Beacon Hill vs. Jamaica Plain
Mar 20th, 2011, 08:19 AM
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Beacon Hill vs. Jamaica Plain
I know Beacon Hill is closer to all the tourist attractions but is Jamaica Plain too far away? I like the place we found in JP much more and it will accommodate our family better. I don't mind 10 - 20 minutes into the city everyday unless it is a huge hassle. The orange line is 1/4 mile away. Would we be foolish to stay in JP? Thanks!
Mar 20th, 2011, 11:12 AM
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I think with a family you would want to stay somewhere more central so you could go back to your place during the day if you wanted a break or just to drop things off.
If you post where you are considering staying, if would be easier to help.
Depends on which stop you'd be near for the Orange Line, but it will probably take you about 20 minutes to Back Bay station (near Copley Square). About 10 minutes longer to go to Haymarket, which is near Faneuil Hall. This is my estimate for time on the train--doesn't include walking there or waiting for it to come.
Not a bad commute but not one that I would want to do with a family on my vacation. JP is a wonderful place to live--lots of open green space and good restaurants--but stay in the city, especially if this is your first trip here.
If you post where you are considering staying, if would be easier to help.
Depends on which stop you'd be near for the Orange Line, but it will probably take you about 20 minutes to Back Bay station (near Copley Square). About 10 minutes longer to go to Haymarket, which is near Faneuil Hall. This is my estimate for time on the train--doesn't include walking there or waiting for it to come.
Not a bad commute but not one that I would want to do with a family on my vacation. JP is a wonderful place to live--lots of open green space and good restaurants--but stay in the city, especially if this is your first trip here.
Mar 20th, 2011, 12:58 PM
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We have two teens and none of us mind walking. We don't generally need breaks back in the room since everyone is old enough to put in a full day.
The Marriott Custom House will not accommodate us. My teens are boy/girl and are beyond sharing a sofa bed!
The JP place is on Lee St if that helps. It says the bus stop is right across the street. Are the buses quick and reliable?
The place in Beacon Hill is 2 bedrooms(twins in the second bedroom) 1 bath. The JP place is 3 bedrooms/2baths. Yes, we are spoiled on vacation and like our space. I hate fighting for the shower with teenagers. That is factoring into it!
The Marriott Custom House will not accommodate us. My teens are boy/girl and are beyond sharing a sofa bed!
The JP place is on Lee St if that helps. It says the bus stop is right across the street. Are the buses quick and reliable?
The place in Beacon Hill is 2 bedrooms(twins in the second bedroom) 1 bath. The JP place is 3 bedrooms/2baths. Yes, we are spoiled on vacation and like our space. I hate fighting for the shower with teenagers. That is factoring into it!
Mar 20th, 2011, 01:34 PM
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Don't stay in JP, it's just plain inconvenient for a tourist. The bus can take forever. You'll be a million times happier in Beacon Hill, which is a great neighborhood, where you can walk to almost everything.
Mar 20th, 2011, 02:03 PM
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I think you're closer to the Orange Line, Green St. stop, than to the 39 bus, which runs on Centre St. In any event, the Orange Line train is faster for getting into Boston. The bus runs on a busy route and can take quite a long time depending on the hour. And the bus ends in Back Bay. The Orange Line can bring you either to Back Bay or downtown.
The train runs often, you would never wait more than 10 minutes or so.
The train runs often, you would never wait more than 10 minutes or so.
Mar 20th, 2011, 02:12 PM
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Agree with everyone else here that JP is not central to the primary Boston/Cambridge area sights and eateries. Bus and subway service can be found nearby and it isn't all that bad, but this can be time consuming, especially connecting up to anyplace in Cambridge.
Wandering side streets later at night in this part of JP (and this qualifies as a side street) may prove a little dicier than you might like, though this is certainly a better part of JP than some. Plus, the bus and Orange line go through some dicey areas on the way to JP from downtown.
Unless you're keen to be fairly close to the Arnold Arboretum and Jamaica Pond for some reason, I'd choose Beacon Hill in a minute.
Wandering side streets later at night in this part of JP (and this qualifies as a side street) may prove a little dicier than you might like, though this is certainly a better part of JP than some. Plus, the bus and Orange line go through some dicey areas on the way to JP from downtown.
Unless you're keen to be fairly close to the Arnold Arboretum and Jamaica Pond for some reason, I'd choose Beacon Hill in a minute.
Mar 20th, 2011, 02:13 PM
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Back with more questions. How long are you staying and when are you staying? And how are you hoping to plan your time? What's the agenda?
With enough time, and a late spring to early autumn visit, staying in JP could be an interesting experience. You could spend hours walking the arboretum, and stroll to Centre street for dinner. To stay in JP, I would think one would need the luxury of time to be local, cook a meal or two, send the kids ahead and meeting up with them an hour or two later - that kind of experience thanks to the joy of cellphones!
Now if you are talking a few nights, then stay in Boston proper as the luxury of time and hanging local will be lost.
That's my opinion.
With enough time, and a late spring to early autumn visit, staying in JP could be an interesting experience. You could spend hours walking the arboretum, and stroll to Centre street for dinner. To stay in JP, I would think one would need the luxury of time to be local, cook a meal or two, send the kids ahead and meeting up with them an hour or two later - that kind of experience thanks to the joy of cellphones!
Now if you are talking a few nights, then stay in Boston proper as the luxury of time and hanging local will be lost.
That's my opinion.
Mar 20th, 2011, 02:32 PM
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Thanks everyone! It looks like we are going to squeeze 7 nights out of this (we might only have 5 but I think we will end up with 7). Assuming we have 7 nights, we would like to spend one day in Lexington/Concord and one day in Salem. We would rent a car for those trips.
The kids want to walk around all the college campuses to dream about the colleges they don't stand a chance of getting into! lol
We will do things like the Freedom Trail, Haymarket, Faneuil Hall, tour Fenway. I doubt we will take in a game since we will be missing our home team by a week.
We would love to rent bikes (the place we are looking at has two available) and spend a day on bikes just checking out neighborhoods.
We will go in May.
We will cook 99% of our meals in our rental. We have special dietary needs that warrant that so restaurants aren't a big concern for us.
We are pretty laid back on vacation. We like to see the touristy things but we just like the atmosphere of new places and don't care if we don't see it all. We always stay in a rental as opposed to a hotel and tend to stay in actual neighborhoods.
But, with all that said, it sounds like JP is not a smart option. I will look around for a bit and if I can't find something else, I will book the 2 bed/1 bath in Beacon Hill.
The kids want to walk around all the college campuses to dream about the colleges they don't stand a chance of getting into! lol
We will do things like the Freedom Trail, Haymarket, Faneuil Hall, tour Fenway. I doubt we will take in a game since we will be missing our home team by a week.
We would love to rent bikes (the place we are looking at has two available) and spend a day on bikes just checking out neighborhoods.
We will go in May.
We will cook 99% of our meals in our rental. We have special dietary needs that warrant that so restaurants aren't a big concern for us.
We are pretty laid back on vacation. We like to see the touristy things but we just like the atmosphere of new places and don't care if we don't see it all. We always stay in a rental as opposed to a hotel and tend to stay in actual neighborhoods.
But, with all that said, it sounds like JP is not a smart option. I will look around for a bit and if I can't find something else, I will book the 2 bed/1 bath in Beacon Hill.
Mar 20th, 2011, 03:55 PM
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I think Beacon Hill is a great option.
Just want to correct bachslunch on the "dicey" transportation areas. The Orange Line does pass through some not wonderful (but not horrible) areas--the bus does not. The bus ride and route are perfectly safe.
Thousands of people take these routes daily,
Just want to correct bachslunch on the "dicey" transportation areas. The Orange Line does pass through some not wonderful (but not horrible) areas--the bus does not. The bus ride and route are perfectly safe.
Thousands of people take these routes daily,
Mar 20th, 2011, 06:50 PM
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I fall in the category of thinking that there is absolutely nothing wrong with staying in JP,--depending on the location-- but that if you want a "vacationy" feel as opposed to kind of "pretending for a week that you live in Boston" feel, then you are better off staying on Beacon Hill. Much closer to tourist places and places that will give you a sense of having traveled to Boston.
Mar 20th, 2011, 08:44 PM
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Socialworker - We always go for the "pretending for a week that we live there" feel instead of the "vacationy" feel. We like coming back to our place and having a nice, quiet neighborhood feel.
I definitely don't want to be in a bad/unsafe neighborhood or want to end up traveling through dangerous places. On the other hand, we are originally from Detroit and we are pretty vigilant about knowing our surroundings and not doing anything stupid. I doubt very seriously that we will ever be out when it is dark.
I definitely don't want to be in a bad/unsafe neighborhood or want to end up traveling through dangerous places. On the other hand, we are originally from Detroit and we are pretty vigilant about knowing our surroundings and not doing anything stupid. I doubt very seriously that we will ever be out when it is dark.
Mar 21st, 2011, 06:13 AM
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cw, I see a difference between dicey and dangerous.
That being said, the #39 bus goes through a dicey stretch between Brigham Circle and Angell Animal Medical Center, and I for one do not feel comfortable walking in this area. And the region surrounding the Orange Line stops at Roxbury Crossing and Jackson Square are definitely not good.
Is it possible to walk in these regions and not encounter a problem? Sure, one can say that about anyplace, anywhere -- there are no absolutes anywhere. Would I send a tourist strolling through these areas? No way.
Can you take public transport through here without issues? Yes -- I can and have done so. But why take the chance when you're a tourist and don't have to at all? That's what safety questions are often about, after all.
That being said, the #39 bus goes through a dicey stretch between Brigham Circle and Angell Animal Medical Center, and I for one do not feel comfortable walking in this area. And the region surrounding the Orange Line stops at Roxbury Crossing and Jackson Square are definitely not good.
Is it possible to walk in these regions and not encounter a problem? Sure, one can say that about anyplace, anywhere -- there are no absolutes anywhere. Would I send a tourist strolling through these areas? No way.
Can you take public transport through here without issues? Yes -- I can and have done so. But why take the chance when you're a tourist and don't have to at all? That's what safety questions are often about, after all.
Mar 21st, 2011, 06:34 AM
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bachslunch, I agree that we all have our levels of comfort, and ours aren't in sync.
I've always found a lot of foot traffic around the huge VA hospital and around some of the nursing homes and other institutions on So. Huntington and the bus full of people going back and forth to work. Somewhat related, did you know that one of the nursing homes near the VA is becoming (at last report) a Comfort Inn?
I've always found a lot of foot traffic around the huge VA hospital and around some of the nursing homes and other institutions on So. Huntington and the bus full of people going back and forth to work. Somewhat related, did you know that one of the nursing homes near the VA is becoming (at last report) a Comfort Inn?
Mar 21st, 2011, 07:14 AM
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Okwdvc:
I vividly remember the old JP when I lived in my native Quincy. It was to be avoided (1930's and 40's). I also am told it has become somewhat gentrified now..overused descriptive word, IMO. But having gone to school in Beantown (Emerson and BU) and been back to Boston several times over the years since I was "exiled", I intend to agree with Bachslunch..Beacon Hill is the essence of patrician Boston and couldn't be more convenient to most sites of interest. My granddaughter, lived on the Hill, off campus across the Commons from Emerson, loved it...as did her "roomate" who is now her husband. The unique Boston experience has to be felt within the city.
By the way, if visiting the Boston area campuses, OKwdvc, have the kids drop in to Emerson College, a unique city school (4,000 students) with the beautiful Commons for a campus. Different, to be sure. If you want a tour, I can arrange it from here (L.A.). I suggested that to my granddaughter back in '01, she fell in love with it, graduated, ran three Boston Marathons. Her husband Syd and his new band are touring the country and performing at Cafe 939 on Boylston on 4/15..drop in, Bostonians.
Stu Tower
I vividly remember the old JP when I lived in my native Quincy. It was to be avoided (1930's and 40's). I also am told it has become somewhat gentrified now..overused descriptive word, IMO. But having gone to school in Beantown (Emerson and BU) and been back to Boston several times over the years since I was "exiled", I intend to agree with Bachslunch..Beacon Hill is the essence of patrician Boston and couldn't be more convenient to most sites of interest. My granddaughter, lived on the Hill, off campus across the Commons from Emerson, loved it...as did her "roomate" who is now her husband. The unique Boston experience has to be felt within the city.
By the way, if visiting the Boston area campuses, OKwdvc, have the kids drop in to Emerson College, a unique city school (4,000 students) with the beautiful Commons for a campus. Different, to be sure. If you want a tour, I can arrange it from here (L.A.). I suggested that to my granddaughter back in '01, she fell in love with it, graduated, ran three Boston Marathons. Her husband Syd and his new band are touring the country and performing at Cafe 939 on Boylston on 4/15..drop in, Bostonians.
Stu Tower
Mar 21st, 2011, 09:26 AM
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BostonWill, it would be full disclosure to include that you are a first-time and one-shot poster on this forum. We do have folks who fit that description who put up posts that are shilling for some purpose. Am wondering if that fits your situation, especially since you seem to know the person who owns the accommodation the OP is considering, are yourself a vacation rental owner in JP, and therefore clearly have a proverbial dog in the financial hunt here.
Mar 21st, 2011, 09:45 AM
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Boston Will - What about safety getting into Boston from JP? Are we really going to be traveling into unquestionable areas and risking life and limb?
nytraveler - Sorry, but we all vacation differently. We don't intend on seeing any plays since we just got back from NY. Eating out is not our thing. We have lunch out most days and maybe a dinner. That is enough for us. We are out at the crack of dawn and by the time it gets dark out, we are ready to call it a day.
nytraveler - Sorry, but we all vacation differently. We don't intend on seeing any plays since we just got back from NY. Eating out is not our thing. We have lunch out most days and maybe a dinner. That is enough for us. We are out at the crack of dawn and by the time it gets dark out, we are ready to call it a day.
Mar 21st, 2011, 10:29 AM
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Which orange line stop? If we can see that, it would be helpful for assessing the level of safety in the neighborhood. "Risking life and limb" does not seem to be likely in most parts of JP. There is one area with a housing project that I would not choose to vacation near, but even then, it is hard to imagine being hassled in the daylight.
JP is a very popular neighborhood for young professionals and recently the Globe etiquette columnist had an online chat in which the topic that came up was stroller etiquette on the narrowed snow-packed sidewalks of JP. Clearly, if there are enough young mothers with strollers on the streets of JP to create a congestion/etiquette problem, it is not--generally--an area where those same mothers are risking the lives of their babies/toddlers. However, it is a relatively large area and varies a lot from one set of streets to another.
JP is a very popular neighborhood for young professionals and recently the Globe etiquette columnist had an online chat in which the topic that came up was stroller etiquette on the narrowed snow-packed sidewalks of JP. Clearly, if there are enough young mothers with strollers on the streets of JP to create a congestion/etiquette problem, it is not--generally--an area where those same mothers are risking the lives of their babies/toddlers. However, it is a relatively large area and varies a lot from one set of streets to another.
