Hi Guys,

Its actually WZ1 here on my new screename, i got put in the brig on the other one for some comments at UPC..

Anyhow i am going to Boston on the 7th of August and would like to hear some suggestions on where to eat, places to see as well as good places to take photos of the skyline. Could you guys give me some tips and suggestions on the area and its attractions?

Thanks

Matt

Hello

Some good vantage points for skyline photos:
-From Logan Airport Hyatt Haborside Hotel.
-Blue Hills Reservation
-MIT on the Charles River in Cambridge
-Bunker Hill Monument
-Prudential Center Skywalk
-Christopher Columbus Park in downtown on the waterfront
-Approching Boston from the northwest on Rt. 2
-Public Garden/Boston Common

Good restaurants that I have been to, but a local may be able to give you a much better list:
-Joes American Bar and Grill on the waterfront
-Vinnie T's on Boyleston across from the Prudential Ctr
-P F Changs near the Park Plaza

Things to do:
-Definitly do a Duck Tour (amphibious vehicle tour)
-Fanueil Hall/Quincy Market
-walk around the Back Bay (Newbury St, Commonwealth Ave)
-Public Garden
-Prudential Center Skywalk

Hope this helps a bit!

Definitely check out the Union Oyster House (http://www.unionoysterhouse.com/) for the best raw bar in the United States. Or if you don't like oysters on the half shell, then any of the Legal Seafoods (http://www.legalseafoods.com/) will do just fine - I particularly like the Copley Place one, and make sure to order the clam chowder.

I second the Duck Tour (http://www.bostonducktours.com/) idea; there's no better, all-around tour of the city.

Make sure to walk - WALK - through the North End (http://www.northendboston.com/) and Beacon Hill (http://www.beaconhillonline.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi). The North End has arguably the best collection of Italian cafes and bistros in the US, all within the oldest part of Boston (many of the cafes are located in buildings around 300 years old). Beacon Hill is best at twilight, when the authentic gas lamps installed over 100 years ago come on. While in the North End, do not miss Pizzeria Regina (http://www.polcaris.com/pizzeriaregina.htm) or Mike's Pastry (http://www.mikespastry.com/) shop!! Mike's has the best cannolis in the Western Hemisphere. I shit you not, I have come within a couple more sips of White Russian of paying the outrageous shipping for overnighting a dozen of Mike's cannolis to Tokyo.

The best skyline views can be had at the Prudential Center's Skywalk (http://www.prudentialcenter.com/play/skywalk.html), the Bunker Hill Monument (http://www.nps.gov/bost/Bunker_Hill.htm) in Charlestown, and from along Memorial Drive in Cambridge.

If you're like me and you really enjoy art, the MFA (http://www.mfa.org/) is considered to be one of the US's top 5 museums. Make sure to see the extensive Sargent, Hopper and Winslow Homer collections. My all-time favorite painting, Renoir's Dance at Bougival, is housed at the MFA.

Check out Fenway Park if you even have a passing interest in baseball, but don't bother looking to buy tickets; the rest of the season is sold out.

And I'm going to have to steer you away from Vinnie Testa's. The portions are obnoxious and the quality is only mediocre. You will find far, far better Italian restaurants in the North End.

Union Oyster House?! No! Try B&G Oysters on Tremont, assuming you like oysters.

What suggestions do you want? Nightlife and things to do during the day?

Check out Fenway Park if you even have a passing interest in baseball, but don't bother looking to buy tickets; the rest of the season is sold out.


Everyday of a 7pm game, redsox.com releases tickets starting at noon, 2oclock, and then all afternoon. I do this all the time. Buy them at 2 and pick them up at the box office at 5. Craigslist.com is loaded with sox tix as well. Very easy to get tickets.

Everyday of a 7pm game, redsox.com releases tickets starting at noon, 2oclock, and then all afternoon. I do this all the time. Buy them at 2 and pick them up at the box office at 5. Craigslist.com is loaded with sox tix as well. Very easy to get tickets.

It was a rhetorical statement ;).

Ahhh....where to start

Harvard Square
Harvard Yard
(nearby eat at Dolphin Seafood on Mass Ave)
MIT Campus
Beacon Hill
Charles Street
Back Bay
Newbury Street (there is a pizza joint in a basement called Newbury Pizza that does a decent pie and has a great meatball sub)
Boston Common / Garden (not the arena)
Downtown Crossing
North End
South End
Bunker Hill
Christian Science Center (its not the same as Scientology)
Quincy Market (some touristy stuff is good to do too)

You can take the blue line into the city directly form the airport. Take the green line a few places. It is fun to ride. The red line goes to Havrad and Cambridge

It really depends on what you want to do....

Get lost in the North End and you will think you are in Europe.

Newbury Street is the best street to stroll for the sake of strolling and shopping if you have cash to burn.

If you like to be crammed shoulder to shoulder with tourists go to Fanuiel Hall/Quincy Market.....or if you want to be crammed shoulder to shoulder with an odd mix of locals go to Washington St. at downtown crossing.

Beacon Hill is charming, but IMO not especially exciting.

Harvard Square is the quintessential "college" town, though there won't be as many students when you are there....still kinda cool, and you can stroll through Harvard just to say you've done it.

Most people will tell you to go to Pizzeria Regina, but there is another place to go that blows it out of the water IMO....though that's heresy around here, so I'll keep my mouth shut unless you want to know.

Boston Common is fine, but any grand park is a let down IMO after Central Park in NYC.

If you are looking for something REALLY old (which is why people visit Boston) check out the graveyard at School and Tremont sts, or there is one up in the North End.....I'm pretty sure there are graves from the 1600's in both.

If you are interested in anything less touristy, let me know and I'll try to help out.

Most people will tell you to go to Pizzeria Regina, but there is another place to go that blows it out of the water IMO....though that's heresy around here, so I'll keep my mouth shut unless you want to know.


I wanna know! What pizza is better? I'd love to find a better slice.....although that could be dangerous.

If you want good restaurants go to Tremont Street in the south end. My suggestions would be B&G Oyster House, The Butcher Shop or Pho Republique. You can also walk around Shawmut Ave and Washington St. in the south end. There's a lot of new shops opening up. Also, take the red line to South Station and walk over to the boardwalk by The Chidren's Museum. There's a nice view of the Boston skyline. The new ICA is down there. It hasn't opened yet, but there is some new publc art around the bridges. From this area you could walk along the waterfront over to the North End and grab that slice of pizza or a great Italian dinner. My suggestins for North End restaurants are: Giacomo's, Pomodoro or Assagio. Go to Mike's Pastry after that for Italian desert....I don't eat as much as it sounds.

Alright....since you asked....try Sorriso's on South St. in the Leather District.....its a full sit down Italian and kinda pricey, but it is beyond worth it.....go on Monday night and it's $5 pizzas (though you can't do to-go to get the $5 deal). It was dangerous for me to find that place.....

Alright....since you asked....try Sorriso's on South St. in the Leather District.....its a full sit down Italian and kinda pricey, but it is beyond worth it.....go on Monday night and it's $5 pizzas (though you can't do to-go to get the $5 deal). It was dangerous for me to find that place.....Thanks, I'm already planning my Monday night! You know who else does a good pizza? Anchovie's on Tremont St. in The South End. It's also a great atmosphere.

There's a thread where I posted some of my thoughts on visiting Boston, instead of copying, I'll just link. A lot of it has already been posted, but you might find some of it useful.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=335405

Thanks, I'm already planning my Monday night! You know who else does a good pizza? Anchovie's on Tremont St. in The South End. It's also a great atmosphere.

I haven't tried those two places, I'll have to check them out. Another place, I think that's better than Regina's (I know, Blasphemy!) is Ernesto's in the North End. It's on Salem Street, it's the best pizza I've ever had. It's nothing fancy, you can drop by and try a slice or take a pie to go. Trust me, It's worth the stop. Plus it's in the North End, so if you don't like the slice you tried (and you will) you can just walk over to Regina's.

Ernesto's is amazing!

You should also visit Boston's underrated Chinatown.

Thanks Guys! Got my old ID back!

You need to take a stroll along the Charles River too.

Im really excited with all the great suggestions! I have my camera and a extra battery all charged up ready to go!

Are you coming today? It's gonna be wicked haht!

Are you coming today? It's gonna be wicked haht!


Saturday actually.. going to Ottawa and Montreal first.. have to drive down!

Ah, that should be a nice drive. I love Montreal. Hopefully the heat will break before you arrive. If you have any more questions ask away! I think you'll like the city.

I ate seafood at a restaurant called The Black Rose and enjoyed it a lot.

Saturday actually.. going to Ottawa and Montreal first.. have to drive down!
I'll wave to you on the 7th as I will be heading back to Toronto from Boston.

One thing that I would encourage is walking as much as possible. The T (subway) goes to most every place worth visiting, but so much of the city really exists just around the corner. It really is a special city that way, much like New York and maybe D.C., that there are more than just sites to visit, there are places to explore.

You might end up in a Chinatown shop where there they butcher live birds, or amazing pizza at some unassuming place, or a shop or bar crammed into a nook that isn't big enough to turn around in, or a place so old (by American standards) that you're left in a slight awe.....it's a real city where things exist for a reason, not for some 21st century concept of "new urbanism". Explore it.

i know it's late, but for people reading this thread who plan to visit boston, try pizza at Santarpio's