Boston Thursday to Sunday
 

We arrive on Thursday by car from Providence and staying at the Fairmont Copley.

1) Do we ditch the car in Boston and explore it using public transpo

2) Any recommendations on things to do?

Thanks.

1) Yes
2) I recommend you do things you think you'll find interesting or fun

Something that you might consider fun. http://www.mos.org/
How many are the "we"? Ages?
If it is a rental car do you pay a drop off fee?
The Amtrak adult fare on the Northeast Regional from Providence to Boston South station is $15. Children 2-15 are half price.

thanks everyone.

from boston, we go home to calgary. my and i are in our 40's and we are foodies, love theatre, and history. is the boston pop's playing in september?

The Boston Symphony opens their season in September, but not till the 21st. The Boston Pops does have something September 1st...not sure of your dates. check bso.org for specifics of both.

Lots of history....just check Fodor's basic Boston itineraries, it will have lots of ideas for you. Generally, walking the Freedom Trail gets you to the most important historic sites in downtown Boston.

A couple of local theater companies you can google for their websites and calendars: Huntington Theater company, American Repertory Theater. Both are top notch (in particular, the ART now owns TWO Tony's for best revival...Porgy and Bess, and Pippin both premiered in Cambridge before moving to New York)

I would recommend that you walk the Freedom Trail, and choose any number of other great spots to visit: the Museum of Fine Arts, especially the New American Wing; the Adams National Historic Site, Quincy, accessible via the Red Line, and the JFK Library.

You may also want to walk around Harvard Square and see some of the historic Harvard Buildings, and perhaps visit the Longfellow House.

I'd drop off the rental car when you arrive, and re-rent when you leave--unless you have a good deal for the long-term. Parking in Boston will be $30 to $45 a night (or 24-hour period).

I'd dump the car in Prov and take the train/commuter rail. Amtrak or MBTA to back bay which is very close to your hotel. That is unless there was something you wanted to see on the way.

I have enjoyed both of Michelle Topar's food tours - the North End (Italian) and Chinatown. If you don't do the Chinatown tour, you can still have a dim sum lunch on your own. I love the Chinese bakeries as well as the ones in the North End.

The JFK library was very interesting and had free parking although you can get there on public transportation. We went to the library first and then the hotel where we ditched the car. (hotel had free parking but was in a lousy location)

Is the car yours (in which case you can't really leave it in Providence!) or a rental? Your hotel is a good location, but parking will be expensive - perhaps do a search here on something like "low cost weekend parking" in Boston.

Agree with defrost about the food tours - I have done both and enjoyed the North End one far more. Nice way to spend a half day.

The usual Freedom Trail suggestion will take a day if you stop and see various historic houses and museums along the way. Take a Harbor Cruise - they vary in length from an hour or so to all-day whale watch. (bostonharborcruises.com - and another company I don't remember).

BSO season has not started. On Thursdays the Boston Globe newspaper has a Calendar section that lists all sorts of arts and entertainment - pick one up since the on-line version makes you pay now. I am sure there is some sort of music or theatre going on.

A nice stroll is the Rose Kennedy Greenway along the waterfront - although I admit to having seen only part of it. Part of a decades long project opening up the waterfront from highways and buildings. The New England Aquarium has just been renovated - it was only average before and have not seen the new version. If you want an art museum, I would pick Isabella Stewart Gardner over Museum of Fine Arts - but personal preference only. JFK Museum/Library is also good, although since I accompanied my kids their on class field trips at least 10 times, I feel like it is my second home.

If you are into sports at all, take a Fenway Park tour and/or have Sunday lunch at a sports bar where the Patriots game will be on TV. Watch fan insanity for an hour or so.

Everything on this list is either walkable from your hotel or a very short MBTA ride (train/trolley/subway/bus system - the oldest in the US and sometimes it shows). MBTA.com has a nice routing feature on their website if you want to know how to get anywhere.

Just noticed from another post by this traveler that weekend is 9/19-21.