Boston recommendations? « Hellobee Boards

Boston recommendations?

By meredithNYC May 22, 2013

My husband and I are planning on taking a weekend trip to Boston mid-June. We are in Stamford, so it will be a nice and easy train trip and we're leaving LO with her grandparents.

Sadly, I have never been to Boston so I have no idea where to stay. Could any Boston bees recommend a nice area to stay? For reference, when we lived in New York we lived in the East Village, Gramercy Park and Brooklyn. We're definitely not into anything too touristy and appreciate good local restaurants and bars, probably more than we care about sightseeing.

Also, any must see destinations?

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22 comments

rachiecakes
coconut / 8279 posts

May 22, 2013

I'm such a Bostonian, love my city

If you were to stay in the city, I'd probably do the Hotel Commonwealth right in the center of Kenmore. It's beautiful, has a great restaurant and is right in the action. Walk to Newbury Street and the Boston Common. Right around the corner from the ballpark so if the timing was right you could catch a game (cheap last minute download tickets on StubHub) or watch a game in one of the many bars.

I live over by Harvard Square Cambridge and also love the Charles Hotel. It's right on the T, fun to walk around, shop, eat, people watch. The hotel is great, has a Legal Seafoods with an outdoor patio. I love to walk around the square and sit outside and have drinks when it's nice outside.

Check out Boston.com for events going on the weekend you'll be here, there are fun weekend festivals throughout the summer.

The Ames Hotel is also really pretty and has a great restaurant.
maybebaby
nectarine / 2177 posts

May 22, 2013

I don't know about where to stay, but for sight seeing my favorite museum (and art history is my field) is the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum--such a funky, amazing collection if you are into art/artifacts/architecture.

For fun bar-hopping, try Drink in the Seaport District. It is a prohibition style underground bar--you head in tell them what you're into and they make up an amazing concoction based on your preferences. http://drinkfortpoint.com/

If you are downtown there is a fun kind of hipsterish bar called JM Curleys--great drinks and food. http://jmcurleyboston.com/

A fun night out would be hitting up dinner in Harvard Sq. (Russel House Tavern, Upstairs on the Square or Parc woud be my picks) and then going to a comedy club right in the square--they have nightly talent, usually 5-6 comics a night and most of them are pretty good! You can order Chinese food and cocktails at the comedy club. http://www.thecomedystudio.com/

The North End is beautiful, historic, and packed with tons of great food. Check out Chowhound for good recs and be sure to get a cannoli from Mike's Pastry.

I will let you know if I think of anything else
yoursilverlining
eggplant / 11824 posts

May 22, 2013

Our favorite Boston hotel is the Fairmont at Copley Plaza. There is also a Fairmont at the Wharf (right by the acquarium), but the Copley Plaza one is a lot nicer. There is a steakhouse on site there that serves martinis the size of fishbowls!
IcebergMom
persimmon / 1295 posts

May 23, 2013

Subscribing! We are going for a week in September!
Mrs D
grapefruit / 4545 posts

May 23, 2013

I lived in Boston from 2005-2008 so I may have some dated feedback but here would be my suggestions.

Hotels: Copley Fairmont as @yoursilverlining: mentioned is quite nice and a great location. I also like some of the hotels in the seaport district because they are by the water. For a cheaper (usually) option there is a holiday inn and courtyard (I think) out in Brookline on Beacon street - I lived in Brookline so I was always partial to going back to my stomping grounds.

Food: There are so many amazing restaurants you just cant go wrong! Since I haven't lived there in a few years I will defer to others with the exception of a few amazing places. Zaftigs in Brookline is an amazing brunch spot. Stephanie's on Newbury is a bit touristy but the food and atmosphere is still great for brunch. The north end has some of the best Italian food I have had outside of Italy. My top recommendation for the area (and probably for the city) is Trattoria di Monica - unreal food. DH and I still talk about it a year later. Mike's pastry's is a great grab and go dessert spot.

Bars: I am probably out of touch on this area so I'll limit my recommendation to grabbing a drink at the top of the hub for a killer view of the city (top of the pru building)

To do: Cant go wrong with a Sox game - the vibe at Fenway is second to none. Harpoon Brewery has a great tour that I always enjoy doing (I hear the same about Sam Adams). As for what else to do - when people came to visit me I always told them to just walk the freedom trail (its free and easily marked) and pop into what ever peaks your interest!

Have a great time - I just LOVE Boston...I only lived there for a short time period in the grand scheme of my life but the city just got into my blood and I miss it deeply!
MSBartlett
olive / 73 posts

May 23, 2013

I love living in Boston! I would recommend staying near the Copley Plaza area. There are so many hotels that you cannot go wrong with the area. It is a nice central area so you could practically walk around anywhere if the weather is nice or quickly jump on the T for short subway ride. Another choice is that I would recommend the Boston Harbor Hotel or Long Wharf Marriott if you were interested in being near the water. There are so many restaurants and places to go that it is not difficult to find any non-tourist type of places. Plus, many of the 'tourist' places locals go to all the time as well. I would agree with @Rachiecakes on most of her comments as well. Definitely check out Boston.com or Improper.com and I am a BIG Red Sox fan so if you are interested in a game go to StubHub, Ace Tickets, or the day of you could find tickets on Craigslist (that is how I purchase my tickets everytime!). Ticket prices this year are definitely reasonable so it is a very affordable event to go to.
Thenetexan
apricot / 355 posts

May 23, 2013

I lived there for two years, 7 years ago. Only one of my favorites has held up over the years. I go any time I am back and always recommend it. A friend ate there marathon weekend and loved it, so i feel confident that it is still amazing. And @mrs d, also recommended it; Monica's in the North End. MThere are two, the one at 67 Prince Street (that address is commited to memory) is tiny and charming, like you would expect in an Italian neighborhood. The other has the same amazing food, but is bigger. Once inside, it feels like you could be at a nice Italian restaurant anywhere. They did not take reservations when we lived there, but I think they do now. It is TINY, so try to make reservations if you decide to go.
Mrs D
grapefruit / 4545 posts

May 23, 2013

@Thenetexan: OMG I am so glad to hear they opened another location. We were there last year and were able to get reservations - however because the place is so small (which really adds to the atmosphere as you mentioned) we still were seated an hour after our reservation time! The food was so amazing though!
mrs. wagon
blogger / watermelon / 14218 posts

May 23, 2013

I love my city!!!

I love the hotel recommendations (especially Hotel Commonwealth). If you really want to be in the middle of it all, anywhere in the Copley area would be great. Easy walking distance to the Copley/Prudential mall, Newbury street, Boston Common, Back Bay, South End... the possibilities are endless. Then you can hop right on the T (subway) to visit other destinations like Harvard Square.

For a wedding at the Boston Public Library I stayed at the Lenox two nights and it was AMAZING.

Hah-- I just read that you are leaving LO behind!! Woohoo!! I hope you enjoy your romantic weekend away, that's awesome!!
brady80
kiwi / 589 posts

May 23, 2013

The Beehive in the south end has a great jazz brunch. I also love the SOWA market (food trucks, art/crafts, farmers market) on sundays (also in the south end)
If you're into seafood, the daily catch (one in Brookline or North End) or summer shack are our favorites.
I lived in the North End for many years and prefer Modern Pastry over Mike's, there is usually a line at both!

I know you aren't into touristy things, but if you change your mind a duck tour is a great way to see the city and learn some of the history, they leave from copley and the museum of science.
Mrs D
grapefruit / 4545 posts

May 23, 2013

@brady80: I LOVE the duck tours! I did one any time I had a visitor come in the warmer months and it never got old!
LindsayInNY
bananas / 9229 posts

May 23, 2013

Ditto to @maybebaby suggestion on Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum! I'm not a huge art/museum person but the story behind her and the museum is awesome!
rachiecakes
coconut / 8279 posts

May 23, 2013

@brady80: I looove the Beehive. Haven't been there in forever but used to go all the time. Food is so delish and really fun atmosphere. Awesome suggestion.
looch
wonderful pear / 26210 posts

May 23, 2013

I don't have much to add, other than I adore Boston (I attended college there). I missed staying over in the Boston Harbor Hotel after our Senior Dance so much so that I made a former boyfriend stay there one night on the way home from Maine.

I might have to schedule a weekend away with my husband in October, I love visiting when school is in session!
meredithNYC
pomegranate / 3314 posts

May 23, 2013

I knew the bees would come through on the Boston recs!

@rachiecakes: Sadly, the Sox are not playing at home on the weekend we'll be there (June 14-16), but I'll definitely look into hotel recs. Is Legal Seafoods your favorite place for seafood? I absolutely want to have some while we're there.

@maybebaby: The museum and "Drink" both sound great. Any great restaurants near the bar?

@yoursilverlining: Mmm... gigantic martinis. What's not to like?!

@Mrs D: Just made reservations at Stephanie's and Trattoria Di Monica. Thanks! I have to do these things early because if NYC has taught me anything, it's that leaving reservations too late is a dangerous thing

@Thenetexan: Your seconding of Trattoria Di Monica encouraged me to go ahead and make a res - thanks!

@mrs. wagon: YES. I am delighted to be making an escape, as much as I adore LO. Both of our parents live very far away, so this is a rare opportunity to have free babysitting.

@brady80: Actually, I love boat tours, so I might be into that. And after all the eating/drinking I plan on doing, I'll probably need to just sit!

@looch: I'm sure it is beautiful in the fall, too. I'm just glad I'm finally going, as it's ridiculous that I've lived in the NE for this long and haven't made the journey.
rachiecakes
coconut / 8279 posts

May 23, 2013

@meredithNYC: I'm a vegetarian but anytime I've had friends visit, it's their go to! (I used to work/was friends with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and when they were in town, that's where we'd always go, haha)
There are a million places for seafood though, that's just probably the most well known
Feel free to message/wall me!
ShootingStar
coconut / 8472 posts

May 23, 2013

Even though you're not into touristy, I highly recommend walking/shopping down Newbury St, and walking around the public garden, which is absolutely gorgeous. And make sure to eat somewhere in the North End. Every restaurant I've been to there has been great.
meredithNYC
pomegranate / 3314 posts

May 23, 2013

@rachiecakes: What?! Okay, so you basically had the coolest job ever. That's awesome!
lisa1783
apricot / 457 posts

May 23, 2013

@meredithNYC: Sportello is an italian restaurant I love right above Drink! It has great food and once I sat next to Doc Rivers (the coach for the Celtics) during dinner! It's a fun restaurant - it's like a diner and an Apple store had a baby.
hellobeeboston
honeydew / 7235 posts

May 23, 2013

ok - you have gotten SO many great reco's here, any of these will be great, so I'll just add a few things.

I second Sportello like @lisa1783: mentioned - it's right above Drink which is excellent as well.... You could make a whole day of hanging out over in that area - check out the ICA (much smaller than the MOMA but fun) walk along the water or get bikes, eat at Sportello, cocktails at Drink! Also over there is the Legal Harborside which is cool.

My FAVORITE place of all time in Boston, and i think the best for seafood is Neptune Oyster. It's a tad pricey - but SO WORTH IT. It's tiny, and always packed, but they have excellent oysters and the best lobster roll ever (hot or cold) - def try it if you're looking for good seafood! It's in the North End!
mrs. wagon
blogger / watermelon / 14218 posts

May 23, 2013

@hellobeeboston: I have been dying to try Neptune Oyster!!! Adding it to the next date night options list...
hellobeeboston
honeydew / 7235 posts

May 23, 2013

@mrs. wagon: OMG - GO. you will not regret it. the only thing is that it is crowded all. the.time. But you can put your name in and walk around the north end and they will call you. So plan for a wait - we usually go around the corner to get a drink somewhere else and head back when they call.

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