Christmas in Boston/
 

Dear All.
My wife , our 11 years old daugther and me are scheduled to spend christmas days in Boston. We will be lodged at Taj Boston located in 15 Arlington St.
However we are looking for some recommendations to have christmas dinner as well as some other activities during these dates. We would be arriving on December 22 and leaving upstate by december 28Th.
Would you be so kind to let me know your opinions which would be highly appreciated?

Best regards,
Ramón Ramírez
Caracas-Venezuela

I would say seeing The Nutcracker by the Boston Ballet would be quite an X'mas tradition.
http://www.bostonballet.org/nutcracker/default.html

So many wonderful options...

the aforementioned Nutcracker is an institution here in Boston.

the Boston Pops Holiday concerts are wonderful - tickets go on sale soon. Book a table on the floor and enjoy hot cocoa and champagne

There is a new production of the Grinch that Stole Christmas as the Citibank Wang

Skating on the Frog Pond in Boston Common is a must - under the Christmas lights in the evening is magical

I think you will be very happy to have Christmas dinner at your hotel. It was a tradition when it was the Ritz Carlton, and it is a tradition I hope they have continued.

Please be sure to walk over to Beacon Hill on Christmas Eve. The old houses are beautifully decorated, and groups of singers serenade residents with Christmas carols.

Your daughter will certainly enjoy the Nutcracker, as suggested, and you might get in touch with the concierge at your hotel to get tickets for it and for the Pops Christmas concert.

At the Taj, you are just around the corner from the best shopping in Boston, both on Newbury Street and in Copley Place, an upscale mall about 6 blocks away. Cartier and Burberry are just across the street from your hotel should you have any last minute shopping to do!

I don't know how much time you have spent in Boston, but the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is near the Museum of Fine Arts, a great museum, and is a copy of a Venetian palazzo. In addition to the collection, its best feature in winter is a covered atrium filled with beautiful flowers.

I would also suggest a visit to Harvard Square and the university, much easier to get around with the students on holiday. Check to see if the University Museums are open because the glass flowers may be of interest to your wife and daughter and make a nice break from the chilly weather!

As a Venezuelan, you may want to photograph the Citgo sign which dominates Kenmore Square near Fenway Park. The best place is from the Cambridge side on Memorial
Drive, but there are views of it from many places in the city.

Thank you very much!!.
I´ve already booked our Christmas dinner at the Cafe in Taj Boston.! We´re pretty excited with this plan.Also with your recommendations to hang around which sounds beautiful.
Should you have any other tips for Boston I would appreciated very much.

Greetings from Caracas
Ramón Ramírez

If you would give us some idea of your interests and the interests of your daughter, it would be easier to give you some ideas - otherwise the list could be endless !

Does your daughter like to shop? what type of clothes?
Does she like dancing, museums, science, animals, theater, architecture - music, comedy......
(things like Blue Man Group or Shear Madness)

Any special restaurants you'd like to try?
You should definitely go to the North End - our "little Italy" - and walk the quaint streets and plenty of restaurants to choose from depending on what type of Italian you like , if you have a preference -
do you like traditional, red sauce, meatballs, chicken parm or fancier?

And walk those streets and go choose a pastry place -
Maria's, MIke's, Modern pastry -

A great thing in the North End is the Michelle Topor walking/eating tours -

http://www.northendmarkettours.com/

it's fun and full of a bit of everything, local tidbits, history, tasting - might be fun to do one of those, make sure you see the Freedom Trail parts of the North End (Paul Revere's house, etc) and then eat dinner -

the North End also has the 'secret' walking tour, and other =
www.northendboston.com

just bundle up with scarf, hat, mittens and you'll be fine !

Other favorites:

Go to one of the local churches for their holiday services - there are some beautiful Catholic churches within walking distance, as well as the Unitarian Church and Trinity -
for example:

www.trinitychurchboston.org

usually Christmas Eve they have a children's pageant service early, followed by several evening ones with great choir singing, etc -

www.boston.com will have lots of info too -

Consider at least one morning walking to the South End, having a nice brunch and seeing the historic brownstones and the Union Park area -

also the location of Boston Center for the Arts, another one to google and see when their holiday shows are listed -

Thanks a lot for your kindness to provide us to such valuable information.
We would like to attend to catholic church service on Christmas Eve with choirs, music etc. Can it be done at Trinity Church???
My daughter loves zoos, aquariums, animals in general.She also loves shopping (of course!!)despite of her short age!!.But i love to eat and get to know interesting places which reflects the history and arts of the city. Do you think is a good idea to take my daughter to the Grinch show???. We also love to see beautiful landscapes and theater.
Can you give us some ideas?
Again,thanks for your kindness and looking forward to hear back from you.

regards,
Ramón
Caracas-Venezuela

Your hotel is in a great location. There is a lot within walking distance. It's on the corner of Newbury St. which is several blocks of upscale shopping and eateries as soon as you step out the door.

Everything will be dressed up for Christmas and will be beautiful.

Trinity Church is Episcopal - but there are Catholic churches near you - Cathedral of Holy Cross is on Washington Street - you can take a cab or you could walk , depends on if you are "walkers" or not and if it was dark, you might prefer to take a taxi -

www.angelfire.com

It is a beautiful church, but I am partial to it b/c I went there as a child - I don't know what they will be having for Christmas Service, but if you keep an eye on the website, as December gets near they will announce -

the concierge at Taj can also direct you to there or other Catholic Services for Christmas Eve or Day -

**What type of shopping does your daughter enjoy?
You can walk to literally hundreds of stores - they line Newbury Street, Boylston Street, you can walk to Copley Place and Prudential Shops as well as cute boutiques on Charles Street. Ask the Taj concierge and he can direct you to these easily

If you like an old world Boston "bar" after shopping have an appetizer and drink late afternoon in the Fairmont Copley Plaza - the Oak Room there also has a wonderful steak and nice dining - but the bar is great and you can sit with your daughter and rest and enjoy a lovely room and service.

She also might like going to Harvard Square in Cambridge - which is worth spending 1/2 a day -
seeing Harvard, there are museums, restaurants -

look at

www.harvardsquare.com

www.cityofboston.gov and click on Visitors

You may also want to read thru

www.bostonusa.com - also click on Visitors and
it also has a link for "International Visitors" in different languages

You can spend some time looking thru the sites and their recommendations for music, theater, etc and see if something appeals to you and you can always come back here to ask advice -

For museums:

The Museum of Science
www.mos.org

The Museum of Fine Arts -
which also has some lovely dining options and sometimes live music

www.mfa.org

Definitely do not miss the Isabella Steward Gardner Museum ( diagonal from Museum of FIne Arts - you could do them both the same day -

www.gardnermuseum.org

The Institute of Contemporary Art
www.icaboston.org
which also has gorgeous views of the harbor
(depending on the weather and time of day you arrive, taking the water taxi across boston harbor and then a cab to your hotel can be a nice intro to Boston, seeing it from the water - )

As far as other meals, your concierge can assist, but you can also look on

www.opentable.com - and you can read area restaurant menus (also on menupages.com)
on open table, you can make reservations online, but likely not for awhile, most restaurants on that site won't take a reservation this many months out -

I would eat at least one meal in the North End -
(Prezza, Lucca, Rabia's, everyone has their favorites)
one in the South End (my favorites are Hamersley's BIstro - www.hamersleysbistro.com or Aquitaine, or Sibling Rivalry - you can find them all online - and they all also have lovely brunch on Sunday )

One in Harvard Square - maybe Rialto or Henrietta's Table -

During the day, your daughter might enjoy Parish Cafe on Boylston Street, literally a two minute walk from your hotel - also Stephanie's on Newbury Street and Sonsie's

IF the ladies want a nice spa - across the street from the Taj and a block down is Bella Sante Salon - there are also others in the area equally close to you - but if you think the ladies might like a service, they are all busy that time of year so have the concierge make them for you within the next month or so -

You will see Trinity Church b/c it is in Copley , down the street from you and photographed often reflected in the Hancock Tower - they also have tours and architecturally it is beautiful

Also, do go into the Boston Public Library, also in Copley Square - they have beautiful exhibits and the Sargent Murals and a nice cafe - it is an amazing building to walk thru and everything is free

The Taj overlooks the Public Garden. There is ice skating on the pond. The Ritz would give you skates. I don't know if the new owners, Taj, do the same. Across from the Garden is the Boston Common which is lit up with Christmas lights and a Creche and another skating rink in the frog pond where you can rent skates and glide to music.
The Aquarium is a place a child loves, and the Museum of Science.
Wishing you a wonderful Christmas in our Town.

Dear All.
Thanks to all your kind recommendations. We already purchased the tickets for Boston Pops by Christmas Eve at 3.Pm and we also booked a table at The Cafe for christmas Dinner at 7.00.
But we do have a blind spot between both events.
Any recommendations for that day from 5.OO PM to dinner time?

Thank a lot again for all your kindness.

Greetings from Caracas

Ramón Ramírez

This is a perfect time to walk around Beacon Hill to see the decorations.

It will be cold.

Ramon:
I'm a bit confused - are you looking for suggestions for after the Pops on Christmas Eve
and also for on Christmas Day prior to dinner?

Thank you all.
We will have dinner at Christmas Eve at 7.00Pm and Boston Pops is at 3.00 PM.Asumming this show will end at 5.00 we stil have two hours before dinner. I was looking to some suggestions for these two hours.

Regards,
Ramón Ramírez
Caracas.-

Then I agree with Ackislander - a perfect time to stroll and look at the lights - walk from the Pops back to the Taj - start on Huntington, move over to Boylston, walk down Newbury to Boston Public Garden , Boston Common, Charles Street, Beacon HIll - you will easily fill an hour or so - more if it is a nice night, less if it is cold -

stop in at Trinity Church if there is an early 5 :30 service

stop in at the Copley Fairmont Oak Room bar which is gorgeous and on the way from Pops to Newbury and have a drink to warm you if it is cold

window shop and watch all the last minute people trying to find Christmas gifts !!

I wouldn't worry about filling 2 hours - when you arrive in Boston, the concierge will also give you an up to date calendar of events, there might be something else worth passing by along the way back to the Taj -

http://preview.tinyurl.com/4yjrxy

a good walking/T map for you with approx times

IMO A walk from Symphony Hall (location of Boston Pops) to the Boston Garden or Beacon Hill and back to Symphony Hall to have dinner is rather long especially in winter and if you are dressed for the concert and not for walking. You may want to change your dinner reservations to another time or another place. Also, although Trinity Church is not Catholic, I hear they have a lovely midnight mass on Christmas Eve and that is not a far walk from your hotel. The architecture alone is quite spectacular. You can go from Pops toward Beacon Hill either after an earlier dinner, or eat in that area, see the bell ringers , usually on Louisberg Square and then go to Trinity. And if you need a rest in between or you are cold, your hotel in on the way to Trinity from Beacon Hill. Boston is small but the weather can be harsh and the buildings cause terrific wind tunnels. Try to plan your walking trips close together.

I don't believe they are going back to near Symphony Hall for dinner- I thought their dinner, as mentioned above, was at theTaj -
you can look on a map, we walk from the Pops back to Clarendon Street (which is only 2 blocks from the Taj) all the time, even in the winter and love it - depends on if you enjoy walking or not - clearly if it is freezing or snowing, take a cab !

There is a new The Cafe Restaurant in Symphony Hall, but if they are going the one at the Taj, then definitely a stroll through some of the locations between Symphony and dinner makes sense.