h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm going to Boston for christmas. Has anyone here been to/is from/lives in Boston, and if so could they give me some pointers on things to do/places to go etc.

thanks.

The Freedom Trail. It starts on Boston Common, it is a red line (bricks mainly) in teh pavemnet and leads you past all the major sites related to the Declaration of Independence and other historic buildings.

I have to admit that H and I didn't manage to complete it as it was 75F and we were dressed for autumn . We stopped for lunch at Quincy Market.

We only had two days there before heading off through New England, so didn't get to the water front or take a Frog tour, on an amphibious craft.

The Underground or T, is easy to use and a great way to get about. The Nig Dig caused us a little concern on driving from the airport in rush hour on the Friday evening, but the roadworks and traffic congestion gave us time to read the road signs.

The Dorling Kindersly guide books are full of illustrations and information. It was the one I used most.

That should be Big Dig, the City is trying to bury the interstates or something.

Abi asked the same question about two months ago. Have a look at this conversation:

F19585?thread=215276

I would have responded to that, but we were there at the time.

The aquarium is overrated but the shop rocks! Enjoy! I am dead jealous.

Go to the bar at the top of the Prudential Tower on Boylston Street I think. It's a little pricey but the view is beautiful - best of the city. On the freedom trail, The Bunker Hill monument is worth visiting but don't bother climbing it. It's 300 or so steps to nothing! Also, North End for Italian food, Filene's Department Store (great bargains in the basement), the monument to the victims of the Irish "famine" on Winter Street, the Holocaust monument, walk the Freedom Trail, be prepared for the cold!

And enjoy the atmosphere of what I have experienced to be one of the most friendly cities in the world.

I work for a company whose head office is in Boston and I love going there - hoping to go again in January. Also go to the Blue Room restaurant in Cambridge Square on the other side of the Charles River (across the Salt & Pepper Bridge). Great food and friendly staff - oh and my cousin owns it!

And ice skating in Boston Common! There is a skating rink, but if you're feeling brave, ignore that and go to the pond on the Arlington St side of the commmon if it's frozen over. And go for a walk through Beacon Hill - very lovely residential area just West-ish of the Common - where they film all those snowy evening Ally McBeal scenes!

I could go on and on. Have a great time.

We only had one full day in the city and not time much time to look around. The only place we found that had internet access whilst in the city was at Boston Library where 15 minutes was free.

It was only whilst we were waiting to check out that we discovered our hotel provided an email checking service

you're all being very helpful.

I prepared for the cold by sitting through a sunderland match at the stadium of light with the North East wind blowing in, and no scarf, hat or gloves.

Do bear in mind that the Freedom Trail could also be called the 'Here's where we whooped the Brits' butts' Tour. It can be quite depressing.

The graveyards are good though.

I quite like theb idea of people whupping our butts.

Though it is ironic that the Freedom Trail ends up at Bunker Hill which was a British victory.

I didn't find it depressing at all, it connected some of the oldest sites in Boston with many bars and restaurants

I think the freedom trail is very good. And, compared to most American cities, Boston is one of the few that has a real history spanning more than 100 years which is nice. You could almost think it was a European city in that respect. San Francisco is like that too.

All the guide books say that driving in Boston is very difficult because the streets are not named in alphabetical order!

The serious point behind this is that Boston is not laid out like a grid, it is more like a European city, complete with road works and traffic jams.

That's definitely true!

I can't drive anyway, so as long as the subways laid out on tracks with trains, I should be alright.

One place I definitely wouldn't bother with is Harvard. The guide book told us that it was all cultural with lots of trendy cafes, coffee houses, etc. We ended up having lunch in a Brioche Doree because it was the only place we could find. Also, the talk of all the old campus buildings is such a let down if you've ever been to Oxford or Cambridge (UK). I have heard that Yale is much nicer but I haven't been there.

ah, I forgot I'd started this thread.

Very good advice all, and I enjoyed myself thoroughly.