Boston - Sept. 2006

Boston is a fantastic city. Rich in history and culture, there is something for everyone.

During this trip, my girlfriend and I got away for a night into the city, even though I live about a half hour away.

We checked into a nice hotel, took in an acclaimed exhibit at a local museum, and had a great dinner at a chain themed restaurant.

Quick Tips:

Travel during the week if you can. Most kids are in school and can make it easier to get into some things, and it is less crowded.

Travel in the late summer/early fall. Boston doesn't have much by way of foliage but the weather is fantastic.

Best Way To Get Around:

If you can take the MBTA (public transportation), do so. It will save you money on parking, tolls, etc. It is relatively easy to use, and relatively cheap. Info can be found at www.mbta.com.

I booked this hotel through a major online travel website, whereby I named my own price. The lobby was nice, clean, contemporary, and clean. The front desk clerk that checked us in (Lexi) was very nice, and even offered a late lunch suggestion the day we checked in.

I had called the hotel in the morning to confirm my reservation, and room size (as I didn't know what kind of bed was in it). They said one bed, and found upon check-in that it was on the 24th floor. Room 2401 to be exact. Walk in to the room with a small hallway with bath on the right. At the end is the desk. Look to your right, and their was a massive hutch with TV, iron, with a couch and coffee table.

At the end of the room was a king sized "Sleep Number" bed. Big and roomy, and comfy with a duvet. Word of caution: Take a few minutes early (before you get tired) to lay in the bed and try to determine your "Sleep Number". May save you from tossing and turning later.

Room was very clean, as was the bath. That too, like the lobby, was clean and modern. The view...quite simply: spectacular. (See photo).

FYI: This room was "behind" two elevators. That really didn't cause issues. You heard a whirling noise (no worse than a humm) and the occasional light bang of a door closing. We had the A/C on all night, so it kind of drowned it out anyway.

The only thing that I would seek from a hotel of that price and quality: Continental breakfast. Petty? Perhaps, but would have made the experience that much better.

Hotel price: Great (but I named my own price). Otherwise, good comparable to other Boston Hotels.

Location: Good. About a 10 minute stroll to the nearest T-stops (Arlingtom and Copley).

Food: N/A (didn't eat there)

Overall, good hotel at a good price. Would likely go back again.

This location of Hard Rock Cafe is very similar to others in the chain. Music memorabilia ALL around with various music videos and accompanying music resonating throughout the place.

This was not our first visit to this restaurant, and certainly not our last. Food is reasonably priced (around $10 for entrees). Portions are big enough...not having you longing for more, but not so big that you have leftovers for 2 days.

The food quality was great. My girlfriend had the Grilled Buffalo Chicken Sandwich (chicken, buffalo sauce, bleu cheese, and ranch dressing on a bun). She said that it was spicy enough for her palette but too hot for mine (she was right, but nonetheless very good. I had a grilled chicken club (grilled chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on bread). My meal too was very good.

The waiter, Thatch (I believe his name was), was very nice and attentive. He constantly checked in to see how we were doing, always offering refills on our sodas, and clearing the table in a timely manner. My girlfriend had admired a chocolate cake that was sitting out by the bar, and had made some comment about it and how good it looked. Shortly after he brought out the check, he brought over a small piece, saying that he had tried it out back and thought we should too (no charge by the way). VERY nice touch.

We have never had a bad meal at a Hard Rock and this is no exception. It caters to all ages, although the young folks may not know some of the musicians featured :-).

It can get busy at times, so if you know when you are going, do the online first in line seating

The one bad side: the music volume and be considerably loud (it is that way in most locations). Sometimes it is a little difficult to talk to your dinner mate.

AAA members: Don't forget your card. Present it and receive 10% off your check.

Overall, good food, good service, and good atmosphere.

We have been to the Museum of Science many times before.

This particular visit, we took in a new exhibit called "Body Worlds 2". In short, they are actually human specified preserved by a method called Plastination, and it shows how we as humans work and how things are connected and effected by various factors (i.e. smoking, cancer).

The exhibit was quite interesting. It may be a little much for younger people (17 and under) but with proper explanation, parents can be a big help for them. I saw one mother explain to her 5-6 year old daughter that that child's brain she was looking at was much like the one in her head. The child seemed intrigued.

Forewarning, admission to this exhibit IS NOT INCLUDED with exhibit hall admission (day hours $24/night hours $16). It is an additional ticket. It is also assigned times, meaning that you cannot view it until your allocated time. This is primarily for crowd control.

I would recommend this exhibit to all. It gives a very interesting perspective on how we as humans are put together.