Boston
When our little getaway gets us clear across America
When the British came to America that brisk night in 1775 to maintain their control over the thirteen colonies, they came to Boston, Massachusetts. We can’t criticize their taste, as this colonial city is also our top choice for an authentic wintry visit. There’s something about one-way cobblestone streets, historic brick homes, and actual snow on the ground that makes us want to curl up by the fire and drink hot toddies until the summer sun beckons us back to the West Coast once again.
Boston, known lovingly as “Bean Town” to some locals, is more than a quaint, historical hamlet dependent on its past to draw tourists. Today, this modern metropolis is filled with an educated and culturally diverse population—thanks to its academic draw as home to some of the most prestigious universities in the country—and all of the happenings and hotspots to accommodate them all.
An important note before traveling to this northeastern city is that parking is particularly expensive and hard to find. Add in all the antiquated, one-way streets that were originally built to be navigated on horseback, and all the new routes created from the recently-finished “Big Dig” construction project (Boston’s central highway was expanded and rerouted to an underground tunnel), and newcomers are bound to come home with stories of driving in circles for hours, or even accidentally driving out of state (don’t laugh, we’ve even heard these tales from locals). Your best bet is to rely on public transportation, and luckily Boston is known for having one of the most reliable transit systems in the country. The “T,” as it’s called, has inexpensive underground routes that efficiently carry passengers to the entire city’s can’t-miss destinations.
While we couldn’t possibly fit all of Boston’s draws onto these few pages, we’ve mapped out a weekend visit sure to satisfy all members of your traveling party.
Friday
After landing at Logan International Airport, tell your cabbie to drive you to the Boston Harbor Hotel (www.bhh.com) to drop off your bags and bundle up for a day of snowy sightseeing. The hotel, a landmark itself, is located at Rowes Wharf, overlooking the Boston Harbor. It has been named one of Conde Nast Traveler’s “World’s Best Places to Stay,” and has a rich sea port history to explore during the off-hours of your trip. With two hundred thirty guest rooms, the hotel is a tower of opulence in the heart of the city.
Boston is a place mired in history, where skyscrapers and shopping malls stand next to monuments that mark significant moments in American history, such as the site of the Boston Massacre, or the route that Paul Revere took on his famous midnight ride. Guiding visitors through sixteen of Boston’s historic landmarks is the Freedom Trail (www.thefreedomtrail.org), a 2.5-mile, red-brick walking path into our nation’s past. The trail includes stops at the Bunker Hill Monument, Boston Common, and the Granary Burying Ground, the final resting place of many important revolutionaries such as John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, all five of the Boston Massacre victims, and even Benjamin Franklin’s parents.
While on your journey, stop at any one of the city’s one hundred-plus Dunkin Donuts (www.dunkindonuts.com) locations and warm up to the reason why most locals can’t live without at least one cup of this chain coffee a day.
One stop on the Freedom Trail also serves as a great shopping destination. Faneuil Hall, the host of America’s first town meeting, still serves as an essential meeting place in the city. Jam-packed with restaurants and stalls selling cuisine of all kinds and unique stores and carts, the shopping destination, alternately referred to as Quincy Market, is also a hotspot for entertaining street performers throughout the year. While you’re there, you may want to stop in for a drink at Cheers (www.cheersboston.com), the bar which was the basis of the ‘80s sitcom of the same name. If Boston’s Irish charm is of more interest, Ned Devine’s (www.neddevinesboston.com) is an Irish pub that looks over the market while serving Ireland’s edible specialties alongside great beer.
Saturday
For the academically enlightened, Harvard University (www.harvard.edu) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, commonly known as MIT (www.mit.edu), are located just outside Boston’s city limits in Cambridge, with tours available of both bustling campuses. The Harvard library, home to over 15.5 million volumes, is a must-see for any book lover.
After going collegiate, you may be in the mood for an upscale, handcrafted microbrew. Samuel Adams (www.samadams.com) beer is made in Boston by Jim Koch (a local celebrity of sorts), and the brewery offers tours with samples. Guests are invited to learn about Adams, the patriot and brewer, and experience the brewing process from the start, the Hallertau and Tettnang hops to the specialty malt finish.
For an awe-inspiring dinner, the Top of the Hub (www.topofthehub.net) is the ultimate choice in sophistication. The restaurant, located on the top floor of the Prudential Center (known to locals simply as “the Pru”), overlooks the entire city with sweeping floor to ceiling windows. The Skywalk here offers a 360 degree, birds-eye view of Boston, and on a clear day visitors have enjoyed up to one hundred miles of visibility. The lavish cuisine and swank atmosphere at Top of the Hub make this the spot for a classy evening.
If you’re dressed to the nines anyway, a night on the town should be the final item on the day’s agenda. Located next to the opera house, Felt (www.feltclubboston.com) is a fine place to unwind. Four floors, including a restaurant, nightclub, billiards room, and lounge, await at this fun, chic nightspot where celebrity sightings are the norm.
Sunday
After a long weekend of tours and sightseeing, some luxurious Sunday shopping is most definitely called for. The undisputed upscale shopping district in Boston is Newbury Street (www.newbury-st.com). Here you will find some of the top eateries and bars in the city cozied up against cutting-edge boutiques, chic day spas, and top-brand stores like Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, and more. The bustling street is the perfect place to pick up pricey, urban gifts to take home.
Give your wallet a break for a few hours while filling your mind at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) Boston (www.mfa.org) or the Boston Museum of Science (www.mos.org). The MFA’s virtually endless maze of exhibits is a peaceful retreat for both classic and contemporary art lovers, while the Museum of Science is a pleasure for both children and adults with inquiring minds. Don’t miss the “Energy!” exhibit featuring the largest air-generated Van de Graaff generator in the world, where you can experience an interactive electrical storm (beware, this show is sometimes frightening to small children).
Sunday dinner always brings to mind sitting around a table with family. If you don’t have your own family available since you’re on vacation, head to Boston’s North End (www.northendboston.com), home to the city’s Little Italy, where over ninety Italian restaurants welcome you to join their famiglias. With eateries ranging from expensive to take-out, and large to intimate, you can’t go wrong in this colorful neighborhood, where the homestyle food is guaranteed to make you forget that carbs are the enemy.
There are so many different ways to round out a winter weekend in Boston (see the Boston Ballet perform, catch a Celtics game), that we are leaving the rest up to you. Just don’t complain to us if the snowy charm is too enticing and your short getaway turns into a seasonal vacation—you’ve been warned. SJM
