats. https://www.boston.gov/parks/public-garden

The Freedom Trail - a 2.5-mile, red-lined route that leads you to 16 historically significant sites. Self-guided or with tour guide. http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/

Boston Duck Tour - Hop into a duck boat — a renovated World War II amphibious vehicle — for a comprehensive tour of Boston. Pass Boston Common, Quincy Market and the Celtics' home turf at TD Garden. Then splashdown into the Charles River for a view of the city by boat. Learn all about Boston's history and landmarks as you go. http://www.bostonducktours.com/

Boston Whale Watching Cruise - 3-hour whale-watching cruise around the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Hop on a high-speed catamaran that gets to and from the whales in the least amount of time possible. See humpback and fin whales, plus Atlantic white-sided dolphins and harbour porpoises with the help of a naturalist guide. http://www.bostonharborcruises.com/whale-watch/

Museum of Fine Arts - Boston's oldest, largest and best-known art institution, the MFA houses one of the world's most comprehensive art collections and is renowned for its Impressionist paintings, Asian and Egyptian collections and early American art. http://www.mfa.org/

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum - A Venetian palace in the middle of Boston, Gardner's home is now a museum displaying her impressive, eclectic collection of European, American and Asian art, including sculpture, paintings, furniture, ceramics and textiles. Visitors can stroll or rest in a spectacular skylit courtyard filled with plants and flowers. http://www.gardnermuseum.org/home

Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum - At the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum, you can be a part of the famous event that forever changed the course of American History! It’s more than a stroll through historic artifacts – it’s an adventure! Located on the Congress Street Bridge in Boston, Massachusetts, this floating museum is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before. Live actors, high-tech, interactive exhibits, authentically restored tea ships and the stirring, multi-sensory documentary “Let it Begin Here,” are just a taste of what you’ll see, hear and feel. Meet the colonists, explore the ships and dump tea overboard just as the Sons of Liberty did on that fateful night of December 16, 1773. Stop in at Abigail’s Tea Room for teatime and visit the Gift Shop for special souvenirs. It’s educational, entertaining and enlightening — an experience not to be missed by adults and children of all ages. Your tour of the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum will last approximately one hour and will take you through a variety of displays that are interconnected. The tour is designed to give you the opportunity to participate, explore and learn about the people, events and consequences that led up to the American Revolution in the order in which they actually occurred more than 230 years ago. https://www.bostonteapartyship.com/

Newbury Street - Boston's chic shopping address mixes elegant boutiques with funky salons and trendy galleries. High end shopping district, nice street to take a stroll along. http://www.newburystboston.com/

Bulfinch Pub - Located on Beacon Street (which is a nice street to walk along in and of itself, the Bulfinch Pub is the inspiration for the TV Series “Cheers”. Norm and Cliff (famous characters from the TV show) just might be sitting at the bar. Be forewarned, the place does not look like it did in the series, but worth stopping for a quick drink. https://cheersboston.com/locations/beacon

Union Oyster House - Located on the Freedom Trail, near Faneuil Hall, enjoys the unique distinction of being America's oldest restaurant. This Boston fixture, housed in a building dating back to Pre-Revolutionary days, started serving food in 1826 and has continued ever since with the stalls and oyster bar, where Daniel Webster was a constant customer, in their original positions. http://www.unionoysterhouse.com/

Quincy Market/Faneuil Hall Marketplace - Located in the heart of downtown Boston, this bustling complex of novelty carts, distinctive shops, national chain stores, performers, food stands and restaurants brought new life to a historic meeting place. http://www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com/. Note: There is a revolution period museum on the upper floor of the Faneiul Hall Marketplace (the red brick building) that is free and has some cool artifacts from the revolutionary days if history is of interest.

Boston’s North End - This Italian neighborhood, Boston's oldest, is known for its wonderful restaurants and historic sights. Walk the cobblestone streets to take in the architecture and aromas of delicious food, and visit Paul Revere's house and the Old North Church while you're in the neighborhood. http://www.northendboston.com/ If you do the Freedom Trail tour you will end up in the North End at some point.

A couple of my favorite restaurants in the North End include: Pagliuca’s Restaurant at 14 Parmenter Street www.pagliucasrestaurant.com and Villa Francesca at 150 Richmond Street www.ristorantevillafrancesca.com . If you make your way to the North End, be sure to save room for dessert a Mike’s Pastry on Hanover Street. They have the best cannoli’s.

Top of the Hub – Located in the Prudential Center in Boston’s Back Bay. This restaurant/observation deck offers breathtaking views of Boston – 52 Floors above Boston’s Back Bay. Nice spot for lunch. http://topofthehub.net/

New England Aquarium - The 200,000-gallon Giant Ocean Tank is the centerpiece of the Aquarium, Boston's most visited tourist attraction. http://www.neaq.org/

Boston Harborwalk - Boston Harborwalk is a public walkway that follows the edge of piers, wharves, beaches, and shoreline around Boston Harbor. http://bikeitorhikeit.org/boston_harborwalk.htm

Fenway Park – Fenway offers tours of the stadium during the day. Hallowed ground to baseball purists (except us Yankee fans), this cozy, quirky park has been the Boston Red Sox home field since 1912. The most distinctive feature of this classic baseball park is the 37-foot-tall left field wall, known as the "Green Monster." http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/index.jsp Fenway Park tour info: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/tour.jsp

USS Constitution Museum - “Old Ironsides” (actually a wooden vessel) was launched in 1797 and to this day remains undefeated in battle. This Boston landmark just underwent an extensive multi-year rehab and recently was returned to Boston Harbor from dry dock. The ship along with the associated museum are a must see. https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/

Boston’s Museum of Science - Keri this would be a great venue for you and your kids, but a nice and educational time for adults as well. Features a revolving schedule of temporary exhibits, IMAX films, and Planetarium shows, plus more than 700 interactive permanent exhibits and live demonstrations. The museum features the world’s largest air-insulated Van de Graaff generator with a demonstration that creates an actual lightning storm hurling indoor lighting bolts. It is really neat. The museum is actually located in Cambridge next to the Charles River, but is easy to get to via the Green Line subway, a quick ride. Get off at the Science Park stop and it is right there. https://www.mos.org/

Envoy Hotel Roof Top Bar - The Envoy Hotel, which is located on the Fort Point Channel near downtown, has a wonderful rooftop bar that overlooks the channel and the Boston skyline. A nice spot to unwind in the evening. http://outlookkitchenandbar.com/lookout-rooftop-and-bar/

Babbo Pizzeria – If you venture over near the Envoy Hotel or to the Boston Tea Party Museum and are looking for a nice place to get a bite, Babbo Pizzeria is a good choice. It is a Mario Batali restaurant with pizza and tapas type food. www.babbopizzeria.com

Mastro’s Ocean Club Boston – Also in the Seaport near the Envoy and Babbo’s is the newly opened Mastro’s Ocean Club. A high end restaurant chain, but for me my favorite part is dessert and their delicious Butter Cake (or as we New Englanders would say “Buttah Cake”). It is to die for! http://www.mastrosrestaurants.com/Locations/MA/111-Boston-Main/112-Menu/default.aspx

Legal Seafood – A Boston based favorite for the seafood lover. While a national chain, Boston is Legal Seafoods’ home and there are a ton of locations throughout Boston and Massachusetts, so as you move around town you can easily find a location. https://www.legalseafoods.com/restaurants#massachusetts

The Langham Chocolate Bar – For you chocolate lovers out there, you might find The Langham’s Saturday Chocolate Bar of interest. The 28th season of the all-you-can-enjoy chocolate buffet presents this new theme which will take guests on a journey through the five senses while enjoying more than 100 chocolate dessert combinations. You are on vacation so there are no calories. I believe advanced reservations are required. http://www.langhamhotels.com/en/the-langham/boston/dining/chocolate-bar/

There are also a number of breweries and micro-brew pubs throughout the city (and by extension Cambridge), some of the most notable include:
• Harpoon www.harpoonbrewery.com
• Trillium www.trilliumbrewing.com
• Lord Hobo www.lordhobo.com
• Sam Adams http://www.samueladams.com/brewery-and-craft

In addition to the above, Boston has so many other attractions and activities that might meet your interests:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g60745-Activities-Boston_Massachusetts.html

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