Boston in New Year
 

Hi, I am thinking of travelling to Boston from the UK on 27/12 for 5 nights, travelling back 01/01. Just a couple of questions - exactly how cold will it be during this time of year and will any of the attractions/sights be closed? Thanks

On National holidays most places are closed.....but since you're traveling on new year's you shouldn't actually have trouble with that. Some tourist sites may shorten their hours during the winter....and places like national/state parks/cemeteries close at dusk- which must come early that time of year- 4 or 5 pm??

Yes, it will be cooold (glad I'm not you). You probably won't want to walk outdoors much:)

But nevertheless, you'll have a great time! I bet Boston's pretty incredible on NY's Eve. And snooooow:)

The above poster does not come from Boston and is clueless..lol It will be cold, cold, cold..and of course it is First Night... the first one in the country and the most successful..This is a story about last years www.boston.com/ae/specials/first_night_2005/ First night is a family event and public drinking and intoxication is frowned upon. It is an exciting time in Boston with people from all over the world. If yourlucky you maybe able to go ice skating on the Frog Pond.. Restaurants and bars(pubs to you) wll be open...For the cost of a button y ou can get nto all the events for free... from jazz to dance.. Just make sure you have your hotel room set up way ahead of time and if your going back to the UK... take a much later flight..lol I'm sure many Bostonians will be adding to this post...

Yep, you're right- never been to Boston during New Years (I've a cousin living there, so that's my main source of info)....but I should have remembered about first night (lots of places have something similar as well)....and I didn't actually see you contradict anything I wrote?

C'mon mooselywild, please stick to stuff you know about!!

Dress warmly -- pack a scarf (muffler) because in addition to the cold, Boston is known for its wind!

My Son and Gf had a blast at First Night last year. Plenty to do!

The Duck Tour closes right before Thanksgiving, Nov. 26.

Actually, you will find that some museums (Museum of Science is one, for example) have EXTENDED hours during your timeframe...

Heres a nifty link that will lead you to the vast selection of museums in Boston...

http://tinyurl.com/zflzl

<scratching my head> I stuck to pretty general info....so I'm not sure what you're getting excited about?

New Year's Eve- every city has something similar to first night.

New Year's Day- most places are closed or close early....(maybe not restaurants and bars, but shopping areas, banks,etc. do, I think.)

Small museums occasionally shorten their hours during the winter.

How many national/state parks/cemeteries do you know that want folks hanging out after dusk?

And it's cooooold in Boston that time of year. Even you agree....

And if only "experts" posted on every thread- this would be a very boring forum- because guess what? THIS IS A TALK FORUM.

Right. Now I think I need more coffee...(And sorry, OP, for the hijacking) :)

To be specific, the nighttime low temperatures at the time you're visiting can be anywhere between zero and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and daytime highs anywhere from 20 to 60, most likely in the middle. There are years when we barely need our coats when viewing the First Night fireworks, and other years when there's a serious risk of frostbite!

Mooselywild...this is a TRAVEL FORUM.

A forum to talk about travel- OPINIONS about travel, general impressions about travel, etc. Not cold hard facts-read the guidebooks/statistics if you want cold hard facts or professional opinions:)

For instance? The countless "what to where threads?"

I've said this before but- Galentheape should take EVERYONE's posts with a grain of salt- native or non-native! Anyone's capable of good advice and anyone's capable of bad advice.

Seetheworld- I think YOU may need some coffee- or maybe a jelly donut?

oh, that should be wear, not where!

Geeze! I'm off to watch the news on TV. All the wars going on in the world at the moment - might be more peaceful after reading this lot!!!

galentheage, listen if you want OPINIONS, listen to mooselywild, 'cause she's telling you that the shops will be closed!

If you want FACTS (which most people come here for), you will be able to shop at Copley Pace on NEW YEARS DAY. They will be OPEN! As they are in many place that day.

No one wants generalizations, they want specifics. That's what makes this forum helpful to travelers.

lol, carylspall...yes, probably- (except for the only virtual bloodshed here)

Place, Copley Place. And to verify, I called.

And it's a no-brainer to realize that parks close at dusk -- they do too in the UK.

No thanks on that jelly doughnut, mooselywild.

Oh, so that's what you're upset over? OK- so Bostonians are lucky- nothing 'round here is open then...


You could've just said- "beg to differ- shopping areas in Boston are open NYD"
And travelers also don't want opinions on child raising, etc....but when you post on a web board, who knows what you'll get?

mooselywild, you are so off the mark, it's actually funny.

Guys! I decided to leave the TV off.
You have cheered up a dismal windy,rainy day for me here in Scotland and made me laugh!

"And it's a no-brainer to realize that parks close at dusk -- they do too in the UK."

Boston Common and the adjacent Public Garden do not close, and indeed the Common is the site of many late-night activities, including winter ice skating and First Night events.

The first reponse on this thread, from moosely, did puzzle me since it was entirely speculative and mostly inaccurate.

Yes, let's exclude those parks, annon. Does the Freedom Trail close? I didn't think so

I will admit, it's fun to post on some threads without too much thinking -- those are the ones that frankly, are quite meaningless, but we enjoy them nonetheless.

BUT, the OP is asking for information about Boston and if people start giving information based on THEIR location (which for mooselywild is somewhere on the west coast?) instead of answers related to the location of travel, it becomes problematic!

And it's a no-brainer to realize that parks close at dusk

Uh-huh....see, I used to think that- but tourists/visitors keep asking questions about when parks close- 1 family right in front of the sign. Some have entitlement issues. Some want to know if they can "stay just a bit longer". Some want to play night games/seance in the cemetery. Some protest- they can only have campfires after dark- when open fires in most parks? Soooo illegal. I've even had relatives/friends (non residents) ask if Riverfront Park is "safe" after dark- and it's fairly safe to assume that no where in Downtown Spokane is completely safe after dark!

So, I'm certainly not classing galentheape with the idiots- nor most fodorites! But I no longer assume much of anything....

And you taking this so seriously is freakinin' hilarious:)

Carylspall- so glad this thread is doing something useful!

Time for you to go back to school, moosely.



galentheage, enjoy your visit! :)

Dude, I quite agree. Only two more weeks. Only two more weeeeeeks!

And I wasn't talking about city parks in the first place- and obviously, some parks can't be closed (too many entrances).....

I live in Boston so I'll answer :)

It has the potential to be very cold. Of course, you never can predict these things but NYE is often just about the coldest night of the year.

As to whether to visit during this time, it depends on what you like to do. If you want to go to restaurants, museums, plays, etc then you'll be fine. Just consider the potential cold if you plan on being outside a lot. Everything will certainly be open. You can walk the Freedom Trail, etc.

FIRST NIGHT in Boston is the original and the most successful in the country..It is a family event..Stores maybe closed that evening, but the majority of shops are opened on New Years Day and may close sat 600 p.m... The Boston Public Gardens and the Commons are always OPENED and patrolled by policemen on mounted horses.. As somebody in the UK told me.. Boston Commons is the only piece of land in the middle of any city that has never been taken over for buildings.. The early settlers used it for grazing their cattle.. There is no guarantee about the snow...I hope not.. "mooselywild" has relatives here.. we live here... outside of Boston.. Restaurants are always mobbed.. and public transportation has extended hours.. NYC has their "ball dropping".. we have parades, fireworks, exhibitions and a great atmosphere...Boston is known as a walking city and you can walk from Copley Square down to Quincy Market where there are fireworks over the harbor.. Any other Bostonians out there to chime in.. Oh yes.. other cities in MA have very successful first nights like Worcester..

Ahah- Park Street church will be closed. King's chapel is only open Saturday. Old State House will be closed NYD. As will Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere House, North Church. A few others shorten their visiting hours, including cemeteries (actually, a few cemeteries close at five even in the summer).
(courtesy of Walking Tours)

NE aquarium closes at noon NYD. New Bedford Whaling Museum is closed on NYD.

Plimoth Plantation closes after Thanksgiving.
(courtesy of museum pass info)

There's got to be several other places as well....

That was fun....
And that would be why I take everybody's advice with a grain of salt:)

and I never said my advice was better than the natives....

Mooselywild, we admire your desire to help. And, in many cases you're right about threads here being about opinions. In those cases, the more the merrier! But, when a poster is asking for specifics rather than opinion, it's usually most helpful to let the natives or those who've visited at that particular time handle it. The wonderful thing about this board is that there always seems to be someone who truly is an "expert" on any given area.

That's really all anyone was trying to say. No need to get upset. :)

You are so funny... who is going to go to Plimouth Plantation or the Whaling Museum which are FAR AWAY from Boston on New Years eve...

As much as I love Plimoth Plantation and try to "talk it up" at every opportunity, I can't say it's somewhere I'd care to be in January! :D

PM- yes, but the OP will be there for 5 nights...and weather doesn't stop me from doing anything, only closures do.

CAPH52: Ooooh, sanity:) I'm not offended, I just didn't understand why seetheworld (or others) didn't just correct me and then let it die- My first post was so general, and I didn't say something outright wrong.

But really, I have a difficult time taking any online community seriously- this is entertainment (interesting, occasionally informative,and if I help someone, so much the better- type entertainment), because I've nothing better to do now. So I apologize to those who truly do take it seriously.


galentheape- if you do decide to come over, have a great time!:)

Oh, I meant upset, not offended....And I know there are "experts" in every area here- that's what I like about Fodors. But that should in no way discourage "nonexperts" from piping up:)

Sorry- backing slowly away from the keyboard, right now, I promise...

Again, mooselywild, not trying to offend. I understand your point of view. But to many people the questions they post <b>are</b> serious because their hard-earned vacation time and their money are involved. And, sometimes even bigger things, as in the two threads from the poster who wants to move to a small town.

As I sort of said before, it's partly a matter of knowing when it's okay to give an opinion and when a response calls for knowledge and/or life experience. Or, to put it another way, when a thread is strictly entertainment and when there's something more serious involved.

Okay, I will get off my soapbox now!:)

Now, that POV I completely understand- but visiting Boston any time of the year, and being bored or the trip a waste of money?? Impossible:)

Auuuugh....must stop posting- oh, well