Questions about Boston

[JUSTIFIEDhomicide]

I'm heading there tomorrow to visit a friend for the 4th and hang out. Anything I definitely need to check out when I'm there? I know fenway obv, but anything else? What's the good food there? Historic arts or museums? Parks? Bars?

Thanks in advance.

[JUSTIFIEDhomicide]

Also, do you need a car there? Is the subway filth? What's the best way to get around sans a car

[JimmyG_415]

Also, do you need a car there? Is the subway filth? What's the best way to get around sans a car

I've been there 2 times, and obv get more opinions, but I'd say the public transportation is absolutely excellent.
I don't remember how clean, which is probably good, but it was fast as hell.
I was getting around town like nothing.

Heard the 4th there is like no other.

[Steve-O]

Public transit is decent --safe but not overly on time or regular. Should have no trouble getting around this way and it's pretty cheap. Taxis are everywhere if you're in a bind or go to far off the beaten path

If you are here for the 4th I would suggest going to the esplanade for the 4th Fireworks --it's insanely busy and cramped, and you have to get there early, but its a good bucket list thing to do at least once

If you want a good bar scene stay down by fenway and into the college area, lot of good bars and spots there, depending on what you are into there is something for everything: Here is one I used to frequent http://www.theplaceboston.com/ and there was a place hidden across the street called The Black Rhino which closed but is probably open under a new name (first floor was bar, second floor was dining and hanging out, third floor was a dance club. These are all in what is known as The Financial District, I think on Broad Street. From there you can ask the locals where else they go

If Musuems are your thing the Museum of Fine arts is really good, Gardner museum is here too, Museum of science is more kid oriented

Definitely take a walk down Newbury Street (high-end) and check out Fanueil Hall for the local merchants and just to walk around. If you want a good meal go to the North End (Italian) and the waterfront has some decent seafood places --your friend should know where to eat, but if you want a specific food just let me know on here and I'll give you my recommendations

[chinamaniac]

Public transportation is ok but I would go to priceline and grab a cheap car for at least a portion of the trip. Make sure to bring a GPS as well

Must sees/eats

1. http://www.santarpiospizza.com/

best Pizza I have had in my life. Do not fuck up and get anything but the cheese pizza. Go to East Boston location too obv. Grab some tips or sausage for apps too

2. http://www.mos.org/exhibits_shows/imax

Def hit the museum of science and get a pass to check out museum and watch one of these shows as they are bomb


3. http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/metroboston/castle.htm

Def hit up castle island for a nice walk and some hot dogs at sullivans. be sure to bring a camera as there are some nice sites there as well. Carson beach is right there as well so you can chill on the beach for the day. There are tours of the castle but they may only be on weekends

4. http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/tour.jsp

Fenway park tour is a must. Also the Yankees are in town this weekend so you could always hit up a game

5. http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/

good little tour I have yet to do but heard it is aight

6. http://www.annastaqueria.com/

Great tacos and burritos

7. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...achusetts.html

Def hit the north end for some fine Italian eatery. Reginas Pizza is very comparable to San Tarpios

8. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...achusetts.html

9. Stay out of Roxbury

Will come up with more later. If you get a car and feel like venturing out of the city let me know. I can suggest some cool shit in New Hampshire. Like it will be a 2.5-3hr drive but you can't beat a day/night in White Mountains and can graqb a cabin for $100 or less usually


http://www.visitwhitemountains.com/

very scenic and awesome views all over.

Highly suggest the moose tour if you make it to the white mountains. basically you hop on a bus and they take you all over the white mountains and they have been spotting up to 10 moose per night and about 1 black bear every 2 nights. Basically they just cruise around moose country with a flood light and you can get out and get semi close to the moose etc. 10/10

http://www.moosetoursnh.com/

[chinamaniac]

Public transit is decent --safe but not overly on time or regular. Should have no trouble getting around this way and it's pretty cheap. Taxis are everywhere if you're in a bind or go to far off the beaten path

If you are here for the 4th I would suggest going to the esplanade for the 4th Fireworks --it's insanely busy and cramped, and you have to get there early, but its a good bucket list thing to do at least once

If you want a good bar scene stay down by fenway and into the college area, lot of good bars and spots there, depending on what you are into there is something for everything: Here is one I used to frequent http://www.theplaceboston.com/

I have some great contacts at the place. If you hit up the place let me know

[Steve-O]

9. Stay out of Roxbury

You forgot Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, Parts of Southie....

Also, it's very easy to get lost in the city even though it's not overly big so if you do get a car definitiely get a GPS; one wrong turn and you'll find yourself outside the city and having to turn around (and pay the toll again) or on the $5 toll road to the airport.

[JimmyG_415]

Guess I was wrong on the public transportation.
Must've had some good days,
I was amazed at how quick I got around on the subway.

[JUSTIFIEDhomicide]

Thanks a lot guys. Def gotta hit up fenway. if anyone is in the area I will def goto a game. Let me know!!!

Can't wait to see Boston. It's one of the few cities in America I haven't fully explored.

The bad areas you listed, what are they? Black, Spanish, Irish? I kinda make it a point to see a ghetto in each city. So, let me know which one is the worst. I'd like to go check it out,

Thanks again! China lets do something. Stick around this week/weekend!

[Dan Druff]

Went on a Fenway Park tour about 5 years ago, was decent but expensive and short compared to the one I got from the Padres. The Padres tour was $9 and came with a free hat, and you saw a lot more. Of course, you probably get a better value from the Padres because they suck.

I did the Freedom Trail also. Not super exciting, but interesting if you somewhat enjoy history.

Subway worked out well. I did not see any safety concerns on it, and it was pretty clean.

Not sure how much you are willing to spend on hotels, but Hotel Commonwealth was excellent. I got it for $265/night, it had a nice view of Fenway, and it was a class, five-star type establishment. Other hotels in the area, which weren't as nice, were charging $300-$400, so this one was a no-brainer. It also had a great location, just behind Fenway, and right next to the subway station. Not sure if it's still as good, or if the prices have gone up, but this place definitely impressed me.

[superallah]

Went on a Fenway Park tour about 5 years ago, was decent but expensive and short compared to the one I got from the Padres. The Padres tour was $9 and came with a free hat, and you saw a lot more. Of course, you probably get a better value from the Padres because they suck.

I did the Freedom Trail also. Not super exciting, but interesting if you somewhat enjoy history.

Subway worked out well. I did not see any safety concerns on it, and it was pretty clean.

Not sure how much you are willing to spend on hotels, but Hotel Commonwealth was excellent. I got it for $265/night, it had a nice view of Fenway, and it was a class, five-star type establishment. Other hotels in the area, which weren't as nice, were charging $300-$400, so this one was a no-brainer. It also had a great location, just behind Fenway, and right next to the subway station. Not sure if it's still as good, or if the prices have gone up, but this place definitely impressed me.

[Steve-O]

Thanks a lot guys. Def gotta hit up fenway. if anyone is in the area I will def goto a game. Let me know!!!

Can't wait to see Boston. It's one of the few cities in America I haven't fully explored.

The bad areas you listed, what are they? Black, Spanish, Irish? I kinda make it a point to see a ghetto in each city. So, let me know which one is the worst. I'd like to go check it out,

Thanks again! China lets do something. Stick around this week/weekend!

Roxbury is predominately black and latino, Southie is Irish (10 years ago you were guaranteed to get in a fight in Southie if you visited. now it's a bit nicer, but the local element still doesn't like outsiders)

[Steve-O]

Went on a Fenway Park tour about 5 years ago, was decent but expensive and short compared to the one I got from the Padres. The Padres tour was $9 and came with a free hat, and you saw a lot more. Of course, you probably get a better value from the Padres because they suck.

I did the Freedom Trail also. Not super exciting, but interesting if you somewhat enjoy history.

Subway worked out well. I did not see any safety concerns on it, and it was pretty clean.

Not sure how much you are willing to spend on hotels, but Hotel Commonwealth was excellent. I got it for $265/night, it had a nice view of Fenway, and it was a class, five-star type establishment. Other hotels in the area, which weren't as nice, were charging $300-$400, so this one was a no-brainer. It also had a great location, just behind Fenway, and right next to the subway station. Not sure if it's still as good, or if the prices have gone up, but this place definitely impressed me.

I agree with this. If you're only here for a limited time your time could be spent in far better places than going on the Fenway Tour, and moreso the Freedom Trail. If you want to go to Fenway just go to a game, StubHub has tickets super cheap. They also have those Duck Boat tours that a lot of people seem to like. Seems like a good way to see the city in an hour or two.

[SixToedPete]

Excellent suggestions in this thread.

My thoughts:

Public transportation is excellent, clean and safe. Streetcars, subway and buses.

Renting a car is OK but be aware that parking is scarce and very expensive. GPS is a must if you are not familiar with Boston.

Parts of Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan are unsafe. Southie is a very safe neighborhood.

Marlborough St. in Back Bay is worth a visit. One of the few streets in US that still has gas street lamps.

Santarpio's and Regina's (original North End location) serve best pizza as was mentioned earlier. As you drive into Boston from Logan Airport you can see Santarpio's below the highway in East Boston.

Enjoy a walk along the waterfront.

Visit the Boston Public Garden across from The Ritz Carlton. Take a Swan Boat ride.

Visit the North End, Seal Park...in some areas there you will think you're in Italy.

Museum of Fine Arts.

Have fun.

[Steve-O]

Excellent suggestions in this thread.

My thoughts:

Public transportation is excellent, clean and safe. Streetcars, subway and buses.

Renting a car is OK but be aware that parking is scarce and very expensive. GPS is a must if you are not familiar with Boston.

Parts of Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan are unsafe. Southie is a very safe neighborhood.

Marlborough St. in Back Bay is worth a visit. One of the few streets in US that still has gas street lamps.

Santarpio's and Regina's (original North End location) serve best pizza as was mentioned earlier. As you drive into Boston from Logan Airport you can see Santarpio's below the highway in East Boston.

Enjoy a walk along the waterfront.

Visit the Boston Public Garden across from The Ritz Carlton. Take a Swan Boat ride.

Visit the North End, Seal Park...in some areas there you will think you're in Italy.

Museum of Fine Arts.

Have fun.

Me and Pete are kindred spirits of sorts, MFA FTW! the public gardens are awesone too, totally forgot about that. I will disagree on one point: Southie streets are pretty safe, Southie bars are a different story. You won't get shot, bt if you act the fool you better be good with your hands

[SixToedPete]

Excellent suggestions in this thread.

My thoughts:

Public transportation is excellent, clean and safe. Streetcars, subway and buses.

Renting a car is OK but be aware that parking is scarce and very expensive. GPS is a must if you are not familiar with Boston.

Parts of Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan are unsafe. Southie is a very safe neighborhood.

Marlborough St. in Back Bay is worth a visit. One of the few streets in US that still has gas street lamps.

Santarpio's and Regina's (original North End location) serve best pizza as was mentioned earlier. As you drive into Boston from Logan Airport you can see Santarpio's below the highway in East Boston.

Enjoy a walk along the waterfront.

Visit the Boston Public Garden across from The Ritz Carlton. Take a Swan Boat ride.

Visit the North End, Seal Park...in some areas there you will think you're in Italy.

Museum of Fine Arts.

Have fun.

Me and Pete are kindred spirits of sorts, MFA FTW! the public gardens are awesone too, totally forgot about that. I will disagree on one point: Southie streets are pretty safe, Southie bars are a different story. You won't get shot, bt if you act the fool you better be good with your hands

Well, that might be true in a Southie Bucket of Blood but it applies to all dives no matter the neighborhood. That said, you are correct to point that some Southie bar patrons are particularly ruthless.

I lived in Southie for 12 years. Years ago I dropped into an Andrew Square tavern of questionable repute. I was enjoying a cold beer, playing a few hands of Keno and watching some sporting event on an old TV in the corner of the bar.

Later, a guy I knew asked me to shoot darts. Soon several guys wanted to play so I suggested putting some money on the action. They all agreed.

The thing is, I knew my acquaintance was a very good dart player. I didn't shoot for money but I staked him and made side bets on him against all comers. A few hours later, I had @$400 in winnings stuffed in my pocket.

Everyone was friendly, everyone was cool. I went to the bar, took a swig from my bottle of beer and immediately knew something was very wrong.

Someone had slipped a Mickey into my beer bottle. I had only taken one gulp but felt like I was going to pass out. It took every ounce of strength and determination I had to stand up from the bar stool and stagger out the door.

I knew what the losers had done, so handicapped as I was, I had to keep moving. Outside, the blast of cold air helped so I ran as best I could. I don't know how I did it but I made it home, puked my guts out and started to feel a little better.

I checked my pocket and realized I still had all the cash. Those fuckers never got me or my money.

I slept for almost 12 hours but awoke with a smile.

[Shizzmoney]

Parts of Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan are unsafe.

Sorry didn't get to this sooner.

Yeah, if the street says "Humboldt" or "Malcolm X Blvd" or "Blue Hill Ave" and you are white........bounce

http://www.mbta.com is the public transit lines. I use NextBus on my phone to get around.

Another cool place to check out is the Cambridge/Somerville area. Lots of unique bars/pubs....big for foodies.

I live in Allston, so I recommend Deep Ellum (Pub) or Lone Star (Tequila bar). Next to each other, both very good.

[Kuntmissioner]

Might want to check out Hyde Park, which has become Boston's Haitian neighborhood.

Chinatown. Small area, but great cheap food. (I recommend 163 Vietnamese Sandwich on Harrison Ave. Spicy BBQ Beef Banh Mi, $4 ftw.)

The MBTA is solid, you'll likely have zero issues.

Homicide, where are you staying? That info could help with recommendations.

[GrenadaRoger]

Top of the Hancock Tower, there used to be a penthouse viewing room with arrows pointing to the location of the events from the revolutionary war....Boston Massacre, the Tea Party, Paul Revere's ride, Battle at Bunker Hill...also, a scale model showing what Boston looked like back then, before the bay was filled in....don't know the Hancock Tower room its still there...if it is see in because in about 1/2 hour you can see where those events happened without having to walk but a few steps

[unchainedghost]

as a tourist there is 99% chance that you wont see any of the "bad" parts of boston. there is no reason at all to stop in roxbury for anything.
you might drive through part of it if you are going to a non touristy destination but there will be no reason to get out of the car. if you are on a public transportation bus in roxbury you are doing it wrong.

dorchester is fine as long as you are in the white parts, even the asian, black parts are not horrible. the only real horrible part of dorchester is the area that is bordering roxbury. thats where all the savages live.

if you were to take a driving tour through all the different sections of boston it would make you realize that this is still a pretty segregated city.

use the subway, red line, green line and orange line if you need it.
go to cambridge and check out harvard square, the north end, go to castle island, stay out of fanueil hall for food and walk the city its pretty small.

ignore all advice about southie, it is perfectly safe and unless you start shit with someone you will be fine.