Things to do in Boston when you're bored

[Mark R]

I'm off to Boston for a conference for a week. I'm not sure I'll cope with a full week's worth of talks and exhibits.

So, can anyone give me the skinny on suitably awesome or geeky things to do.

Obviously, I've already got a long list of museums and general historic stuff. But I need some reviews from people of 'like mind'. E.g. I'm sure that the kids' museum is great if you like kids - but as I guess the exhibits aren't stuffed children in dusty glass cases, I'm not sure that it'll be my cup of tea.

 

[Crusty]

Science Museum - Lightning Exhibit

/thread

 

[episodic]

Italian District -mmmmm good food!

 

[somethingsketchy]

Agreed with Crusty, I've heard good things about the Lightning Exhibit, definitely must

 

[The Boston Dangler]

the museum of science, museum of fine art and new england aquarium are usually very good. for bars and nightclubs i'd check out landsdowne street. there's no shortage of places to eat. for a cheap day, and since the weather has radically improved, you could just walk around harvard square, boston common and the esplanade.

 

[Key West]

<-- the resident Boston expert.

*Visit North End, Boston's Little Italy for their cuisine

*Check out Quincy Market / Faneuil Hall. A fun tourist trap.

*You are in luck, Boston Common & Public Garden are beautiful right now with all the flowers blooming. Bring a camera with you.

*Check out the esplanade by the Charles river... so beautiful. Seriously Boston in spring/summer is the best. You can walk over from Boston Common via Arthur Fielder Footbridge.

*Walk down the Boylston St, it's the most expensive shops & restaurants are. Walk down Newbury St for bunch of art galleries and cute brownstone shops (runs parallel to Boylston)

*Museums: Museum of Science, NE Aquarium, Institute of Contemporary Art, Museum of Fine Art

*Fenway for a Red Sox game

*Grab a drink at Top of the Hub (50th floor of Prudential) for the most spectacular view of the city- live jazz band at night. $25 minium pp at night.

Boston is known as a walking city. Everything is so tiny and neatly packed. You can start walking from Harbor/Wharf area (Aquarium & Financial District) to North End to Quincy Market/Faneuil Hall, then naturally go over to Boston Common/Public Garden to Esplanade, come back to Back Bay (Boylston & Newbury), then you are all set.

Cambridge is the city on the other side of river. Check out Harvard Square for some hip scenes and the famous school itself, just hop on Redline and get off on Harvard Square. $2 and 15 mins away from Boston Common.

Cuisine:
-Regina Pizzeria & Uppercrust for best slices of Boston
-Grab clam chowder in Fanueil Hall
-Awesome dim sum at chinky town (China Pearl & Emperor Garden)
-Pomodoro in North End for awesome pasta
-Lobster in No Name Restaurant or Barking Crab
-Berryline is the best frozen yogurt. My friend's boyfriend owns it. They have locations in Harvard Sq, Fenway, & Porter Sq. Funny enough, my other friend Paul opened his own- Berry Freeze in Cooliage Corner in Brookline (damn entrepreneurs trying to tap the virgin froyo market in Boston)

Nightlife:
-Avalon, 33, Gypsy, Liquor Store (watch hot girls riding mechanical bull. my gf did it. :^D ), Umbria, etc

Resources:
http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/subway/
http://www.boston.com/thingstodo/?p1=GN_ThingsToDo

 

[summit]

eagle's deli and go on the t after a sox game wearing a yankee's had and clap clap clap-clap-clap and yell lets go yankees.

 

[manlymatt83]

I'm off to Boston for a conference for a week. I'm not sure I'll cope with a full week's worth of talks and exhibits.

So, can anyone give me the skinny on suitably awesome or geeky things to do.

Obviously, I've already got a long list of museums and general historic stuff. But I need some reviews from people of 'like mind'. E.g. I'm sure that the kids' museum is great if you like kids - but as I guess the exhibits aren't stuffed children in dusty glass cases, I'm not sure that it'll be my cup of tea.

PM me and we can hang out. I'm right in the North End, next to the old North Church.

Go to sunset, top of the hub. Do you want good sushi? run on the esplanade.

 

[MrMatt]

<-- the resident Boston expert.

*Visit North End, Boston's Little Italy for their cuisine

*Check out Quincy Market / Faneuil Hall. A fun tourist trap.

*You are in luck, Boston Common & Public Garden are beautiful right now with all the flowers blooming. Bring a camera with you.

*Check out the esplanade by the Charles river... so beautiful. Seriously Boston in spring/summer is the best. You can walk over from Boston Common via Arthur Fielder Footbridge.

*Walk down the Boylston St, it's the most expensive shops & restaurants are. Walk down Newbury St for bunch of art galleries and cute brownstone shops (runs parallel to Boylston)

*Museums: Museum of Science, NE Aquarium, Institute of Contemporary Art, Museum of Fine Art

*Fenway for a Red Sox game

I agree with all these. OP, you've got a GREAT week to explore Boston. The weather is going to be goooorgeous. If you're into hipster stuff, check out the Allston area for restaurants.

Also: Walk down to the Charles River from the Newbury Street area. There are floating wooden docks that people can hang out on. It's absolutely gorgeous for a nice nap.

 

[MrMatt]

PM me and we can hang out. I'm right in the North End, next to the old North Church.

Go to sunset, top of the hub. Do you want good sushi? run on the esplanade.

You live by the ONC?

 

[Key West]

eagle's deli and go on the t after a sox game wearing a yankee's had and clap clap clap-clap-clap and yell lets go yankees.

Only if you don't fear for your life.

 

[zinfamous]

Frankly, I'm more curious about things to do in Denver when you're dead.

 

[preCRT]

For now, don't drink the tap water.

 

[manlymatt83]

You live by the ONC?

Yup, right next door.

 

[0roo0roo]

boston accent on chicks...not the sexy

 

[MJinZ]

Italian District -mmmmm good food!

It's called North End...

 

[MJinZ]

I'll skip the usual and suggest the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum, which is really quite beautiful.

 

[BeauJangles]

<-- the resident Boston expert.

*Visit North End, Boston's Little Italy for their cuisine

*Check out Quincy Market / Faneuil Hall. A fun tourist trap.

*You are in luck, Boston Common & Public Garden are beautiful right now with all the flowers blooming. Bring a camera with you.

*Check out the esplanade by the Charles river... so beautiful. Seriously Boston in spring/summer is the best. You can walk over from Boston Common via Arthur Fielder Footbridge.

*Walk down the Boylston St, it's the most expensive shops & restaurants are. Walk down Newbury St for bunch of art galleries and cute brownstone shops (runs parallel to Boylston)

*Museums: Museum of Science, NE Aquarium, Institute of Contemporary Art, Museum of Fine Art

*Fenway for a Red Sox game

*Grab a drink at Top of the Hub (50th floor of Prudential) for the most spectacular view of the city- live jazz band at night. $25 minium pp at night.

Boston is known as a walking city. Everything is so tiny and neatly packed. You can start walking from Harbor/Wharf area (Aquarium & Financial District) to North End to Quincy Market/Faneuil Hall, then naturally go over to Boston Common/Public Garden to Esplanade, come back to Back Bay (Boylston & Newbury), then you are all set.

Cambridge is the city on the other side of river. Check out Harvard Square for some hip scenes and the famous school itself, just hop on Redline and get off on Harvard Square. $2 and 15 mins away from Boston Common.

Cuisine:
-Regina Pizzeria & Uppercrust for best slices of Boston
-Grab clam chowder in Fanueil Hall
-Awesome dim sum at chinky town (China Pearl & Emperor Garden)
-Pomodoro in North End for awesome pasta
-Lobster in No Name Restaurant or Barking Crab
-Berryline is the best frozen yogurt. My friend's boyfriend owns it. They have locations in Harvard Sq, Fenway, & Porter Sq. Funny enough, my other friend Paul opened his own- Berry Freeze in Cooliage Corner in Brookline (damn entrepreneurs trying to tap the virgin froyo market in Boston)

Nightlife:
-Avalon, 33, Gypsy, Liquor Store (watch hot girls riding mechanical bull. my gf did it. :^D ), Umbria, etc

Resources:
http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/subway/
http://www.boston.com/thingstodo/?p1=GN_ThingsToDo

Wait wat? You're the "resident" Boston expert and you recommend the shittiest and worst bars in town? Seriously that whole fucking alley with Liquor Store, The Estate and whatever needs to be nuked from orbit. Try some real bar with character in Alllston or Cambridge. Shit, there are places in the financial district that have more character than the crap you recommended.

Your recommendations are like reading out of a crappy poorly research Boston tourist guide.

As for what to do, OP, go to the North End and wander around. There's good food and fun cafes all over the place. Do the same in Harvard Square. Look up a few restaurant types that interest you and try them out -- Boston generally has great food.

 

[BeauJangles]

Only if you don't fear for your life.

Eagle's is great. The rest of his suggestion sucks ass obviously.

 

[manlymatt83]

Wait wat? You're the "resident" Boston expert and you recommend the shittiest and worst bars in town? Seriously that whole fucking alley with Liquor Store, The Estate and whatever needs to be nuked from orbit. Try some real bar with character in Alllston or Cambridge. Shit, there are places in the financial district that have more character than the crap you recommended.

Your recommendations are like reading out of a crappy poorly research Boston tourist guide.

As for what to do, OP, go to the North End and wander around. There's good food and fun cafes all over the place. Do the same in Harvard Square. Look up a few restaurant types that interest you and try them out -- Boston generally has great food.

Agreed and Agreed. I live in the North End (again), so come find me (PM me for address) and I'll show you around.

If you want "touristy" things to do in Allston, go to Sunset. Try a cool beer, then leave. Check out Deep Ellum. One of my favorite bars in Allston.

If you want a good Irish bar, go to O' Leary's on the C line. Other than walking around the North End, check out Harvard Square, and Kendall/MIT if you feel up to walking around (not much else there, though the "pub" on MIT's campus is sometimes nice if you're a geek).

Walk on the Esplanade (make sure you do this if it's a nice day - it's a park along the Charles River best on the Boston side). Check out the South End. Go to Quincy Center if you feel like checking out an area that's full of history but not so popular with the Bostonians. If you're into Sports, some of the West End (Bruins/Celtics) and Fenway (Sox) bars are nice.

For a cool view, check out Top of the Hub... touristy, but nice. After 8 PM, there's a $23 minimum, so go in there before hand and get a drink and watch Boston from 50 floors up. I like Legal Seafood for seafood - the downtown location is nice. If you want another good bar, go to Intermission Tavern in the Theater District. If you're looking to meet people, go to the Sail Loft in the North End.

So many other suggestions, really. Great food, music, bars, etc. You have to tell us what you want and we'll give you more suggestions.

 

[DangerAardvark]

Got any eels?

 

[Key West]

Wait wat? You're the "resident" Boston expert and you recommend the shittiest and worst bars in town? Seriously that whole fucking alley with Liquor Store, The Estate and whatever needs to be nuked from orbit. Try some real bar with character in Alllston or Cambridge. Shit, there are places in the financial district that have more character than the crap you recommended.

Your recommendations are like reading out of a crappy poorly research Boston tourist guide.

As for what to do, OP, go to the North End and wander around. There's good food and fun cafes all over the place. Do the same in Harvard Square. Look up a few restaurant types that interest you and try them out -- Boston generally has great food.

<3 trolls. What else is surprising than to trash typical popular places then naming your favorite hole-in-the-walls.

If you disagree, simply do so. No need to be a typical internet asslick. But it's okay, I understand if you needed validation.

 

[Nik]

make fun of the massholes

 

[Gibson486]

Wait wat? You're the "resident" Boston expert and you recommend the shittiest and worst bars in town? Seriously that whole fucking alley with Liquor Store, The Estate and whatever needs to be nuked from orbit. Try some real bar with character in Alllston or Cambridge. Shit, there are places in the financial district that have more character than the crap you recommended.

Your recommendations are like reading out of a crappy poorly research Boston tourist guide.

As for what to do, OP, go to the North End and wander around. There's good food and fun cafes all over the place. Do the same in Harvard Square. Look up a few restaurant types that interest you and try them out -- Boston generally has great food.

Agreed. Downtown Boston has horrible over priced bars. Jillians takes the take as the worst. Awful beer selection and full of "yeah dudes". Also, minus another point b/c they serve you beer in a plastic non disposable cup. The only decent bar in boston I know if is at the end of Gloucester St. Forgot the name of it. There is also that whole in the wall at the intersection of beacon and Mass Ave. It's alright, but you still better off going else where.

The good bars are in Allston and Brighton and Cambridge. My fav. is Harrys and Our House in Brighton. The only problem with those is that they are in the middle of college town and it gets horrible at times because of all the college chicks who cannot handle beer.

Central Square in Cambridge has an awesome night scene. Just go to the area where the Middle East is. Plenty to do.

The problem with Boston proper (where the Pru and Copley are) now is that they are trying to hard to become Manhattan. They have failed badly. I mean, come on. Out of all the things that older video store across from Hynes could have become, it became a freakin Staples express. WTF! At night, Boston proper is not the place to be.

 

[Gibson486]

Agreed and Agreed. I live in the North End (again), so come find me (PM me for address) and I'll show you around.

If you want "touristy" things to do in Allston, go to Sunset. Try a cool beer, then leave. Check out Deep Ellum. One of my favorite bars in Allston.

If you want a good Irish bar, go to O' Leary's on the C line. Other than walking around the North End, check out Harvard Square, and Kendall/MIT if you feel up to walking around (not much else there, though the "pub" on MIT's campus is sometimes nice if you're a geek).

Walk on the Esplanade (make sure you do this if it's a nice day - it's a park along the Charles River best on the Boston side). Check out the South End. Go to Quincy Center if you feel like checking out an area that's full of history but not so popular with the Bostonians. If you're into Sports, some of the West End (Bruins/Celtics) and Fenway (Sox) bars are nice.

For a cool view, check out Top of the Hub... touristy, but nice. After 8 PM, there's a $23 minimum, so go in there before hand and get a drink and watch Boston from 50 floors up. I like Legal Seafood for seafood - the downtown location is nice. If you want another good bar, go to Intermission Tavern in the Theater District. If you're looking to meet people, go to the Sail Loft in the North End.

So many other suggestions, really. Great food, music, bars, etc. You have to tell us what you want and we'll give you more suggestions.

Kendall is pretty dead at night. However, that Cambridge Beer place is not bad at all. Little pricey, though.