Well, I’m driving my mother from Houston to Boston in a few weeks. Once I arrive I’m staying for a few days with my parents, Dad’s already there.
I’ve never been to Boston, only place’s on the east coast I have been are D.C. and Virginia.
I know a lot of you guys are from around those parts, just looking for points of interest to visit once I get there. What’s interesting, worth visiting?
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Replies
The big dig.
If you have time head out on to Cape Cod.
Cambridge... Harvard Square is a trip..try the Gospel Brunch at House of Blues
Faneuil Hall.. the olde Northe Church..
Top of the Pru..
Christian Science Museum..
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
USS Constitution - Old Ironsides
Concord Museum
If you're driving thiough OH - The Rutherford B. Hayes Museum
(Not {G})
_______________________
"I may have said the same thing before... But my explanation, I am sure, will always be different." Oscar Wilde
Hope to make it to Boston some day myself. Here is a little history for your "Old Ironsides" tour:
The U.S.S. Constitution (Old Ironsides) as a combat vessel carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She carried no evaporators (fresh water distillers).However, let it be noted that, according to her log, "On July 27, 1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannon shot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum." Her mission: "To destroy and harass English shipping." Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum.Then she headed for the Azores, arriving there 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.On 18 November, she set sail for England. In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchantmen, salvaging only the rum aboard each.By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless, although unarmed, she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. Her landing party captured a whisky distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn. Then she headed home.The U.S.S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February 1799, with nocannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whisky and 38,600 gallons of stagnant water.GO NAVY!Kevin Halliburton
"One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man." -Elbert Hubbard-
I see they used up 10,000 gallons of water, that's for those 6L toilets, LOL.
Tom
Kevin, that was special!
Straightforward reporting of facts but I laughed me butt off! I wonder where all that water went!.
Excellence is its own reward!
http://www.bostonducktours.com/pages/geninfo1.html
duck tours start 31 marbobl Volo Non Voleo Joe's BT Forum cheat sheet
Thought of a couple more places.
Battleship Cove Fall River
Plimouth Plantation Plymouth
Kennedy Library Boston.
At QUincy Market there is a restauraunt caled Durgan Park. Old restaraunt that use to cater to the market folks. Family style seating. If the waite staff give you a hard time just go along with it. Use to be gigantic portions, now just big. good food.
Never been to the No Name Restauraunt but hear good things about it.
NE clam chowder GOOD (cream/milk base) Manhatten clam Chowder BAD (tomatoe base)bobl Volo Non Voleo Joe's BT Forum cheat sheet
OOOH..... Sam Legrassa's Best Sandwiches out there.... a man's meal!
(no offense to the women out there... I've seen women eat big guys under the table.... Oh that just doesn't sound right.... nevermind)
Rasp :-)
You never mentioned which way you were going to be out of Boston, south/west/north? That makes a big difference.
Lots of great sites mentioned, but if you are limited on time I would lose the car and go in by train. Boston is not car friendly. Boston also can't be done in a day, so what do you want to do?
If you have a free day, I think you would like a daytrip up 95, take rte 1 when you get into Maine. Being from flyover country you might get a kick out of the salt air, sand on your feet. Ya, the cape doesn't impress me much.
You decide, sort this all out before you go.
I don't know where exactly my parents place is, guess it might help if I did know.
Sounds like the USS Constitution, Beacon Hill, Maybe cape maybe not, a museum or two. Harvard Square sounds like a possibility.
That's providing I get there, 24 hrs in the car with my mother and one of us might not make it.View ImageGo Jayhawks
http://www.fleetcenter.com/calendar_m.asp
http://www.mbta.com/bobl Volo Non Voleo Joe's BT Forum cheat sheet
Thanks, already thought of a Celtics or bruins game, but neither are playing at home while I'm there, There is the NCAA round one college basketball tournament there, but its sold out.View ImageGo Jayhawks
Jump on route 95 and head east...get off in the woods somewhere. There you can meet me and together we can screw with my generator for half the morning in the subzero windchill. If we get it running before noon we can jump on my lull and build soffits just in time to catch the frost melting off the roof sheathing and down our backs. By then the airlines should be frozen enough to bring everything to a complete standstill so we can send my newguy out for coffee and stand by the fire till he gets back. By then it'll be time to wrap up and go get schnockered in the local nudie bar. Ask me how my day went!!!
Seriously, you've been given the "Best of Boston" by the boys here. Even if you're travel weary try to find it in you to check out some of the sites. Boston really is a wonderful area. Have fun!
did you get to Boston? whatcha' do?bobl Volo Non Voleo Joe's BT Forum cheat sheet
Just got back last night.... Boston looks very cool but I didnt get to do much in the one spare day I had there. Was supposed to have more but oh well going up for a week in the summer.
I looked at a lot of homes, just driving around "downtown" boston for lack a better word, I dont know the names of the different districts I drove through well enough to tell you exactly where. Drove down commonwealth street, and around that area close to the city.
Drove around diesel pigs homebase of Natick, a little looking at homes for my parents.
And walked down some fancy shopping street, something like blueberry???
And ate at some killer resteraunts.
Like I said didnt do much this trip but looking forward to getting back there, I really wanted to see the Constitution, the freedom trail and take a duck tour. Oh well, next time...
Thanks to everyone for the ideas, I'll be sure to keep them in mind for my next tripView ImageGo Jayhawks
what are you interested in?
When is a "few weeks" ask because of weather.
how close do you want to see things (drive an hour or 2 from Boston proper)
how close to "Boston" are you really going to be? some people think "inside 128" is Boston.
I think the USS Constitution is still open for tours (it's still commissioned)
the north end for food and Paul Rever house
Lexington/Condord is 20 miles outside boston.
Strawberrybank (restored homes, museum setting)in Portsmouth NH about hours drive, Portsmouth is an interesting town to walk around.
Newport RI is hour away where you can visit the cottages
Salem Ma has the tourist witch stuff but a number of restored/muesem type homes
so what's your interest?
bobl Volo Non Voleo Joe's BT Forum cheat sheet
Going to arrive in Boston on either on Tue or Wen 18th or 19th of this month.
Driving and hour or two doesnt really matter, and going to be inside the city, not exactly sure where but their place is about 30-40 min from "downtown" in moring traffic according to my old man
View ImageGo Jayhawks
Edited 3/3/2003 8:50:19 AM ET by CAG
Get on the Mass Turnpike and drive West to the Stockbridge exit. Pick up route 23 South through Stockbridge and Gt Barrington into So. Egremont. New England farm country in the heart of the Berkshire Hills, beautiful.
you'll miss St Paddie's day. the 15th. Big thing in So Boston. Officially its a holiday in Norfolk county, Evacuation Day.
30-40minutes from downtown can be anywhere. I'm 20 miles out and except in the heavyest trafffic can be downtown in 30 minutes.
I personnally prefer strawberrybank to sturbridge village, but that's opinion.
You got lots of good suggestions. If you do go to Harvard sq in cambridge check out the peabody museum at Harvard Univ. haven't been there in 30+ years bot it was neat. Real old fashion museum, stuff in cases.
the weather can be anything from 20 inches of snow to 50+ degrees.
Check out the Phantom Gourmet's web site for additional info about restaurants.
Newport RI is about 1 - 11/2 away (takes me 2) the rich peoples summer cottages are interesting. there are tours. The Breakers is where Mike Smith lives (heheh) ;-).
Sturbridge village has demo's of old trades.
about 2 hours away is Mystic Conn. has a recreated seaport ala sturbridge village
mind is blocked
bobl Volo Non Voleo Joe's BT Forum cheat sheet
i caught that ..
hey we did the duck tour with recko , the weekend we met bobl & his wife..
the duck tour was a good thingMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
another vote for the duck tours......
Im intrigued, what is the duck tour?View ImageGo Jayhawks
Duck tour is a like a tourist trolley except it's in a WWII amphibious troop vehicle that's been restored. It drives around the streets of downtown, and then into the river. To be honest, I don't know if they are running at this time of year, it is 12 F outside right now, and the river is pretty much frozen.
c- frankly boston in the depth of winter is a damn cold place. the wind comes whippen' off the water. and is a miserable place, my bro. leaves up there and the wife and myself where up there to pick up some wood from a friend of a friend and spent the weekend. and was glad to get out. it seemed everyone was about fed up with being home bound.... on the up side spring,summer and especially fall is a great time to be there. boston still to this day has a very much small town atmosphere. there is a great club scene, lotsa boozin' goin on there (heavy irish enclave), nice place to go is boyleston street to start , fanueil hall then the aquarium acrooss the street all above is heavy tourista. when you get there pick up the publication of the boston phoenix that give you the low down of winter activities. the boston globe is another (sunday if possible) will be a direction to get the low down. there's alot of great architecture there in bean town, absorb it's diffrent from the midwest (both with there merits). this would be the time of year to go to see some great ocean views try the tip of the cape, provincetown, a real heavy gay enclave but the houses out there are something to also see. the ..alternative... lifestyle isnt in full swing this time of year . but it has this art community out there that's pretty nice.... my motto live and let live there very accomidating out there regardless, and affordable this time of year. the ride out there will be a bit of a change from kansas. boston got alot of everthing , so have fun , enjoy........ bear
Edited 3/3/2003 8:24:02 PM ET by the bear
Thanks to all, sounds like I have a lot to do in a few short days View ImageGo Jayhawks
You pretty well have to stay more than a few days to really enjoy yourself. Have fun. My favorite? Watching sun rise at Cape Cod.
Tom
I would try to coax Piffin off the island for dinner . HEHE.
Tim Mooney
Was there a few years ago and would strongly recommend utilizing the "T" ( Boston's subway train system) as it is inexpensive, and easy to get around. You may want to take a tour of the Boston Brewing Company, Home of Samuel Adams. The "T" has a stop within a couple of blocks of the Boston Brewing Company.
Have fun,
Steve
Have a walk in the Back Bay (beautiful urban architecture, mid 19-th century) and then in the North End (traditional Italian neighborhood, also Paul Revere stuff). This is whant my wife and I did last summer. We had lived in the Boston area (Somerville)years ago, and had the opportunity to spend a long morning in Boston between a flight and a bus ride to Maine. So we started out in Kenmore Square and walked through the Back Bay to the North End. Took us about 6 hours and it was endlessly interesting.
I agree with another poster's suggestion to park your car and take the T. Boston drivers are the worst in the western world and there is no place to park.
My favorites are:
USS Constitution (Charlestown area)
Boston Museum of Science, some new exhibits there, also Omni Theater (way cool)
Children's Museum, loads of fun for adults too, near waterfront
Aquarium, say hello to the harbor seals, New IMAX as well.
Freedom Trail. (Dress Warmly... 18 degrees out today) follow the red brick in the sidewalk. Starts at the Old State House on Washington Street (Near Government Center)
For a bit of traveling, there is historic Salem and Old Sturbridge Village (Mass pike to exit 9 I think)
If shopping is your thing... head to Boylston street and be prepared to walk
If people watching is your thing, head to Newbury street (1 street over from Boylston)
There is always a Duck Tour, it will give you a talking tour of our fair city from the inside of a "DUCK" on the city streets and the Middle of the Charles river. That is a really good starting point. Starts/Stops at the Prudential Center on Boylston side. Parking is available at the Pru.
Down Town crossing has lots of places to eat, as does Boylston Street. You can also find many fine eateries in the finacial district. Fanieul Hall and Quincy Market are big touristy spots with lots of shopping and lots of food. Check out the ticket both outside Fanieul hall if you want to get good deals on shows for the evening. They sell the last minute seats at really good prices. There is one in Copley plaza as well.
I hope this helps.
Rasp
Haven't read this thread yet CAG, but I know you are an archy student. You need to take a camera and walk the historic downtown areas and Beacon hill with three or four rolls of film. Just the Doorways and entablatures is an adventure in detail. The Naval yard is neat too. Boston is a very special city. A marriage of old and new, liberal and conservative.
Psst...be wary of the sports fans - fan is short for fanatic.
;)
Excellence is its own reward!
Plenty to see and do in Beantown to be sure but if you're not a big fan of big cities, try heading up I-93 to the Kancamagus Highway. http://www.yankeecruisah.com/kanc.html or head up Piffen's way to Maine. Lots ot pretty country within a 2 or 3 hour radius of Boston.