boston 10/12-10/16

Get a guidebook

Getting a guidebook is a good idea. And also look here:
http://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/massachusetts/boston/

Once you have a better idea, come back with some sort of an itinerary and we can provide you with suggestions.

99.9% of the areas visited by tourists is very safe. Unless you're going to be out walking alone at 3am, you will be fine.

You'll find a couple of recommendations for seafood in Boston (including arguments about whether to go to Legal Seafood or not) here both on the US board and in the "Destinations/Restaurants" section. Myself, if I have the option, I like to get out of Boston for the seafood - go up to somewhere on the North Shore (Essex, Gloucester, Marblehead, Rockport) - people have their favorites.

Your hotel is super-convenient to most places, so between the T and (on rare occasion) taxis, you'll do fine; so DON'T rent a car unless you're planning to leave the city.

Yes, leave your gun at home.

I've looked on Fodors, and googled Boston. Since this is our 4th getaway , and a short one, this year, just trying to keep it simple. I live in St. Augustine, and as a local, feel pretty comfortable with providing some insider info, that's what I was hoping for in my question. For those providing help, thanks!

Another very useful option is to do a board search here. Boston is very extensively covered on this forum.

As far as safety issues are concerned, the only attraction in a bad part of town (and I wouldn't recommend visiting it anyway, as it's a very sorry example of its genre) is the Franklin Park Zoo. Bad areas of Boston include Roxbury, Mattapan, much of Dorchester and Hyde Park and East Boston, some parts of Jamaica Plain, and a few isolated blocks in South Boston and Charlestown around housing projects -- but there's no reason for a tourist to go to any of these bad areas. It's also a good idea to keep an eye on your surroundings very late at night in the Theatre District and Downtown Crossing areas, and stay out of parks after dark unless there's an organized event. Otherwise you should be fine.

Re public transportation, Boston and Cambridge are excellent on this score. You will absolutely not want or need a car in either city -- in fact, it will be a serious liability between the lack of parking, poor street signage, and aggressively bad drivers. I've seen comparisons between driving in Boston and driving in Rome, and I think that's a reasonable observation.

Hi Fishinmore -

Boston is a great city and you definitely do not need a car if you are staying in town. As far as safety goes I have never been uncomfortable walking around during the day or night for that matter. Just use common sense

Things to do/see:
*Walk the Freedom Trail
* USS Constitution (http://www.ussconstitutionmuseum.org/)
*Take a Duck Tour (cheesy, but fun and a great way to see the city)
*Shopping on Newbury Street
*Eat in the North End (italian - I like Fiore http://www.ristorantefiore.com/about-us.php )
*New England Aquarium

What type of things did you want to do?

If you like museums, I also recommend the Museum of Fine Arts, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum & Science Museum.

I also love walking through the various neighborhoods, such as Beacon Hill, North End, Commonwealth Avenue. Take a walk through the beautiful Boston Public Gardens, a ride on the swan boats, & walk through Boston Commons. Also walk along the waterfront, go to Fanueil Hall & Quincy Market. As beph03 recommends, definitely do the Freedom Trail & his/her other suggestions are perfect.

Have a great time! As stated above, "touristy" parts of Boston and Cambridge are *very* safe.

PS Hope the part about the gun was a joke!

Crime is not an issue in any part of Boston a tourist is likely to want to visit - I certainly would not wander around drunk and alone at 3 AM, but I would not suggest that was safe anywhere. Massachusetts has mandatory 1 year in jail for carrying an unlicensed firearm.

Legal Seafood is probably the most well-known seafood restaurant. They are located in different downtown locations. Don't miss Neptune Oyster in the North End.

You'll find that almost every restaurant Boston has seafood offerings on the menu so you don't have to limit yourself to "fish" restaurants.

You can search here for recent Boston trip reports. They'll give you an idea of what can be done in a day.

Don't worry about safety, just observe the usual precautions you would anyplace.

Bachslunch's list of "bad" areas is more extensive than mine would be so don't be scared off.

I think bachslunch's list should have "parts of" inserted in front of _all_ the areas he mentioned. There are other parts of the same areas that are more than fine. Mayor Menino ("Hizzona") himself, lives in Hyde Park, for example.

Where a tourist MIGHT run into trouble is when using a GPS to get around, since it wants to send you the shortest/quickest way, whether or not that is a way that any sane person would go.

So pack up the GPS and use the T. It will take you anywhere you need/want to go, and you will see real Bostonians, as diverse a lot in age, ethnography, and dress as you are likely to meet anywhere!

Just to calm the water, I am licensed for conceal carry in Florida, but know that many states & cities (I check prior to travel)have restrictions.

I appreciate all the comments and suggestions, and as two young couples in early 60's we are always careful.
however,if we had taken all comments as a precaution prior to our St Martin trip last November, we'd have stayed locked in our room. Locals are pretty straight about travel.
Once again, thanks.

One advisory about seafood - good seafood is not cheap. If you find a "deal" it is probably not fresh - the same frozen stuff you could get anywhere. At non-fish restaurants it is often one of the most pricey things on the menu. That is just the way it is - seafood costs money to catch.

While I have many here who disagree, I still love Summer Shack - the one in Cambridge at Alewife, not the one downtown. (Red Line of MBTA to northern end - it is across the street).