“Must-do” suggestions for a Boston first timer

bbiggs

Hey, All,

First time in Boston this weekend. Can you give a few “must-do” suggestions for my wife and I to do on the off day Monday? Thanks! 

YourDirtisMyfood

If you're staying in town, Fanueil Hall and The Aquarium are fun stuff.  If you love craft beer, Trillium in Canton, MA (check if they are open).  If you are into PJ history, the Xfinity Center (Home of the Experiment from 2003) is 20 minutes from Canton, MA.  If you want to see history, Freedom Trail is very popular.  The North End is also fun.  Lots to do.

bbiggs

^ Great!  I’m staying in Copley Square. I figure I can do breweries and that kind of stuff on show days, so I’m looking for the more “touristy” stuff on Monday. Thanks for the suggestions. 

Foriginal Sin

Tell everybody how great all your sports teams are compared to theirs, say ‘wicked awesome,’
drink Budweiser and randomly punch people for no reason. You’ll fit right in

pjl44

bbiggs said:

^ Great!  I’m staying in Copley Square. I figure I can do breweries and that kind of stuff on show days, so I’m looking for the more “touristy” stuff on Monday. Thanks for the suggestions. 

As far as touristy stuff goes, I unapologetically love the duck boat tours. You get some history and a ride on the Charles.

YourDirtisMyfood

Foriginal Sin said:

Tell everybody how great all your sports teams are compared to theirs, say ‘wicked awesome,’
drink Budweiser and randomly punch people for no reason. You’ll fit right in

dankind?  

ed243421

That’s him!

he just punched me last week

droptheleash9

Foriginal Sin said:

Tell everybody how great all your sports teams are compared to theirs, say ‘wicked awesome,’
drink Budweiser and randomly punch people for no reason. You’ll fit right in

Nah that’s not Boston. That’s Philly.

Jadler

If it’s a nice day follow the harbor walk all the way from the seaport district to the north end or visa versa. Great views of the city, Boston harbor, and you can walk off all the pastries and pizza that you’ll have no doubt consumed. Fenway does offer tours for a very reasonable price if you are into baseball history. Make sure you stroll through Boston Common and Boston Public Gardens. Each area of town can be pretty unique. Happy to recommend some good eats/ drink spots if interested! 

Goneshootin

Others mentioned fanueil hall and boston common (which are close to one another, downtown is easily walkable)
Walking around Newbury Street (right near your hotel) at night, theres a few places to grab a drink around there.
North End for good italian food. Theres a nice seafood place called Atlantic Fish on boylston street, also near your hotel. 
Boston Beer Works (try the blueberry beer, sounds weird but trust me its worth a try) before the show. 
If you are taking the T to Fenway note that the stop to get off is Kenmore. There is another stop called Fenway which is NOT the closest stop to Fenway Park. 
Enjoy!

bbiggs

Thanks everyone! Great tips. Keep ‘em coming! 

F Me In The Brain

Get wicked drunk and puke your ass on the row in front of you

PJWGIII

I have two words:

MIKE’S. PASTRY.

Line is decievingly long. It moves very quickly. Get some canoli on the North End after dinner!

I loved all the touristy stuff when I went (Freedom Trail, Boston Tea Party Museum, Duck Tours, Union Oyster House, Cheers, etc.) but I also recommend that if you want some cool shoes you stop at the Converse Headquarters or the one in the Back Bay neighborhood to heavily customize your very own chucks (Maybe make them PJ-related?).

The only other thing to say is go to Fenway and enjoy that atmosphere, but your already going to do that! So jealous, enjoy the shows!

RoleModelsinBlood31

droptheleash9 said:

Foriginal Sin said:

Tell everybody how great all your sports teams are compared to theirs, say ‘wicked awesome,’
drink Budweiser and randomly punch people for no reason. You’ll fit right in

Nah that’s not Boston. That’s Philly.

Beantown’s the only place I’ve lived where I saw dudes punch women in the face- and I saw it two different times in 8 years.  Once in the middle of the street while I was waiting at a light on nye and the other in broad daylight in Allston.  Crazy ass chowdah heads ovah there.

HollisBrown

Jadler said:

If it’s a nice day follow the harbor walk all the way from the seaport district to the north end or visa versa. Great views of the city, Boston harbor, and you can walk off all the pastries and pizza that you’ll have no doubt consumed. Fenway does offer tours for a very reasonable price if you are into baseball history. Make sure you stroll through Boston Common and Boston Public Gardens. Each area of town can be pretty unique. Happy to recommend some good eats/ drink spots if interested! 

Looking for local breakfast spots, not hoyty toyty. I’m from Jersey and we have some great diners. Italian in Little Italy, not too pricey. And spits to grab a quick bite on the way to the show.(walking from the T to stadium, I forget the station. Coming from Boston garden.
Thanks

RatherStarved

Jadler said:

If it’s a nice day follow the harbor walk all the way from the seaport district to the north end or visa versa. Great views of the city, Boston harbor, and you can walk off all the pastries and pizza that you’ll have no doubt consumed. Fenway does offer tours for a very reasonable price if you are into baseball history. Make sure you stroll through Boston Common and Boston Public Gardens. Each area of town can be pretty unique. Happy to recommend some good eats/ drink spots if interested! 

Um I'm pretty sure there won't be Fenway tours available on Monday.

Taft

YourDirtisMyfood said:

If you're staying in town, Fanueil Hall and The Aquarium are fun stuff.  If you love craft beer, Trillium in Canton, MA (check if they are open).  If you are into PJ history, the Xfinity Center (Home of the Experiment from 2003) is 20 minutes from Canton, MA.  If you want to see history, Freedom Trail is very popular.  The North End is also fun.  Lots to do.

Trillium has a beer garden right across from the Aquarium and near the North End, do not go to Canton. 

Agree with others who say the Freedom Trail, and you can self guide with your phone. Also agree that while they are super touristy, duck boat tour is a good way to see the city. 

Other than that, walk the Common, go to Castle Island to see Fort Independence. Do the Harbor walk.  If you go to Faniuel Hall, do NOT eat there. Modern Pastry>Mike’s Pastry with shorter lines. 

bbiggs

^ Thank you! Stupid question, but I assume the Freedom Trail is a relatively easy walk that gym shoes would suffice for? No hiking boots? 

curmudgeoness

bbiggs said:

^ Thank you! Stupid question, but I assume the Freedom Trail is a relatively easy walk that gym shoes would suffice for? No hiking boots? 

Yes. It's all urban now.

PianoManKD

Foriginal Sin said:

Tell everybody how great all your sports teams are compared to theirs, say ‘wicked awesome,’
drink Budweiser and randomly punch people for no reason. You’ll fit right in

As a lifelong Yankees fan living in the Boston area (well Cape Cod actually), I can assure you that people don't walk around drinking Budweiser randomly punching people for no reason. In fact, the East Coast craft brewery boom is huge out here and it's become part of society out here. But you keep believing what you read on the Onion and living your life that way. 

To the OP - I echo Mike's Pastry for something sweet! Also check out the Union Oyster House area for some great bars with great beer selection (other than Bud) and some good food. So much to do in Boston! Have fun!

Jadler

kst said:

Jadler said:

If it’s a nice day follow the harbor walk all the way from the seaport district to the north end or visa versa. Great views of the city, Boston harbor, and you can walk off all the pastries and pizza that you’ll have no doubt consumed. Fenway does offer tours for a very reasonable price if you are into baseball history. Make sure you stroll through Boston Common and Boston Public Gardens. Each area of town can be pretty unique. Happy to recommend some good eats/ drink spots if interested! 

Um I'm pretty sure there won't be Fenway tours available on Monday.

Ohhh didn't even think of that! I just checked and it looks like they do still offer them on Monday but just in the AM:

https://www.mlb.com/redsox/ballpark/tours

curmudgeoness

In general, what to recommend depends on where your interests lie. If you have a car and like history, you could drive out to Lexington and Concord.

If you like art museums, there's the MFA and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (site of one of the most famous art heists in history). If you like science museums, there's the Museum of Science, the Harvard Museum of Natural History (which is, in itself, like a trip back in time -- old building, heavy smell of formaldehyde, plus the famous glass flower exhibit), and museums at MIT.

Faneuil Hall is basically a food court swarming with tourists.

The nice thing about Boston is that it's easy to get around on foot or on the T, so you can see a lot, and without using a car.

bbiggs

All great stuff! Another dumb question regarding the Fenway tour. I’m a huge baseball fan (and baseball history) so I’d love to tour the ballpark and ideally get a picture on the field by the Green Monster. I’m not sure if the tours normally allow field access, but being the day between shows, I’d assume that won’t happen, or if it does, my thought of grabbing a green monster picture likely isn’t happening. Thoughts? 

CantKeepmedown

Taft said:

YourDirtisMyfood said:

If you're staying in town, Fanueil Hall and The Aquarium are fun stuff.  If you love craft beer, Trillium in Canton, MA (check if they are open).  If you are into PJ history, the Xfinity Center (Home of the Experiment from 2003) is 20 minutes from Canton, MA.  If you want to see history, Freedom Trail is very popular.  The North End is also fun.  Lots to do.

Trillium has a beer garden right across from the Aquarium and near the North End, do not go to Canton. 

Agree with others who say the Freedom Trail, and you can self guide with your phone. Also agree that while they are super touristy, duck boat tour is a good way to see the city. 

Other than that, walk the Common, go to Castle Island to see Fort Independence. Do the Harbor walk.  If you go to Faniuel Hall, do NOT eat there. Modern Pastry>Mike’s Pastry with shorter lines. 

I think the beer garden in the North End is closed on Monday and Tuesday.  There is the other brewery on Congress St, but no pours/samples.  Just cans to go. 

bbiggs

^ That sucks! Was looking forward to the beer garden. Looks like Canton or nothing. 

dankind

ed243421 said:

That’s him!

he just punched me last week

Turkey slapped, you mean?

ed243421

  

Taft

CantKeepmedown said:

Taft said:

YourDirtisMyfood said:

If you're staying in town, Fanueil Hall and The Aquarium are fun stuff.  If you love craft beer, Trillium in Canton, MA (check if they are open).  If you are into PJ history, the Xfinity Center (Home of the Experiment from 2003) is 20 minutes from Canton, MA.  If you want to see history, Freedom Trail is very popular.  The North End is also fun.  Lots to do.

Trillium has a beer garden right across from the Aquarium and near the North End, do not go to Canton. 

Agree with others who say the Freedom Trail, and you can self guide with your phone. Also agree that while they are super touristy, duck boat tour is a good way to see the city. 

Other than that, walk the Common, go to Castle Island to see Fort Independence. Do the Harbor walk.  If you go to Faniuel Hall, do NOT eat there. Modern Pastry>Mike’s Pastry with shorter lines. 

I think the beer garden in the North End is closed on Monday and Tuesday.  There is the other brewery on Congress St, but no pours/samples.  Just cans to go. 

True. You could go Sunday, but realizing OP is asking about Monday only. I still wouldn’t go all the way to Canton. Go to a place like Row 34 or Worden Hall and get Trillium on tap. Great food too, especially the seafood at R34

NB283405

bbiggs said:

All great stuff! Another dumb question regarding the Fenway tour. I’m a huge baseball fan (and baseball history) so I’d love to tour the ballpark and ideally get a picture on the field by the Green Monster. I’m not sure if the tours normally allow field access, but being the day between shows, I’d assume that won’t happen, or if it does, my thought of grabbing a green monster picture likely isn’t happening. Thoughts? 

No, you don't get access to the field or the dugouts in the basic tour.  There's a "Day Game Premium Tour" that offers access to the warning track for photos, but I'm assuming it isn't available with the concert setup.  It's been a few years since I took the tour, but I remember going in the visitor's locker room and press box.

kid canada

Just remember to pahk the cah at the hahvad yahd

ed243421

egg dankind’s house