Travel plan idea blog

Boston is a crazy place to drive in. If at all possible TAKE THE TRAIN. We are huge baseball fans, so we REALLY enjoyed Fenway Park! Highly suggested!!! The other thing that was cool was the Bunker Hill monument.... have the kids count the steps! Holy moly! The USS Constitution was interesting and is in walking distance of the Bunker Hill monument. Doing this walk, you'll also see a little of the Freedom Trail. We too didn't have a whole lot of time. Enjoy the Duck tours, though. It's fun! (Try to get the tour guide named Paul Reverse!) Quack Quack!!

Take a swan boat. They're in the Public Gardens and are very peaceful. The garden itself, much like the Common, is a super place to visit. Also have a walk through Fannueil Hall and Quincy Market, on to the North End, the traditionally Italian section of town. Great pastries there, and a beautiful quaint feel of a close-knit neighborhood.

My 1st trip to Beantown was this year. We visited the campus' of several well known universities including MIT, Harvard, BU, BC & Northeastern (my son will be going to school in a couple of years). We also went to the Kennedy Library, the Science Museum and way too many excellent restaurants. For relaxing a walk through the Fens (next to Fenway Park) or a stroll along the Charles is very cool. There are great North End Cafes to visit.

If time is not an issue, I'd walk the Freedom Trail. From what I've read, the North End sounds like a fascinating area to visit, with some great food, shops, and things. Haven't been to Boston, so will enjoy hearing more about what you see and do. The duck tour should be fun too. BTW, when is the wedding?

Have been to Boston many times, Fanueil hall is a great place to walk around, and you just have to visit the Old Oyster House, the oldest resturant it if just a site to behold....and yes the Freedom Trail and North end are wonderful, the Old North Church............probably won't have the time to do it all but just enjoy all that you can, i am sure you will want to go back.

Hi,
Boston is a great city especially for walking. You should walk the Freedom Trail, see Fenway Park, Quincy Marke, The Harbor Walk and the new Contemporary Museum. Don't forget to eat at Dirgin Park either up stairs or downstairs which I prefer. There are tons of things to do in Boston and you can also take a ferry or water taxi! Have FUN!

Walk as much of the Freedom Trail as you have time for. I did this as a college student and loved it. Never finished it, but I'd love to go back and do the whole thing someday!

The following suggestions assume a sunny day. If the weather sucks, I could suggest the Isabella Stewart Gartner museum, which is also home to a lovely little restaurant.

Take a walk through the Public Gardens where there will surely be flowers in blooms, and newly wedded couples taking their wedding shots. Perhaps your sister is one of them!

Then, walk down Arlington St to the river and take a walk along the Esplanade. You'll see sailboats floating along, and "the locals" out and about.

If you're into architecture, you might want to consider wandering around the streets of Beacon Hill, which is home to beautiful rowhouses and mansions.

In order:

Fenway Park
Freedom Trail
Oyster House (and other surrounding bars).
North End

I've been to Boston many times and at different times during the year. I'd say skip the duck tour because you cannot get on and off of the tour to go see the sites. Take the trolly tour, not the silver trolly, but the old town trolly. This goes to most of the sites that you're looking at going to, plus you can get on and off of the tour at the different points. I agree with some of the other posts, that you need to take advantage of the T (subway/train system). I've been to Boston's Museum of Fine Arts and it's nice. Saw the egyption exhibit and a few others while I was there. Definately go to Fenway Park and take a tour or game (if possible), if you can't take a tour or game, then just go to the shops and bars across the street from there. On Cheers, I liked the Bull and Finch much better than the one at Quincy Market. And don't forget to get your picture taken outside. Quincy Market is the place to find your Yankee h8r t-shirts and other red sox paraphanillia. The place to get them is half way down the market on the right side (if you are facing the front of the market, closest to Faniel Hall) on the outside kiosks. If you're a hard rock cafe fan, just stop in and get a tshirt. The service is horrible there and the food isn't as good as some of the others that I've been to. If you're into historical sites, go see the USS Constitution. I was amazed with old ironsides when I visited it. Don't forget to take along your niece or nephew who's about 9-10 years old, because they can become the "powder monkey" of the tour.

Skip the aquarium, old and not that great. San Francisco's aquarium is much better. I agree the trolley tours are better, one you get a 1/2 hour boat ride with in the harbor so you find a lot of info there, also can get off and see Ironsides there. Fun area Quincy Market, don't eat at Cheers, try one of the other pubs right as you keep going on the Freedom trail. Get a cannoli or pastry at Mikes Pastries on Hanover in the NOrth area. Skip China town, not much there. Boston commons nice place to relax so is Copley square and upscale shopping there.

Boston, go to the Kennedy mueseum and walk the path all the way to Castle island, there's a good walk to mix with the locals. A great meal at Venezia in Dorchester on the water front. Newbury street area, fun and expensive, the fun part about Boston is,if you know the area a little you can walk all over Beantown. Good local bands at the Middle East.

Thank you for the comments evryone. Today was rainy so all we did was go tour the place where the wedding will be tomorrow and go out for dinner. Vinny T's in Dedham is very very good Italian food by the way.

Tomorrow the wedding ends at 5:00. We might head into Boston then (if we're not too tired).

I'll suggest the trolly tour instead of the duck tour on Sunday but it may be too late to change plans...

there is a new attraction called the pub crawl.

a costumed guide leads small groups from old pub to old pub tasting the food and spirits.

I almost forgot my absolute, all-time favorite place in Boston: the BPL (Boston Public Library). It's free, its interior courtyard is a serene island amidst Back Bay traffic, and it's just plain beautiful to look at. It's covered from the rain (on the interior walks) and also has a decent cafe in the "map room" adjacent. Enter from the Copley Square doors (not the newer wing on Boylston St.).

The Kennedy Museum is wonderful.

Skip the aquarium. Take a Boston harbor cruise instead. You can have a drink on board and see the best of Boston. Forget about getting tickets to Fenway Park every Red Sox game is sold out before the season begins. I know because I live here.

2 suggestions that haven't been mentioned, which I experienced numerous times as a class advisor leading student trips:
*Take the harbor cruise and get off at Fort Warren. Great place to walk around and explore
*Take the tour of Fenway Park. Cheap and very informative

Lots of people are mentioning the Freedom Trail but make sure to take advantage of the tours given by the National Park Service Rangers. I walked in and signed up and ended up with my own personal tour guide and this was in the supposedly busy summer season. She was great!
Here's the info from their website:

"Free 90 minute walking tour led by National Park Service Rangers along the heart of Boston's Freedom Trail. Discover Boston's role in the American Revolution. For more information call (617) 242-5642. Tours are offered weather permitting. Each tour is limited to 30 people: first come, first serve. On day of tour, rangers will distribute free stickers 30 minutes before tour time. Reservations are not accepted. Tours fill up quickly in summer months. Tours start at the Boston National Historical Park Visitor Center, 15 State Street, Boston, MA 02109."
Freedom Trail tour schedule June 23 - Sept. 2: Weekdays: 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and 2 p.m., Weekends: 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.