Advice - Trip to Boston early Sept - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

BigFlameDog · 07-08-2014, 07:05 AM

Heading to Boston in early September for a couple of Red Sox games and also have some extra time on our hands.

1) Anybody have ideas on a hotel in the 200-250 per night price range? I am being overwhelmed with choices but not sure on location as the stuff close to Fenway is pricey. Close to transit means don't have to be close to Fenway.

2) What else should a couple of married guys in their 40's do on an escape weekend in Boston? Preferably without having to lie to the wives on our return lol.

Hockeyguy15 · 07-08-2014, 07:18 AM

Not sure about which hotels you are looking but Boston is a very walkable city. My wife and I stayed at the Omni Parker House and ended up walking all the way to Fenway park one day (didn't even take us the whole day). If I was going for a ball game I would probably have taken transit though, but we were just out for a stroll and stopped at a bunch of sights on the way before the Fenway Park tour. I would say do the tour if you can, I believe they still do them on game days and we both thought it was a pretty neat experience.

Fenway has the bar under the bleachers in left field, it is pretty tiny so you have to get there early but it was also pretty cool to have a drink down there. If you make your way down to the waterfront go to the Harpoon Brewery and do the tour, I think it was $20 and well worth it from the tasting room (oh and they have great pretzels in the main area). We went durning the week at noon and there were about 7 of us in the tour which meant we had no line in the tasting room, so extra bang for your buck.

I don't have much else to add for a guys trip since I was with my wife, we went to a couple really nice restaurants but I doubt that is what you are looking for.

loob job · 07-08-2014, 07:20 AM

Went last summer, 40 year old married man with his wife. Had a great time, stayed in the North End (hundreds of amazing italian restaurants) at the Fairmont Battery Wharf (Gold Floor) It was amazing. One thing you definitely need to do is this:
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserRe...achusetts.html
We used it for two days, it is like your own personal taxi and it tells you all about the city. We went to a Sox game (afternoon) and used it to get to and from the stadium. One place you need to eat at is Regina Pizzeria, it is the best pizza i have ever had in my life. And i consider myself a pizza expert, hahaha. It is an amazing town. Beers at Cheers, take the tour to Harvard and Cambridge. You can't go wrong, my wife and i would go back in a second.

Cheese · 07-08-2014, 07:30 AM

Omni Parker is a great old hotel. Check the other Boston threads, there have been a few with great advice.

MoneyGuy · 07-08-2014, 08:03 AM

We were just there. Do the Freedom Trail. Not to be missed, but I'm into history and not everyone is. You can take a tour of Fenway, which is very interesting. The USS Constitution is in the harbour and is stiil commissioned so sails occasionally. Go to the museum and argue with the Americans who think they won the War of 1812.

loob job · 07-08-2014, 08:16 AM

Good Fairmont deal here if you have an Amex card:
http://www.fairmont.com/promotions/selects/

bizkitgto · 07-08-2014, 09:05 AM

We used to stay at the Boxer Boston (formerly the Bulfinch), it's right downtown, great hotel and a great price. You can walk everywhere!! You should check out the Patriots schedule, you may be able to catch a game, the stadium is a solid trek from downtown Boston, but worth it! Fenway is great, but you're already going there. It might be worth heading into Cambridge to check out MIT or Harvard for the day. Nightlife in Boston is good, but not great, the people are super friendly. Have fun!

drew24 · 07-08-2014, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigFlameDog

2) What else should a couple of married guys in their 40's do on an escape weekend in Boston? Preferably without having to lie to the wives on our return lol.

I'm going to Boston in early September too. Going to the Boston Calling music festival and some Red Sox games too. Maybe a day pass for the music festival would be fun? Nas and The Replacements play on the 7th.

getbak · 07-08-2014, 09:22 AM

I stayed in Brookline when I went. It's close to the Green Line subway (although, it's above ground in Brookline) and the hotels were quite a bit cheaper than downtown. It's actually closer to Fenway than downtown is (you could probably walk back to the hotel faster than the subway after the game because of the crowds).

The neighbourhood itself is pretty quiet and residential, so it's not somewhere you'd want to stick around for the nightlife, but the subway into downtown is convenient, and a cab ride wouldn't cost too much.

I only had one day in Boston, so there's a lot I didn't get to do, but I did the Fenway tour in the morning, went to the original Cheers for a beer, then walked the Freedom Trail from Boston Common to Bunker Hill. By the time I was done that, I had enough time to take the subway back to my hotel, shower, and then back to Fenway for a Red Sox game that night. All of that would be married-guy safe.

bigtmac19 · 07-08-2014, 10:07 AM

Great thread timing, was just looking at a trip to Boston in September myself.

Johnny199r · 07-08-2014, 10:11 AM

Boston is fantastic. Make sure you walk to little Italy and great some great food.

I regret not taking a sight seeing tour of the city, I would definately do that this time.

The city has a great subway, easy to get around. Just don't get off in Roxbury with a bunch of store bags in your hands and look lost as everyone up and down the street eyes you (being the only white boy) while police are running down the street after people that just robbed a store. That was.....uncomfortable.

Make sure to have some seafood.

Arsenal14 · 07-08-2014, 10:18 AM

When I went last September I stayed at the Boston Park Plaza which is next to Boston Common. If you bid on a hotel through Priceline you've got a good chance of ending up with that one. It's also got good access to the trains - green line will take you to Fenway. I actually walked back to the hotel after the game (I somehow missed the subway station at Fenway so I just kept walking rather than trying to get on a train at the next station) and it only took about 20 minutes. Regardless the subway in Boston is super easy to use. If you're there for a few days you can buy a weekly MBTA pass - it was $15 when I was there.

Things to do: the Fenway tour is good, walking the Freedom Trail is alright and can be done in about half a day. The Samuel Adams brewery has a tour but it was kind of disappointing - they don't really brew much in that location anymore. I'm a nerd so I went out to Cambridge and visited Harvard and MIT.

GreenLantern · 07-08-2014, 10:37 AM

I was there for my stag on St Paddys day, that city is a blast. We are early 30's so not far off your mark. Definitely do the Fenway tour if you can, you guys will be able to step at least near the field at that time as well (we weren't because it was March and under construction). Try and get earliest time, we got there for the first showing and they had just finished hosing everything down to clean it, felt like just off the movies. Crisp air standing in the bleachers looking out at the empty field/stands, it was pretty special.

The only thing that beat that experience for me was walking around Boston Common. Fairly large size park in the middle of the downtown. One morning a buddy and I walked with a coffee at sunrise, I know it sounds weird but something about it reminded me of home. Lots of historical statues/monuments to observe as well.

As far as drinking goes, we hit a lot of pubs... definitely stop in at Beer Works next to Fenway, it is literally just up the street. It was hands down the best beer and food I had all weekend. It is a bit of a nicer brew pub but still has that Bawstan attitude.

We did the historical pubs as well, Green Dragon and Bell In Hand.. both were good but they turned into dance clubs around 10 or so.. might be different when you are there though. Nothing very special about either of these places, there were nicer pubs we visited that I can't remember the names of, but I am sure people here will help with that.

I would check out Southey too. Lots of good pubs down there on the Paddy's day parade route and the people were very friendly (especially the females).

Then on top of all that, you have to hit the harbor area and get some fresh sea food and enjoy a pint looking out at the water. It was a bit chilly in March but we made it work and it was still an enjoyable experience, in nicer weather it would be a real treat.

Edit: Forgot hotel, we stayed at Courtyard Downtown Boston. I think it was 300+ a night, was clean.. a bit dated. Hotel staff were very helpful and it had a good central location. The train station was a 5 minute or less (depending how tipsy you are) walk and then I believe Fenway was about 12 minutes on the train and the downtown pub area was less than that.

Train was great to start the night out on, but cabs were everywhere and very well priced compared to here. In most cases you could just negotiate a price ahead of time. Lots of private drivers as well that were even cheaper.

CalgaryFan1988 · 07-08-2014, 10:56 AM

Don't forget to go to Cheers!

BigFlameDog · 07-08-2014, 11:03 AM

Wow, great stuff guys. Definitely ok with walking about and like the history stuff too...and beer lol.

Big help, my schedule is getting full haha.

ClubFlames · 07-08-2014, 11:28 AM

I went in earlier this year to Boston and it's an amazing city. Friendly people, great atmosphere.

Just to add to other suggestions in this thread.

McGreevys Boston Pub - America's first sports bar. Great Red Sox memorabilia. Owned by Dropkick Murphys.

Giacomos - Best lobster ravioli I have ever had. When we went at around 530 there was a lineup outside the door to get in the restaurant, very small place but amazing food.

Mike's Pastry - Best cannolis ever. Lots of different choices.

Boston Duck Tour - Well worth the money for a city tour.