Boston, MA. What to do in short visit?

[97tbird]

We are going to Boston, MA for a 3 days visit. Always wanted to see Boston. Any good tips on what to do in Boston? -Good food? -Attractions? (Museums are not a big fav. of ours in general, but recc's still welcome). -We will be using public transport. Any feedback / suggestions on what to see/do in Boston are appreciated in advance.

 

[leeharvey418]

Quincy Market. Must do.

 

[OneEyeJack]

Used book stores.

 

[BISCUT]

Quincy Market for sure. Faneuil Hall good as well. Can always stop into CHEERS and get a Norm Burger (it's HUGE). Boston Aquarium is a solid bet as is the Children's Science Museum.

 

[97tbird]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack

Used book stores.

Thanks - any specific area in Boston we can go to for that? Will note Quincy Market for sure. Thanks

 

[barkingspider]

North end, best Italian food in Massachusetts. Mike's pastry has the best cannolis. The freedom walk, tons of history. The Duck tour is great for learning about the city. U can visit the original Cheers bar, I just had a beer just so I can say I did. Oh, and catch a game at Fenway park, it's over 100 years old. Have fun

 

[JHZR2]

Paul revere house, Quincy market, USS constitution. The constitution is the best thing, IMO.

 

[Phishin]

I was a student at Harvard Medical School. Here are a few suggestions: 1.) Spend a day riding around on the Freedom Trail trollies. Very informative, see most of everything, cheap, etc. 2.) There are 3 bars you must visit for a beer: Brick & Mortar, Stoddard's, and Sunset Grill and Tap. 3.) Go see the USS Constitution... aka, Old Ironsides

 

[flacoman]

+1 on Mike's bakery & North end

 

[Wolf359]

Bostonian here. Not sure what you like to do, as there's many options. You can check out Boston Common and the Public Gardens. At Copley, there's the marathon finish line along with a memorial for the bombing on the street, plus there's also the park there and the Prudential building has the skywalk for a view around Boston. I also like the McKim building at the Copley library, there's a lot of nice rooms in there and it's free. Also lots of people do the Duck Tours as it also goes into the water of the Charles river. You could also take the T to Harvard square.

 

[Corvette Owner]

The duck boat tour +1

 

[Vikas]

Don't miss Duck Tour even if it costs half of your travel budget! Castle Island is also great place to spend half day. If you are there on a weekend, you can take the tour of Fort Independence. I was completely shocked to find such a nice place absolutely free (including parking which I could not believe at all) right in the heart of Boston. Oh, the seafood shack serves wonderful food. The island is actually connected.

 

[strat81]

Originally Posted By: barkingspider

Oh, and catch a game at Fenway park, it's over 100 years old.

That.

 

[ronbo]

In Boston decades ago in 1978. Prudential tower was good, but heard price are now high. Boston harbor tour, ladies and gentlemen to our left is the oldest Us Navy commissioned warship, the USS Constitution, everyone cheers and claps. Then took a tour of the USS Constitution and the tour guide was asked, how much of the ship is original, he claimed 5%, basically the keel. Heard they now think it's 10-15% original. The JFK Presidential Library, saw it in the 80's, is on the Boston harbor on the University of Mass campus. A great building/location by noted architect I.M.Pei with a wall of windows to the harbor. The library itself did not impress me. Kimbell's Farm, about 35 miles west of Boston. Country road then a cop directing traffic and 15 windows with 10 people deep serving a huge amount of ice cream for a reasonable amount of money. link: http://www.kimballfarm.com/ Great dunes on Cape Cod is impressive, I almost got lost on them and Province Town at the tip is OK and touristy.

 

[babbittd]

Originally Posted By: 97tbird

We are going to Boston, MA for a 3 days visit. Always wanted to see Boston. -We will be using public transport.

Don't. Walk around the city as much as you can. You can see a [censored] of a lot if it, geographically Boston is not very big and there are no hills to slow you down. You might regret spending any of that time in a stifling hot MBTA station.

 

[Jarlaxle]

If you have kids (or even if not), the Museum of Science is pretty cool. Not far from the Constitution. (Green line, Science Park stop.) Duck Boats stop there, I think the tour starts or ends there. If you want to go to Fenway (Green Line, Kenmore Square stop), the Seattle Mariners are in town this weekend...Sox go on the road Monday. The Cask & Flagon is near Fenway Park. When you going?

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: Corvette Owner

The duck boat tour +1

I was also going to say this. Having said that, I have only done the duck boat tours in Baltimore and Philadelphia.

 

[97tbird]

Thanks VERY MUCH for all suggestions. Some info for questions asked: no kids will leave in 2-3 weeks (I think) not sports fans willing to walk, don't ALWAYS have to take public transport. Keep them coming! (wifey also says thanks, BITOG! ; despite being great at researching stuff like this, she always values feedback from ppl who have already been to a destination or are from there )

 

[Wolf359]

Well I guess there's shopping, walk up and down Newbury street starting from the Public Gardens. There's swan boats there too, but not much of a ride if you don't have kids. Copley Place also have a lot of nice stores. You can also wander around Beacon Hill some shopping on Charles and Cambridge street.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Driving in or flying in? Where are you staying? (I'm not asking you to post the address, just the neighborhood and/or nearest main street.)