Hello-- we are going to Boston July 2nd through the 5th and I had a few questions for you locals in the know. We arrive around 1:30 on Sunday and have tickets to a concert at the Bank of America Pavilion. If we have an early dinner at the Barking Crab, can we take a water taxi from there to the show? Should we buy our tickets in advance? Any other suggestion for dinner closer to the pavilion? If we end up having dinner close to our hotel (Jury's) in Back Bay, should we just take a taxi to the concert or is there a T-stop close to the facility?

On Monday, we are planning on a Duck tour and walking the Freedom Trail. I have seen many recommendations for Italian food in the North End for dinner. Can we walk from the Freedom Trail area to the North End?

Any must do activities on the 4th other than the Boston Pops/Fireworks? I guess we will just wander around and see what is going on. Thanks for your help! Lori

Bank of America is just under 1/2 walking from the Barking Crab. From your hotel, you can take the "T". The Silver Line has a stop near the pavilion. See www.mbta.com

"Harborfest" will be underway during your visit. See www.bostonharborfest.com

If you are planning on a Duck Tour, arrange tickets through the concierge at your hotel as soon as you arrive, or purchase them online at their website. Otherwise, getting tickets over July 4th weekend will be difficult, if not impossible.

The North End is part of the Freedom Trail.

There will be restaurants right next to Paul Revere's House and Old North Church in the North End. There will also be cafes near them for coffee or something lighter.

If you give a general idea of price range and/or what type of Italian food you like, we could probably help you with some specific recommendations.

Well, I can't think of an Italian food that I don't like! I would prefer a mid-priced restaurant with a more casual than romantic atmosphere. (no serenading violins, please!!) We are pretty easy to please. And I definitely want to hit one of the pastry shops that I have read about. Thanks for the tips about Harborfest. I think I should have planned to stay a few more days as I will not be able to see half of what I would like. Lori

Lori- you are going to love Boston!

4th of July weekend is really busy, but there are a few things I would definitely do. You are in a great location, so definitely visit the commons and the gardens.

Beacon Hill is near you, and I love the restaurant Lala Rokh (Persian food). Down Huntington (headed towards the Symphony) you have Brasserie Jo, a French restaurant with an excellent menu and wonderful ambience.

In the North End, I always take people to Pagliuca's, which is a family owned establishment between Salem and Hanover streets (on Hanover, I think it is your 2nd left coming from Haymarket). There is a fish restaurant called Neptune Oyster on Salem St. that has wonderful seafood dishes. Taranta is disappointing and expensive. Regina's pizzeria (11 1/2 Thatcher St) is the best pizza I have ever had in the entire world

Mike's pastries is a great place, but I far prefer Bova's 24 hour bakery (on Salem St. a block from Mike's). Their tiramisu is a religious experience.

Thank you for the recommendations. We will definitely try Pagliuca's unless we are in the mood for pizza! I am eating a lot of salads in preparation for this trip as the food sounds fantastic. I don't know how I used to plan my trips before I had my computer!

If there is anything you really want to do that weekend, I would snag my tickets online or through my hotel now. It is always a busy weekend in town.

A nice restaurant near the South Station T stop is Les Zygomates and you can check it out online to see if it would interest you - they have a nice bar, great food and music.
www.winebar.com
It's on the same Silver Line you'd take to the concert.

If you go to
www.thefreedomtrail.org
you can see the map of exactly where you would walk and how it also takes you to the North End.
The site also explains your options of doing it alone, with tour or a self guided audio tour and where you pick up the maps, etc in Boston Common.

Another nice take is the Skywalk at the Prudential Center if weather is nice for magnificent views from NH to the Cape - or a nice view at night too - and an historical exhibit as well.

les zygomates is one of my favorites!

I suggest you book your duck tour tickets on their website now.

Even though there are quite a few ducks they fill up quickly and that is a very busy week!

Have a great time!

Regarding Boston Pops/Esplanade/Fireworks. This is an all-day project if you wish to hear or see anything. Papers will indicate what time gates open to Hatch Shell/Esplanade area - usually around 6 AM. People enter and stake out places with blankets, coolers (no alcohol allowed) and sit, sometimes in shifts, for the entire day in the sun.

If you arrive a little later, you can get a space just beyond the central area, but trees will hinder your view of the stage. There are speakers, so you will be able to hear.

This is not an event, for concert of fireworks, that you can hope to show up for an hour or so before the event and see or hear anything unless you have some secret place, a balcony or roof to a Back Bay condo. Cambridge side of River has viewing places for fireworks, but you will not hear anything.

If you are into this sort of thing (I was in my much younger days) bring food, water, sunblock, games, cards, sense of humor, patience. Lines to PortaPotties are always long.

Lala Rokh on Beacon Hill is an excellent recommendation and also it will give you the an opportunity to walk down Charles Street, a block from Lal Rokh is Cafe Vanille with outdoor seats and wonderful sweets( I love the eclairs).

There out 2 pricey but very good restaurants a block from your hotel, both offer outdoor seating. They are 33 and Bomboa.

To sit and enjoy sweets/coffee in the North End try Cafe Pompeii or Cafe Vittoria on Hanover Street, they are 3 blocks from Paul Revere's House.

Thanks so much....all these restaurant recommendations are great. I love outdoor dining so I will definitely check these out.

I did have another fireworks question. I had considered paying $100 to see the fireworks from the Community Boating Boathouse but that seems a little crazy, even for me. (although a barbeque is included) I don't mind if I can't hear the Boston Pops because I thought we would try to seem them on the 3rd. How early should we plan on arriving for that performance? I don't need to be front and center...I just want to hear the music. I have also read that the Cambridge side of the river is a good spot to watch the fireworks....are the bridges open to pedestrians? Can you stand there and watch the show? I would like to see them, but I don't want to spend a whole day of my 2 1/2 day trip sitting on a blanket securing a good spot. Thanks again....Lori

If you log on to www.july4th.org it gives you all the info about the events/concert on the 3rd and the 4th, including start times, opening, etc.
Either day you go, if you want to 'see' the Pops versus 'hearing them' will make all the difference as to how close you want to be and what time you'd need to arrive-

on that page you will also find all the maps with what bridges/access roads, etc are closed to pedestrians to help you better plan depending on which day you decide on.

Everything will be crowded - consult the maps. If it were me, I would skip the concert and fireowrks on the 4th and do something else. I agree about spending that much time just waiting - but there really is no place I know of where you can just wander over and watch the fireworks.

Yes, you can usually find a place to watch the fireworks over in Cambridge, or along the bridges (although they definitely get crowded). I've done the Cambridge thing more than once, although the barge from which they shoot the fireworks is not always in the same location, so finding a good place from which to watch may be a challenge. I'm not driving past the river on a daily basis anymore, so won't be able to help in that department! I have the luxury of just going up to my office and turning on the radio to watch if that's what we want to do, but now we're just getting too old and stay out in the burbs!

You can listen to the Pops on the 4th on the radio, by the way, and, depending on where you end up watching, you can just park yourself next to someone who is listening.

All good restaurant suggestions above. I would add to the mix, if you want to splurge, Aura at the Seaport Hotel on the night of your concert. The Seaport Hotel offers discounted parking for the pavilion. Also, you could be trendy and try the new Legal Test Kitchen (also known as LTK). http://www.ltkbarandkitchen.com/site/ I would try to make reservations there, though, assuming they take them (I don't know - haven't been yet!).

Sounds like you'll have a good time no matter what!

You definitely don't have to fight the crowds to watch the fireworks. Last year I was out to dinner in the Back Bay and walked down Fairfield Street and had a great view. They shut down Storrow Drive so you can get a view from there as well. Not the same as having a blanket and spot all carved out but you can definitely get a good view from mutiple areas of Boston.