Check web site of John Jefferies House. has pictures of rooms
Across street from Red Line to Cambridge.
"Jr."suite under $200
Rooms are small most have frig and microwave
I stayed there several times.enjoyed visit..Was built by 2 M.D.s and later used as nurse's residence..
Also across street from Mass. Gen. Hospital
AND Liberity Hotel that was formerly a prison-might be fun checking out the lobby..

If you take a train from NY to South Station you can catch the Red Line directly to Harvard square. If you don't have much luggage it would be easy to navigate
Wherever you stay if you want to do a tour in the afternoon you won't have much time to stop off at a hotel in Boston or Cambridge.

The more I think about it the more I wonder what your daughter is expecting at Harvard. My kids were never all that excited about visiting the campus at that age even though my husband and I could give them information about the history and show them things like the whispering arch at Sever Hall and the old computer at the Science Center and the Peabody museum.

VT - I have no idea exactly what dd is expecting at Harvard but thinks it would be "cool" to go there.

We will not have much luggage - 2 20'inch bags.

John Jeffries, by all means, if you can get a room. It's at a place from which you can get a LOT of different places very easily.

Don't skimp on Harvard Sq. -- kids, even pre-high school ones -- seem to catch the youthful vibe there, which is more interesting to them than a lot of historical Boston. I've seen this over and over. It isn't just the campus, it's the whole area, pretty much all the way out Mass Ave to Central Sq. Lots of restaurants there, too, in price ranges that won't kill you.

(But downtown, she'd enjoy the Duck Tour, puttering in the Public Garden, maybe the Science museum or, on a really nice day, one of the tourboat trips around the harbor.)

We are going to do a LOT of museums on this trip. I looked at the DUCK tour and am not sure she would like it. (Looks like fun to me!).

I will see about staying in Harvard square - it keeps it simple.

I recommend The Langham Hotel near Copley Square which is a great central location. If you are here on Oct 10 it is our Columbus Day weekend so hotels will be busy. The other option is to
stay in the quaint seaside village of
Rockport on the Northshore and take
the train into Boston. I recommend
Seven South St. Inn/Rockport
The Duck Tour presents a fun overview
of the city.
Peggy
www.serendipitytraveler.com

If your daughter wants to see Harvard because she thinks it sounds "cool" to see she will probably enjoy the Harvard Square area more than the actual campus. I don't mean to say you shouldn't take her to see the school--I think it is good for younger kids to have an idea of what different colleges are like

it must be the columbus day - the prices are off the chart in Havard square. I am having to re-think this.

I stayed at The Sheraton Commander when visiting Harvard, and thought the location, price, and ambiance were better than expected. Our room was large and newly remodeled, and the hotel itself is historical and attractive.

Here's something I stumbled on at Harvard: the glass flowers at the museum of natural history. I found this mesmerizing! The collection of taxidermy specimens are compelling as well, in case you have an hour or so to fill in.

http://www.hmnh.harvard.edu/on_exhib...s_flowers.html

I have starwood points so I will look at that sheraton. I was wondering if it was decent.

The train transportation alone is going to add another 500 plus - I have to really think this through.

<i>The train transportation alone is going to add another 500 plus - I have to really think this through</i>

With all due respect, can I be the voice of reason here? DD is <b>eleven</b>. She can see Harvard when she's 15 or 16 or even 17. If she's so keen on seeing college campuses, take her to see Penn since you'll already be in Philly (and the campus is beautiful), Columbia and/or NYU since you'll already be in NY, Georgetown since you'll already be in DC. Spending a ton of money to go out of your way for one day to take an 11-year old to &quot;see&quot; Harvard because she thinks its &quot;cool&quot; and &quot;really wants to go there&quot; (I repeat, <b>she's eleven </b>) seems crazy to me.

LOL dmlove - a voice of reason? Geezz... :-)

I was definately looking into it but am not really able to make it work...(within a reasonable budget).

I would be happy to take her there - but it just is too much $$$ and not enough time... :-)

Dawn- can you extend your stay? Boston really deserves more time if you can. Also the boston GTG is that weekend; maybe you can make it?! I wish I could be there!

The only way I can extend it is if I do not go to see family that weekend in NJ. I can stay in Boston Friday/Sat and take the train to Philly on Sunday.

Dawn-
I have read several of your posts and you seem lovely, so plaese don't take this personally. The entire time I was reading the responses I was thinking EXACTLY what dmlove put in writing.

I'm a college counselor so I visit dozens of colleges a year. Yes, it's fun but not for most people. And yes, a lot of the towns are cool, but it is really kind of disturbing, as dmlove pointed out, to go so far out of your way to go to Boston and see Harvard when your DD is 11 years old. I agree with some of the others-stay for a longer time if you can because Boston is great. OR...go see Georgetown, Penn, Princeton, Columbia-all beautiful schools in their own right.

But, it's your money. It just seems like a really silly way to spend it, and it only encourages the whole helicopter/paranoid parent thing you already know about since you have old kids. Just my 2 cents...enjoy Philly-it's awesome (and I don't live there).

better yet-go see William and Mary when you are in Williamsburg.

I am chuckling a little here -

I promise I do not think dd is going to go to Harvard :-). I really don't (we cannot afford it and she does not seem like she is that serious in order to do that jmo).

I cannot see not seeing our family in NJ in order to go to Boston - which I am sure is a great city but does not seem to work into our schedule at this time.

If it was not overly expensive I would not mind taking her there - it would be fun for us both (personally I think she wants to go there because she saw Legally Blonde)... I promise while I might come across as a total loon I am not - not sure though why it is &quot;distrubing&quot; that seems slightly harsh. This trip is basically centered around her.

We were going to Europe for 5 weeks and that trip got canned... for a variety of reasons. We are both excited about our time back east and it is a historical trip - Philly, DC, Williamsburg (NY will really be fun - theater!).

Anyway - I am very appreciate of the honest advice and feedback - which is why I posted - if it was 500.00 addition I would be fine with it but at this point it is looking like over 1,000.00 and that money is better spent else where -maybe her college fund??? bwwwahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ;-)
Thanks everyone!

Ok, now you have me chuckling -

Legally Blonde was not filmed at Harvard U or Cambridge -
it was filmed at USC !! Maybe that will change your daughters mind and she'll want to go to California -

the only shot of Cambridge / Harvard was an aerial shot -

I think the last film the University allowed on campus was Love Story..... ah, I am aging myself !

Actually, it wasn't all USC, but it was all California - LA, Pasadena, etc - have your DD google the filming of it and she can maybe have as much fun (and save you some $) seeing and learning where all the spots she liked really are - and maybe your next mother/dd trip can be out west coast :)

But do come to Boston for a history tour when you can do it justice and spend 4-5 dys if possible