Exploring Boston

At any time of year, you are sure to find something to do in Boston: in the winter you can skate outdoors on the Frog Pond; in the summer take a ride in a Swan Boat; in the Fall, marvel at the colors of the leaves on the trees, and in the spring, take a stroll through the Boston Common and check out the beautiful flowers in the garden. Boston is comprised of many small neighborhoods and and I recommend that you venture outside of the "city" to see them: Cambridge, Back Bay, South End, North End, Somerville, Beacon Hill, South Boston…to name a few. It's a pretty cultural city, and there are many great ethnic restaurants in town, as well as some really good local spots. As far as accommodations go, I’ve never stayed at any of the hotels, as I live here, but I do know that they can be quite expensive if you choose to stay right in the middle of things. I’ve included some info on some of the more popular hotels that are in prime locations (prices start around /night – but always ask if they have any promotional rates!).

Quick Tips:

If you don’t have much time, and want to see as much of the city as you can in less than 2 hours, take a Duck Tour. The "Duck" is a boat-shaped vehicle that goes on land as well as in the water. Boston Duck Tours.

Best Way To Get Around:

Boston is a pretty easy city to walk around in, especially when the weather is nice. For longer distances, I recommend taking the "T" (subway) - it only costs and you can get to most tourist destinations. I"ll be including a more detailed description of the T in my next journal. Save the taxis for when you're in a rush - they can be pretty expensive and hard to flag down during rush hour or when it's raining.

The Boston Park Plaza Hotel is located in Back Bay right near the Boston Common (Public gardens) and Copley Square. Another of Boston’s Historic Hotels – I’ve heard the rooms are small and could do with some touching up. Great location though – near the Theatre District, Copley Square, and Newbury Street (lot’s of shops). Rooms start around $150/night

The Copley Square Hotel is the city's oldest hotel built in 1891. It has a prime location right in Copley Square (in Back Bay). About 5 blocks down to get to the Boston Common (Public gardens), 2 blocks over to get to Newbury street for some shopping, a quick walk to the Prudential center where you can get tickets for the Duck Tour, and lot’s of restaurants and bars within walking distance. I’m not sure how the rooms are, but prices start around $130.

Great place in Harvard Square for some cheap Mexican food and delicious margaritas! The Border (as it’s called by locals) is usually always busy – especially on the weekends, so be prepared to wait a while. During the school year you’ll find it filled with Harvard students. There’s an upstairs (loud) and a downstairs (quiet) as well as smoking and non-smoking. While you’re waiting for your table, you can sit at the bar (if you find a space) and try one of their margaritas – they’re really good and reasonably priced.

The menu consists of the typical burritos, enchiladas, fajitas etc. and you get complimentary nacho chips and salsa when you sit down. Meals are under $10, the portions are good, and the service is fast. It’s a really lively atmosphere so if you’re looking for a quiet, romantic restaurant, this wouldn’t be the place.

The best filet mignon I’ve ever had! The Oak Room is one of my favorite restaurants, but unfortunately I don’t go as often as I like, as the prices are a bit steep. But you definitely get what you pay for: the food is fabulous, the service is great, and the atmosphere is perfect. Be prepared to spend about $50/per person (or more, depending on how much wine you consume!) It’s located in the Copley Plaza Hotel in Copley Square. To get to the restaurant you have to walk through the Oak Bar – a dimly lit bar with lot’s of comfy chairs and small tables filled with well-dressed people sipping on martinis or glasses of wine. The restaurant itself is pretty small, so it’s best to have a reservation and show up on time. Unless you don’t mind sitting next to your date, you should also request seats across from each other when you make your reservation – as a few of their tables that line the wall only have bench seating. Personally, I’d rather face my date then sit next to them while I dine.

The menu has a nice selection of fish and meat – I always order the Châteaubriand – filet for 2, which is accompanied by a cooked, stuffed tomato, a serving of asparagus and your choice of potato ($80). And it wouldn’t be complete without the béarnaise sauce. Other menu items include: lamb, veal, chicken, shrimp, scallops, lobster and oysters – all cooked to perfection. The wine selection is quite long, and the waiters will gladly help you pick out something that would go well with your meal. In addition, there are some delicious appetizers to choose from (but save room for your main course), and if you’re still hungry, the desserts are amazing. The Oak Room

Located in the South End, this is one of my favorite places to go for brunch. It’s situated amongst some of the nicest "brownstones" (brick apartment buildings) in the city. They serve all meals but I’ve only ever tried their breakfast food: eggs benedict (with salmon, bacon, or mushroom) waffles or pancakes with fresh fruit, as well as many other yummy things to choose from. It’s a small place right on the corner, and is usually pretty packed for brunch. You can call ahead to find out how long the wait is. Prices are pretty decent too – breakfast is under $10 and dinners are about $15-$20. The staff are all really friendly and the setting is pretty laid back and casual.

Very cool environment with bold colors, funky lights, energetic atmosphere and a huge circular grill right in the middle. This place is not your average sit-down restaurant: basically you pay a flat fee, pick out your food from an assortment of meat, fish, veggies (lunch & dinner) or pancake and/or omelet toppings (at brunch), and then bring your selection to the grill and they cook it for you right there and then. Pretty neat to watch and you can go up as often as you like…so it’s great on an empty stomach, but expensive if you’re not planning on eating very much (costs around $15). Unfortunately drinks aren’t included in the price, so the bill can be quite expensive when all’s said and done. The chocolate chip pancakes are my favorite! There’s also one in Back Bay, but I haven’t been there – I assume it’s pretty much the same as this one.

Funky little restaurant in the South End with a very retro feel. Mostly twenty-something crowd who aren’t going there for a quick bite – you tend to hang out a while, so it may take some time for a table to open up. Eclectic menu that’s reasonably priced (mostly under $10). Cool wall art and fun music set the mood. Service isn’t quick, but it doesn’t really matter, as no one’s in a rush to leave.

Great atmosphere at an affordable price! Tapeo has a Spanish feel to it with it’s al fresco theme, and is a fun place to grab a pitcher of sangria and munch on an assortment of tapas. They do serve entrees ($15-$20), but most people tend to stick to the bar room and order off the menu of hot and cold small plates ($3 - $8). Aside from the Sangria, they also carry a large selection of Spanish wines. It can get pretty crowded in the evening, but that just adds to the ambiance! They also have limited outdoor seating which is nice on a cool summer evening.

If you’re venturing to the suburbs west of Boston, and are looking for good food, cozy atmosphere, and reasonable prices, I recommend stopping in at Erin’s Isle. An Irish/ American Restaurant tucked away in the town of Needham (non-smoking establishment). I recently had the pleasure of dining there and was thoroughly impressed with my meal and the friendly staff. When I entered Erin’s Isle, the first thing I noticed were the funky lights hanging from the ceiling, which added small splashes of color throughout the main restaurant. As it was a warm summer evening, I was excited to see that they had an outdoor patio area, which I immediately requested. The ambiance outside was a fairly basic chairs and tables setup, enclosed by a tall wooden fence, thus allowing privacy from the main road.

The menu was pretty extensive, and I had a hard time deciding what to order – they seemed to have everything! Good selection of interesting appetizers – all priced under $10. I elected to have the Pub Chips ($6.95) to start with, and I’m glad I did - they were delicious: Potato skins accompanied by a gorgonzola, garlic, cheese sauce – very tasty. The sauce wasn’t very heavy either, which left lot’s of room for my dinner. After flipping through the 4 or 5 pages of choices, I picked the Portabella Caesar Salad ($6.95) and my friend ordered a cheeseburger ($6.95). The salad was really nice; the portabellas were cooked just right, and placed in strips atop the salad. The dressing was also light and not in short supply, which was a nice treat. My friend said her cheeseburger was really good – up there in her list of top burgers – so I’ll take her word for it. Other menu items included: Steaks, several kinds of Fish, Pastas, Soups, Salads, Burgers, and Sandwiches, all with very enticing names, such as "Strawberry Chicken Skewers". They also offered a few staple Irish dishes such as Shepherd’s Pie and Lamb Stew.

In addition to all the food we ate, we also managed to sample many of the alcoholic beverages on the menu! Being in an Irish Restaurant, I started with a Black & Tan, which was appropriately served at room temperature, followed by a Cider (unfortunately not on tap, but bottled), and ended with a Guinness for dessert. On the side, I sampled a sip of the "Raspberry Rita" on the rocks – which was pretty good. They also had a decent selection of red and white wines to choose from.

The dessert menu made you full just looking at it, ranging from White Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce for $4.25 to Bailey’s Pudding for $3.50. It was very inviting and sounded very, very tasty, but I had to pass – I couldn’t eat another thing…could have been that last Guinness I had..

Overall, highly recommended for its diverse menu, casual atmosphere, and good prices.

There are several locations in various Boston neighborhoods. The two I’ve been to are in Downtown Crossing (28 Kingston St) and Central Square (720 Massachusetts Ave). They’re great “after-work” places to grab a couple of drinks. It has a light jazz kind of atmosphere, but sometimes they have small bands performing and it can get a bit loud. The Cosmopolitan is the drink of choice for most patrons, but personally, I prefer the Lemon Drop Martinis. They serve food as well, but it’s pretty basic – hamburgers, salads and appetizers, and not that exciting (prices $8-$15). The drinks are great though!

If you don’t have much time, and want to see as much of the city as you can in less than 2 hours, take a Duck Tour. The “Duck” is a boat-shaped vehicle that goes on land as well as in the water. You begin the Tour at the Prudential Center on Boylston Street (closest train is Prudential on the Green E line, as well as Copley on the all the Green lines). You have to buy your tickets inside the Prudential Center (which is annoying – still haven’t figured out why they don’t just sell them at the Tour). It runs from April – December, 7 days a week, rain or shine, and costs $23 adult, $13 child (4-12), 25 cents for a child (3 and under). It’s a narrated tour that takes you by many of the city’s major landmarks: Copley Square, Boston Common, Newbury Street, Quincy Market, and the Fleet Center to name a few. Then, you drive right into the Charles River and take a cruise along the banks of the city. The drivers really get into it, and like to make riders quack like a duck as you’re driving along….but don’t worry, we’re all used to it, so don’t be embarrassed. I've included some pictures of some of the things you'll see on the tour.

The Cellar is one of my favorite bars in Boston. It’s a small Irish pub with not a lot to it, but provides a great atmosphere and the drinks are cheap ($2.50 for a Guiness). It’s located on the basement level so it’s not too noticeable from the street. Interior is all wood, there are benches with stools to sit at, as well as a few small tables placed in front of a long corner bench towards the back, or if you prefer, you can sit at the bar. It’s usually empty earlier in the evening, but Thursday through the weekend, it’s pretty much standing room only, unless you’re lucky enough to snag a seat. With U2 playing in the background, and a perfect pint of Guinness, it’s a great place to spend a few hours hanging out with friends.

The Rattlesnake is great for people watching, but it can be a bit of a “meat-market” – singles and college students flock there. But it does have a rooftop area and on hot day it’s nice to sit outside and sip on a few frozen beverages – though the view is nothing to write home about. They have a yummy selection of mixed and frozen drinks, as well as the standard beer selection. The food is pretty basic, but no one really goes there for the food.