speckles

I'll be in Boston in August as part of a 4 week tour of the US from Australia. I have 2.7 days, which is not enough, but the dates are set. My friend and I are staying at the Holiday Inn, Beacon Hill (this is also set).

Day 1:
- Fast Ferry to Provincetown with Boston Harbor Cruises
- Expedition Whydah Pirate Musuem (is this any good?)
- Provincetown Trolley Tour
- Commercial Street shops and art galleries
- 4pm ferry back to Boston
If time and energy allow then stop in at Quincy Market and check out shops.

Day 2:
- stroll down Charles Street
- walk through Public Garden
- walk through Boston Common
- stop at Visitor Center for Freedom Trail info
- follow Freedom Trail
- stop at Old South Meeting House
- stop at Old State House
- stop at Faneuil Hall and see the Ancient & Honorable Artillery Co. Museum
- stop at Paul Revere House
- stop at Old North Church
- visit USS Constitution
Does this sound like too much for one day?

Day 3:
Still deciding. Possibilities include:
- Isabella Gardner Museum
- Newbury Street / Copley Square area
- Downtown Crossing shopping area
- Harvard Square
Are any of these better than others?

We have to be at the airport for a domestic flight to DC at 6.50pm. Any guidelines for the time we should return to the hotel to collect our luggage and catch a taxi to the airport?

china_cat

When we've done the freedom trail, we always run out of steam around the North end/Paul Revere house, and don't get all the way to Bunker Hill or the Constitution. We usually end up having coffee and pastries in the North end, then heading back to our home base. But you don't have to decide on that. You have a good plan, just take your time and see how it goes.

I like the Whydah pirate museum, I found it it interesting.

Of your day 3 possibilities, I like the Gardner musuem the best, but it doesn't take that long. You could probably spend a couple hours there, then get to Harvard square for lunch.

Of the 2 shopping choices, Newbury st is more interesting than Downtown crossing.

wyatt92

Your itinerary is packed, but doable.

On Day 3, I'd skip Downtown Crossing, nothing too exciting there. I think Newbury Street is a good choice, you'd probably also have time to go to the Gardner Museum.

Anonymous

I would rearrange some of the activities:

Day 2

Walk from hotel across Beacon Hill
- walk through Boston Common
- stop at Visitor Center for Freedom Trail info
- follow Freedom Trail
- stop at Old South Meeting House
- stop at Old State House
- stop at Faneuil Hall and see the Ancient & Honorable Artillery Co. Museum
- stop at Paul Revere House
- stop at Old North Church
- visit USS Constitution

Day 3

Take Red Line and Green Line subways to Gardner Museum
Take Green Line back to Copley station
Copley/Newbury Street
Public Garden
Charles Street

Charles Street runs from the Public Garden to Cambridge Street; your hotel is on a side street right off Cambridge St. The Red Line's Charles Street station is at the intersection of Charles and Cambridge.

speckles

Hi all. Thanks for the quick replies. I like Anon's idea of moving Charles St and the Public Gardens to Day 3. Everyone has suggested the Gardner Museum, so I assume it is good/popular.

escargot

Regarding the Freedom Trail, you can access all the info on line, and depending on what sights may be more interesting to you personally, plan your walking that way -

for instance, if the Constitution/Bunker Hill is critical for you to see, then start there and do the trail "backwards" so to speak

I would make sure at some point to see the Charles (maybe when you start on Charles Street, first just briefly take the overpass walkway (footbridge over Storrow Drive) and take a few moments to walk along the Charles and see it, looking down towards the bridges, etc

6:50 flight for DC, need to be at airport by 6pm at the latest -
Day of week depends on traffic if you are taking a cab (rush hour Mon-Fri type of thing after work)
Perhaps you are taking public transportation?
Your hotel will likely hold your bags and you can leave from there, they can assist on timing depending on your choice of transportation

speckles

It would probably make sense to do Day 2 the other way around as the USS Constitution is one of the main things I want to see. I'm not fussed about Bunker Hill, but could start at the ship, which would also be the furthest away. Then I would be back near Boston Common at the end and could always check out some of the shops around Downtown Crossing (ie Filene's Basement) if I had the time/energy at the end.

wyatt92

Just an FYI, Filene's Basement is currently closed for renovations. It definitely will not be open by August.

Anonymous

There's a Filene's Basement on Boylston Street, two blocks from Copley (between Clarnedon St and Berkeley).

wyatt92

It's nothing like the original in Downtown Crossing though.

raineday

In Provincetown, I would skip the trolley tour and do an Art's Dune Tour. You get to ride on the outer cape beaches. The Pirate museum is small. There are some unique shops in P-Town although many are your basic t-shirt type places. The marine supply store near the post office is quirky.

missypie

Just FYI, the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum opens kind of late in the day - 11 am. You might want to start that day wtih one of your walks (maybe Boston Common), then go to the Gardner. Or see something else first, then go there OR use it as a bit of a sleep in day.

On Day 2, either have some great North End Italian food for lunch, or make a dinner resrvation at a North End restaurant as you walk through on the way to the Paul Revere house. The North End gets VERY crowded at night, with lines out the door for lots of the popular restaurants and bakeries.

Also, after the USS Constitution, there's a boat you can take back that's part of the public transportation system-very inexpensive and will save you from having to back track on foot.

AttyWSW

I highly recommend Plimouth Plantation which is south of Boston. A lot more fun than Harvard!

AttyWSW

Don't forget the Duck Tours!

sumi

It's been years since I did the Freedom Trail proper but to see the USS Constitution, the MBTA boat from Long Wharf to the Charlestown Navy Yard is great. They run frequently throughout the day and costs almost nothing. Long Wharf is where the NE Aquarium is and where the Provincetown ferry departs from.

From Long Wharf, it's just a few minutes walk to the North End where many of the other points of interest are. Fanueuil Hall (Quincy Market) is also just a few minutes away.

I don't think Downtown Crossing would be of any interest but by the Park St. church (near the corner of Park and Tremont) is the Granary cemetary where many "Revolutionary patriots" are buried -- Sam Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere, as well as Mother Goose. It's a very small cemetery and fun to stroll through.

For "fun" shopping, I'd recommend Back Bay (Newbury St. area) and Faneuil Hall. Harvard Square used to be fun but it's been taken over by the typical "mall stores" but, coming from Australia, they may still be different for you.

The Gardner museum is lovely, although probably more for the setting/building than the contents. If you're interested in art, the Museum of Fine Arts (in the same area as the Gardner) is one of the best art museums in the U.S.

speckles

Thanks all for the replies.

I might consider skipping the Gardner Museum (maybe) as we are off to DC after Boston and will be visiting mostly museums and galleries of one sort or another. Thanks Missypie for pointing out the opening time as I had it down for the first activity for the day.

Filene's Basement is closed? It's been a case of what isn't closed on this trip - The Museum of American History and Ford's Theatre in DC, Boston Tea Party Ship and a few other things that escape my memory at the moment.

Sumi, you're right that what are typical mall stores to you locals are new stores to we foreigners.

gail

Sounds like you have done a lot of research. A day prior to arrival in Boston check weather forecast and make last minute changes if necessary (no need to check forecast any earlier than that since it will be wrong). August is not that likely to have weather interfering with your plans, but if, for instance, there are thunderstorms predicted on Day 1, you might not want to be on a ferry to Provincetown and could dwitch day 1 and day 2.

Add to your Day 3 possibilities, if you have an interest, JFK Museum/Library. While it is not in as central location as the other things you are visiting, it is on Red Line of MBTA so it would be easy to get there and Harvard Square (same line - big distance - sit on train and rest your feet)

Forget Plimouth Plantation - a nice place to visit, but not in your 2 1/2 days.

Agree Downtown Crossing is nothing, especially with Filene's Basement gone.

Day 3 - if you decide to skip Gardner, take a Duck Tour - great fun, get to see buildings from perspective of floating on Charles River. If you get on at Prudential Center (2 origination points - there or Museum of Science) you might be able to fit in an elevator ride to top of Prudential to get high up view of city - on nice day it is spectacular.

Depending on day of the week if it is a weekend on Sat night or Sunday afternoon there will be a festival to some Catholic saint going on in the North End. Good Italian street food, big crowds, and will effect ability to eat dinner there. If you are around Faneuil Hall area Friday or Saturday during day, take a stroll thru Haymarket - open air vendors with real pushcarts selling all sorts of produce, piles of creepy fish with heads on ice on a cart, sausages hanging from the windows - authentic and on route of Freedom Trail or short detour from your hotel. Certainly not a chain store.

If you want shops and more authentic food when you are in Harvard Square area, head north or south on Massachusetts Avenue (called Mass Ave by everyone) - fewer chains, more interesting selections.

I am impressed with the amount of research you have done for this trip on this and other threads - please post a trip report - I know it will be fascinating.

Anonymous

Although the Gardner Museum is technically a museum, it is unlike anything in Washington DC. Mrs. Gardner traveled throughout Europe gathering not only wall-hung art, but knicknacks, furniture, and architectural elements and had them incorporated into her home, which as modeled after a Venetian palazzo. She arranged things for the entertainment and pleasure of herself and her friends, lived in the house for the rest of her life, and endowed the museum on the condition that the items must never be rearranged. It's a truly unique place.

yk

I agree with Anon regarding the Gardner Museum. If you have been to the Frick Museum in NYC, the Gardner is more like that but with an even nicer setting. The Gardner cafe serves excellent food in a nice setting.

seafox

On day 1, the museum is small and will not take a lot of time. I agree that if I had a choice, I would skip the Trolley Tour and take Art's dune tour. The flavor of the town can be gotten just by walking commercial street and perhaps a couple of side streets. Th Dune tour is unique. To get to Art's, while on the pier that the ferry drops you off, walk straight ahead to Commercial street. As you cross the street, you will see Art's vehicles directly in front on the left side of the street. Be sure to walk well into the East End of commercial street (feels like you are going west) to see the many galleries.