Massachusett's Most Underutilized Attractions

[moonshadow]

Originally Posted by goyguy

Legal Sea Foods is an East Coast chain of restaurants that started in Cambridge 80 years ago. Before my time, it was in a single location and very casual. Picnic tables were lined up - indoors - and you crowded in with "whomever" to enjoy delicious seafood served inexpensively. The second location kept to that theme pretty faithfully also despite its being in the snooty Chestnut Hill Mall (also home to the local Bloomingdale's.) Everything started to change when a third restaurant opened in the Park Plaza Hotel, the very day after the original burned to the ground in the middle of the night. I'm sure it was coincidental, ahem. A trend toward yuppification began which has stayed on course as malls throughout Greater Boston had Legals added and more locations opened in town and still more were launched as far south as Washington, DC. But I digress. During the warmer months, the brick plaza in front of the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square is home to a Legal Sea Foods "terrace bar." It's a square, stainless-steel bar under a big tent, where you can't order anything off the regular Legal menu but do have a limited choice of chowders, salads, and sandwiches. The pricing is even more atrocious than that of the restaurant itself - $8.95 for a small meatloaf sandwich with a mini bag of chips and a cup of cole slaw, c'mon - and the drinks are served in plastic cups/glasses. But it's a breezy and fun spot to meet up with people, so I and friends catch ourselves doing just that starting at about this time each year.
Not that this is "underutilized," but you asked.

Thanks for this ^. Agreed that it wouldn't be considered underutilized but I appreciate the info none the less.

I'm just giving this thread a little bump because there's been some really interesting posts and I'm enjoying the reading.

[CoastalMaine]

Moonie, I don't know how long your visit is, but if you have time when your headed to the central and western areas of our state, you might consider an afternoon at Old Sturbridge Village and conversely, on the eastern area, Plimouth Plantation. Both are living museums and are a wonderful way to get a good idea of what actual life was back in the earlier periods of our history.

Plimouth Plantation has the very primitive housing indicative of the Pilgrims and their initial struggles here. You can also go aboard the MayflowerII, the replica ship of the original Mayflower that brought us the first residents in the new world in 1620.

Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth MA
The Journey of the Mayflower II
Plymouth Colony - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

OSV covers the 19th century and has actual buildings of the era where there are live interactions with staff recreating and teaching typical days and their events. A most enjoyable experience.

http://www.osv.org/docs/specialevents.pdf
Old Sturbridge Village - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[moonshadow]

Thanks CM! I already have a long standing "date" to visit Old Sturbridge Village and as part of the Aussie/US "exchange program" have already dragged MM off to our equivalent Sovereign Hill. We'll definitely be seeing OSV together at some point.

The other places you mentioned look really interesting so I'll be adding them to my "list of things to see". THANK YOU!

[captainchrissy]

I wouldn't say it is underutilized, but Quincy is a historical place and cheap day trip from Boston (subway and bus accessible). It's the city of presidents and the birthplace of John Adams and John Quincy Adams. I recommend going on the Adams family tour ($5.00 for adults) and then visiting the Church of the Presidents.

I live near Quincy but decided to take the historical tour one day last year. Gives you a whole new appreciation for the town. Absolutely amazing history here, I always knew it but never took the time to really appreciate it. Also, the Abigail Adams house is in Weymouth to continue on the family tour.

Thanks for the info about New Bedford. I'm in the area alot and never had visited.

[lrfox]

captainchrissy, did you enjoy the tour? I always see the signs for the sites in Quincy and never just go. I should just do it. I love Quincy but don't see enough of it. The Granite Trust building in Quincy Center is one of my favorite older buildings in Massachusetts. I also found this link to excellent info on Quincy Attrations: Welcome to Discover Quincy (http://www.discoverquincy.com/index.htm - broken link)

Here's a picture of the Granite Trust Building in Quincy. "The world's smallest skyscraper." A beautiful example of the Art Deco style on a smaller scale:


I'm glad you enjoyed the info on New Bedford.