Boston

I've always got such great travel advice here, so I'm asking once again! I've never been to Boston and somehow managed to score a weekend away with hubby (no kids involved) in June.

What should we do? What should we see? Where should we stay?

I'm looking for a relaxing, fun, beer-drinking, good-food eating, listening-to-music kind of trip. Any suggestions?

I live in Boston and June is a GREAT time to come. 

I would suggest

• taking a nice stroll through the Public Gardens.
• have a picnic on Boston Common.
• Duck Tours...never have done one myself, but I've known many people who have a rave about them.  It's a great way to see the city in one go, then decide where you'd like to visit from there...plus you get a bit of the history.
• take one of the walking tours which leave from the visitor center in Boston Common.
• Freedom Trail
  
• Fanieul Hall/Quincy Marketplace (all in the same location)
• North End (but stay away from Mike's Pastry...tourist trap.  Modern Pastry is the way to go.  Also, for cheap good Italian eats during the week, go to Galleria Umberto, but go as close to noon as possible as the locals have the line out the door by 1pm.  For a cafe experience, Cafe Paradiso is the best.  All this is on the main street (Hanover St).  Definitely venture down some of the winding side streets through the NE, too.)
• North Church (in the North End along with Paul Revere's house)

That's what I can think of right now off the top of my head.  If I can think of any more, I will add it here.  Have fun whilst here, though!

I grew up on Massachusetts’ South Shore, so just about 15 miles south of Boston.

I recommend everything on kbee’s list especially the part about Modern Pastry. GO THERE! You won’t be disappointed and get a cup of coffee as well. Delicious.

When DF visited me in August 2010, he seemed mostly interested in the aquatic aspects of Boston, so we did the New England Aquarium (overpriced) and he was desperate to do a Whale Watch, so we did that as well. I had never been on one and wasn’t particularly keen on it, but it was AWESOME! I highly recommend it. We saw a ton of whales.

Other things

- Sam Adams Brewery Tour
- Swan Boats
- Harvard Square
- Tour of Fenway Park
- Bike riding or walking around Castle Island
- Catch a ferry out of Long Wharf to Boston Harbor Islands (George’s Island is a popular one http://www.bostonharborislands.org/georges)


Bring your walking shoes and utilize public transport. DO NOT DRIVE.


Enjoy it! Boston is awesome!

Such great suggestions! Thank you both.

I was told we should stay in the Back Bay. What do you think? Any specific places you'd recommend? I'm hoping to rent a studio apartment for a few days.

Similarly, we're going to MA in June to visit some friends in Natick. We'll be staying at a B&B (not with them) as we're hoping to make it a little mini-vacation. We'll be driving up. Any suggestions where to go outside of Boston? We'll go to Salem, but what else should we do??

Sevans, when we went to Boston a couple of years ago we found an apartment for the week on flipkey.com (part of trip advisor). They owner was great and even offered to let us stay there longer due to the volcano in Iceland if necessary. It was a two bedroom apartment, my parents were meeting us there, and we got an awesome deal compared to a hotel.

Outside of Boston, I would suggest Concord along with Salem.  You can go to Walden pond (beautiful and has a recreation of Thoreau's cabin) and you can go to the battlefield from the Revolutionary War where it all started.

Concord is great! As well as Walden Pond (which is lovely), there's also Louisa May Alcott's home and Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.

Also, if you feel like a drive, go to Tanglewood and take a picnic! It's amazing!

I grew up in Medfield about 20 miles outside of Boston. Grew up going to the Cape (Cape Cod) ..
If you have time and the weather is good  there are  lots of fantastic places down on the Cape lots of great villages and of course the beaches ..
My favourite places on the cape are Osterville and Wellfleet.

When DF came in November, we rented a flat off of airbnb.com, but we stayed in Quincy for 10 days because it was cheaper and a 5 minute walk from the redline, but the site had a lot of options.

As far as getting out of the city, I would recommend what everyone already said, but would also toss Plymouth into the mix. If the weather is nice, you could also head to some of the beaches (Marshfield, Duxbury, Nantasket).

Thanks for the tips!

Just got back from Boston, and I have to say it was one of the greatest cities I've ever been to. I loved, loved, loved it, and can't wait to go back again soon!

I really was SO pleasantly surprised by how nice it was there. I wasn't expecting to love it quite so much. 

Just got back from Boston, and I have to say it was one of the greatest cities I've ever been to. I loved, loved, loved it, and can't wait to go back again soon!

I really was SO pleasantly surprised by how nice it was there. I wasn't expecting to love it quite so much. 

It definitely is a great city.  Glad you had a wonderful time.

You actually left just in time, too.  We're scheduled to have hazy, hot and humid temps at the end of this week (90+).  NOT looking forward to that and certainly won't miss that when I'm gone.   

It definitely is a great city.  Glad you had a wonderful time.

You actually left just in time, too.  We're scheduled to have hazy, hot and humid temps at the end of this week (90+).  NOT looking forward to that and certainly won't miss that when I'm gone.   

I arrive Thursday night.  Craparoo.  At least my dad has a/c.    and I am headed further south after that, so I suppose it will be out of the frying pan and into the fire.  Eeeeek.  But it will be nice to be in Boston, if only briefly.

I arrive Thursday night.  Craparoo.  At least my dad has a/c.    and I am headed further south after that, so I suppose it will be out of the frying pan and into the fire.  Eeeeek.  But it will be nice to be in Boston, if only briefly.

Yes, it's supposed to be close to 100 here in Baltimore at the end of the week. You're not escaping anything I'm afraid!

Yes, it's supposed to be close to 100 here in Baltimore at the end of the week. You're not escaping anything I'm afraid!

Oh, good.  DC will be positively swampy.  Ah, well.  Central air is on the MUST list when we are looking for places to live.   

Seems like mother nature is laughing at me.  Move to the UK in November and move to DC in July.