Bumble - you are so funny! "Going somewhere other than the beach."! You will have a great time I'm sure. We haven't been to all the New England states but did go on up into Canada - you will love it. Isn't Sue up that way? Hopefully she'll chime in with some advice.

We haven't done a beach trip this year ourselves and not sure if we will do one this fall (we go spring or fall, never summer), or something else.

tina

Hehe, well, we've been to the SAME beach for the past 15 years, every winter, it is nice, but I am bored with it.
I know you like your beach trips, Tina!

And we are flying! that, the airport, big cities, so much more excitement than the beach.
I'll have to get tubes for my ears though.

I do like the beach, but love going other places (and new places) also. But, no flying for me!! I'm more of a backroads kind of gal myself LOL. The colors will be gorgeous when you go.

tina

Try to make it to Faneuil Hall. It's a very large walking area with outdoor eating places to suit all tastes, some very inexpensive. You can also take a trolley tour of the area, it's worth doing. That way you'll see all the historic sites, Boston common etc. You could take a ride on the famous swan boats there. Bring your camera as it's very scenic. There is a wonderful aquarium near Faneuil. Make that your base and walk, if you chose, to the other areas. The North end of Boston which you could walk to has the most incredible Italian food. The old north church is there as well as Paul Revere's house. Have a wonderful vacation!!

I second the idea of going to the North End to eat. It doesn't matter which restaurant you go to there -- they are all wonderful. For dessert, I recommend Mike's Pastry on Hanover Street in the North End. For seafood, you could try Legal Seafood. I know there is one down near the waterfront.

Thank you both so much! Exactly what I want to know.

This is my favorite Legal Seafoods (there are several in the Boston area)! Not sure if I'd call Legals 'inexpensive' exactly, but everyone's definition of expensive is different, obviously.

http://www.legalseafoods.com/restaurants/boston-legal-harborside

There are some other great new restaurants in the same recently-revitalized section of the city, which is close to the ICA. I do not suggest The Barking Crab, though, which is in the same area.

I second the North End suggestion, too.

In addition to the other suggestions, be sure to walk along Newbury St for some window shopping and people watching. Very easy walk from Beacon Hill. I have had lunch at 29 Newbury a couple of times and it was very good.

Charles St also has some nice shops and a few restaurants but offhand I can't think of restaurants there that I've been to.

Thanks, Sue! We will go to one nice-ish seafood restaurant so that will probably be it. I have heard about that on the cooking forum. Thanks for any/all tips!

Another vote for the trolley tours - they're great. You can hop on and hop off all day for one price. I spent a week in Boston in October and there are now 2 trolley companies so you can check to see which one stops closest to your hotel. They have set stops along the way. At least one of the trolley tours offers a 2 day pass which is a good savings. From the trolley tour you can easily walk to Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere's home, Old Ironsides, Swan Boat and other historic stops.

Will you have children with you? If so they might enjoy the Duck Boats. I've been on them twice and had a great time.

Here is a link that might be useful: Trolley tour

That Trolley tour looks great! We are planning, as one of our main activities, to take the walking Freedom Trail.
Would getting a trolley ticket just cover the same things or is it just a fun, touristy way to get around?

I looked at the Legal Seafood menu- very reasonably priced and the atmosphere looks great.

I agree with the North End for reasonably priced Italian food. Quincy Market, which is right next to Faneuil Hall, has tons of places to eat at all price points and is a big tourist spot.

Smart move on the public transportation--parking in Boston is expensive and the traffic, well, if you don't know exactly where you are going and what lane to be in to get there, the other drivers aren't very forgiving.

You can get a one-day pass for the MBTA (including subways, trolleys and buses) for $11.00, $18.00 for three days. The pass makes it easy to get on and off whenever you want.

Which museum are you planning to visit? The Museum of Fine Arts? If so, you might also like the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum which is very close. A quirky museum that Isabella Gardner left to the city of Boston, which holds all the art and objects that she purchased on her trips to Europe.

Unless it's broiling hot, the Freedom Trail is an easy walk, except the last bit out to the USS Constitution. And it's a good way to see several parts of the city.

If you are into US history at all, a short drive out of Boston takes you to Lexington and Concord and the Minute Man National Park. You can go from Paul Revere's house on the Freedom Trail out to the end of his ride in Concord.

Also in Concord are the houses of some famous writers, Louisa May Alcott, Thoreau (Waldon Pond), Emerson, Hawthorne.

If you are into art, the Boston Public Library has a free tour of the old part of the building, which includes pictures and murals by several well-known artists, including Sargent.

You can also tour the State House, which is right on Beacon Hill.

I used to live just a few blocks from where your hotel is. You are in a good location. You can walk over Beacon Hill to the Common and Public Garden (I second the suggestion to take a ride on the Swan Boats--read "Make Way for Ducklings" if you haven't already). It's about a mile to the Aquarium (great penguin exhibit) and City Hall and Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market.

They have completely redone the waterfront since I lived there--I used to work in a building built out over the harbor on pilings, but it's all gone now. However, The Daily Catch is a seafood restaurant that is still there and is pretty good.

Here is a link that might be useful: Things to do in Boston

Boston is our favorite city. We're only a 3 hour trip, so we're fortunate to be able to visit and stay at least 2-3 times a year.

The North End is a wonderful place to eat, walk and relax. There are cobblestone streets, churches, salumerias, green grocers and wonderful restaurants. Maurizio's is a good restaurant (Sardinian cuisine) with a nice atmosphere and good service. Our two favorite pastry shops are Maria's on Cross Street or Modern Pastry on Hanover Street. They're more of a "local" bakery rather than a tourist attraction (pardon my opine but Mike's reminds me of a "Buddy the Cake Boss" type of place. Mediocre but let's line 'me up and get 'em out LOL. And yes, I've had a Buddy's cake and it was nothing to write home about). Try Modern Pastry's cannoli's and Maria's sfogliatelle...Maria's sfogliatelle is swoon-worthy. And Modern Pastry fills their cannoli to order, which is crucial.
If it's pizza you crave, make the trip to Ernesto's. For a very reasonable price you get 2 slices (which is half a pie) and a drink. It's my hubby's favorite haunt and their pizza is delicioso!

Faneuil Hall (the meeting hall, not the marketplace) has National Park Service rangers presenting historical talks every day and they know their history! You can usually walk in and wait for the next session to begin (every half-hour or 45 minutes). And it's free ;o)

A visit to the Isabella Gardner Museum is worth the trip. It's a beautiful, intimate museum with an interesting history. The Museum of Fine Arts is wonderful and the two museums are a stone's throw away from each other. Check their web site to see what showings they currently have on their calendar.

Take a trek to Boylston Street. While you're in that "neck of the woods", go to the Boston Commons. The Boston Commons is also the start of the Freedom Trail.

I agree about the trolley tour. It's a nice way to get an overview of the city and the guides will interject some fascinating stories and have interesting information about the parts of the city your tour takes you.

The "T", which is Boston's subway, is very easy to maneuver and cheap. Just pay attention because sometimes the train doesn't stop at a "scheduled" stop, instead going past where you planned on stopping. You might have to get off before/after a planned stop, so just pay close attention.

Close to Faneuil Hall are some great local bars. Some of them have terrific food, too. The Black Rose is an authentic Irish pub and the food is down-home Irish fare. They also have live music (Irish, of course) on certain nights.

Enjoy your visit...I'll bet you'll fall in love with this wonderful city.

Oh, bless you both! I will print out everything and have it with me.

I do like ideas for cheap eats, Legal Seafood will probably be our "big" restaurant" and we may even go for lunch depending on what we feel like.

When we go to the beach, it is very relaxed, sleeping in, books, naps, very long walks on the beach, shopping/outlets/malls ( dh does ALL his shopping then, whatever) but I have made it very clear and will continue to do so that this vacation is an active vacation- we will be out and about doing planned things and won't have time to sit around and "relax". Not much anyway!

Agree with Cyn about Legal Seafood and North End. OMG the pizza at Regina! Great and inexpensive -- it's in the north end.

I also had a great meal at MFA Museum restaurant.

And dunkin donuts coffee. You order it "regular" which means with cream and sugar already in it. So you order medium regular.

I can't help with Boston but I could with Montreal, we can talk about that later.

I was hoping you would notice that, Mitch! We will be there for one day, it is a 2 hour drive from my friends house where are staying for several days. We will be in Montreal on a Sunday.

She has been before but still, what should we do all day?
We want to have a nice, but moderately priced lunch.
That money thing keeps getting in the way....

I might save out a day for relaxing. LOL Also, remember you have a few months to save for the trip, so start stashing some $$. Does your husband get in on the planning or do you do it all for the trip?

tina

Haha, he is sooo frugal, Tina and Sarah. it's just in his blood. It's not that we don't have the money, it's that DH doesn't like to spend it. He would say that he likes to get "good value" for money.
In the past our best vacations have been all inclusive cruises. He doesn't irritate me constantly by questioning the cost of things then and he is more relaxed- not so vigilant knowing that the marketing world is not out to get him. He takes full advantage of all the services too. (good value)

On the flipside, he is extremely frugal with himself. Buys goodwill shirts and wears them for years. Takes FOREVER to get something he might really use, enjoy and need. Like a laptop. He is also very generous. He gives extravagantly to needy people.
But this vacation is different. We will have to whip out the wallet for everything and that will cause him anxiety - me too!
We have already paid for all hotels, airplane fare and rent-a-car. So everything except food and fun is covered.
I have my own money for shopping.

I am trying to figure out ahead how much most things will cost so he will not be surprised and fret or balk. I have already printed out a menu from Legal Seafood- so he can see the prices and food- he is picky about what he eats so am I. We never order the cheapest thing or the most expensive. It's a given.
If it were me, I would go to Really nice restaurants and have an appetizer and salad or dessert and coffee but he wouldn't think that was a full meal= entree.

When we are out and about and want to find a place to eat, we always look at the posted menu first. (And walk away)

So, this whole trip is wildly exciting and somewhat stressful. We have to get the house ready -immaculate basically-for the couple that will stay here while we are gone, (they will take care of my Dad and dogs), I have to get tubes for my ears, and have Everything planned.

Dh will pack the night before we leave!

It might be a great way to explore the city of Boston with a hop-on hop-off double-decker tour bus from Boston Sightseeing.