Boston in March.....
 

I know it will probably still be wintry, but that's when our vacation is scheduled.

What is there to do? What would you recommend for people who are into history, sports, touristy things?

We have planned a tour of Fenway Park and a Boston Bruins Hockey Game.

Gimme a little bit of help of what else to do.

Thanks

With the exception of water-related stuff (Swan Boats etc.) you can do all the same activities in March as you can any other time.

There are a zillion posts here about activities in Boston. As Anon says, all apply to your time of trip except obviously beach, etc.

Briefly - Freedom Trail; Museums - Gardner, Fine Arts, Science; shop at Faneuil Hall, Newbury Street, Harvard Square. If weather is nice walk, walk, walk.

Besides obvious warm clothing, layers you must have waterproof footwear for slush, puddles, snow.

After you do some research, others here will gimme you a little help if you have specific questions.

I guess my more pointed questions would be:

Driving-- we have a car rented. I suspect it's just like SF, LA, etc.

We have a Garmin, which has been dead-on-balls accurate where we've been lately since getting it.

Parking-- is it plentiful? How much does it cost?

Suggestions of good things not to miss?

Thanks

"Driving-- we have a car rented. I suspect it's just like SF, LA, etc."

Are you joking? Parking is scarce and expensive. Renting a car is not necessary or advisable for Boston visitors, except for day trips out of the city.

As gail suggested, past threads have thoroughly discussed Boston "good things not to miss" and transportation issues. Just enter Boston in the search box above.

Once again, Anon and I are in sync here. Do not drive in the city of Boston/downtown. It is not necessary and more trouble and expense than it is worth. While Garmin GPS is wonderful (we own one, a Magellan and a GPS installed on another car) and since Big Dig is done it will be reasonably accurate, navigation is the least of your worries.

Parking IS plentiful in parking garages and will cost $20-40 for a few hours - or the same amount for all day. Street parking only exists for those with a fairy godmother looking over their shoulder. In most areas it is "residents Only" with sticker. Areas with meters are limited in number and time allowed - often 2-4 hours. And it is enforced with big parking tickets. But you won't find a space anyway. And if it has snowed in the last weeks, the already limited spaces will be full of snow.

Outside of downtown/tourist areas parking is slightly more plentiful, but people mark their shovelled out spaces with objects to prevent non-shovellers from parking there. To do so imperils your life.

You have not mentioned where you are staying. If it is not booked, you will experience severe sticker shock at rates. Lodging rates rival NYC. Many less expensive hotels give themselves deceptive names like "Waltham Boston" - in Boston traffic and roads mean a short distance in mileage can take forever to drive. If a hotel says they have shuttle to MBTA (public transit) call hotel directly and make sure it is real and that the driver usually shows up. Or budget in a cab to/from MBTA.

Ideally if you can afford it, stay in a hotel in downtown or Copley or Faneuil Hall area. You will be able to walk to almost everything or take a short ride on the MBTA to anyplace else (website of same name plus .com gives really good maps and directions). Seaport area hotels would be second choice, but not really walkable. Long Wharf (Marriott) is OK.

Traffic in winter if it snows can make even locals insane. We live about 20 miles north of Boston and the drive after snow could take 2 hours. Or it could take 25 minutes as it did mid-day Saturday (yesterday) to airport.

Despite how it sounds above, I am not trying to be nasty or negative about your trip - I think a March visit is fine and you will love Boston. Just as when I visit a place, however, I would like to know what to be aware of so I can make appropriate plans.

Ummm. No. The driving is NOTHING like SF, LA.

LOL. Ditch the car.

Do NOT rent a car, it will be more of a hinderance than a help, and few places to park, and/or expensive parking.

Boston for tourists is actually much smaller than say NY. You can walk everywhere, easily. The Freedom Trail will take you to see alot of the historic sites in town, and since it starts at the State House and winds around downtown, you really will get to see alot in a short time span. You can pick up maps all over town, and probably they will be available at your hotel.

Fodors just came out with an updated Boston guide, which I'd recommend you pick up before you go.

If you are flying into Logan the easiest way to your hotel (any hotel) is a cab and again, Boston is just not that big so figure the most you will pay will be $30.

I was just in Boston in November and stayed at a nice little hotel across the street from Fanuiel Hall, on State St called the Harborside Inn. The room I had was very comfortable and I was surprised with the big size of the room. Also the price was really good.

Have a great time.

OP - (unrelated). Did you ever post a trip report for your Alaska trip last year (I clicked on your name and saw you were looking for info on Alaska). I have some similar questions to those you asked as we are going there in June 2008 -

We like to travel, however, we are not the Rockefellers. We have to stay in unpricey digs, which means we are staying in Danvers, MA. We just choose to stay in cheaper motels and spend our money on other stuff.

I appreciate all of the input, but I have a feeling the car will be necessary from here.

If you recommend me not to have a car, how are we supposed to get around from outside the city like this? Should we drive to the outskirts of the city, park there, and take public transportation (although the only experiences we've had with public transportation have been awful and really hesitate to do that)?

Of all the non-Rickefellar choices, Danvers would be mid to bottom of my list. But what is done is done.

To drive into Boston from Danvers one would take Route 1. This can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 90 minutes at rush hour, which is defined as 6 AM- 9:30 AM and 4 PM-7 PM. Traffic is bad, so everyone tries to morph their working hours. Hopefuy you will get ucky with weather and not spend the entire day in the car.

Boston Common underground garage would be my in-city choice for parking. From there, walk or take pubic transit around the city and collect your car at night.

Sounds as if you have ruled out driving part way in and transitting it from there. If you change your mind I would drive to either Wonderand on the blue line or Wellington on the orange line.

Commuter rail is an option, but its limitations are in parking and non-rush hour trains.

Can you cancel Danvers and Priceline something closer in? Say, Waltham?

Gail - Do you know how much the Boston Common parking garage costs? Is it still about $20/day? And is it full during the week? I know some of the subway parking garages (like Alewife) fill up pretty early during the week.

According to Mass Convention Bureau website Underground garage is 12 hours @$19 or 24 hrs @ $25. It does fill at times, but I have found a space by circling the block a few times and trying again.

What is your budget for hotel? The Harbourside is about $150 a night, so if you figure parking $20 a day and car rental and gas $50 a day, wouldn't the hotel IN the city end up being cheaper?

Priceline is usually very good for central Boston, particularly on weekends.

Depending on the length and timing of your trip, you could stay a couple of days in Danvers and visit the north shore (Salem, Marblehead, Gloucester) and Newburyport and Portsmouth, NH, then move to Boston for a celebratory weekend well within your price range.

You do not want a car once you are in the city.

Boston residents tend to be a bit stir crazy by March - longing for an early spring that won't come, sick to death of winter, football season is over but baseball hasn't started - so be forwarned - we tend to get a bit nuts around here in March

Thank God for St. Patrick's day. Not sure of your exact dates but if you are here around March 17 and you have an interest in Irish culture you will find lots of interesting things to do.

Lots of concerts usually with such notables as the Chieftains, the Saw Doctors, the Wolftones (such as they are now) and the Drop Kick Murphies (punk rock with Celtic sound featured in the movie The Departed but they're sold out anyway).

I believe Boston College hosts an Irish film festival as well.

South Boston host a parade with lots of bagpipe bands from several countries and states. While I enjoy the parade because I have a great viewing spot, it is turning into an excuse for some idiots to drink too much and pretend that its Mardi Gras but overall its still pretty fun.

One interesting non-Irish-centric event also held in March is the terrific the flower show held at the Bay Side Exposition in Dorchester.

Also recommend going to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum with its beautiful indoor garden that usually is full of flowers in March (unlike the outdoors which will be slushy and gray).

Enjoy your stay in Boston - Cead Mile Failte (means One Hundred Thousand Welcomes in Gaelic).

I know Boston gets a bad rap for driving, and maybe it is because I have been here all my life, but I don't see why it is as horrible as some feel it is - you don't need to navigate every street when you get here -and I've driven in NYC, LA, San Fran, and I just don't see where Boston is so much worse that you should freak out -

do you need a car? no. and if you could stay in the city w/out one you could get everywhere by public transport, but that is not always a plan , and this way you can also head to Salem/Marblehead (Peabody Essex Museum) , Cambridge area, or even Sturbridge or north into NH or south towards things on the Cape or wherever -

In March you won't hit summer traffic, just the commuter hours to avoid which you can easily do when on vacation

you only need to drive to the Boston Common Garage or the Dartmouth/Clarendon St garages and spend the downtown day - when you do the waterfront and north end day, you can park near that end -

or, you can use www.hopstop.com and www.mbta.com and several other sites that have 'trip planner' options and put in your starting address and destination and tek the rail, bus or T.

With a little homework you can work out your Boston days. I don't know how many days you have - but if you spent in town the day you tour Fenway (and parked once) and the day you have your Bruins game (and only parked once) yes you need to add that in, but that is your choice to do that ad keep your hotel or change hotels.

Here are some links that might help you choose options:

parking info / rates/ locations/ directions:

www.bostoncitylinks.com

an excellent link is the tourism City of Boston site:

www.cityofboston.gov/visitors/

full of transportation, parking, visitor info links

if you are sporty/and might be interested in hikes or outdoor activities, check out

www.thetrustees.org

full of outdoor/sporty activity info

also, check out the links for family activities at REI and EMS - they run outdoor activities like bicycling, boating, hiking, for all seasons out of their stores and it is often a great way to see some of an area while also enjoying the outside -

For history aside from the Freedom Trail -
(hit their webiste to plot your journey adn break it up with other interesting things -

www.thefreedomtrail.org

Also, check out sports games at BU and other local universities, sometimes a fun way to see some great sports / hockey/ etc for less than a professional team but on some excellent college campuses and arenas

How many are you and what ages and that would help us make other suggestions of sport/history/tour things to do - teens? toddlers? college age?

Great response escargot. Thanks for taking the time. I will print out your response and check out the various things in it.

BTW, there are just my wife and I who are doing this trip. Our daughter hasn't travelled with us in the last couple of years (being 20 Y-O and all).

We've paid the high-priced parking before, that won't be new to us. When we went to SF, we parked once and walked everywhere we could. The weather in Boston in March might be a bit of a deterrent, but we will give it our best shot.

We stayed about 25 miles south of SF in November and didn't mind the 25-mile drive into the city. We dropped our $20 to $40 to park and walked. That was one of the best trips we've ever had.

I know Public transportation is probably the best way to go, but all of our experiences on such have been awful.

I haven't been there yet, but I can't see how driving in Boston can be much different than driving in Toronto, LA, SF, STL, KC. Maybe more one-way streets and such. Maybe more drivers who are aggressive.

We won't be driving around the city looking at the sites, I can assure you that. We will park and walk if at all possible.

We are still trying to finalize our itenerary, but we will only be there for about six days, including getting there at mid-day on a Saturday and returning on a Friday evening.

Any other hints you guys can give us will be appreciated.

Thanks again

The Club Quarters is available on line for about $100 a night in March. Small room but all the amenities. It's in the Financial District and therefore very quiet at night. Easily walkable to everything and the parking is subsidized to the tune of $8.00 a night at the Arch St. garage on the next block. Have fun.

The thing is, our deal we got through Priceline includes everything-- flights, motel and car. It was agreat deal compared to anything on any other Web Site. I don't know how we can change it.

Thanks

The way driving in Boston is different than the cities you mention has to do with the age, layout and history. As with many older cities, cow paths and the like defined the streets. The complicating factor in Boston is that much of the city is on land created by progressively filling harbor land - and this made it necessary to add streets in a seemingly random pattern. However, if you are a comfortable city driver and willing to tolerate getting lost and the nasty gestures and words if you appear so, there is no reason a stranger can not drive here.

Gail,

I'm sorry. I never did post a trip report to Alaska. We did go and loved it. But with working as much as I do, I don;t have much time to sit down and think about a trip report.

I can tell you that we were some of the luckiest tourists to ever go to Alaska. I say that because on our day trip to Denali, we had a 2- to 3-year-old grizzly bear come up into the compound area where they have the 30-minute stop on the 8-hour trip. It walked right in front of our bus-- I'd say within 3- to 4-feet of the bus. Got some great pics.

Overall, Alaska was probably the best trip we've ever taken. The only downside was the length of the drives to get anywhere. Nothing was less than 100 miles from our B&B in Palmer, Alaska (about 35 miles North of Anchorage).

We also went on a Glacier Cruise and saw a glacier calve off about the size of the boat we were on. It was spectacular.

Overall, if I were to rate the trip, it was an 11 on a scale of 1 to 10. We enjoyed it immensely.

Any other questions you might have, I will try to answer them. The past few days have been a little different for me because I've been able to get on the computer a lot. That will change though.

Thanks for the replies.

Thanks - and apologies to others for hijacking this post.

I think driving with a 'co-pilot' in the car in Boston is just like driving in any other new city - if you have a map/plan before you head in, have your directions down and one can drive while one looks for signs/landmarks that always makes it much easier -

if you miss a street winding your way back could lose you some time, so just leave some extra in case it is a day you have timed tix for soemthing. Your hotel should be able to help you, or those web sites I listed prior.

Pack layers and keep an eye on weather and be prepared for anything but mostly come with the thought of being hardy !

As for other ideas, some of my favorite things to do in Boston:
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (and lunch in their cafe) and onto the MFA (and/or lunch in one of their cafes/restaurants) - or at their Bravo Restaurant for finer dining. If I had to choose one I'd choose the ISG because it is different than your 'standard' larger museum - you can compare online

The Boston Public Library (check it out online first so you have some knowledge of the Sargent Murals, other exhibits it might have,also a nice cafe - and no entry fee - from there walk down Dartmouth St ( and the burgers, etc are great at Clery's Irish Bar/Grill and continue down to Tremont Street - take a left and cross Tremont and walk down Union prk to Shawmut Ave (and the Buttery which has great sandwiches and cupcakes) and back up to Tremont (and/or Garden of Eden which as great chicken salad among other things) or any of the other restaurants on "Restaurant Row" - Aquitaine, Francescas, Metropolis, Pops, Hamersley's Bistro, even Pico for pizza/salad/soup (although some only serve dinner there are plenty open for lunch) you can read most menus from outside.

This will give you a peek at some amazing Victorian brownstones, architectural detail , etc - and you will also at the corner of Clarendon see next to Hamersley's the Boston Center for the Arts/Cyclorama and you can walk back Clarendon to Boylston/Newbury and stroll to wherever you want from there -

I'm not wild about Wikipedia, but there info on the South End as an overview isn't bad, and w/ some photos also.

perhaps continue walking to the Boston Public Garden/Boston Common - and down Charles Street (and see some of Beacon Hill area homes, boutique stores, some nice cafes - Cafe Vanille/French Memories is particularly nice for a break and delicious coffee/pastry and at the end you can cross over the pass above Storrow Drive to the Charles River - and walk the banks of the Charles for a bit.

Or, keep walking straight on Tremont down into the Theater District area - which will also lead you by the transportation building and PF Changs (another place to grab lunch) and onto the Common, etc.

A partial day/night in the North End - walking part of Freedom Trail, dine, walk again, have coffee and dessert at any number of pastry shops -or you might consider one of MIchele Topors NorthEnd Market Tours - or tie it in w/ your hockey game - just roam the streets yourself get a feel for another historic neighborhood ( have you read the book about the Molasses Flood?) an interesting book w/ history about why/how that tank ended up in the North End and how even back then a large company was negligent in revealing things to the neighbors - or get the quick version online

Since you are not far from Salem, I would absolutely see the Peabody Essex Museum and a bit of Salem and spend a part of a day there -

Also, driving thru the North Shore area of MA is lovely, esp parts along the shore of Gloucester/Manchester/Beverly/Marblehead/Salem even in March, - I wouldn't miss the opportunity for that since you are staying outside of Boston.

And do think about looking into the public transportation possibilities from somewhere not far from Danvers - like Salem or Hamilton or Beverly or a town like these that are not far from you at all - or even a town closer to Boston, where you can park and ump on a bus or T for a few stops - even as a backup incease of unexpected weather issues.

Have a wonderful time !

For our tour of Fenway Park and the Boston Bruins game at The Garden, what should be our plans? Where could we park or if we decide to take the public transport, where should we catch it and what should we catch? Remember, we are staying in Danvers.

I don't mean to sound stupid on this subject, but we try to stay away from public transportation.

I don't know what to tell you about public transportation.
I listed several websites above (mbta, hopstop) that can give you an idea what is available from Danvers. I think you have to drive at least 10 min or so to a neighboring town as I mentioned to take the train/bus or just park closer to Boston

I would also assume the hotel would be able to assist with this part when you get there and firm up your plans.

As far as the tour at Fenway - what time is it?
you have several choices - go into town, park at the BOSton Common garage and walk to the green line right there at Park Street and take it to Fenway -
on the corner of Boston Common is the tourist center ( the corner near Tremont St) - GO THERE -
inside are hundreds of brochures and greeters who will answer ALL your questions in detail - it is so easy to take the T from there to Fenway and the T entrance is right next to the Tourist Center and people will help you

Or you can drive in, park in one of the lots near Fenway (you'll see them) - have your tour - and either leave your car there for the day - and walk down to Kenmore Sq - and if you are walkers keep going all the way down Comm Ave (enjoying the statues, etc in the middle green) and maybe lunch at a hotel or restaurant along the way

or take the T from Kenmore Sq (it really is soooo easy) into Copley Place or wherever you want to be that day in town - and then back to your car at days end (after dinner and rush hour traffic)

or move your car that day to the Boston Common lot and go from there

The Bruins Game day - again, I'd make that my day to do the waterfront, that end of the Freedom Trail, Old Ironsides, NOrth End, etc and finish the day with the game. Therefor, that day I would drive in, park right near Faneuil Hall for the day along the waterfront (again, you will see the garages) YOu can also find much of this info online beforehand enough to give you a feel for options

"I don't mean to sound stupid on this subject, but we try to stay away from public transportation"

No offense, but you do sound if not stupid then hopelessly naive.

Driving is not like LA at all, or even San Francisco. LA off the freeways is incredibly simple, and San Francisco is a piece of cake. Boston is like Paris or Rome.

Many thousands of people travel efficiently on public transportation in Boston (and NY, see your other post) every day.

There is virtually no on street parking in Boston and fines are high if you park in a resident space or overstay the meter if you are lucky enough to find one.

Why ask advice if you don't plan to follow it?

There will be no tours of Fenway offered at that point since the season will not have started. For the Bruins, just check their schedule on their webpage. Plenty of Tickets offered.

Your trip is going to be a little different from most "Fodorite Forays" into Boston if you stay in Danvers every night. It's NOTHING like LA or SF -- think New York with bigger hills and much crooked-er streets.

But since you apparently are:

1. Urge you to rethink your attitude toward public transport, especially in a city as well-served by it as Boston is. All you have to do is get caught in rush hour traffic or try to park, especially after a heavy snowfall, JUST ONCE and you'll understand how valued the commuter rail and T systems are! And think of it this way: if you get into a traditional Boston fender-bender with the rental car, it'll cost you!

You can rent a car, but park it at one of the lots near the commuter rail or T -- go here: http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/rail/ to see a map of the rail lines, here: http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/subway/ for the "T" and then

here: http://www.mbta.com/riding_the_t/parking/ to find parking.

Warning: driving around the Salem area isn't much fun, despite the apparent proximity to things.

If it were me, I'd park at Wonderland (they say it has over 1000 spaces) and ride the Blue Line in.

HOWEVER:

2. There are a number of things to do outside Boston that a lot of people miss because they DON'T putter around elsewhere. So spend a few days outside Boston! You'll be on the North Shore (Nawth Shaw) -- Here's a really quick list:

Concord/Lexington battle fields
Walden Pond
DeCordova Art Museum (and surroundings) - un-stuffy, lovely place
Longfellow's Wayside Inn and grist mill
Rockport and Gloucester
Marblehead (Mabblehead)
Salem (the Witch House is a little touristy but the museum is better than you'd think)

Then there's coastal NH and Maine, not far north of you.

They have tours of Fenway Park all year long, check the website for the winter schedule.

It sounds like I'm in the minority, but I didn't think driving in Boston was all that much different from other cities. I actually find Chicago worse.

As others have said, if you can tolerate being lost or off-track, you'll be fine. We never had to be anywhere at a certain time, and looked at being lost as a way to see something new.

We also parked in the Boston Commons garage - left the car in the morning and picked it up in the evening. We were pleasantly surprised at how active that area was at night. We come from a city where downtown shuts down after dark, so seeing so many people walking around was nice.

The Fenway tours being available in winter is a change this year as friends of mine looked into them last year and were told they were only offered during the season. That being said there is a good amount of construction going on inside Fenway(should be almost complete in March) and not all areas will be available. Not sure what else is open in terms of the stores near Fenway.