Posted before about Boston, but now it's finally looking good for a trip
Aug 7th, 2013, 03:53 PM
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Posted before about Boston, but now it's finally looking good for a trip
I've asked before about info, and I've been reading threads without posting, but now Hubby has finally agreed that, yes, we WILL take another vacation!
We want an open jaw trip--Boston and NYC, taking the train between, since we didn't get to see as much as we wanted in NYC. But we're open as to which one first. I'm thinking of about 10 days.
I think we can consider more time if we added anything else. I recently found out my mother's father's family is definitely located in Rhode Island, and am wondering if it would be difficult to add a day or two in. Maybe to at least see the grave of the grandfather I never met; I'm not sure if any cousins would want to meet as there's been NO contact since the 1930s except for a handful of recent emails.
Time: Likely in the Spring of 2014. No kids, so March, April, May are open. We'd like to avoid major storms, and while we know there are no promises, when is historically best for weather?
Activities: I'm getting clues about where to stay and eat and see. We like to walk and see...everything. We went to DC/NYC last year and walked our feet off, in a good way, besides taking the metro/subway, for all the museums, parks, libraries, etc. What are the "can't miss" sights, besides the Freedom Trail?
There's actually a longer list of "don'ts"! We don't go clubbing. Aside from all this walking, we're not "active" as in hiking or biking or anything. We don't/can't have alcohol, so "great beer spot" and "great wines" means nothing to us.
I'll be reading to see if anyone has info!
We want an open jaw trip--Boston and NYC, taking the train between, since we didn't get to see as much as we wanted in NYC. But we're open as to which one first. I'm thinking of about 10 days.
I think we can consider more time if we added anything else. I recently found out my mother's father's family is definitely located in Rhode Island, and am wondering if it would be difficult to add a day or two in. Maybe to at least see the grave of the grandfather I never met; I'm not sure if any cousins would want to meet as there's been NO contact since the 1930s except for a handful of recent emails.
Time: Likely in the Spring of 2014. No kids, so March, April, May are open. We'd like to avoid major storms, and while we know there are no promises, when is historically best for weather?
Activities: I'm getting clues about where to stay and eat and see. We like to walk and see...everything. We went to DC/NYC last year and walked our feet off, in a good way, besides taking the metro/subway, for all the museums, parks, libraries, etc. What are the "can't miss" sights, besides the Freedom Trail?
There's actually a longer list of "don'ts"! We don't go clubbing. Aside from all this walking, we're not "active" as in hiking or biking or anything. We don't/can't have alcohol, so "great beer spot" and "great wines" means nothing to us.
I'll be reading to see if anyone has info!
Aug 7th, 2013, 04:10 PM
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I'm reading that we'd be better off using a taxi to or from the airport. I assume getting a T pass would still be a good idea?
Some of the places we're interested in seeing include MIT, Harvard, and Fenway Park. If the timing were right, Hubby is a HUGE fan of Bridget from America's Test Kitchen, and I've read they have tours certain times of the year. I think he'd actually schedule our vacation around being able to take a tour!
Some of the places we're interested in seeing include MIT, Harvard, and Fenway Park. If the timing were right, Hubby is a HUGE fan of Bridget from America's Test Kitchen, and I've read they have tours certain times of the year. I think he'd actually schedule our vacation around being able to take a tour!
Aug 7th, 2013, 04:42 PM
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I don't live in Boston, so I can't tell you about "typical" weather........but I can tell you when I went a few years ago at the end of March, it was cold! It seemed to be an "in between" time~no winter prettiness, and nothing was yet blooming.
One thing I enjoyed while in Boston was the Prudential Center Skywalk and Observatory. I loved the view of the city.
www.prudentialcenter.com
One thing I enjoyed while in Boston was the Prudential Center Skywalk and Observatory. I loved the view of the city.
www.prudentialcenter.com
Aug 7th, 2013, 05:52 PM
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Later in the year--April, May will have better weather. Avoid the Boston Marathon dates, Patriot's Day weekend will have scarce and high priced hotel rooms. End of April is probably best because once you get into May you run into college graduation dates.
Boston is pretty compact so you will be able to walk to many sites, and the T is easy to use.
Besides the Freedom Trail look at the Museum of Fine Arts and the Gardner Museum. The Red Sox may be playing at home, but if not a tour of Fenway Park is fun. Are you interested in Salem? There's all the witch stuff and the great Peabody Essex Museum. It's a 30 minute train ride from Boston.
The JFK Library is also worth a visit, as is the Adams National Historic Park in Quincy.
Depending on where you stay, a taxi may be much easier. If you rent a car between Boston and NY you can stop in RI, and spend a night in Providence or Newport.
Boston is pretty compact so you will be able to walk to many sites, and the T is easy to use.
Besides the Freedom Trail look at the Museum of Fine Arts and the Gardner Museum. The Red Sox may be playing at home, but if not a tour of Fenway Park is fun. Are you interested in Salem? There's all the witch stuff and the great Peabody Essex Museum. It's a 30 minute train ride from Boston.
The JFK Library is also worth a visit, as is the Adams National Historic Park in Quincy.
Depending on where you stay, a taxi may be much easier. If you rent a car between Boston and NY you can stop in RI, and spend a night in Providence or Newport.
Aug 8th, 2013, 04:42 AM
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April is not yet Spring in Boston.
Early May is when the 37 colleges graduate, make srooms expensive.
March is still winter, often times with heavy wet snow.
September and October are best, otherwise mid-May is usually great.
You do not want a car in Boston. You can rent one in Park Square for excursions.
The Back Bay and Waterfront are probably the closest hotels to things you will want to see.
Priceline is excellent for hotels, but you may not have the nerve to deal with its "last minute" character.
Trains and buses to and from NYC are frequent, and you can stop off along the way (Providence, Mystic, New Haven).
Early May is when the 37 colleges graduate, make srooms expensive.
March is still winter, often times with heavy wet snow.
September and October are best, otherwise mid-May is usually great.
You do not want a car in Boston. You can rent one in Park Square for excursions.
The Back Bay and Waterfront are probably the closest hotels to things you will want to see.
Priceline is excellent for hotels, but you may not have the nerve to deal with its "last minute" character.
Trains and buses to and from NYC are frequent, and you can stop off along the way (Providence, Mystic, New Haven).
Aug 8th, 2013, 08:06 AM
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I swear, for such a decisive man, Hubby can be indecisive!
Now he's saying, "How about fly into Philadelphia, check that out a day or two, train to NYC for 4-5 days, train to Boston?"
Does that sound like a good idea? I'm kinda nervous, cause he's putting all the fact-finding and planning on me. That's what I get for doing such a good job with last year's vacation, I suppose.
If we go to Philly, we kinda have to go to Gettysburg, right? Although Hubby (for who-knows-what-reason) is interested in the Revolutionary War and not the Civil War. I think. Hard to tell with him. And, no, he had NO family here for either war. He's from Mexico. And my earliest family evidently came during the potato famine in Ireland and stayed in Rhode Island. The rest came after the turn of the century.
Now he's saying, "How about fly into Philadelphia, check that out a day or two, train to NYC for 4-5 days, train to Boston?"
Does that sound like a good idea? I'm kinda nervous, cause he's putting all the fact-finding and planning on me. That's what I get for doing such a good job with last year's vacation, I suppose.
If we go to Philly, we kinda have to go to Gettysburg, right? Although Hubby (for who-knows-what-reason) is interested in the Revolutionary War and not the Civil War. I think. Hard to tell with him. And, no, he had NO family here for either war. He's from Mexico. And my earliest family evidently came during the potato famine in Ireland and stayed in Rhode Island. The rest came after the turn of the century.
