Boston

[TAM88]

Originally Posted by afdinatl

I recently saw Boston on The Weather Channel and I didn't know Boston was so beautiful with the narrow streets and red-brick buildings. I was in shock . I was like damn , is this Europe lol. I definitely got to visit Boston to see it with my own eyes soon. I'm looking forward to visiting your city when it warms up

We've never received this much snow in such a short period of time. In a roughly 2 week period, we've seen over 20 inches over our yearly snowfall average. We'll warm up soon enough!

[beachblondeobx]

To piggyback on what the poster just said, do any of you have ideas for what to do late June/early July with a 13 yr old girl?

[charolastra00]

There are all kinds of events that go on along the Esplanade (park on the Boston side of the Charles), Boston Common and Gardens, and Rose Kennedy Greenway. While it's NUTS, 4th of July in Boston is one of those once in a lifetime experiences. I've only done it on the river once because it really is an all day affair (you need to stake out your spot EARLY - but there are tons of vendors and portapotties) but now love to watch all the area fireworks from the top of the Tufts Library. Gorgeous.

Other activities include the Freedom Trail, the Black History Trail, the Museum of Fine Art and the Institute of Contemporary Art, a game and/or tour of Fenway Park, a play in the Theater District, dim sum in Chinatown, and just walking around neighborhoods like Harvard Square, Beacon Hill, Back Bay, etc. It really depends on what your daughter is into and what you can't do at home. For instance, dim sum might not be exciting for people who live in NYC or the west coast, but my parents must go EVERY time they visit from the Atlanta suburbs.

[AnonChick]

When I was a young teenager my mom took me to Boston a few times just for a day each time (we live 3 hours away with her driving time). There used to be a Pappagallo's salon on Newbury Street, so a haircut there was part of the "adventure." We'd usually start out at Neiman Marcus and move our way up Newbury and then do the other side of the street when we turned around on Mass Ave, and headed back. That filled up most of one day (including travel time).

Taking a self-guided Freedom Trail walk would be awesome in late June for one day. Some of the landmarks along the trail charge admission but most of it is free, and of course the walk itself is free. You don't have to go into the buildings that charge, but at least stopping to admire the architecture of the Paul Revere House and consider its history would be part of the educational process of the walk. You'll definitely want to stop at Faneuil Hall and browse the shops and have a bite to eat and enjoy whatever entertainment is going on in the courtyard.

Harvard Square, Cambridge - It's not big, but it can occupy a day if you want to spend some of it relaxing and people-watching. Lots of little boutiquey shops, cafes and coffee houses, small park areas, incredibly colorful locals - my personal recommendation for visiting Harvard Square would be:

Start out at Park Square in downtown Boston, shopping, and have lunch. Walk off your lunch for an hour or so, then take the Red Line to Harvard Square. The mid-afternoon is when things start getting entertaining and don't really become fun til around 8pm. I used to be a street musician there and when I visit I still stop at my old haunts to listen to whichever musicians are playing. Most of them are store fronts - the Harvard Coop and the T-stop walkway were the most coveted spots, before they moved the Newsstand. Have dinner in Harvard Square - tons of options. Fair warning about the area though: there are entertainers - and there are beggars. The beggars won't harrass you, but they are assertive. If a guy in a wheelchair asks for donations for Wheelchair Basketball, don't believe him. He really does need his wheelchair but he doesn't play wheelchair basketball. He buys booze I'd recommend not looking at any of the beggars directly in the eye unless you're up for conversation. Some of them are fascinating and totally worth sharing a quart of beer with but I'm not so sure that'd be an appropriate experience for a 13-year-old girl

While you're in Harvard Square, another historic spot, just a block away from the T-stop, is the Old Burial Ground. Corner of Mass Ave and Garden Street. It's not big, and it's a strangely peaceful oasis in the midst of the hustle and bustle of commerce. Some of the headstones are pretty amazing, elaborate, and some of the epitaphs read more like creative prose, while other engravings detail the societal status of the person buried (or entombed, as the case may be).

Do -not- try to drive into Harvard Square. Take the T. Most of the parking spots on the streets are permit only, and there's only a couple of garages that charge a fortune and are often full. Check the T schedule to make sure you leave at least an hour before the last subway train back to Boston. I think you wouldn't have any problem if you leave before 9pm but I have no idea what their schedules are. When I lived in Boston and stayed past the last train I'd usually just sleep in the cemetary with some of the homeless folks (if it was a warm night), or bum a spot on the floor of one of the other street musicians who lived in walking distance.

[495neighbor]

Originally Posted by pennyone

Mother Nature has decided to take several massive snow diarrhea on us this year. It's like she ate some really bad Brazilian food in that movie Bride's Maid. And she's not done yet.

And to think I imagined all that brown snow was just the result of exhaust and soil.

[G-fused]

After the second storm, I hated it here. Today, I am too numb to hate.

You’ll love it here OP. Red brick lined side walks of Charles St, the Charles River, the Universities, the charming neighborhoods, the fun yuppy neighborhoods, the historic parts of the city, etc. This is truly a great city to visit.

OP, where are you from? Give me some personal info so I have something to make fun of.