4th of July Fireworks and the Pops

I am considering heading to Boston for 2 nights over 4th of July. This would be my first trip to Boston and I will be traveling with my 5 yr old daughter. I have looked at previous posts for the 4th... but I am trying to get a true sense of how crowded it is at the Esplanade. When do people start camping out? I really would prefer not to make a whole day of it. Also, where is the best place to view the fireworks?

____________________

I found this information:

http://www.july4th.org/esplanade.htm

Once the Oval reaches capacity, usually around 7PM on July 3rd and mid-morning on the July 4th, no additional wristbands will be distributed.

____________________

Also, I am considering staying at the Omni Parker House (because I have a weekend voucher). How far is this from the festivties and is public transportation an option?

AND has anyone been in the Omni since the renovations?

Sorry for all of the questions! I would appreciated any information.

4th of July Fireworks and the Pops

Hi,

If you have a voucher for the Parker House, I would definitely use it. She%26#39;s a grand old dame, built in 1896 or somewhere around there. It was renovated in 2003. It%26#39;s a beautiful hotel in the public areas while the rooms themselves are definitely on the small side. Service is good. As far as location, it%26#39;s VERY good. Only blocks to Fanueil Hall and the wharf area which your 5 year old will like. It%26#39;s not too close to the Esplanade but the T stop is a very short walk where you can subway it there or anywhere else in the city that interests you. The T is both efficient and safe.

The Esplanade will be PACKED. Figure around 750k to 1 million in a very small area. If you want to be at the Oval for the Pops, you would have to get down there in the early morning. Cambridge side of the Charles River provides some nice views of the fireworks, but you don%26#39;t get the Pops experience. I would definitely recommend putting your daughter on a leash. I know it sounds weird but ALOT of families do this. It is very easy to get separated in such large crowds. The event itself shouldn%26#39;t be missed. It%26#39;s definitely top 3 in the U.S.

If you decided not to stay at Parker House, I would recommend staying at the Marriott Cambridge. This hotel has a front row seat to the fireworks and has far less people, maybe around 150k. It%26#39;s a HUGE event obviously but one you%26#39;ll never lose memories of. Hope this gets you started. Have fun if you come.

4th of July Fireworks and the Pops

If you don%26#39;t want to camp out, you can park yourself on one of the bridges or on the esplanade a fair distance from the hatch shell. They have jumbotrons, so you%26#39;ll still see/hear the concert. Just a warning - if you listen to the concert from the longfellow bridge, you%26#39;ll hear the music from both sides of the river and it will sound oddly echo-y. I%26#39;d suggest coming in mid-afternoon, taking the time to get your fried dough and scope out a place along the river, and settle in. I was never a fan of squashing myself in front of the hatch shell, where your view of the fireworks is obscured by trees. If you want to see the pops, I%26#39;d suggest going to their rehearsal the day before.

One way to do it with a 5 year old would be to show up early on the 4th and have friends stake out a spot and take the child away and come back later using cellphones to locate one another. it is VERY crowded... very... and at the end, it%26#39;s baby-steps off the esplanade. If you don%26#39;t like crowds, forget it.

That said, it%26#39;s WONDERFUL to see the fireworks and hear the Pops play...nothing like it.

If you don%26#39;t get there early, it can feel like musical chairs, walking around (getting yelled at for blocking someone%26#39;s view of the fireworks), moving along and not really able to stop anywhere. Did that one year. Won%26#39;t do it again. I either view them from outside the city (there are vantage points that offer convenience in exchange for a lesser view) or get in early and get a spot and guard it.

The other alternative is any number of harbor cruises that offer vantage points, but many of these aren%26#39;t really that family friendly (most serve alcohol).

I am also considering a trip to Boston for the 4th Weekend... and IIRC from the last time I was in Boston the Charles St station on the Red Line is elevated... does the platform of that station provide decent views of the fireworks??? I know it sounds a little odd, but what I%26#39;m really after is an uncrowded location with a decent view (probably not likely but it never hurts to ask!!!)

That%26#39;s a good question about the platform...Most of it is shielded by an overhang, but there is an open part that would have a great view.

The question is whether the T cops will let folks hang out there...or how many they%26#39;ll let hang out there... (i.e. if the platform is too crowded I can see them wanting to broom it.)

The best times I%26#39;ve spent on the esplanade have been when I%26#39;ve had a spot on the grass by the river. When you%26#39;re up and walking aruond, jockeying for a look... that%26#39;s never worked for me. Maybe it has for others out there. It%26#39;s always been a case of getting yelled at to keep moving... blocking views, etc.

gives out fashion advice

Mother's Day at Fenway

Fresh from my Red Sox e-mail: (and I%26#39;m jealous, as my Red Sox tour wasn%26#39;t remotely this good!)

The Boston Red Sox will once again host A Mother%26#39;s Day Walk in the Park at Fenway Park on Mother%26#39;s Day, Sunday, May 11, from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. While admission to the park is free of charge, fans can benefit the Red Sox Foundation by purchasing $10 tickets for the 2008 Ring Raffle that will enable nine lucky Red Sox fans to receive genuine 2007 World Series rings and a 10th lucky winner to receive a Volvo C30 Red Sox Special Edition car.

A Mother%26#39;s Day Walk in the Park offers families and loved ones the opportunity to stroll around Fenway%26#39;s warning track and see the left field scoreboard, dugouts, and bullpens up close. The 2004 and 2007 World Series Championship Trophies will be present from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. for fans to take pictures with it. In addition, an authentic 2007 World Championship Ring will also be displayed for the fans to take a close-up look of this remarkable piece of Red Sox memorabilia for the very first time!

Former Red Sox players will be in attendance as will Wally the Green Monster and his friends Lefty and Righty. Aramark, the ballpark%26#39;s concessionaire, will have food and beverages for sale at those areas and in the Big Concourse. The Big Concourse will also feature family-friendly entertainment by the brass band Big Tamales and the stilt-walker %26#39;Big League%26#39; Brian. Before or after their walk, fans can also visit nearby Game On! for a special Mother%26#39;s Day brunch.

';We are so happy to once again host A Mother%26#39;s Day Walk in the Park,'; said Sarah McKenna, the Red Sox Vice President of Fan Services and Entertainment. ';We want our fans to enjoy a free and family-friendly event with their mothers at America%26#39;s Most Beloved Ballpark by taking a comfortable stroll around the field that has given them, and their mothers, so many magical memories.';

Fans attending the Mother%26#39;s Day event on Sunday should enter Fenway Park through Gate C.

Mother's Day at Fenway

Hi-

I posted this during the dead time a couple of days ago, so I%26#39;m just bumping it up in case someone is looking for something fun to do with a Sox fan Mom tomorrow.

Happy Mother%26#39;s Day to all of the mothers who post here:)

Time for T

Hi Guys,

What time does the T run until in the evenings. I looked on the MBTA website but couldn`t find any info about running times. Unable to contact them by email as they need a Zip code which I obviously don%26#39;t have.

While I%26#39;m on how%26#39;s the weather in October?

Regards

Gordy.

Time for T

In general, the T subway runs until 1 AM, which means the last trains start somewhere around 12:30 AM.

Time for T

The weather in October is usually quite pleasant. Temps at the beginning of the month are in the high 50%26#39;s to mid 60%26#39;s. The end of the month could bring more wind, rain and chillier temps down into the high 40%26#39;s on some occasions. If you come in the second week or so (every year it varies) you%26#39;ll have the added benefit of catching the wonderful colors of Fall foliage.

Usually I tell people that they need to be in the subway station by midnight, to make sure they catch the last trains. You could probably get by with 12:15am as well.

The weather in October depends on when in October. Early October can still be warm and sunny and beautiful. Late October can start to get gray and cold and not as nice, or it can be gorgeous all month...or we can have our first snowflakes as well.

Plan for warmish days and cool nights, and bring at least one warm sweater and warm shirt and one short sleeve for warm weather.

Thanks Guys,

We will be arriving end of September (27th) and staying until the 11th. Sounds like your weather then is the same as ours. Four seasons in one day. We will prepare for the worst and hope for the best. What else can you do?

I leave you with a Scottish farewell.

Awrrabest. (All the best of good fortune be with you)

Gordy.

New England in the Fall

Greetings from Bonny Scotland.

My wife and I are hoping to visit New England in October and had planned on being based in Boston. However Boston hotel prices are very expensive. Can anyone recommend a different base that will allow us to see the area and allow us to visit Boston too?

Any other suggestions very welcome.

Regards

Gordon.

New England in the Fall

Do a search in the box above on ';hotels near the T';.

New England in the Fall

Another suggestion is Providence, Rhode Island - small, accessible, great restaurants and a short train ride from Boston. (And NOT Boston prices!)

FYI, Providence is an hour from Boston.

Aren%26#39;t there some budget chain hotels South of the city that more reasonably priced? Like in the Braintree and Quincy area? Those towns are on the T, easy access to downtown Boston. You could try searching there and see what you come up with.

Thanks Guys.

Have had a look at the John Jeffries House which looks quite nice. Awaiting a reply to my email.

Are places like Providence, Salem etc easily accessible by car and what are travelling times like? Could they be done as a day trip or would any places worth visiting require an overnighter?

The problem with coming from a small country is that you have no idea of distances between places on a map of a big country.

Regards

Gordy.

The John Jeffries House is very good and well situated. However, I think I remember a while back that there was some issue in them responding in a timely manner to emails. You might want to ';bite the bullet'; and call or fax them instead.

Many places, including Providence and Salem, are reachable via commuter rail, so you wouldn%26#39;t have to rent a car. Providence is about an hour south either way, and Salem 45 minutes to the north. Other places you might be interested in are Rockport, Newburyport and Newport, RI (here you%26#39;d have to drive).

AlanM

Hi,

As mentioned, if you do the search, you will come up with many ideas, as this has been discussed many many times in the forum.

There are hotels in the close-in suburbs of Boston that are near the T and much less expensive than staying downtown.

One other option is to bid for a room on Hotwire or Priceline. You can get some great bargains doing that.

Boston hotels are expensive, but if you stay in historic Quincy, it%26#39;s free to park your car at the hotel and the hotel rates are lower. Quincy is a 20 minute T ride from Boston and is a pleasant-enough place to be. Obviously, it%26#39;s best to stay in the city but if you can%26#39;t swing the hotel rates, Quincy is a compromise.

There%26#39;s SO MUCH to see in New England... White Mountains, Cape %26amp; Islands, Maine Coast, Berkshires, apple picking, county fairs, Newport, Mystic Ct, Vermont, etc. etc.

Hi,

I%26#39;ll be a bit different and I recommend staying in a place like the Blackstone River National Corridor. It runs from Providence, R.I. to Worcester, Mass. The best places to stay are in between the two cities. There%26#39;s great color, good places to visit and it%26#39;s within 1 hour to Boston. I have visited a place like Purgatory Chasm and it%26#39;s very nice and the scenery is great. Here%26#39;s the website to look around.

http://www.nps.gov/blac/

Thanks Guys,

Just when you think it%26#39;s safe to enter the forum you get lots of answers. so much more to think about.

Appreciate everyone%26#39;s help. If you are ever thinking about coming to Scotland I would love to return the favour.

Regards

Gordy.

PS what is the time difference? I am posting at 11.07pm.

What time does it say on the post your end?

Regards again.

Gordy

A week for a 30ish couple -- Cape Cod/Boston?

My boyfriend and I, both in our late 20s/early 30s, are contemplating our vacation options, and Cape Cod came up as a possibility. We have a whole week to spend -- is there enough for us to do around there for a week? We%26#39;re into walking/hiking, beaches, museums... we%26#39;re not really sporting types, if that helps, not really into kayaking or rock-climbing or any of that heavy-duty sort of stuff. Is it feasable, and/or a good idea, to maybe combine this with Boston, maybe stay in Cape Cod but day-trip to the city for more to do? Any ideas/suggestions would be appreciated.

A week for a 30ish couple -- Cape Cod/Boston?

If I had a whole week and wanted to visit both Boston and the Cape, I%26#39;d spend two or three days in the city and the rest of the time at the Cape; a day trip would not give you enough time. Just don%26#39;t plan your visit so that you%26#39;re leaving or heading to the Cape on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

For Boston, you might consider:

Duck Boat tour

Walk around Boston Common/Beacon Hill

New England Aquarium

Faneuil Hall

Historic sites in the North End

Museum of Fine Arts

For the Cape:

Bike the Cape Cod Rail Trail

Museum of Natural History in Brewster

Dinner at the Ocean House in Dennisport

White Cedar Swamp - walk the boardwalk, visit Marconi Station

Day in Provincetown, maybe with a whale watch

Have fun!

A week for a 30ish couple -- Cape Cod/Boston?

I agree with Pastiche%26#39;s plan. You might also consider the Kennedy Museum in Hyannis. I%26#39;m sure you know all about the Cape Cod National Seashore. These beaches are incredible.

Splitting your time between Boston and Cape Cod makes sense. You might consider staying in Eastham for it%26#39;s central location between Chatham and Provincetown, nice towns for day trips, for its proximity to many fine dining restaurants on the outer Cape and in Orleans, and for the fabulous National Seashore beaches as well as Cape Cod Bay beaches. My personal favorite is the Fort Hill Bed and Breakfast in the National Seashore in Eastham. www.forthillbedandbreakfast.com There are gentle walks right out the front door with ocean views that will take your breath away. A whaling Captain%26#39;s museum across the street has tours and the visitor%26#39;s center is just up the road a mile or so. The Salt Pond Visitor%26#39;s Center has a nice museum, films about the history and culture of the Cape, and ranger guided activities (free!).

The Fort Hill B+B is in a quiet historic area with little traffic and pastoral views over fields to the marsh and ocean. The historic property has only two suites and a cottage so if you are interested you should move quickly. Other types of accommodations like motels, hotels are also available in Eastham but most of them are on the busy highway, Route 6. You can find more about Eastham at www.easthamchamber.com

A week on the Cape is a great way to spend your vacation. If you are beach people you%26#39;ll want to send a couple days on Old Silver Beach in Falmouth. There is great shopping on Main Street, trendy restaurants and outdoor concerts to enjoy. You can take the ferry from Falmouth to Martha%26#39;s Vineyard, too! I would rec. the Palmer House Inn or Inn on the Sound for you if you like B%26amp;B%26#39;s.

Spend a day or two in Beantown, but beware- it is hot %26amp; humid in the city. Be sure to visit Fenway Park (they have tours) or try to scalp some tickets. You%26#39;ll want to go to Boston Common, take a Duck Boat Tour(too much fun!) and check out the club scene there. If you are into history you can walk the Freedom Trail. Great food at Quincy Market or the North End. You can Google all these events and hotels.

A nice hotel is the Lenox.

Falmouth is only an hour away so it%26#39;s easy to make the trip when you are ready.

Good luck-

JIm

bowel cleansing

One Night Stay on Summer Weekend

I am looking to stay on the Cape for one night in July, a Sat. to Sun., but tI can%26#39;t find an inn that will take a one night reservation. Any ideas?

I%26#39;m looking for something nice for a special occasion so don%26#39;t want to do a motel or more basic types of accommodations. Looking for something a little special.

My budget is around $200 for the night, preferably with breakfast included.

All suggestions welcome!

One Night Stay on Summer Weekend

Hi JRGK, We have found ourselves in the same situation several times but have had good luck at the Fort Hill Bed and Breakfast in Eastham. If you do not have set dates in mind, give them a call. They normally have a 3-night minimum but we have found that they do accept shorter stays when their calendar fills up leaving them with one and two nights vacant between longer reservations....even during the busy summer months. www.forthillbedandbreakfast.com

Their rates for luxury suites are slightly more ($235-$265) than you wanted to pay but they give a full breakfast and there are no additional taxes or tips so the total price will work out to about the same as staying in a $200 room where you need to pay %10 tax and additional tip for housekeeping. They get good reviews on TA and have a location in the National Seashore that is second to none.

For additional options on the outer Cape call some of the Inns you can find on the Chamber of Commerce sites like www.wellfleetchamber.com and www.easthamchamber.com

One Night Stay on Summer Weekend

There are very few places that will accept a one night stay on a Sat night in July. That said, it never hurts to pick a few places you%26#39;d like to stay and give them a call or email, it%26#39;s always possible they have one room open for that one night simply based on the way reservations have come in. Good luck!

One night on the Cape? Are you coming from Boston because you won%26#39;t want to drive to far? Maybe Onset or Falmouth would be a good place to start.

long hair cut

Ipswich and North Shore-Good location for Boston trip

We are a family of 5 (children are older children--youngest is 15) planning a week long trip to Boston. I am looking for a place outside of Boston to stay and to make trips into the city for sightseeing for 3-4 days and to use as a base for traveling around other areas. We will be there in mid July.

Is Ispwich a good choice to do this? Can we get into the city fairly decently by train? What about if we have to catch an airplane flight out of Logan early on a Saturday morning--will traffic towards Boston be a problem?

Thanks for the input.

Ipswich and North Shore-Good location for Boston trip

Traffic will not be a problem. You do need to pay attention to the signs to Logan. You don%26#39;t need to go thru Boston from this point to get to logan.

I like Ispwich and the area and it is perfect in July.

Ipswich and North Shore-Good location for Boston trip

Good morning EGKDP,

Ipswich would be a good choice to do that yes, but the thing is I suppose, if you have a way of getting to the commuter rail (the Ipswich stop) which goes right in to North Station.

As a suggestion though, there%26#39;s two other places that I think you might want to consider. One of them is only 4 miles from downtown Boston, it%26#39;s the Hyatt in Medford. They%26#39;re not far from Logan International Airport at all. They have a complimentary shuttle service that would take you to the Wellington MBTA Station OR even to Davis Square if you wanted to explore Somerville/Cambridge. There%26#39;s a Pizzeria Regina and a Not Your Average Joe restaurant as well as a Kelly%26#39;s Roast Beef now at Station Landing, a short walk from the train station. If you missed the complimentary shuttle van there%26#39;s a bus that would take you right to this Hotel from the train station. It%26#39;s pretty convenient all around. You%26#39;d be in downtown Boston in no time from Wellington Station. The hotel is located a quarter of a mile from the station.

Just google Hyatt Place Medford, MA. for information on it. You can also check the reviews here to see what you think.

If you didn%26#39;t want to stay in Medford, if you wanted to go further north, there%26#39;s this Motel in Beverly, MA. that would be really convenient and they%26#39;re family friendly too! It%26#39;s called the Lakeview Motor Lodge. It%26#39;s got the (commuter rail) MBTA train within walking distance from this Motel, which would be ideal. If you go in to their site, you%26#39;ll see all the various restaurants, shops and all that that are within walking distance from this motel. It%26#39;s another good option for you...BUT with teenagers? I would think you%26#39;d want to stay where they have a pool may be?

www.lakeviewmotorlodge.com

Check this Inn out, I drive by it a lot and it%26#39;s pretty nice, I guess their rates are really good from what people say. They%26#39;re in Rowley, MA., not too far from Ipswich at all. You know you%26#39;ll need to rent a car though right? As this place is not within walking distance to a train or anything like that. BUT it%26#39;s got a pool and in July? You%26#39;ll be glad you thought of that with teens! So that%26#39;s something to consider:

www.countrygardenmotel.com

You could of course stay in Ipswich instead, but, like I said, you definitely need a car to get to the train or the many various sights and attractions as you know...

www.ipswichma.com

Have a wonderful time wherever you decide to stay!

Ipswich isn%26#39;t bad. It is close by the other towns on Cape Ann to visit as well as a short drive to Salem. Ipswich has Crane%26#39;s Beach for swimming and the famous Clam Box for good fried clams.

I would not say that the Hyatt Place in Medford is a quarter of a mile from Wellington Station. This makes it sound walkable. I think it%26#39;s got to be a mile at least (I would guess more.) and the station is accross a very complicated and busy set of intersections.

You might also consider Newburyport - which has train service to Boston, is near beaches, and has a terrific, small downtown waterfront. There is plenty to see in Newburyport if you don%26#39;t feel like going into town (you can go on whale watching cruises from there, for example). I imagine Ipswich would also be awesome (although I don%26#39;t know it as well as I know Newburyport).

Yes, you%26#39;re right, what was I thinking, I%26#39;m picturing it in my head as being only about a quarter of a mile from driving through that area a lot! So yes, it%26#39;s probably a mile may be a mile and a half to the train station from the hotel%26#39;s location. Yes, it%26#39;s definitely busy through the Wellington Circle area with that crazy intersection right there. Your best bet if you do stay there is to take the free complimentary shuttle service back and forth to the train, that way you%26#39;ll get used to it, especially if you%26#39;re only going to be there for a few days.

I still feel that this particular Hyatt is a great hotel for families to get in and out of downtown Boston, especially if they didn%26#39;t want to stay right in town. Regardless of what any one else here thinks about the location of it, it%26#39;s a great choice for them.

Thanks for the replies. I forgot to mention that if we stayed out of Boston I would be renting a car.

The problem I am running into is that hotels in Boston generally accomodate 4, not 5 and therefore want you to have 2 rooms which at the Boston prices can be fairly pricey for a week. We are used to staying in condos in Florida mostly when we vacation so the thought of being 5 people cramped in a hotel room--children are 24, 21 and 15 is not tremendously appealing for the price we would have to pay. So I have been looking at other alternatives outside of Boston. I had found two really nice houses on the water in Ipswich on VRBO so I wondered what the area was like and what it%26#39;s proximity to Boston was. If I did not want to drive into Boston--could I take the train from Ipswich? Is there a train station.

I also have contact with a lady in Salem to stay at a house there for the week. Would that be a better area? Also with a car.

Thanks for the input.

Hi EGKDP,

You had the correct interpretation of my handle, since I always thought that cheer was unique to LSU (but Hot Boudin is even more so!).

I think it will be hard to beat a house on the water in Ipswich if you are looking for a more relaxed atmosphere than you%26#39;ll find in the city. But that may depend on what sort of activities you and your family are looking forward to during your vacation. I know my teenage son was bored to tears when we went to Sanibel a few years ago.

Oh, and one warning for you: the ocean water up here is COLD compared to the Gulf!

Hey Tiger Bait,

It%26#39;s hard to miss a Tiger fan--but I agree (Hot Boudin) is really unique.

Thanks for the information on Ipswich. I was thinking of it more as a base of operations from which we would spend 3-4 days going to Boston and then the other days taking day trips to Salem, etc (someone had mentioned the mountains--don%26#39;t see too many of those down here), etc. I mainly thought we might spend one day just there relaxing at the beach, etc. Can you do whale watching out of Ipswich?

Also, do you have any thoughts on Salem as a place to stay?

Thanks once again for all of the input. I didn%26#39;t realize going to Boston was going to be so complicated. I guess I%26#39;m not used to all these cities being so close together.

I think your point, that the cities/towns are all close together, hits the nail on the head. Don%26#39;t stress yourself our about it. Salem is a wonderful historic city with plenty to do and see. It is a little more urban than Ipswitch. I am not from the North shore but my impression of Ipswitch is that it has a lot of conservation land and is more rural. Which in my opinion is nice. Another town up in that area I hear recommended a lot is Marblehead. I noticed a number of loactions on VBRO there as well. Check out www.mbta.com (commuter rails/trains) for the train access into Boston. They have information on all the train stations and parking that%26#39;s available at each. I would find the nicest looking property for the best price in any of these towns and not worry too much about the specifics. I know there are great whale watches out of Glouster which is nearby as well. Good luck!