Very nice city to stroll around - especially Beacon Hill and the Back Bay. Lots of good Irish pubs all around...
Worth a walk over to Cambridge to see Harvard...
Possibly take a boat out to Cape Cod etc. if time...
Definitely visit Fenway if a game is on.
NYA largely said what I would. Also a nice park near beacon hill where senator John Kerry lives. Their version of central park.
Also a decent aquarium. And the area near the cheers bar has some sort of historic hall that I remember. The station is also a rival to new York's grand central.
Tea is also an important historical point of the city. Seem to remember some tea clippers.
might be worth getting Amtrak up the coast to see a bit more of new England, if you are there for 5 nights.
The Italian quarter served some of the best food I've ever eaten. The seafood is decent as well. I preferred Boston to new York, it's more laid back and has plenty of character. And a nice beer called "Harpoon"
Let me know what sort of stuff you like and I'll give you some ideas. It's a good place to wander around. If the Sox are in town, and it's just you, getting ticket will be easy. Beer, breweries and bars I can always recommend if you're a beer geek, but I warn you, beer ain't cheep around here, especially the good stuff.
I had a guy I worked with in London come over years ago. He kept asking where the Boston Stump was. Needless to say, nobody had any idea what he was talking about. And he wasn't joking, he didn't know there was a Boston, Lincs.
Quincy Market is good for food options. There's the Freedom Trail if you like history, you can also get guided tours, and the USS Constitution. Personally I love Cambridge which is very picturesque for a city district, you can also visit Harvard up there.
As others have said, Fenway is a great night out sportswise, some of the seats aren't the most comfortable but that's what you get when your stadium was built in 1912!
The prudential centre is the big shopping centre near Boston common, has a couple of, what we would call, American restaurants. Legal fish? (Something like that) and the Cheesecake Factory.
The courthouse and public garden are by the common as well, you should visit the duck statues as this is a quintessential Boston thing. You can also do the duck tours around the city.
Everything is pretty much within walking distance but there is a good metro system to get you around the city as well.
Some great advice already given which I cannot really add too. We stayed in Cambridge and took a stroll each day over the 'salt n pepper' bridge in to Boston its self. Great city.
This is all interesting to me as I am taking my first trip to Boston in September. I've already booked a ticket for the Red Sox and to see Roger Waters who happens to be playing there during my visit. Of course, I'm there to work!
I'd add that personally I'd consider five days to be quite a long time to spend just in the city - plenty of pleasant places to visit in the areas around Boston (eg. The Berkshires, Plymouth, Salem, Concord...).
Also NYC is only a short 40min flight away :-) with flights on the hour every hour
I had a guy I worked with in London come over years ago. He kept asking where the Boston Stump was. Needless to say, nobody had any idea what he was talking about. And he wasn't joking, he didn't know there was a Boston, Lincs.
Went to Boston on a junior school trip from Navenby in 1968 or thereabouts. Highlights were the Stump and the copy of the Magna Carta. I've been a thrill-seeking risk taker ever since.
Last time I was in Boston (some while ago) I took a side trip to Providence, Rhode island. While this was partially to boost my "State Count" (now stands at 45) I enjoyed the day. It's a compact city you can walk around and its State House is like a miniature version of the Capitol in DC. (It's been used in films as such I believe.) Anyway, just a thought as you won't need long in Boston itself.
The city that meant I fell in love with the Boston Red Sox.
They are life out there. Watching the morning commute in to work outside the hotel my first time there and literally it was full of middle aged men and women in suits with Red Sox caps on.
Couldn't tell much, the place was blanketed in about 3ft of snow my first day, only Starbucks and Chipotle opened. I alternated between the two while I read a book all day.
Second day I was freezing my nuts off waiting to see Arctic Monkeys at an Ice Hockey arena. Crowd wasn't great but at least they don't throw cups of wee wee.
flying out to Boston end of month already have tickets for the patriots on the Sunday, we land saturday afternoon so was thinking of doing a bus tour bit of food few drinks and bed as early start for the pats on the sunday our hotel is 6 mins from south station so can get a train to the gilette stadium pretty easily, am then in boston until weds morning before getting a train to new york for 3 days then flying back to london on the saturday
looking for any recomendations for boston or ny ( have been to ny once before so have done most of the touristy bits )
Love Boston. Went there 6-7 times for work in my twenties and had a great time. Still got a lot of friends there.
One thing that surprised me a little on my first visit is how quiet it can be in the evenings. Everything shuts down pretty early. It’s quite a tranquil place for a major city.
flying out to Boston end of month already have tickets for the patriots on the Sunday, we land saturday afternoon so was thinking of doing a bus tour bit of food few drinks and bed as early start for the pats on the sunday our hotel is 6 mins from south station so can get a train to the gilette stadium pretty easily, am then in boston until weds morning before getting a train to new york for 3 days then flying back to london on the saturday
looking for any recomendations for boston or ny ( have been to ny once before so have done most of the touristy bits )
thanks in advance PH
Love Boston - my favourite city in the US! Definitely do the Freedom Trail. You can walk it yourself and it basically takes you round all the important sites of the American Revolution in the Boston area. It’s a great way to see the city and you learn lots too. Plus the final stop is close to a good pub that apparently dates from the 1780’s and was visited by George Washington and also used by the British as a barracks (although I’m not sure on the historical accuracy of the latter!).
Fenway is a must especially if you can get in to a game. Mrs HS particularly enjoyed the song in the 7th inning. Harvard definately worth a look around. Shout out for Salem as well. Not too much to see but a very eerie place. Harbour cruise is good Boston is a great city
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Cheers bar isn't cheers but there is the real cheers which is card something else.
A very European style city.
Worth a walk over to Cambridge to see Harvard...
Possibly take a boat out to Cape Cod etc. if time...
Definitely visit Fenway if a game is on.
Also a decent aquarium. And the area near the cheers bar has some sort of historic hall that I remember. The station is also a rival to new York's grand central.
Tea is also an important historical point of the city. Seem to remember some tea clippers.
might be worth getting Amtrak up the coast to see a bit more of new England, if you are there for 5 nights.
Lovely people are Bostonians.
Do you know where you're staying?
As others have said, Fenway is a great night out sportswise, some of the seats aren't the most comfortable but that's what you get when your stadium was built in 1912!
The prudential centre is the big shopping centre near Boston common, has a couple of, what we would call, American restaurants. Legal fish? (Something like that) and the Cheesecake Factory.
The courthouse and public garden are by the common as well, you should visit the duck statues as this is a quintessential Boston thing. You can also do the duck tours around the city.
Everything is pretty much within walking distance but there is a good metro system to get you around the city as well.
Will you be visiting Skegness while you're there?
Also NYC is only a short 40min flight away :-) with flights on the hour every hour
They are life out there. Watching the morning commute in to work outside the hotel my first time there and literally it was full of middle aged men and women in suits with Red Sox caps on.
Fenway is a must for a game.
.. I'll get me coat
Couldn't tell much, the place was blanketed in about 3ft of snow my first day, only Starbucks and Chipotle opened. I alternated between the two while I read a book all day.
Second day I was freezing my nuts off waiting to see Arctic Monkeys at an Ice Hockey arena. Crowd wasn't great but at least they don't throw cups of wee wee.
Not very helpful, I know...
flying out to Boston end of month already have tickets for the patriots on the Sunday, we land saturday afternoon so was thinking of doing a bus tour bit of food few drinks and bed as early start for the pats on the sunday our hotel is 6 mins from south station so can get a train to the gilette stadium pretty easily, am then in boston until weds morning before getting a train to new york for 3 days then flying back to london on the saturday
looking for any recomendations for boston or ny ( have been to ny once before so have done most of the touristy bits )
thanks in advance PH
One thing that surprised me a little on my first visit is how quiet it can be in the evenings. Everything shuts down pretty early. It’s quite a tranquil place for a major city.
Freedom Trail site - https://www.thefreedomtrail.org/
Pub next to the Battle of Bunker Hill monument - http://www.warrentavern.com/
Harvard definately worth a look around.
Shout out for Salem as well. Not too much to see but a very eerie place.
Harbour cruise is good
Boston is a great city