Only 3 weeks to get a category added - amazing!! Finally a new op! Thought I was gone....didn'tcha? ...
Only 3 weeks to get a category added - amazing!! Finally a new op! Thought I was gone....didn'tcha? Yer not that lucky!!
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Boston is a city like no other – the only city I have been that combines the pleasantness of a European City with the delight of a US City. I spent three months there last summer and plan to go back as soon as I can. There is so much to do, so many places to see it would take a lifetime. In my opinion on Boston, I am only going to give some essential information about it and some of my favourite things about it, but it is still quite long. If you plan to go to Boston, try and spend as much time as possible!! Believe me its worth it!!
Most people will in arrive in Boston through Logan International Airport. There are a number of ways out of the airport to the city, but the cheapest is by using the MBTA transport system. The MBTA or “The T” as it is commonly known, is Boston’s (mainly) underground transport system. It is THE only way to travel around the city. It costs $1 for each ride on the T, but I would advise buying a visitors pass. Last summer, the price was $11 for three days and $20 for 7 days (as far as I can remember). These are quite good value - visitors will use the T an awful lot and T stations are located all around the city and in most of the suburbs too. The passes can be bought from a number of the larger T stations (Park Street, North Station and Hynes Convention Centre are three that I remember sold them). If you don’t use a pass, make sure you have coins, as they don’t always accept dollar bills.
A point to note: T drivers / T Station workers are probably the least friendly people you will meet in Boston so
if you have any queries, the locals are probably the best people to approach. For more information on the T visit http://www.mbta.com where you can also download a free map of the T.
This would be an area that I have the least amount of information as I rented an apartment for the time I spent there. If you are on a limited budget, there are a number of short-stay hostels in the city. The “Hostelling International” hostel is one that I stayed in for my first night. It was quite hot (no air-conditioning) and about six people were in the room. It cost $25 for the night, but that included a free breakfast (in the Dunkin Donuts around the corner). This hostel is quite centrally located and there is a T stop about 2 minutes walk from it. It is located in Back Bay, which is an upmarket area of Boston and is very safe day or night. Most of the local residents are students from the nearby Northeastern University and Berkley College of Music. If you are looking for somewhere more private or luxuries, there are a number of hotels in the city and http://www.boston.com is always a good place to look for information on anything related to the city.
~ ~ ~ Shopping ~ ~ ~
Boston is a good place for shopping, especially since there is no sales tax on clothes or food (that hasn’t been prepared by someone in-store). Sales tax on all other products is 5%. Shopping for most things apart from clothes is quite expensive so don’t bother!! A good place to start shopping is Downtown Crossing. To get there, take the Green T line to Park Street or the Orange or Red Line to Downtown Crossing (The red line also goes to Park Street). If you are coming from the Airport, change for the Green Line at Government Centre. At Downtown Crossing, you will find department stores such as Macy’s and Filene’s. If you are looking for clothing bargains, try Filene’s Basement (massive savings if you are willing to give time to search) and Marshall’s.
If you are looking for something to eat while shopping here, there is a food court (you will see the big signs), which has a range of places to eat from Dunkin Donuts to Japanese to Pizzas, etc. For music bargains go to Strawberry Records. If you go up to the 5th floor there is a huge selection of Second-hand CDs (in really good condition) at amazing prices.
If you are looking for expensive designer clothes, the place to go is Newbury Street (Take the Green Line to Copley). And if you want to see a great American mall, try Cambridgeside Galleria (take the Green Line to Lechmere), which is a great way to spend an afternoon.
~ ~ ~ Site-Seeing ~ ~ ~
If you are tired of shopping and want to see a bit of the city, the first stop should be Copley Square (Green Line to Copley). Once you come out of the T-Station, you will see the John Hancock tower – the tallest skyscraper in Massachusetts. Looking at it alone from the ground is good enough, but go to the Observation Deck and will be able to see all the City (and beyond on a clear day). Just outside Copley Square is the Prudential, another tall skyscraper with an extraordinary view. My advice is to go up to the top of the Prudential at daytime and the Hancock at night. (I did both at day and night!!) The Hancock observatory has other interesting things to look at and do, so if you only go to one, the Hancock is a better option!
No visit to Boston is complete without a visit to Harvard. Well technically it is in Cambridge, not Boston, but lets not get technical! To get to Harvard take the Red Line to Harvard. There are free tours all day long around Harvard by Harvard students, so that’s definitely worthwhile. If you would recommend you go in the evening time to Harvard Square. There is a bagel place called Au Bon Pain (they are all over the place) that stays open until midnight (great Peach Iced Tea, by the way!) with outdoor seats. There is always musicians of some sort (I’ve seen folk singers, a Beatles tribute band and native African drummers) busking and always attract a large crowd. The atmosphere at night is great and there are also some nice gift shops around.
A great place for a meal just outside Harvard Square is the Border Café. They serve mainly Mexican / Texan / Louisiana Style food. It is really delicious and very reasonable and you get free nachos and dip and free refills on soft drinks. It is quite busy but if the place is full, they give u a pager and page you when seats are available (how American). The food comes really quickly and the service is great.
If you like museums OR if you like to have a laugh, I would definitely recommend a visit to the Museum of Science (Green Line to Sciencepark). Be warned: you will need a long day there. There are amazing hands-on exhibits and great shows running every few minutes (one in particular recreates a lightning storm). I would recommend it to anytime of person and age. If you can’t make a full day, a visit to the museums IMAX Theatre, Planetarium or Laser Show is advisable.
For a good night out, go Bean Town Madness comedy night. It takes place in the basement of a pub called Remington’s (take the Green line to Boylston). Afterwards try a cocktail upstairs in Remington’s (not the Bloody Mary!!).
Most visitors to Boston go straight to Cheers (take the Green Line to Park Street). I’m telling you now not to bother going inside!! Take your pictures outside and leave!! It’s just an ordinary pub inside with an overpriced gift store!! When I was leaving Boston, a recreation of the inside of the Cheers bar was just opening at Quincy Market (Take the Green Line to Government Centre). But I expect that that would be really hard to get into and definitely overpriced!
If you have time to spare, a visit to Boston Common (Green Line to Park Street or Boylston) would be a nice idea. Boston Common is like the Central Park of Boston only it is nicer and cleaner than Central Park.
For an authentic Bostonian experience, a visit to a Boston Red Sox baseball game at Fenway Park would be perfect. Unfortunately, tickets are really hard to come by (Fenway Park is quite small and the Red Sox are huge!!).
If your time in Boston is very limited, a Duck Tour is a great way to see the city quickly. Be warned - they will make you quack!!
Ok there is a great deal more to say about Boston but I have already said so much! Just another point: if you are lost just as a local as they are really friendly – most of them. In my experience, if you look lost, a local will approach you anyway!! OK, I should really wrap up now … if you want any more information of Boston, don’t hesitate to ask me. Just promise me that you will visit there one day!!
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Jan 3rd, 2002
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