We only have a day. We have been to Boston a lot - last time last October. We have walked the Freedom Trail twice over the years! We don't want to do that again this time.

We enjoy art & museums in general and thought perhaps there was a Museum easy to get to using public transportation.

We will be docked on Sunday, Oct 21, from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM - so it being a Sunday may pose a problem.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. We like to walk, would love a festival and always looking for a good place to sit and look and drink wine.

Fogg Art Museum, Harvard Square.
I usually spend about 2 hours there.

Red line to Harvard, 5 minute walk from subway.

It is open Sunday afternoon.

The Charles Hotel on the other side of the square has number of good places for food/drink, and weather allowing, outdoor seating.

Have you been to the MFA? It's a wonderful art museum and you could get there using the Green Line T.

Fogg is a great idea; however, I think that October 21 is the "Head of the Charles" regatta which means you don't want to be anywhere near Cambridge that day. Unless, of course, you enjoy crew races and don't mind crowds and beer

Another idea for a great museum that is relatively easy to get to by T is the JFK Museum. Take the Red Line south. Check their website for how to get from the T to the museum (it's not a short walk so I'm guessing they would have a shuttle).

We just got back from Boston and enjoyed the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. It really seems like you're just strolling through someone's residence - there's a large collection there and a beautiful garden area. ISG arranged it all exactly as she wanted before she passed away, and no one is allowed to move or change a thing or the entire museum will be shut down. We thought it was pretty cool because it's so different from anything we've ever done before. We wanted to make it to the MFA as well - it's close by, but ran out of time. We took the T.

Hey, these are great ideas. Thanks.
A question or two?

MFA - Museum of Fine Arts? And where is it?

Check this out and see if I have it right:

MBTA's Silver Line goes right to the port, for $2 they'll take you to South Station, and you can transfer there to the Red Line . Red line to Harvard or wherever. (Assuming we want the red line!)

Umm, how do we connect with the green line?

I don't know how we'll choose - these are all so enticing. We want to do them all.

MFA = Museum of Fine Arts. It's at the Museum of Fine Arts stop on the E (Heath) Green Line. Take the Red Line to Park Street and switch to the Green; make sure you get on the correctly lettered train or you'll end up in a different part of town.

The MBTA website has lots of useful info, including this map:
www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/subway
If you haven't taken the T before, just know that you'll need to identify which direction to go in -- inbound or outbound -- relative to where you are. Most stations are well marked, and you can always ask the conductor. Also, the Silver Line isn't entirely a subway; parts of it are a connected bus service (just so you know what to look for).

The MFA is very good, both for its temporary exhibitions and the permanent collection, which includes the largest collection of Japanese art outside of Japan. (www.mfa.org)

The JFK Library (on the Red line at JFK/UMass) is terrific if you're interested in that part of history. (www.jfklibrary.org)

If you like modern art, the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art) has a new building in a new location on the waterfront. (www.icaboston.org)

And I agree that the Fogg and other Harvard museums are terrific. (www.artmuseums.harvard.edu) But Harvard Square and vicinity are a total zoo when it's Head of the Charles, so do check first to confirm which weekend that is! (www.hocr.org)

Enjoy!

The Isabella Stewart Gardner museum is only a few blocks from the Musuem of Fine Arts. Both are easily reached by the train. Note that the Gardner doesn't open until 11 am. We liked the MFA and loved the Gardner.

At south station you get the red line (towards Harvard Square/Alewife). Change to the Green Line at Park Street. You need an "E" line train to get to the Museum of Fine Arts. Here's the Boston T
website map:

http://mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/subway/

And I believe Oct 21st IS the Head of the Charles. So Cambridge will be very crowded, but its pretty neat to see some of the race.

Easy to spend a few hours at the Gardner and then walk over to the MFA - open I believe until 4 or 5 on Sundays - several options for lunch - either at Gardner or at the MFA (also for dinner at MFA, the restaurant Bravo, which often has pianist too)

you can see info about both and their restaurants on their web sites.

Gardners is nice, quite, small spot for lunch vs. a more 'restaurant' style if you choose Bravo - and there are other options at MFA too.

When you leave, you could walk Huntington Ave towards Symphony Hall to stretch your legs a bit - and keep going for as long a stroll as you want -
down to Copley Place - or further depending on weather, etc. - or just take the public transportation or a cab back to the ship.

The advantage of the Fogg is that it will be the least crowded and you will have many more food choices than the Gardner or MFA.

The MFA is the best museum mentioned, but it will be VERY crowded on a Sunday afternoon in October. If you go, get tickets ahead of time on line.

Oct. 21 is the opening day of the Napoleon and Art exhibit. One exhibit ticket will be expensive but it will get you into both the exhibit and the museum.

Brahmama, just wanted to reassure you regarding the T. We never use public transportation and found it really easy to get around. There are station maps in the stations and also attendants that we found very helpful. We would call the places we wanted to go to ahead of time and ask them which T stop they were - we had no problems. Also, if you go to the Gardner museum, there's a guided tour you can take which will add a lot to your experience. Have fun!

Ok, we've read through and tentatively decided on going to the JFK Library. I've cut and pasted the directions to get there.

After we leave there, should we return to the port for lunch or is there somewhere in that vicinity that would be fun?

We do like beer, but vastly prefer wine, so I guess we'll pass on the regatta this time!

I was thinking and writing my last post while volcanogirl was posting!

A guided tour at the Gardner? Umm, I like the sound of that. It may come down to the weather that day. I assume much of the delight of the Gardner is because of the gardens.

Much of the beauty is the gardens, but also the history of the building, Isabella herself, and her collections - but I can see on an iffy weather day you choosing the JFK - which has a small cafe, but I would go to one of the waterfront hotel or restaurants for either a nice Sunday brunch prior or the reverse, breakfast on board, hit the museum early, and enjoy a lunch along the water or in the North End.

this might help

http://www.starthereboston.com/Dining.html

I second, third, and fourth the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum. It's great.

ok youse guys. You talked me into it.

We're going to the Gardner unless it's pouring down rain, and maybe even then.
I have found the directions. It's open 11-5 on Sun - $10 for Seniors. But I can't make a reservation for lunch since we aren't members! I'll let Serendipity take care of that.

Thank you all SO MUCH. You are wonderful. We'll have a late breakfast on the ship - on the balcony if it's a great view - and then go to the museum and then at least sip on something there if we can't manage a lunch or dessert!

Can't wait.

Now to figure out what to do in Charlottetown PEI where we've never been and only 6 hours. Sounds like a lobster roll and a libation to me.....

Even though your mind is made up (with a good choice) I just wanted to reiterate that the ICA isn't very far from where the cruise ships dock. Maybe if you find yourselves with a spare couple of hours on your way back to the ship you could consider stopping there.

Ralphie,
Suggestion noted and a very good idea. I'll check out exactly where it is from the ship.

Now, don't let the leaves finish "changing" until we get there!

We are back from our "day" in Boston and wanted to tell you about it.

We did take suggestions from this particular thread and were very pleased.

We did take MBTA's Silver Line which stopped right at the port. It was running every 30 minutes because it was Sunday, but more often on weekdays. Fare was $2 pp & it went to South Station, where we transfered to the Red Line. At Park St we transfered again to the Green Line and exited at the Museum stop. We crossed the street and walked 2 blocks m/l to the Gardner Museum. About halfway there I realized my reading glasses were missing from my pocket (I was wearing sunglasses) so we retraced our steps to the train looking for glasses - but with no luck.

We went back to the Gardner and enjoyed the art (although rather dark with my sunglasses on) and also had a nice lunch at the museum tearoom. It was a gorgeous day, but they had already closed dining outside for the season.

We walked back to the train - taking pictures of Canada Geese and ducks and a couple of stunningly beautiful trees. Once on the train, my dh asked the driver where to go for "Lost and Found". She asked what we had lost and when he replied, "Glasses", she asked if they were in a green case. Unbelievable. She called ahead to Park Street Station to tell the lady we would be by to pick them up. And we did and my heart did leap for joy! I could have made it with my sunglasses, but oh bliss to see again.

We enjoyed doing the public transportation and talking with the people. Such friendly and helpful people we had the fortune to encounter. And the temperature was 70 degrees in mid-October. The Gardner was certainly well worth seeing and seeing again.

So thanks all; let me know if you come to Cisco, TX and I'll help you navigate "our" town. Of course with only 1 traffic light, you might want to stay closer to Ft. Worth or Dallas! But we would give you a Brahman cattle tour! Happy travels.

Thanks for posting a report of your trip. The weather gods were looking down on you for that day - normal temps in Boston area are almost 20 degrees cooler for this time of year.