Boston!

Overview

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have been to Boston many times and each trip for me has been about something different. The first time I went it was to see a guy that I had a crush on. Of course, in my weird way I wouldn't tell him that was the reason I had come and made up some weird excuse about doing something for school. (I went to school in Nashville.) So that relationship was doomed from the start. However, I DID forge a great relationship with the city itself. I LOVED Beacon Hill and the Common and Public Garden, but more importantly I loved the shopping. So I did a lot of that on the first trip.On the second trip, it was winter and I got to see it in a whole new light. I think I actually prefer Boston in winter. Th...Read More

have been to Boston many times and each trip for me has been about something different. The first time I went it was to see a guy that I had a crush on. Of course, in my weird way I wouldn't tell him that was the reason I had come and made up some weird excuse about doing something for school. (I went to school in Nashville.) So that relationship was doomed from the start. However, I DID forge a great relationship with the city itself. I LOVED Beacon Hill and the Common and Public Garden, but more importantly I loved the shopping. So I did a lot of that on the first trip.

On the second trip, it was winter and I got to see it in a whole new light. I think I actually prefer Boston in winter. There's something about being in a big city around Christmastime that puts me in the spirit. After seeing Christmas trees for sale on the sidewalk, people ice skating on the pond, and having hot tea on Newbury Street I was up and ready to move. It was during that trip that I became acquainted with the theatre district and Chinatown.

Since those first two trips I have seen Boston in all seasons. Now that I am living in New England and within two hours of it I have made several trips for various purposes. It never fails to impress me and I always find something new each time I return.

Quick Tips:

Food
There are some great restaurants to be found in Boston. The North End, or Little Italy, has some wonderful Italian places. Like everyone says, get off of Hancock Street and dive down some of the little side streets to the Mom 'n Pop places and you'll find amazing places.

There are also some really good seafood places around the harbor. I've had some of the best shrimp and lobster anywhere in Boston.

Newbury Street is good for "places to see and be seen", although there are some nice little coffee shops and cafes tucked into some neat corners that can also be found.

Chinatown has, well, Asian food of course. Personally, I like the Asian bakeries although to my palate they don't compare to the Italian bakeries.

And then in the Common there are always hot dog stands which can't be beat on a clear sunny day.

Best Way To Get Around:

I would not recommend driving in Boston. Actually, despite the "big dig" it's not a difficult city to manuever. It's the parking that's the problem. if you can find parking on a side street or by a meter then good luck to you and congrats. But parking garages are extraordinarily expensive. Expect to pay around a day for parking. That's also what most hotels charge as well, although that usually includes valet parking.

Boston is definitely a walking city. It's very easy to get from point to point by foot and if you're too tired for that then there is the "T", or the metro. it's very easy to get around on and goes everywhere you want to go. A commuter rail service goes to a lot of the outlying places. A lot of people actually park outside the city and then take the T into town which isn't a bad idea. Read Less

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Marriott Courtyard Boston Downtown Tremont

Hotel | "Courtyard Boston Tremont Hotel"

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We stayed here during the wintertime when we got an excellent rate off the Internet. ($79) I didn't know anything about the hotel when I booked it-only that it was in the theatre district. I was concerned that the area might not be that safe, since it was also in close proximity to Chinatown, but after I arrived I found it to be the opposite. There were a couple of times that I passed some questionable people (and dealings) I never felt unsafe and everyone pretty much kept to themselves.Unique Qualities: For the first part of our stay they put us in a corner room and it was great. The size was incredible and the views amazing. We had dinner in the hotel restaurant, which was incredibly overp...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on May 10, 2008

Marriott Courtyard Boston Downtown Tremont
275 Tremont Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02116
(617) 426-1400

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Prescott International Hotel and Hostel

Hotel | "Prescott Hotel and Hostel "

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I stayed at this hostel on Memorial Day weekend and had a blast. Although it isn’t close to the center like most hostels that I have stayed at in Boston, the ambiance of it far surpassed any of the HI affiliated. The owner, Wayne, is a city councilman and is a trip. He was extremely helpful giving me directions when I ended up lost in Chinatown (don’t really know how I ended up there-too many one way streets I think) and when we walked in the hostel we felt like we had been staying there for years. The rooms were small, but the private baths were nice and clean and the water pressure good. There was a a large kitchen/bar area and common room with a big screen TV. On Saturday night Wayne had a birthday...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on May 10, 2008

Prescott International Hotel and Hostel
36 Church St
Everett, Massachusetts 02149
(617) 389-1990

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Scoozi

Restaurant

Quote:

I have to admit, Scoozi won by default. We were on the wait list for a restaurant on Boylston when a really bad thunderstorm hit. Having to duck into the nearest shelter, we found Scoozi and the staff were so friendly that we decided to try them out. As you can see, I had no idea that my pizza was going to be so huge! It’s dining room is small. I doubt they could get more than 20 people comfortable inside, and it has a “see and be seen” ambiance about it, but I don’t mind that from time to time. I like to dress up and go out occasionally. The menu was fairly comprehensive. It reminded me of a number of European cafes and had that same cosmopolitan vibe about it. I’m not sure that I would make a point ...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on May 10, 2008

Scoozi
237 Newbury St.
Boston, Massachusetts 02116
(617) 247-8847

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Trattoria Il Panino

Restaurant

Quote:

Okay, so I actually went into this restaurant because I liked the look of the menu. I had no idea that it was famous or that there were other off-shoots of it around town. Apparently, however, after reading reviews I realize that I went into the best of the bunch. This one is the "original" and to me it had the look of many small Italian trattorias that I have been to in Italy and Croatia. It was small and had more staff than guests and the atmosphere was charged and happy. The pricing was about average for the area, although it was a little higher than most Italian places of similar calibur.Favorite Dish: I ordered the penne arrabiata. it was just spicy enough and the noodles were al dente ...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on May 10, 2008

Trattoria Il Panino
120 South Market St
Boston, Massachusetts 2109
+1 617 573 9700

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City View Trolleys

Attraction

Quote:

This goes down as one of those spur of the moment moves that I jumped on first and thought about later. I’m actually a big fan of hop on/hop off tours. They’re a great way to see the city layout and I use them as a way of determining what I might want to go back and revisit later. I picked this one up at stop number 1 which was located on the harbor by the aquarium. For the first part of the tour I rode around until I got to Boston Common. I wasn’t that impressed with the guide. He knew his history, but he was very monotonous in speech. Still, I got some great views of the skyline and was able to get a good feel for where the North End and USS Constitution were located geographically. After walking ar...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on May 10, 2008

City View Trolleys
www.cityviewtrolleys.com
Boston

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Faneuil Hall

Attraction

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There is always something going on at Faneuil Hall and it is always crowded. That is the conclusion that I have reached. While it IS touristy and the shops are pretty much those of what you could find in any mall, it is still definitely worth visiting. You should really visit Quincy Market on an empty stomach because it is impossible to sniff all the mouthwatering smells without wanting to taste a little bit of everything. When I was in there last, it was a madhouse. The ice cream stand had a line that looked like it would take 30 minutes tog et through. You can find any kind of food you want, from hamburgers to Indian and Thai. You can take your food outside and people watch from a bench or you can t...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on May 10, 2008

Faneuil Hall
Congress Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
(617) 242-5642

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Old North Church

Attraction

Quote:

One of the most famous things about the Old North Church is the hanging of the two lanterns back in 1775. The two lanterns informed the patriots in Charlestown that the Brits were leaving Boston by water. (“One if by land, two if by sea.”) On April 18, 1775 Robert Newman sneaked into the empty church to hang two lanterns in the church's belfry. Paul Revere had already left for his famous ride to warn the patriot leaders in the area; the two lanterns were lit in case he was intercepted by the British and prevented from delivering his message. It is also Boston’s oldest surviving church building. I think it’s interesting to see the pews up close and personal. It would have been cold in the church and si...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on May 10, 2008

Old North Church
193 Salem St
Boston, Massachusetts 02113
+1 617 523-6676

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New England Aquarium

Attraction

Quote:

Although there aren't a lot of good reviews concerning the aqarium it's really not a bad way to spend a couple of hours. And that's really all you need-a couple of hours. To be located on the ocean it's actually smaller than most that I have been to. (Cincinati, New Orleans, and Gatlinburg.) But they have an interesting array of aquatic life and a great IMAX theatre. At last check "Aliens of the Deep" was playing. Really, the best way to view the aquarium is to use your free admission if you go on a trolley tour. Otherwise, the admission price of $16.95 IS a little steep.

Phone: 617-973-5200
Address: Central Wharf, Boston, MA 02110
Website: http://www.neaq.org

Member Rating 2 out of 5 on May 10, 2008

New England Aquarium
Central Wharf
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
(617) 973-5200

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Boston Journals

Boston!

Boston!

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

Marriott Courtyard Boston Downtown Tremont

Prescott International Hotel and Hostel

Scoozi

Trattoria Il Panino

City View Trolleys

Faneuil Hall

Old North Church

New England Aquarium

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