Boston:what should I see & do
 

I never been to Boston, but am planning an upcoming trip in the autumn. This trip will then take me north along the coastline through New Hampshire to see a friend in southern Maine (Kittery, ME to be exact).

I am curious as what I should see and do while there. My length of stay will be 4 days & 3 nights. I do know I want to savor the famous Boston Baked Beans and Clam Chowder. I am assuming that like most tourist locales, there is the best of the best, and then there are subpar alternatives that vie for your business as well.

any recommendations for shopping, dining and sights to see while in Boston?

One of the most extraordinary exhibitions of craftsmanship is at one of the Harvard museums. They are glass reproductions of flowers. The work is so fine, it is difficult to discern that they are human creations.

Hi, m - my husband and I are going to Boston in September; here's what's on our to do list: Red Sox game, Duck Tour, Whale Watching, Freedom Trail, MFA, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and going to eat seafood and also going to the North End for Italian. Oh, and Regina's for pizza!

I just got back my my first trip to Boston and I loved it! Unfortunately it was very short (only one night) so I can't help you too much, but what we did was great.

Our first night we ate dinner at the Delux Cafe. I had read several reviews on various boards that the service was incredibly rude. It seems that all of the reviews were about the same server/bartender. Either she was off that night or she got fired because our server was incredibly nice even though she was very busy. And the food was absolutely outstanding. The most expensive thing on the menu was $12.95 and everything else was under $10. I can't believe how great the food was for the prices! And the atmosphere was very cool too...just a laid-back, small bar/pub type of place. I'd highly recommend it! We also went to a brewery that night (I can't remember the name of it, but it's on the 100 block of Stuart St). We got the beer sampler and it was under $4. The best part was, I don't like IPA's, so the the bartender let me get a different beer in place of that one. I thought their beers were very good.

The next day we went to Boston Common which we greatly enjoyed just strolling through and buying t-shirts and hats from the vendors there. We lazily made our way from there along the Freedom Trail to Fanueil Hall. We stopped along the way and saw Paul Revere's burial place. I'm not really into history but it was pretty cool. We peeked into some of the shops and food stands at Quincy Market, saw some street performances outside, and finally settled down at the Salty Dog's outdoor cafe for lunch. The food here was fantastic too! It was rather expensive though, for lunch. ($165 for 3 people, including 2 drinks each, tax and tip). I'd recommend this restaurant too. One great thing about Quincy Market (and probably North and South Markets too) is that some of the food stands let you sample their clam chowder, so you can decide which one you like best before you buy a whole bowl.

All in all, we had a fantastic time and can't wait to go back. (I'd move there in a second if it didn't get so darn cold in the winter!). I hope you have a great time too!

Take a Duck Tour
Walk the Freedom Trail
Wander the quaint streets on Beacon Hill
Dine in the North End
Walk through the Public Garden
Quincy Market and then walk along the waterfront.

Walk the Freedom Trail. If you start early, you'll be in the north end for a late lunch at a terrific Italian restaurant.

Do not miss the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum...even if you don't like musuems, it's a must see. The Musuem of Fine Arts is closeby, but it takes a lot of stamina to see them both in one day.

Walk Newberry Street...it's visually charming, and has lots of stores and restaurants.

As for the glass flowers at Harvard....after the intial reaction of "I can't believe these are made of glass," we found it a bit dull. But a must see if you are into botany.

We loved the clam chowder everywhere we had it in New England....except at the Summer Shack-theirs tasted like Campbells canned.

You'll LOVE Boston.

You have picked a great time to visit New England.

My suggestions are:

Fenway Park (though we may be playing the World Series, knock on wood).

Harvard Sq

Esplanade - watch the sail boats and the crew races.

Isabelle Stewart Gardner Museum - worth it just to see the beautiful indoor garden and her portrait by John Singer Sargent

Museum of Fine Arts - very good collection of American Impressionists and Egyptian artifacts.

Shopping on Newbury St - lots of chain stores now but still very pleasant. South End and Harvard Sq will have more funky alternatives.

If its baked beans you want I would try Durgin Park in Quincy Market. It has decent food and reasonable prices and its the only restaurant that I can think of that still serves baked beans.

Have some ice cream - Boston has some really great homemade ice cream - and I don't mean Cold Stone Creamery. try JP Licks or stop at Richardson's on your way up to Kittery. Richardson's is off Rt 1/Rt 95 on Rt 114 West about 2 miles. The ice cream is made from the cream from the cows live right behind the ice cream stand.

Have a great time.

DO have Richardson's ice cream, the best I've ever had. The Rum-Raisin is indescribably amazing ... :)

I was just thinking that I'd like to spend my birthday in Boston and it's at the end of September.

If I was spending the weekend with my husband and 13 year old son....

Duck Tour or Walk Freedom Trail on one day.

Another day walking around Boston Common, Fanueil Hall, Quincy Market, North End.

I love the Lobster Bisque at Legal Seafood. But I haven't spent much time in Boston since my college days besides a business lunch at Legal Seafood. Someone else mentioned Regina's Pizza...mmmm.

If they haven't already closed for the season, stop in Hampton Beach, NH for some fried dough. Classic New England beach food. I like mine with butter and sugar.

In Kittery, we stop at Warren's for dinner. Just over the bridge from Portsmouth NH. Lobster, steamers. Now I'm hungry.

I'm another native who thinks Richardson's is the best. Quite worth the detour!

I have never known any restaurant around here to still serve baked beans, they are not nearly the local specialty that they're made out to be, at least among natives!

I tend to think you'll get better seafood if you leave Boston proper. Stop in Ipswich or Essex or Gloucester and try a smaller local establish, not a chain restaurant. Even in southern NH and Maine you'll find better than you can do in town...

See the muesums out at Harvard and the Isabella Stewart Gardner, which is a gem.

If you're in the North End, skip the Mike's Pastry delirium and try Modern or Maria's. Neither of them freeze their pastries or cakes....

When we were at Summer Shack, my son's side was Boston Baked Beans. Tasted like any other baked beans, apparently.

amyb, we were just at Modern bakery in June, and the Cannoli were simply terrible! I made a point of going there instead of Mike's, and we were so disappointed. Definitely STALE! :(

Everything but the beans

How about the Union Oyster House? Love sitting at the bar and slurping down oysters with tabasco sauce.

Isn't the Durgin Park restaurant where Boston baked beans began?

I'm so disappointed to read about the cannoli at Mike's --- it used to be the best anywhere.

Skip Durgin's Park. The food is so so. There have been many good suggestions. I would make two plans. One for a nice day and one for a rainy day. If it's nice, you should be out as much as possible. Frredom Trail, North End, Beacon Hill, Newbury Street, Harvard Square, South End are all great walks. If it's rainy, the Gardner Museum, MFA and take a look at the Public Library at Copley Square (this is easy to combine with Newbury Street. The good news is that all of these destinations are close and public transportation can get you there.

dmlove, if you're referring to what I said about stale cannoli, it was at MODERN'S, not Mike's!

I've been going to Modern quite frequently for the last 12 years or so, and never had anything stale. Time has proven them to be reliable in my eyes...

I did once buy pastries and a cake from Mike's for an office party and found that we couldn't cut through the cake as it wasn't totally thawed. So much for fresh.

amyb, I'm glad your luck has been good at Modern's; however, all three people in our party said they'd never go back again! :(