kda0000

Hi there,

I have a long 10 hour layover (7:30 AM - 5:30 PM) in Boston this coming Saturday, 05/20/17. I'm meeting some friends who happen to be staying at the Kimpton Hotel Marlowe on Edwin H Land Blvd in Cambridge. We're a sights, sounds, bars, food, games, etc crowd (ie. not really a history buff crowd,) so that's what we're trying to find. It looks to me like a good place to meet would be the North End, or West End, but none of us are really familiar with the area.

1) Where would you recommend we meet and hang out?

2) I would prefer to stow my carry-on bag (and possibly my suitcase,) in a locker somewhere - anyone have suggestions for that?

3) How do I get from the airport to wherever you're suggesting?

4) What time do I need to head back to the airport given that it's a Saturday, my flight is an international flight, and so on?

5) What would you recommend we do wherever you recommended?

For a bit of additional info, my flights were all booked as a single trip through Condor. I'm flying BUF > BOS > MAN > AMS, so 3 flights. It's 3 separate airlines JetBlue > Thomas Cooke > FlyBE, respectively.

Thanks!

DebbieDoesDulles

Well, if your flight is on time, you'll have maybe 8:30am to 2pm to enjoy yourself and then will have to head back to the airport.

North End sounds good. You could take a water taxi in and have your friends meet you there. A bus picks you up outside your terminal, takes you to the water taxi, it's just a 7 minute water ride and you're dropped off pretty close to the North End, an easy walk. You could also walk to Boston Common easily. For lunch you have, nearby....Durgin Park, Hard Rock Café, Union Oyster, or browse around the Boston Public Market or Fanueil Hall.

From their hotel, your friends would take the T to the Aquarium, and then walk a few minutes to meet your boat.

There is no luggage storage at the airport but the Wharf taxi office stores luggage for free if you buy a round trip water taxi ticket which is $20, I think. http://www.roweswharfwatertransport.com/faq

gail

I did not know about the Rowes Wharf luggage storage - good idea since there is no luggage storage at Logan and it does not seem with your itinerary you can check your luggage through. Either that or meet at friends' hotel and leave it there.

The activités you like are more evening things - but I found a website thebostoncalendar.com that includes a beer pub crawl at noon and unusual things like dragon boat lessons on the harbor. Also some other things that might interest you and your friends.

Agree that North End is place to meet or center activities. It is the traditionally Italian area of Boston and there are multiple restaurants. I am not a fan of the restaurants Debbie mentions - they are long on history and short of food quality, but I like all her other advice.

Agree 2:00/2:30 back to airport. Have a good trip.

SambaChula

Water taxi stores luggage. There is also a place at South Station.
Three hours before boarding is recommended for Logan these days.
Not sure what "sights, sounds, bars, food, games, etc crowd " means. Are you in the under 30 age group in that case? Many college hangouts with bars, food, games around the area, including close to their hotel. Too early in the day for much in the way of sounds, except buskers in the subway. Sights (non-historical)include everything from whales to art/architecture to maybe a Fenway tour, and more.

gail

I suggest avoiding Fenway Park area this weekend - Boston University and several of the smaller colleges in that immediate area have commencements this weekend.

kda0000

Thanks all. So, from the North End, what time should I be heading back to the airport to get me back to Logan in time? It's not very far geographically, but I know that traffic and timing can be a huge issue in cities like Boston.

gail

2:30. Security lines can be short or long and they still say 3 hours prior to international flight. Looks like you are flying JetBlue from BOS. They are the biggest airline from Boston and are usually reasonably efficient.

HappyTrvlr

One reason we use the water taxi to go out to Logan is that you avoid traffic jams.