Boston Trip Ideas/Input Requested
 

Thanks to all who posted yesterday. Looks like another hotel will be needed as that Marriott was not recommended by many.

Input on the following areas needed...
Cambridge
Copley
Waterfront Area

As far as hotels I would like to keep the price below $130 if possible. I'm a little leery about using Priceline since I do not want to be stuck in a room with two twin beds or a smoking room. Let me know your thoughts about getting around this.

So far my fact gathering mission as helped me to know the following:
1) Car rental not needed
2) Possible to get to from the airport via cab (around $25) or using the T (not sure of the cost of the T?)
3) Hotel still needed for 5 nghts-August
4) Places to see----Freedom Trail, Museum of Afro-American History, Museum of Fine Arts; Boston Public Garden.

5) Places to eat (prefer seafood, Italian or West Indian)...Suggestions for meals $18-$40 per person????

6) Jazz club suggestions?
Anyone been to Beehive or Wally's?

7) Coffeehouses or cafe's worth checking out???
Someone suggested Mike's Pastry, other suggestions?

I am think you will have to up your budget for the room. I used priceline 2 times, and my request for no smoking was granted. Not too many places have 2 twins. I have been stuck in many smoking rooms while traveling and paying plenty of money.

Wallys-very crowded most nights and a very small place, no gaurantee to get a seat unless you get there by 9 and you may still not get a seat. Expect a crowd, they sometimes have r & b instead of jazz, depends on the night.

Beehive is very crowded and loud, music starts around 945, jazz some nights, others nights pop/blues/ reggae. If you make a reservation ask to be where you can hear the band.

You are more likely to find pure jazz at Regattabar and Scullers. I am a jazz fanatic and I am often frustrated by being told about a jazz club that I go to and plays nearly everything but jazz.

Ryles tends to have a Latin slant, but they occasionally have good jazz. I like Regattabar and Scullers best.

Probably you should consider Cambridge, since you are interested in jazz and I think you will find hotels slightly less pricey than Copley or the waterfront. I have no idea if you can find something downtown for $130. I'd be surprised.

re coffeehouses / cafes. I'm not sure if you're referring to places with entertainment, or plain old coffee shops. Mikes pastry in the North End is a pastry shop. And a mediocre one at best (large popular tourist trap, huge selection, so-so quality). Locals go downt the street to Modern Pastry or around the corner to Maria's for pastries.

Speaking of the North End, that's the neighborhood with lots of great Italian Restaurants. Stroll around and look at menus beforehand (most of the places are rather close together and post their menus) then choose a place that suits your fancy and your budget. Then hit the pastry shop or separate cafes (there are many!) for dessert/coffee/cordials after dinner

For coffee house places where the focus is live entertainment, there's Club Passim in Harvard Square (Cambridge) , but that's mostly folk music instead of Jazz.

The T is a couple bucks, saves you of money over the cab, but is a slight hassle for some people with a lot of luggage (especially if they are intimidated by public transportation). There's a shuttle bus from airport to T station, then usually one (sometimes two) change(s) of trains from the Blue Line to the line where your hotel is located. If your staying near a T station, it can save you some coin.
Since you're not renting a car, you can consider a visitor's pass for the T so you won't have to pay fare each time. Full details at www.mbta.com

Agree with the others about $130 being a tough budget amount.

With respect to the pastry shops in the north end: I read the same advice that was given to you - stop by one after dinner for dessert. What I DIDN'T know that the lines would be extremely long....even at 10:45 pm.

EXCELLENT RESTAURANT RECOMMENDATION: The Good Life at 28 Kingston St. in the financial district - (617) 451-2622. A friend highly recommended it and we're so glad we went. Gorgeous atmosphere and SUPERB food. We walked the Freedom Trail (highly recommended) backwards from the USS Constitution to Boston Common and it was an easy walk to The Good Life.