Boston - how to tour?
 

Hi, I'm planning a long weekend in Boston for my daughter to tour both BU and Northeastern (We will stay in a hotel within walking distance of both). Our plan is to arrive Friday night, leave Tuesday morning, so we will have 3 full days.

DAY 1 - Saturday: We could plan the college tours for the same day - one in the morning and one in the afternoon which would leave us two full days to tour Boston - does this make sense?

So for Sunday/Monday: - I'd like for her to get a feel for the city and also take in some "sights." I saw there's a hop on/hop off trolley (either BeanTown or Old Town - not sure which is better).

Thoughts? Recommendations? Insight on older teens :)
Thanks.

We have taken the Old Town trolley tour and loved it. You can hop on and off at the different stops and explore. We had the two day ticket and that worked out great for us.

Thanks, I like the two day option. What stops were your favorites?

Are the colleges running tours on Saturdays?

Boston is physically small, so you can hop the Green Line at BU, go downtown and walk about to most of the freedom trail type sites.

I would schedule the college tours on different days since you have that option. That way you can take notes on one school before moving on to the next.

The trolley can be handy but it depends where you are staying. Boston is pretty compact, and from Kenmore/Back Bay areas, it is only a few stops to the Boston Common on the Green Line. A good way for your daughter to become familiar with the subway. It is easy to navigate.

We had hop on and hop off. I used it the first day, and I know the older folks liked it. But Boston is so compact that I feel like I was wasting time on the tour bus- walked everywhere the rest of the time. I wasn't much older when I visited Boston the first time- and I just loved to walk around and explore the different areas.

Boston is so small and walkable. Combine walking with a few rides on the "T" and you have no need for a tour. Follow the red brick line of the Freedom Trail. Lunch in North End. T to Back Bay, Copley Square, Newbury Street shops and restaurants. Go over to Cambridge on the "T" too, Harvard Square. Northeastern has a T stop.

When we toured colleges, we did it on weekdays so our students could attend a class.
In Boston, we liked walking the Freedom Trail.

Northeastern is a very short walk from the Museum of Fine Arts and the Italian palazzo of the Gardner Museum with its gorgeous central garden.

"insight on older teens" She will like Newbury Street with it's small shops and boutiques. At least the teens in my family do.

Great advice everyone on where to go, thanks! I also like the walk/subway options..
BigRuss, yes, they are both running tours that Saturday.