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Boston,arriving at megabus depot at 330am where to kill time?)

Boston,arriving at megabus depot at 330am where to kill time?)

Old Sep 27th, 2014, 03:37 PM
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Boston,arriving at megabus depot at 330am where to kill time?)

Hello friends! I'm visiting the East Coast in three weeks and have only a day to spare to visit Boston. I arrive at 330am at the Megabus depot and will take the bus back to NYC at 630pm the same day. My question is....where can I kill time until day break....at a relatively safe place. I'm on a very tight budget (clearly!) so a hotel is a big no. A hotel lobby, a 24 hour cafe?...is the Megabus depot safe enough? Please help as I want to purchase tickets now. Is this a crazy idea? I can take a later trip but the first morning trip arrives at 11:30am....this trip I'm planning on taking leaves NYC at 11:30pm and arrives at 3:30am. . Thanks everyone!!
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Old Sep 27th, 2014, 04:04 PM
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Does the Mega bus even have a depot. I know in NYC these buses pick up and drop off on street corners - not in Port Authority bus terminal - as does Greyhound.
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Old Sep 27th, 2014, 04:10 PM
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Where in Boston will the bus drop you off? Without street or intersection info, it's hard to give you any advice.
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Old Sep 27th, 2014, 05:26 PM
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Boston isn't a 24 hour city like New York. Megabus arrives at South Station and you will be near the only 24 hour restaurant, the South Street Diner. http://www.southstreetdiner.com/

I would hang out there for awhile and then take a walk around the harbor as the sun rises. What are you planning on seeing in Boston?
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Old Sep 27th, 2014, 05:59 PM
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Jaya and nytraveler... according to the website (and to cw), the bus from NYC arrives at gate 12 of the South Station. I have no idea where that is. Is it a safe neighborhood? I'm coming in from NYC because I'm crashing at my cousin's apartment in Brooklyn. I'm from the Streator, Illinois and this is my first trip to NYC and Boston. I can stay longer in NYC because I have a place to stay.

Anyway, I do want to see as much of Boston as I can but also realize that I don't want to exhaust myself trying to cram in everything in one day. I'd rather see and savor the best parts of the city. Any suggestions?

Thanks everyone!!!
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Old Sep 27th, 2014, 06:17 PM
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Just stay inside South Station until morning like advised by CW. South Station is near the financial district and main roads.

Things to plan on doing in your one day there could include:
1) Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market,
2) Newbury Street (it's several blocks of shopping, old Boston architecture, and restaurants),
3) Duck Boat tour (great way to spend about 90 minutes with a live guide site-seeing both historic old and new Boston). The tours depart from in front of the Prudential building. This will be a nice way to see Boston and be able to sit too.
4) others may chime in with other ideas too.

This will take up most of your day.

Boston isn't that big, but you will need a taxi or to use public transportation (called the "T" which is short for MBTA)
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Old Sep 27th, 2014, 06:17 PM
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You will not be allowed to hang out in a hotel lobby and I do not know how long they will allow you to stay at South Station. The area around South Station is reasonably safe, but at this time of year it does not begin to get light for another 3 hours after your arrival. The only other people on the streets at that time will be homeless people with no place else to go. I do not know the diner referenced above, but that would seem to be your only reasonable option. Perhaps you can stretch your stay there for an hour or so by ordering a real amount of food and tipping well. By then it will be close to 5 AM and the MBTA (train/bus/subway/ lines start running shortly thereafter, so you may be able to go back and hang out at South Station.

Isn't there a later Megabus? If you arrived later - anytime up until about 9 AM - you would miss nothing, since nothing would be open anyway.
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Old Sep 27th, 2014, 07:54 PM
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Have you looked at Greyhound? They have low fares and buses that leave NYC after midnight or at 4 am. That bus would get you to Boston at 8:30 ish. That would be much better for a day trip. You could then walk towards Quincy Market for a bite to eat, then walk to the Visitor Center near the Boston Common to pick up a map for the Freedom Trail and do a self-guided tour.

Are you a sports fan? You can also take a tour of Fenway Park.

The Freedom Trail takes you through a good portion of Boston highlighting the historic sites which are mixed in with the rest of the modern city. It's a good thing to do for a one day visit.

One of the trolley tours, like Old Town Trolley, can give you a larger overview of the city and you can hop off at any of the stops that interest you and pick up another trolley later. It might be worth your while to spend money on that.
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Old Sep 28th, 2014, 02:15 AM
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one year ds arrived at South Station via Grayhound at 5:30am and bus to Concord NH wasn't for another few hours. There was no problem hanging there for next bus but we drove down to get him. Lots of people around at 5:30am. It doesn't look like MBTA silver line gets going until about 5:40am. You can get to Logan airport where food and coffee is available pretty early since there are early flights. American Airlines has a nice terminal.

The South Street Diner as mentioned above is on list of 24-hour restaurants and bakeries but I would rather stay at South Station at that time of night. http://www.boston-online.com/boston2...ies/index.html
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Old Sep 28th, 2014, 11:26 AM
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yougogreg:

Do look at Greyhound - there is a bus that leaves at 12:15 am arrives Boston at 5:00 am $12.50 on line, one way.

Good luck.

Sandy
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Old Sep 28th, 2014, 05:29 PM
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South Station has two parts, the railway station and the bus terminal, joined by a covered walkway.

I think you cannot stay in these terminals after certain hours unless you have a connecting ticket on to somewhere else. Sorry not to be more precise, but one passes those signs without paying much attention if one doesn't expect to be staying.

The South Street Diner is directly across the street from the bus terminal and is perfectly safe.

HOWEVER , I would advise you to take the bus that arrives at 5, then go to the diner for coffee and breakfast. By 6, the city will be alive, though nothing much will be open. Cross back over to the railway station, go into the Red Line of the T (MBTA) and buy a one day pass. For a very low price, you can have unlimited bus and subway or trolley rides. The city is at your feet!
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Old Nov 12th, 2014, 04:38 PM
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Hello again everyone!!! Greetings from NYC!!

My apologies for disappearing into thin air back in September but I'm back (been busy working overtime....and then some...to save enough money to visit the east coast) and now need your advice. Again.

Thank you Ackislander, SandyBrit, dfrostnh, cw, gail, Jaya and nytraveler for all your advice. I've revised my schedule a bit.

I'm taking the Greyhound and I'm arriving at 5AM this Monday, the 17th and will be taking the 530pm bus back to NYC. My time is limited so I'm skipping the museums. Here's a one day itinerary that I found from a yahoo group and I wanted your advice if this itinerary still works as it was from 2013. It's a bit long and I apologize in advance. I don't know any better and the itinerary seems sound achievable. What do you guys think? Thank you, thank you, thaaaaaaaaaaank you!!!

"Walk from South Station bus station to the Harbor Walk (follow signs, one block away). Stroll along the waterfront a few blocks until you get to the Boston Harbor Hotel at Rowes Wharf. Cut inland one block to the Rose Kennedy Greenway. Walk along the Greenway to Christopher Columbus Park. Backtrack to State Street. Walk inland to the Old State House. $8.50 for the excellent museum if you are interested in the Revolution. Exit and look for the 4' diameter bronze circle in the pavement. That's where the Boston Massacre in 1770 happened. Walk downhill to Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market, an historic renovated shopping area with an amazing food court. Eat lunch. Go up to the second floor of Faneuil Hall and imagine you are a Colonial. Watch the performers and WATCH YOUR WALLET.

In front of Faneuil Hall on Congress Street, look for the red line in the pavement. Sometime's it's paint, sometimes brick. That's the Freedom Trail. You are going to follow that for a while. The trail goes by the Holocaust Memorial, the intensely ugly City Hall on your left, the quaint Blackstone Block on your right (dates back to the 17th century. Look for the Union Oyster House as a landmark.) Turn right on Hanover Street and look for the embedded bronze garbage in the street. It's an art installation called "Asaroton". Cross into the North End and keep following the red line. Look for Italian Pastries, Paul Revere's House, the Old North Church (free), Copps Burying Ground (free).

Keep going on the Freedom Trail to the USS Constitution. Look at the lines -- it's free to tour, but gets busy. It's a hot wait in line as there's no shade. (The WWII destroyer USS Cassin Young never has lines but it's pretty boring.)

BEST TIP is here. Follow the signs to the water shuttle. $2.50 gets you a 15 minute ferry to Long Wharf, AKA the cheapest harbor cruise there is. Gorgeous views of Boston. The ferry puts you back at Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market. There's often food trucks around here. Sit in the park for a while and have a snack.

If you still have energy, do the other part of the Freedom Trail. Go back to the Old State House and follow the Freedom Trail the other way. You can also wander through the Public Garden and watch the Swan Boats. Either way, end up at Park Street Station. Take the Red Line 2 stops back to South Station. If you are back at the State House anywhere near 2:00, there's a tour of the 26th floor Observation Deck of the Custom House Tower. (It's the tall tower with the clock that you've been seeing all day.) There's only one tour per day, and none on Friday. It's about the only thing in Boston I haven't seen.

For dinner, hit one of the seafood restaurants near South Station, or try the Green Dragon in the Blackstone block (lobster), or pretty much anywhere in the North End."
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Old Nov 13th, 2014, 02:32 AM
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It's now November and colder temps are on their way. I'm not sure how much walking you will want to do. Swan boats are probably done for the season. In the above description, restaurants are mentioned in the North End but that's near where you started. I like the hustle and bustle of the Quincy Market area but haven't visited the shops in years. (some are chains) I would aim for lunch in the North End area. I did a food tour several years ago and thought a sandwich (real Italian submarine sandwich) would be great. Follow up with some wonderful pastry for dessert. Mike's is always mentioned by our tour went to Marie's which is near the front of the "neighborhood" (closer to Haymarket). Although you'll find some old Boston atmosphere and menu at Durgin Park in the Quincy Market area.

Have not done the water taxi but sounds good.
I also like the Chinatown area which is near the bus terminal/South station. You might consider buying some food items (I liked steamed buns filled with bbq pork) for the bus ride back. Chinese bakeries have some wonderful snacks.

You might check chowhound for info on food trucks and their locations but I think it's going to be too cold to eat outdoors.
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Old Nov 13th, 2014, 04:42 AM
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Monday is supposed to be rainy with a high of 45 F.

You may or may not be comfortable with that walking tour on a day like that, though the walking tour is fine enough for the waterfront area.

My personal tour would be

Take the Red Line subway direction Alewife to the kCharles/MGH stop. Walk down Charles St to Mount Vernon St, up Mt Vernon to Joy St and down Joy to the Common. Look at the 54th Regiment Memorial across from the Capitol. That was Beacon Hill.

You can get a map and pick up the Freedom Trail at the Visitors Center on the Park Street side of the Common. Check to see if the Constitution is open. If not, follow the Freedom Trail red line (on the pavement) but end your walk at Old North Church.

Walk back to the Haymarket T station and take any Green Line car to Copley Square. Visit the old Boston Public Library at the west end of the Square and Trinity Church at the east end. This is the heart of the Back Bay. Cross Boylston St at Copley St. One block takes you to Newbury St, a major shopping street. Two blocks take you to Commonwealth Avenue, a street of grand houses and apartment buildings with a park down the middle. This is all fill land. If you turn left on Comm Ave, you can see how the architecture changes as more and more of the Back Bay was filled in and built up over time. If you turn right, you are quickly at the Public Garden, and the Common is just across it.

If you are getting near you bus time, Dfrost's suggestion of walking from the Common to the bus station through Chinatown to pick up some food is a good one. Banh mi or steamed buns with maybe a bit of char siu might be my choice, but I don't know if you are allowed to eat fragrant food on the bus.

This is probably ten miles of walking and leaves out Harvard and Harvard Square in Cambridge (T Red Line), Kenmore Square and Fenway Park, the Esplanade along the Charles River, and the funky ethnic and student bars and restaurants in Allston (Harvard Ave stop on the Green Line C route).
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Old Nov 13th, 2014, 07:07 AM
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Ackislander's suggested tour is excellent as is Dfrostnh's suggestion of Chinatown food. You might also be able to take advantage of food trucks on the Greenway/Dewey Square.

http://www.cityofboston.gov/foodtruc...edule-tabs.asp
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Old Nov 13th, 2014, 09:36 AM
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I'd skip the Charlestown portion of the Freedom Trail. The USS Constitution, which goes into drydock next year, is now closed Mondays through Wednesdays. http://www.history.navy.mil/ussconstitution/hours.html

I like Ackislander's tour, and you could even start with walking around Back Bay, before any of the sights are open, and then start the Freedom Trail mid-morning. A lot depends upon the weather, of course.
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Old Nov 13th, 2014, 01:09 PM
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Later in the morning, I came up with the same suggestion as cw: start at Kenmore Square and walk toward the Harbor: Commonwealth Avenue, Newbury Street, Copley Square, the Public Garden, Charles Street to Beacon Hill but from the other end, the Capitol, the Common, the Freedom Trail, back to South Station. No backtracking.
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Old Nov 14th, 2014, 07:19 AM
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Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaank you everyone for taking the time the help me with your wonderful advices. I really appreciate everything!

Ive been reading a lot about Boston and I now have an idea what I want to see and what I want to skip (I've been enjoying NYC so much I'm coming back for three weeks next summer)and what I plan to see when I have more time. I plan to visit Boston again next summer and depending on what I see on Monday, might stay for a weekend.

I'm not interested in Chinatown (I've eaten at the NY Chinatown for 5 times already) but would like to visit....

1) Quincy Market
2) Cambridge
3) Trinity Church
4) Newbury Street
5) The Public Garden
6) the Boston version of NYC's west village, i.e narrow treelined streets with brownstones galore.

I have an idea how to get to these places....what I'm trying to figure out is in what sequence do I arrange them so I don't tire myself out going from one end of the city to the other. I can walk and will be dressed appropriately so bring on the rain, I say!

Have to run..........my cousin is bringing me and my sisters to an outlet center upstate (don't want to go but they want to join them so....)

Thank you guys!!!!

MWAAAH!!!

G
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Old Nov 14th, 2014, 07:36 AM
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With the exception of Cambridge, my "final" recommendation just above covers most of what you want in an order that does not have you backtracking.

The tree lined streets will be in the Back Bay and Beacon Hill portions.

Quincy Market is mid-point on the Freedom Trail.

If you do not need the Fenway Park experience, get off the T Green Line at the Auditorium stop and save several blocks of walking. You can exit from the station directly onto the interesting end of Newbury Street and walk as far as Copley. After Trinity Church ( don't underestimate the John Singer Sargeant murals in the old part of the BPL) you can walk back over to Commonwealth Avenue and down to and across the Public Garden and, diagonally, Charles Street for Beacon Hill.

Save Cambridge for summer.
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Old Nov 14th, 2014, 10:57 AM
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If you have time before your return, after seeing Boston, you could hop on the Red Line to Harvard Square in Cambridge, then take the Red Line all the way back to South Station for your return.

One correction to Ackislander's directions above: Auditorium Station is now Hynes Convention Center station (though I still call it Auditorium too!).
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