Just got in from meeting my sister and her two teenaged boys (14 %26amp; 15) for a long weekend in Boston. I rode down from Maine on the Downeaster (Amtrak) and thoroughly enjoyed that ride; they flew up from Atlanta.
We purchased seven-day T passes ($15 apiece) as soon as we hit town and used the T--and our feet--to get everywhere we went, including the airport. It wasn%26#39;t always easy to find the nearest T station, but we got pretty good at reading the maps, making connections and using the T.
We had a terrific time. Couldn%26#39;t have been luckier with the weather. Except for a 90-minute downpour the first morning, the weather was picture perfect.
Stayed at the Omni Parker House (found a deal on a junior suite via Expedia thanks to Quindad). The hotel is indeed a great location, right on the Freedom Trail between the Boston Common and Quincy Market. Also right between two T-Stops. We had a slight hiccup on check-in: I had reserved a junior suite expecting to get two doubles and a sofa bed and turns out not all junior suites have sofa beds. We checked in to find ourselves in one of those junior suites that doesn%26#39;t have a sofa bed. The hotel offered to move us to the only junior suite open wth a sofa bed, but warned us that it was next to construction and there might be noise early in the morning. So, we decided instead to stay put and accept a complimentary rollaway, which turned out to be a hit with the teenage boys fighting over who got to sleep in it.
The Omni House was a great choice. Besides being an impressive old hotel that is very well located, it had all the conveniences we needed including a Starbucks in the gift shop downstairs, a computer room where I could check email daily, complimentary juices/beverages at our door each morning, and very comfortable beds with luxurious linens. We were very happy with it.
We arrived late Thursday night, so our sightseeing didn%26#39;t start until Friday morning. We kicked things off with a Duck Tour. I had purchased tickets online earlier in the week, so we had no choice but to go ahead with the tour even though it started raining at the very minute our tour started. The ';Duck'; is covered, but the tour operators handed out complimentary plastic ponchos at the tour start, so we wouldn%26#39;t get wet. We were very happy that there was no lightning, which meant we could still take the water portion of the tour.
We didn%26#39;t tell the teenagers that the Duck would be going into the water, so that was a huge surprise to them. Our ConDucktor was fabulous, he was very outgoing and had a terrific Bahstun accent, which was a huge plus for the Atlanta folks. He also offered, once we were in the river, to let kids who wanted to take a turn at ';steering'; the boat, and our 14-year-old took him up on it and actually got to ';drive'; the boat under the ';salt and pepper'; bridge (with his mother holding her breath the whole way!)
From the Duck Tour we took the T to Kenmore Square, ate lunch at the Pizzeria Uno, which the boys loved (I heard one of them tell their dad on the phone that we ate lunch in ';a sports bar,'; and then we headed over to Fenway for a stadium tour. We had tickets to the game later that night, but decided to also do the tour to get the history, visit the Green Monster, etc., and we were very glad we did the tour. Our guide did a terrific job, filling us in on club history and he was very entertaining. We also saw parts of Fenway--including the Monster Seats, and a peek into the open door of a private box--that wouldn%26#39;t be accessible to us during the game. So, the tour was totally worth taking.
After the tour we went back to the hotel for warmer clothes and a brief rest before returning for the game. We rode the T back to Kenmore, but this time the train was packed to the gills with Sox fans dressed in RedSox gear, which only added to the excitement for us.
We had bleacher seats, and while there was a rowdy moment here and there, it never got out of hand or annoying and was perfectly family-appropriate.
Now, we obviously picked the wrong game of the series to attend as the Red Sox LOST--#%@!%26amp;*--but otherwise we wouldn%26#39;t give anything for being there and taking part in the electric atmosphere and Fenway traditions down to Sweet Caroline, beach balls, the ';wave'; going ALL THE WAY AROUND THE STADIUM at least three or four times, great accents, etc. The fourteen-year-old picked up a ';Green Monstah'; tee shirt and I expect he%26#39;ll proudly wear it to school tomorrow. :)
Saturday morning we wanted to try dim sum, which none of us had ever tried, for brunch in Chinatown. Unfortunately, we got restaurant names confused, went into a restaurant that didn%26#39;t offer dim sum, and so instead just had an early lunch, which was very good. So, dim sum will have to wait for another trip. (We%26#39;re already talking about San Francisco!)
From Chinatown, we headed back to the Common to start the Freedom Trail. We decided to guide ourselves so we could go at our own pace, and in fact ended up taking it so slowly--and spending so much time in the shops at Quincy Market--that our last stop on the Freedom Trail that day was the Old North Church.
On the way to the Old North Church we detoured by La Summa to put our names on the wait list, and as soon as we got back they were able to seat us, which was a real treat as The North End was bursting at the seams with folks and several restaurants had very long lines, so we felt very fortunate not to have to wait to eat.
La Summa was wonderful, and we thought we%26#39;d stop by Mike%26#39;s Pastry on the way back for a sweet, but it was so packed we passed it up. Instead we picked up a mini-Boston Creme Pie back at the Parker House gift shop and split it when we got back to the room.
Sunday morning we picked up the Freedom Trail again at the USS Constitution, where an 18-year-old female sailor from Michigan was our tour guide and she also did a terrific job. (We got very lucky with guides on every tour we took.) We decided to pass up the Bunker HIll monument and instead took the water ferry from the Constitution to the Aquarium where we caught the T to Harvard Square.
We%26#39;d planned to eat lunch at Mr. Bartley%26#39;s Burger Cottage, and were very disappointed to learn it is closed on Sunday. Instead, we picked out a pizza parlor in ';The Garage'; that had a huge array of pizzas to pick from. We each picked out a slice of a different variety, before heading over to the Harvard campus where we walked around for a bit looking at various impressive buildings. By that time we needed to head back to the hotel for our bags and on to the airport.
Thanks for everyone on the forum who helped me plan this trip. I don%26#39;t think we could have had a better time. ..except maybe if the Sox had won. :)
Just got in from Boston; had an INCREDIBLE time!Hi MicheleS,
Thank you so very much for sharing your wonderfully informative trip review. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I%26#39;m sure every one else will too that reads it. It was great that you got to stay at the Omni Parker House and I%26#39;m glad this whole trip ended up working out for you and your sister and nephews. That was also great that you got to see the USS Constitution too; I bet the boys loved it. It%26#39;s good you got to Harvard Square too! You covered a lot of territory in that time, good for you! ALSO, one last point, LA SUMMA%26#39;S! You guys made it there too! That was great to hear too! I%26#39;m glad all of you enjoyed it there, I%26#39;m hitting that place this summer again!
I just drove my sister and her husband with my nieces down to Logan Airport this afternoon. They went off to Ireland for 2 weeks! I was telling them all about my trip last summer and now they%26#39;re on their way, I can%26#39;t wait to hear how they made out!
SO glad your long weekend all worked out for you guys! Thanks again for writing up your great review on it all.
Just got in from Boston; had an INCREDIBLE time!
Thanks for posting MicheleS. I read every word! Glad you enjoyed the trip particularly Fenway, the Freedom Trail, La Summa and the Duck Tour. Had no idea about Bartley%26#39;s on Sunday. Good info to share. Now for all those non-believers who left the Red Sox Mother%26#39;s Day game before the ninth inning ended.....
Hi Michele,
Thanks for posting. I was exhausted just reading it, but it sounds like you really took advantage of what Boston has to offer. Hopefully you will come back to visit us soon!
One thing to warn folks about in the future: Fenway tours start PROMPTLY on the hour, and they quit selling tickets to the tour at ten til the hour. You buy the tickets at the RedSox ticket office then you have to go across the street to the souvenir shop where the tour starts on the steps.
We got the last tickets sold to the 3 p.m., but just as we walked across the street somehow we missed the tour taking off. We put on such a sad face that a very nice man in the souvenir shop ran with us to catch the tour that had already taken off.
So, advise folks to arrive by maybe a quarter til to not miss the tour?
Sounds great - - and gives me confidence for our June trip, especially since we are staying in the Omni Parker House. Please tell me, is the construction right next to the hotel?Is it at the pile-driving stage or what stage? Does it affect the look of the hotel? We%26#39;ve requested a room away from the construction side, but there%26#39;s no guaranty.
From what I could tell (from peering out of the window of the alternate room they offered us) it%26#39;s not next door to but ';catty cornered'; from the hotel. And, they (the OPH) are very attune to it.
I think they told me it was at the ';digging'; stage. Like with jackhammers.
If I were you I%26#39;d call today and speak to the front desk to voice your concerns. Then, I%26#39;d check back in a day or so before your trip to remind them. Then on check-in I%26#39;d repeat it again. That should do the trickc.
I had booked my room thru Expedia and had carefully written in Expedia%26#39;s notes field that I specificaly wanted two doubles and the pull-out sofa, but the lady who checked me in said Expedia did not transmit the notes to them--despite the fact that Expedia says ';We will forward your requests to the travel vendor....';
I think the OPH wants to do whatever is necessary for you to enjoy your stay, so I%26#39;d take it up directly with them especially if you booked thru a third party like I did.
I think also if the room is on a higher floor, the construction noise might be less of a problem. The alternate room they offered us was right on the third floor.
Excellent TR glad you had a great time thanks for sharing.
Glad to hear that you had a great time--and especially glad to hear that you got to go to La Summa! :-)
A suggestion: if Mike%26#39;s is too crowded try Modern Pastry 257 Hanover St. almost across the street from Mike%26#39;s or Maria%26#39;s Pastry at 46 Cross Street, nearby 鈥?Tel 1-617-523-1196. Both are just as good and are less crowded.
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