My sister and I will be visitng Boston for the first time together at the end of the month. We are planning to visit The new england aquarium, Fenway park, Trinity church, Acorn st, and the skyway observatory. Are these places worth the visit?
Where else should we go?? Where can we go for great food?
Any recommendations would be great!!
MaggieGoing to Boston for the first time what sights should I see?
Hi. What I typically recommend if it's the first time is Boston or if someone isn't familiar with the city is to make their first stop a Duck Tour. It is a land and amphibian vehicle that takes a tour past just about every major landmark in town, then there's a pleasant boat ride on the Charles. It's great because not only will you at least get to see everything, but the tour will show you the various parts of town, so you will get a bit familiar with the city, and what is where, which will help you both in knowing your way around better off the bat, and also might help you decide what you want to go back to to explore in depth.
I would also add Fanuiel Hall as a MUST do. It's so much fun, and has some great food, drink and stores. You can choose between sit down restaurants and dozens of stalls of really good food. And Chipyard choc chip cookies are a classic and are yummy to much on while poking around. Plus there are usually street acts unless the weather is horrid, so it's just such a fun atmosphere. It's one of the places I never mind going to when friends visit, or even just to pop down sometimes (vs say Salem, a great town, but I could happily live without ever seeing another cheesy witch museum again lol. House of Seven Gables btw is awesome if you have the time to head that way). Also Harvard Sq is great, with a similar atmosphere, especially on weekend nights.
You don't say if you will have a car or how long you are coming for. If you don't have a car I wouldn't recommend going much outside of the City of Boston because you will just waste too much time. Same thing if you are only here for a couple days. But if longer and if you have a car, Salem is fun to poke around, and while I personally love Plymouth too, it's about an hour each way. Though if you have the time the Plimouth plantation is great and it's a very pretty town with cheaper prices than many destinations here. Rockport, which is about half an hour north of Salem is also absolutely lovely, although all the stores might not be open when you get here, as it definately comes more alive in the summer.
Back to in town, it's hard to know exactly what to recommend beyond the above without knowing what you enjoy. But other possibilities are The Museum of Science (also a stop on the Duck Tour so you might want to combine the 2). I'd check out their web site because even if you don't do the museum they have an Omni Max theater and tons of different separate attractions and it is great! Also if you are into history don't forget the Kennedy Presidential Museum is on the outskirts of town (although I would put the other museum's first). And if you enjoy art we are loaded with great options...Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, the charming Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum, and the Harvard Art ones esp the Fogg are all great. I wouldn't recommend all of the above, just throwing out some options.
I'll add some links below to check out. Also if you plan to see many attractions you might want to consider a Go Card. They are a good deal if you want to visit many of the places on it, but not worth it if you are more into poking around the city. Also if you are taking the T, you might want to check out the MBTA site for trains and consider a Charlie Card (there are several pricing options for this). Even if you have a car, if you are in town it is MUCH easier to get around via the T.
Oh almost forgot, if you like Chinese food we have a pretty good Chinatown. I always enjoy going there, especially for Dim Sum brunch/lunch. You can eat yourself silly for a good price and enjoy something that isn't available everywhere. And for Italian there is the North End. That's behind Fanuil Hall. Good but pricey Italian food. Always good to go for Italian pastry's and cappuchino! Newbury St is the upscale shopping and dining area. Also the South End now is a hotbed of awesome restaurants and cafes that you might want to check out if you are here long enough. If you want any specific restaurant suggestions, just let me know what type of food and area sounds good too you.
Hope this helps and hope you guys have a great time!
Walk the Freedom Trail. It goes by all the major historical sites.
Boston is Awesome!!Going to Boston for the first time what sights should I see?
Last time we went to Boston we visited Plymouth Rock and the mock up of the Mayflower. Also saw the SS Constitution which is at a harbor about 10 miles from the airport.
The first time I went, I also went to Newbury Street. It was too cold to walk on the path Paul Revere rode to warn that the British were coming.
As for food, try Legal Seafood. They have a really good New England clam chowder.
I live in Boston, and you got great answers! Get a good map and start planning! Have a great time.
You don't mention your ages or how long you'll be here, but my favorite restaurant is Les Zygomates. Website www.winebar.com. It's near South Station (by subway) or a 10-15 minute walk from the Aquarium). It's casual and sophisticated and has great wines and food, and live jazz most nights.
I will be 26 in May and I have lived 7min outside Boston all my life. I LOVE Boston. Visit Fenway Park there is a lot of history steeped into it. All the Duck Tours are great but wicked expensive. You will want to visit Park Street, Fanuel Hall, and buy a vistors train ticket and take the T, thats the best way to get around Boston. If you love Shopping try the Prudential Center, and Newbury Street. I used to work in the John Hancock tower and I know that they do not have the observatory there anymore, after Sept 11th they took it down. You can visit the one in the Prudential still though.
Hope that helps and hope you have a great time.
OMG What is not to see there?!?! You can go to some really nice stores in Boston on Newbury Street. Walk down that street and you'll find some great places. Also go to th Museum of Science, its very interesting. And if u like concerts of any kind, u should check out the Tweeter Center or DCU. Boston is my hometown and I LOVE IT im sure u will too! :-)
Sure there is a whole list of things to do and places to see at http://boston.nyctourist.com Check it out and have a blast!
all those places are pretty cool, but my favorite place in boston is faneuil hall and quincey market.... theres always good food and some cool trinket there.....to be specific, beard papas is my favorite place in quincey mkt....the BEST puff pastries on the planet!! i would also check out Salem if you feel like hitting the burbs.... any of the witch museams are cool, the witch house, tuckers warf, the wax museam, the salem willows( in the summer) are the best. hope i was helpful....need anything more let me know!
Boston is such a great city, almost anything you do will be fun. How long are you going to be here for? I personally recommend doing a duck tour. It's this car/boat thing that goes around the city. The driver points out all the sights and the history of the city. They used to let passangers try driving it when you're in the river, I don't know if you still can do that, but it's wicked fun. It gives you a good feel for the city, especially if you aren't going to be spending a long time in the city.
Fenway Park and the aquarium are also great. You are going to have to pay a lot if you want decent seats (well any seats really) at a Red Sox game, but it's well worth it. I think Fenway also does tours.
If you go to the aquarium make sure you check out the whale watching boats and the sea lions! If you're into museums I also recommend the museum of science. It has all these interesting shows and exhibits. The Omni Theatre inside is crazy, but amazing. The pictures surround you, its amazing. The Museum of Fine Arts is also great.
You also must go to Fanueil Hall. Lost of shopping and stuff. There is also usually entertainment and horse drawn carriage rides outside.
From Fanueil Hall you can walk to the North End, Boston's Italian district and home of my favorite restaurant in the world: Pizzaria Regina. (There is this fake one inside Fanueil Hall, but you need to go to the real one). You have to wait outside the restaurant in a line, it takes a while, but I promise it will be the best pizza you have ever had in your life. If you aren't into Pizza, basically everything in the North End is good. Also check out Mike's Pastry for dessert!
Because Boston is right on the coast we have great seafood. Personally, I am vegetarian so I can't help you out too much there, but I'm sure you've heard of Clam Chowdah!
If you're up for a drive, I recommend Rockport and Gloucester. They have some great beaches, shops, and food. You can also go to Plymouth and Cape Cod. Salem is also fun if you're into witches, haha.
Oh, one place you must go is Harvard Square. It's technically in Cambridge, but you can take the T. It has a lot of cool shops, restaurants, bars, music, etc.
Other places to check out if you have time are Newbury Street, Coply Square, the Boston Pops, and the Wang Theatre (there are a couple theatres around actually).
Have fun. I have no idea what you should pack. March is a temperamental month. Where are you from?
No comments:
Post a Comment