Taking A Day Trip (Boston, Quincy: 2009, hotels, theater)

[teamcoltra]

I am thinking of taking a day trip to boston next weekend (from Alaska)... Never been to the east coast and was trying to debate between DC, Boston, and Hawaii... I have been to Hawaii... so I was thinking Boston or DC, and Boston sounds like a better place for a day trip, as there are TONS of things I want to do and see in DC.

Any suggestions on what a guy could do in a day in boston? I am thinking this would be more like... an exploratory trip.. and will probably come back to catch anything if I see something amazing.

Also I was planning on staying in some cheap hotel, or whatever, but is there any that you guys recommend (am I crazy for wanting something under 100 bucks that doesn't smell like musk?)

[Bostonian08]

Originally Posted by teamcoltra

I am thinking of taking a day trip to boston next weekend (from Alaska)... Never been to the east coast and was trying to debate between DC, Boston, and Hawaii... I have been to Hawaii... so I was thinking Boston or DC, and Boston sounds like a better place for a day trip, as there are TONS of things I want to do and see in DC.

Any suggestions on what a guy could do in a day in boston? I am thinking this would be more like... an exploratory trip.. and will probably come back to catch anything if I see something amazing.

For a day trip THE thing to do is the Freedom Trail. There is no question, that is exactly what you want to do if you only have one day in BOS. IF you can't walk far, then the equivalent of the FT is a Duck tour or Trolley tour. Make sure you get off and on at stops of interest.

Originally Posted by teamcoltra

Also I was planning on staying in some cheap hotel, or whatever, but is there any that you guys recommend (am I crazy for wanting something under 100 bucks that doesn't smell like musk?)

Yeah forget that. Spend a few extra dollars and stay in Back Bay or downtown - you'll save the money you have otherwise spent on car, cab or parking. If you're only gonna be there one day, get a front seat. And don't drive in BOS, everything is in walking distance.

Boston is amazing. Make sure to come back to the forum and tell us about your adventure!

[lrfox]

Good advice (as usual) form Bostonian. Of the places that you've listed for day trip opportunities, I would say Boston is the best. You'll need more time to explore DC or Hawaii. Boston is compact, walkable, and you can get a better idea of what the city offers in a day than the other places.

As far is the hotel goes, I would use Hotwire.com. I know, I know, they don't tell you the name of the hotel until AFTER you book, but they DO have the best values around. Any 3+ Star hotel in the Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall, Back Bay, Beacon Hill areas is going to be PERFECT. Furthermore, the rates are best the closer you book to the last minute. I just booked a "last minute" (I booked last night for Tues-Fri) getaway to San Francisco and I'm staying in a prime location in a 4-Star hotel for $55/night. You can't beat it. It's much better thank staying in a dump outside the city and the price is generally the same.

I would do Boston out of all those cities. visit MBTA.com and familiarize yourself with the "T" system and book a duck tour or just walk the Freedom Trail (best way to see Boston, IMHO).

Good luck!

[teamcoltra]

I think priceline.com is the one that doesn't tell you the name until after you book. Regardless great information from both of you. Thanks so much for your input, I will be bookmarking this. I decided to take the trip in a couple of weeks, simply due to financial constraints... but I can't wait.

[lrfox]

Priceline doesn't tell you if you're bidding (but it does if you just use the standard features); hotwire doesn't tell you at all until afterward... I went through this process last night. Anyway, I think you'll enjoy it. If you have any specific questions about things that you may enjoy feel free to ask. There are some extremely helpful members here. I think you'll be impressed with what you can see or do here in a day or two.

[CityGirl52]

Definitely use Priceline or Hotwire, I used the 2nd one and got the Marriott Renaissance Waterfront Hotel down at the Seaport district. It was WELL worth it, the room was only $99 a night and it was on the 14th floor facing the harbor, it was just awesome using that website!

You can't leave Boston without going on a Duck Tour, it's well worth it, I'll have you know:

Boston Duck Tours - The Official Website & Online Tickets

The Christmas Tree Lighting is on Tuesday December 1st at Boston Common, which is the oldest public park in U.S. history, so if you're planning on arriving here in a few weeks, hopefully you'll get to go to this. If not, turn your TV on in your room before you go out again in around 6 to see the lighting of the tree, it's like a tradition every year around here! This is when the official Christmas season starts and all the lights in Boston Common and the Public Garden will be all lit up. You can go to the Bristol Lounge in the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel when it's after this date for a drink and sit right at their many tables in front of their floor to ceiling windows to check it out too.

You could stroll from the Four Seasons Hotel over thru the Public Garden to Charles Street and walk up one of the many side streets to Beacon Hill and do your own walking tour as well:

www.beaconhillonline.com

Click on walking tour to see what I mean, it will tell you exactly who and what you're going to see through Louisburg Square (remember it's pronounced "Lewisburg" around there!!!) and Acorn Street which is the most photographed street in America and it really is pretty neat to walk it! Then try to walk down to the end of Charles Street to see where the Charles Street Jail used to be, it's now the fairly new Liberty Hotel and it's amazing to see the transformation of it! Go inside to see the Alibi Lounge as you walk in and then take the escalator up to their main lobby where there's plaques around this main part of the lobby beyond the front desk, to read and remember to look up to see the old catwalk, it's still there:

Boston Luxury Hotels | The Liberty Hotel

You have SO many things to see and do in one day and night it's not even funny. You can stroll along Newbury Street, there's not just boutiques and expensive shops, there's incredible art galleries to wander thru, tons of cafe's and bistro's. The one that my friends and I love to go to is on Boylston Street and it's called the Parish Cafe, get the ZUNI ROLL here, the BEST sandwich, great drinks here too by the way and a really great elevated patio for people watching. It's near the Public Garden end of Boylston Street, you can walk from there and it's only a few doors down on the right hand side.

Parish Cafe

If you have rain, there's SO many museums to check out. This one is unique to Boston and one that you'll really like:

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

The JFK Library acquired Ernest Hemingway's letters he wrote in Cuba:

Hemingway’s papers come to JFK Library - The Boston Globe

You can take the MBTA (subway) red line and get off at the UMASS/JFK stop, once there take the free shuttle marked JFK Library and also take it to return to the train station when leaving.

Home - John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum

the Museum of Science has the OMNI Theater these days with quite a few short takes and there's a lot to learn and see at this particular Museum:

Museum of Science, Boston | Home

There's also the Museum at M.I.T to explore:

MIT Museum

You could walk from Beacon Hill down to Faneuill Hall Marketplace and cross over to the North End and go to Mike's Pastry shop on Hanover Street for a cannoli. There's also a Lyndell's Bakery on Hanover Street these days and a lot of cupcake lovers go there so remember that or you could even look for Thatcher Street and you'll find the Pizzeria Regina there which is Boston's best pizza!

Enjoy your visit! Hey, let us know how your time was here when you get back! I really think you're going to have a little of that jet lag, aren't you??!!