The Visitor's Guide to Boston

[24 others]

Thanks a lot for the info, talkinaway! This was very helpful.

 

[jgatie]

Thanks a lot for the info, talkinaway! This was very helpful.

talkinaway's writeup was excellent. In addition, if you don't know it, TD Garden's first floor is North Station, a major hub of the T's Commuter Rail and Amtrack. There is literally a train station inside the arena complex. There are also shops, food, ice cream, snacks, McDonald's, Dunkin Donuts, etc. So even if you get there early, there is something to do, even if it is just window shopping or watching trains.

Also, security is up one floor from the train station. You go up an escalator, then through a metal detector. The more prepared you are, the faster you get through, so get cell phone, keys, etc. out of the purse and over your head.

It gets pretty busy and crowded around game time, so getting in early will keep the little one from getting stressed in the crowds, if he is prone to that. The Pro Shop is on the same floor as security, from there you take 1, 2, or 3 escalators to your seat, depending where they are. There are plenty of Garden personnel around to help you if you need directions, feel free to ask. They are friendly and knowledgeable.

I second going to sections 22-1 to see warm ups. Unlike some arenas, Garden staff don't care if you have tickets for that section until warm ups are over. You can get a real close look at the players and maybe a wave or high five. Special bonus if they pass a puck through.

Enjoy your time! Take pictures (but not during game time!). I wish my dad had had a cell phone camera at my first game, but they weren't around in the early 70s.

 

[whatsbruin]

hey all. I plan on coming to Boston in a few weeks for two days.
First day we'll visit around Boston (North End, etc).
The second day we are looking for something outside of Boston,
but not too far. Perhaps an hour or two away. Any suggestions of
where to go and see ?

Thanks.

 

[Gee Wally]

Doesnt look locked to me.

 

[Montecristo]

hey all. I plan on coming to Boston in a few weeks for two days.
First day we'll visit around Boston (North End, etc).
The second day we are looking for something outside of Boston,
but not too far. Perhaps an hour or two away. Any suggestions of
where to go and see ?

Thanks.

An hour or 2 away puts you in Maine or Connecticut. You have a lot of options with that parameter..go to Portsmouth

 

[EverettMike]

hey all. I plan on coming to Boston in a few weeks for two days.
First day we'll visit around Boston (North End, etc).
The second day we are looking for something outside of Boston,
but not too far. Perhaps an hour or two away. Any suggestions of
where to go and see ?

Thanks.

Salem? Gloucester?

 

[ODAAT]

Doesnt look locked to me.

I swear I didn`t see this open Wally, so sorry, wasn`t trying to high jack the other thread. I looked at the wrong thread, I was looking at the one with board rules, general info, history and visiting Boston instead of this one

While I have visited Boston many times, it`s almost always been for Bruin games and the pre-game meal was typically at a pub/bar. Any suggestions for a good spot around the Garden for a pre-concert meal?

Thanks and sorry again for not looking hard enough for this thread

 

[Gee Wally]

I swear I didn`t see this open Wally, so sorry, wasn`t trying to high jack the other thread. I looked at the wrong thread, I was looking at the one with board rules, general info, history and visiting Boston instead of this one

While I have visited Boston many times, it`s almost always been for Bruin games and the pre-game meal was typically at a pub/bar. Any suggestions for a good spot around the Garden for a pre-concert meal?

Thanks and sorry again for not looking hard enough for this thread

No worries. Inside that stickied thread are the links for this thread and other things that slip off the main page.

 

[ODAAT]

No worries. Inside that stickied thread are the links for this thread and other things that slip off the main page.

great thanks Wally, won`t need the thread a ton but I hadn`t stayed at Boston Park Plaza before and while it appeared on google maps we could walk down to the TD my phone wasn`t giving me walking distance.

We`ve taken the T often and have no problems doing so but we were hoping if the weather was nice we could take a walk downtown.

 

[jgatie]

hey all. I plan on coming to Boston in a few weeks for two days.
First day we'll visit around Boston (North End, etc).
The second day we are looking for something outside of Boston,
but not too far. Perhaps an hour or two away. Any suggestions of
where to go and see ?

Thanks.

Don't know what kind of "something" you are looking for, but if you are a Pats fan, or just into shopping, Patriots Place at Gillette stadium is a must. If you are looking to sightsee, Salem is great, Quincy is The City of Presidents (and Abigail Adams home is across the river in my home town Weymouth), plus it has the USS Salem /U.S. Naval Shipbuilding Museum at the old General Dynamics shipyward, Lexington and Concord are a short drive away (birth of the revolution). 2 hours will get you to the Cape, the spots are infinite down there. I recommend Heritage Plantation in Sandwich. Beautiful botanical gardens, historical museum, art gallery, and one of the finest classic car collections in existence housed in a huge round shaker barn.

http://www.patriot-place.com/

http://salem.org/

https://www.quincyma.gov/visitors/attractions_n_events/historic.htm

http://www.uss-salem.org/

http://www.abigailadamsbirthplace.com/

https://heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/

 

[Fenway]

I swear I didn`t see this open Wally, so sorry, wasn`t trying to high jack the other thread. I looked at the wrong thread, I was looking at the one with board rules, general info, history and visiting Boston instead of this one

While I have visited Boston many times, it`s almost always been for Bruin games and the pre-game meal was typically at a pub/bar. Any suggestions for a good spot around the Garden for a pre-concert meal?

Thanks and sorry again for not looking hard enough for this thread

Don't give it another thought - In retrospect getting to the thread may have been more confusing than we thought last fall.

 

[Gee Wally]

Salem? Gloucester?

I gotta say a day in Salem can be a lot of fun.

 

[jgatie]

I gotta say a day in Salem can be a lot of fun.

It would be my pick. A little touristy, but definitely enough to do, and the waterfront is beautiful.

 

[BNHL]

great thanks Wally, won`t need the thread a ton but I hadn`t stayed at Boston Park Plaza before and while it appeared on google maps we could walk down to the TD my phone wasn`t giving me walking distance.

We`ve taken the T often and have no problems doing so but we were hoping if the weather was nice we could take a walk downtown.

You can walk right through downtown on the way to the Garden from the Park Plaza,with a little detouring,probably adds a mile,but the loop would take you by City Hall Plaza or Faneuil Hall.

 

[Fenway]

It would be my pick. A little touristy, but definitely enough to do, and the waterfront is beautiful.

Plus the T is very reliable on that rail line.

 

[jgatie]

Plus the T is very reliable on that rail line.

Yup. Word to the outsider, don't go to everything marked "Witch XXXXX". The official Witch Museum is good (as every Boston area schoolkid who ever got scared ****less by that Devil coming out of the ceiling knows) and maybe try the new 3D film about the trials. But there is definitely witch overload, and most of it sucks or is just a boring tourist trap. Instead, try the House of the Seven Gables, the Peabody Essex Museum, the Friendship tall ship, the Iron Works Museum, etc. for a more rounded, less "witchy" day.

 

[Salem13]

I gotta say a day in Salem can be a lot of fun.

 

[BNHL]

hey all. I plan on coming to Boston in a few weeks for two days.
First day we'll visit around Boston (North End, etc).
The second day we are looking for something outside of Boston,
but not too far. Perhaps an hour or two away. Any suggestions of
where to go and see ?

Thanks.

Ogunquit,Maine. The Marginal walk is a must do. About 90 mins from Boston. https://www.bu.edu/today/2008/day-tripping-12-hours-in-ogunquit-maine/

 

[Fenway]

The Visitor's Guide to Boston has been given back its sticky

 

[ODAAT]

You can walk right through downtown on the way to the Garden from the Park Plaza,with a little detouring,probably adds a mile,but the loop would take you by City Hall Plaza or Faneuil Hall.

sounds great thanks so much. We don`t mind the walk if the day is agreeable as far as weather goes. This is only Mrs. Odaat`s 2nd summer visit to the city, we`ve always gone during Bruins schedule and usually not until Jan/Feb and she loved it last time in the summer (also a Tom Petty concert then too)

Made reservations on our first night at Tresca, not sure if we`ll cab or take the T then on concert night, not sure where to eat. Something more than a pub, less than fine dining then we head out Friday evening.

Anyone here looking to get together then (July 19/20/21) and watch Mrs Odaat shop while we talk Bruins, PM me, love to put some faces to the names here

 

[Hi De Hi]

Just a few observations from my recent week in Boston.

Get off the plane and buy a Charlie card from the T station at the airport. A 7 day pass cost less than $22 and we hopped on and off the T and buses all week. Great value. And as the 7 days didn't start until we swiped it at the first station it was even valid on the 8th day to get us back to the airport. The only hitch we had was on the 1st April when the Green Line went a bit dodgy due to the snow but we managed to get to TD gardens after a switch of train.

The City Pass. We got it on a deal for $56. It does the Museum of science, the Aquarium, the skydeck at the pru and then either the Natural History museum at Harvard or a harbour cruise. The cruises didn't run so we did the museum. Great value although I was a tad disappointed with the science museum. Too many displays and not enough actual artefacts for my taste. Seemed a bit 'lecturing'.

Plenty of places to eat and drink. We ate at various times in Porters, Clerys, 5 Napkin burger, Applebees, Doyles, South St Diner and had quite a few beers in the Green Dragon.

The Sam Adams tour was very good and free and you get to keep the tasting glass. We also did the Harpoon which, while interesting, we felt was a bit rushed (and was $5 each).

The State Capital was fantastic and you get a free tour.

We shopped at South Bay Centre and applied online for a shop and save card before we left the UK (We used our apartment address in Boston on the application but they sent us a temporary card by email). We got around a 20% reduction at the check out.

Our Grand daughters got new outfits as gifts from Macys and other presents from Target (next time we come we are applying for a Target card)!

We rented a studio apartment. The Boston Christopher on Columbus. It was quite suitable, not luxury but clean and tidy. It also has a roof terrace with BBQ for the warm weather (no use to us in the snow)! There was also a liquor store next door which was very useful!

 

[Ratty]

Just a few observations from my recent week in Boston.

Get off the plane and buy a Charlie card from the T station at the airport. A 7 day pass cost less than $22 and we hopped on and off the T and buses all week. Great value. And as the 7 days didn't start until we swiped it at the first station it was even valid on the 8th day to get us back to the airport. The only hitch we had was on the 1st April when the Green Line went a bit dodgy due to the snow but we managed to get to TD gardens after a switch of train.

The City Pass. We got it on a deal for $56. It does the Museum of science, the Aquarium, the skydeck at the pru and then either the Natural History museum at Harvard or a harbour cruise. The cruises didn't run so we did the museum. Great value although I was a tad disappointed with the science museum. Too many displays and not enough actual artefacts for my taste. Seemed a bit 'lecturing'.

Plenty of places to eat and drink. We ate at various times in Porters, Clerys, 5 Napkin burger, Applebees, Doyles, South St Diner and had quite a few beers in the Green Dragon.

The Sam Adams tour was very good and free and you get to keep the tasting glass. We also did the Harpoon which, while interesting, we felt was a bit rushed (and was $5 each).

The State Capital was fantastic and you get a free tour.

We shopped at South Bay Centre and applied online for a shop and save card before we left the UK (We used our apartment address in Boston on the application but they sent us a temporary card by email). We got around a 20% reduction at the check out.

Our Grand daughters got new outfits as gifts from Macys and other presents from Target (next time we come we are applying for a Target card)!

We rented a studio apartment. The Boston Christopher on Columbus. It was quite suitable, not luxury but clean and tidy. It also has a roof terrace with BBQ for the warm weather (no use to us in the snow)! There was also a liquor store next door which was very useful!

Thanks for the report. Seems like you hit a lot of Boston's treasures despite the snow. Glad to see you made it to Doyle's in Jamaica Plain. It's a repository of Boston history and a must-go for politicians if they want to be taken seriously.

Green Dragon, though not mentioned on this thread, is near the Oyster House in the Haymarket district. A tavern of that name served colonists during the Revolution.

 

[LucicBergeronNeely]

In less than 3 weeks I will be crossing Fenway off of my bucket list! My fiance and I are coming into town May 26-29th and am looking for a few suggestions on things to do.

1) We will most likely be going to the game on Saturday at 4:10pm. Is the Fenway tour worth doing if you are going to the game?
2) My fiance loves seafood but I love steak. I understand most restaurants cater to either one or the other. Is there a place that you could recommend that excels at both?
3) The other night we would like to go to a place in little Italy. Any recommendations?
4 Any tips on what to see or do are also appreciated. We would prefer outdoor things vs museums and galleries. We definitely want to see the Universities.

I'm sure I will have a few more questions as we get closer. Hopefully the Celtics will still be playing!

Thanks,

 

[Ratty]

In less than 3 weeks I will be crossing Fenway off of my bucket list! My fiance and I are coming into town May 26-29th and am looking for a few suggestions on things to do.

1) We will most likely be going to the game on Saturday at 4:10pm. Is the Fenway tour worth doing if you are going to the game?
2) My fiance loves seafood but I love steak. I understand most restaurants cater to either one or the other. Is there a place that you could recommend that excels at both?
3) The other night we would like to go to a place in little Italy. Any recommendations?
4 Any tips on what to see or do are also appreciated. We would prefer outdoor things vs museums and galleries. We definitely want to see the Universities.

I'm sure I will have a few more questions as we get closer. Hopefully the Celtics will still be playing!

Thanks,

Most fine restaurants in Boston offer both seafood and meat selections.

DelFrisco's in the Seaport area, has an outstanding offering to suit all palates. Also features a lengthy wine list.

Scroll through these pages and you'll find ,good suggestions for outdoor activities. Walk the Freedom Trail.

"Little Italy" is the North End. Tresca's, on Hanover Street, Ray Bourque's place, is highly recommended. Maybe you'll bump into celebrities like Odaat.

 

[ODAAT]

Most fine restaurants in Boston offer both seafood and meat selections.

DelFrisco's in the Seaport area, has an outstanding offering to suit all palates. Also features a lengthy wine list.

Scroll through these pages and you'll find ,good suggestions for outdoor activities. Walk the Freedom Trail.

"Little Italy" is the North End. Tresca's, on Hanover Street, Ray Bourque's place, is highly recommended. Maybe you'll bump into celebrities like Odaat.

haha, legend in my own mind