which restaurant? Saray/Rangzen/Helmand/Addis Red Sea

Hi Foodies,

Ok, we%26#39;re getting down to serious decision time and I%26#39;m stuck on one night! I%26#39;m taking my two daughters (11/15) to see Blue Man Group at a 4pm show, and I%26#39;d like to have a fun, different dinner that we can relax at afterward.

I%26#39;ve narrowed it down to Saray, Rangzen, Helmand, and Addis Red Sea. We%26#39;ve had Ethiopian before and really liked it, but we haven%26#39;t had any of the others, the menus all look great (except I can%26#39;t find one for Saray). What do ya%26#39;ll think?

Thanks,

Jenmol

which restaurant? Saray/Rangzen/Helmand/Addis Red Sea

haha, Jen, you really do your homework don%26#39;t you!? I have no idea!! I loved Helmand but that%26#39;s the only one I have tried of the 4. Next on my list will be Red Addis. Rangzen and Saray both get fabulous reviews as well. I%26#39;ll just say nice job scouting these places out and enjoy whichever one you choose. You should move to Boston and advise some of us on these places, lol If convienence from the Playhouse matters, Red Addis is the closest by far. Right down Tremont from there. Enjoy!

which restaurant? Saray/Rangzen/Helmand/Addis Red Sea

Addis, without a doubt.

Just be prepared for some slowwwww service...

I%26#39;m a big fan of Red Addis, and haven%26#39;t had a problem with slow service there. It%26#39;s unique in that you don%26#39;t get utensils to eat with. I%26#39;m not familiar with the other restaurants you mentioned.

Hi,

Having eaten and really enjoyed all four, they are all different and it%26#39;s difficult to choose between them.

Addis is one of my favorites in Boston. I go there all the time. Of the four places, it%26#39;s the only one in walking distance of the Charles Playhouse. It has a lovely atmosphere and delicious food.

Saray is delicious, but it%26#39;s a bit far out in Allston...not to say it%26#39;s a big problem to get to, but it requires a fairly slow ride on the B-line trolley out to Allston from the theater district.

The Helmand is more convenient, as it%26#39;s near Lechmere. It%26#39;s also got a nice atmosphere. You will need to make a reservation to get in, though...keep that in mind.

Rangtzen is the most casual place on the list. The food is tasty, but maybe not quite as exotic as you might suspect. I enjoy it myself, but I don%26#39;t know that I%26#39;d make a special trip out to Central Sq. just for that.

Other than that, I really can%26#39;t pick for you. Maybe you want to try something new? Then don%26#39;t go for Addis. I think you%26#39;d enjoy any of the choices.

I%26#39;ve never been to Saray, but I%26#39;ve been to the others. I%26#39;d probably recommend Helmand over the others, particularly since you%26#39;ve never tried Afghan food before. As literally every review about the restaurant will tell you, definitely get the baby pumpkin/ground beef appetizer; I also have had luck with the fish dishes there. It%26#39;s still a great bargain, as well.

Addis Red Sea is good if you are craving Ethiopian, and while I like Rangzen, I%26#39;m not sure it warrants going out of your way for.

Having tried all of them, I too would probably say Helmand, for a combination of uniqueness, food quality, ambience, ease of location.

I like Martza in Davis Square, Red line T, (run by the daughter of one of the first Tibetans in the Cambridge/Boston area, a baby who has grown up literally in her parents%26#39; businesses) better than Rangzen. I think she%26#39;s reopened currently.

And for Ethiopian, Farsika is far better than any of the others (Asmara, Addis) ever were--almost as good as my Ethiopian friends make at home--but not easy to get to after a show.

Thanks everyone! Now I%26#39;ve at least gotten down to Addis or Helmand....I have a feeling we%26#39;ll love either. Yea, Will007....I may be slightly anal about trip planning, but I hate missing the good stuff! Kudos to Beantownman for being my ';inside source'; for exotic food!

You all are terrific!

Jenmol

All the above considered, and more, I%26#39;d strongly recommend Addis Red Sea. I love it. The atmosphere is exotic. You sit on something like a drum, and the food is served in a big round platter on a drum in the middle. While the food%26#39;s exotic, it%26#39;s not knock your socks off exotic. You eat family style, and with your hands. If you don%26#39;t like something, don%26#39;t eat any more of it. My favorite part is the ';bread'; that you use to pick up your food. It%26#39;s a giant stretchy crepe, that you tear a piece of, that makes it easy to eat.

olay regenerist

how to whistle with your tongue

Hotels that allow 18 year olds to check-in?

I need to stay in Boston for a night to take placement tests for the college I%26#39;ll be attending since it%26#39;s 300 miles away and I can%26#39;t just travel up in the morning. I also have to travel alone (no parents or friends). I was wondering if anyone knows of any hotels in/around Boston (Allston/Brighton, Brookline, Cambridge, etc are okay too) that will allow an 18 year old to check in, as long as they have a valid photo ID and credit card? They%26#39;d preferably be accessible by the T but I%26#39;ll take a cab from South Station if needed. Oh, and I%26#39;m looking for anything under $200/night. Thank you! :)

Hotels that allow 18 year olds to check-in?

I forgot to mention that I already know of Doubletree Guest Suites Boston, but am looking for any others.

Hotels that allow 18 year olds to check-in?

I%26#39;m certain that Club Quarters, which is in the Financial District of Boston is 18 with license and credit card. It%26#39;s in your price range as well.

It%26#39;s none of my business, but I%26#39;d just like to say that I admire what you%26#39;re doing, and wish you the very best in all of it. The college you make it into will be privileged to have you.

7 days after July 4th

I am looking at several cottages for July but I%26#39;m not clear if I should take a place in

N. Eastham, Wellfleet or Truro. I want a nice beach and they all claim to be not more than 1 mile from the beach (Nat. Seashore). I also would like some option to go out for dinner without driving my car, so I think Truro might be the best because they offer a shuttle to P-Town. But I remember Truro as a pretty sterile looking place with those lines of cottages on not the nicest beach?

Help, I cannot decide!

7 days after July 4th

The best parts of Truro are hidden from view and take some finding. Some very exclusive homes.

7 days after July 4th

Wellfleet for me. Plenty of places to eat including Moby Dick%26#39;s, Wicked Oyster, Bookstore Restaurant, Lighthouse Restaurant, a bunch of others, and then my favorite, The Beachcomber. Great seafood on the water and the bar scene and entertainment is in full swing after the sun goes down.

Google map the cottages keeping in mind that the cape is narrow once you get to Eastham...only 2-3 miles wide. Unless the cottages are actually in the National Seashore, which they surely would advertise as a big plus, you can assume that you probably will want to bike or drive to the ocean beach. A mile is a long walk with beach gear in tow on a scorching sunny day! When you look at their location, check to see that they are not on the highway...unless of course the noise from traffic does not bother you.

As for the town, you must decide if you want to shuttle into Provincetown every night for dinner and then shuttle home. If that is not a problem, then Truro is for you. Those sterile cottages you mention are on Rt 6A on Cape Cod Bay. You won%26#39;t find any cottages on the ocean side because of the National Seashore lands. If you decide to drive to dinner then both Eastham and Wellfleet are options and you can also dine in Orleans which has many great restaurants.

You can check out additional options using the Chamber of Commerce sites for Eastham and Wellfleet: www.easthamchamber.com www.wellfleetchamber.com

Good luck!

Thank you for the tips, very helpful!

Cottage/Guest house on Martha's vineyard

i stayed at a tiny, well kept one room guest house in Edgartown run by a nice couple (who live behind) almost across from Morning Glory Farm on Edgartown/West Tisbury Rd. and i forget the name and cannot find it on the net to save my life. Please help me find it!

Cottage/Guest house on Martha's vineyard

No idea, but you might try calling Morning glory Farm -- maybe they will know.

Cottage/Guest house on Martha's vineyard

Thanks! update: it%26#39;s called Dreamer Cozy Nest

My husband and I saw the same house and were very interested in renting for a week, but something has happened and it has escaped from the internet. Do you have any info for the owners? I would love to make arrangements to rent it.

Outlet Shopping

Hi, I%26#39;m heading to Boston and wanted to know if there%26#39;s outlet villages similar to New York or discount shops in the city? Thanks in advance.

Outlet Shopping

Hi,

There%26#39;s a very popular tour for international visitors to the Wrentham Village Premium Outlets that leaves Boston daily. It%26#39;s about 45 minutes south of the city and offers great deals on high end clothing and accessories. It has many hotel pickups in Boston or you can go to their transportation building for boarding. Here%26#39;s the link if your interested.

www.brushhilltours.com/tours/wrentham.html

Outlet Shopping

The Wrentham Village is wonderful, full of greatdeals. Google wrentham premium outlets for info on stores, etc.

Thanks for that looks fantastic - I%26#39;m sure I%26#39;ll be able to do some shopping damage there!

Went to Wrentham a couple of weeks ago and did some major damage to my credit card.We drove there in a rental car and it took us 45 minutes.I bought so much it was just as well that we had a car.

As for discount shops in Boston,there is Marshalls.TJ Maxx and also Filenes Basement.

Shop til you drop.

Yes, Wrentham is the place to go. There is also outlet shopping in Maine, about 1 hour from Boston, but don%26#39;t go there. Pretty much the same shops, but they charge 8% sales tax on clothes, and in MA there is no tax on clothes! My favorites are Off 5th and the Coach store.

Wrentham is good, and Off 5th there is better than most of the stores since they often have things in from Saks dept. stores, and not just goods made solely for the outlet, which is often the case at outlet branches. I%26#39;d not leave Boston without checking out Filene%26#39;s Basement. The original store is closed til next yr. but there is another one on Boyleston that has some great deals. And in March I was shocked to find dozens of things from Bloomies on sale at the TJMaxx in Sommerville, but that may be a bit of a hike for you and often hit or miss. My Joe jeans normally just under $200 were picked up for $60 at the TJM, though so I have a certain fondness for it :-)

Even with the 8% tax in Maine, the Kittery outlets can reap some amazingly good deals. It really depends on the time of year and what%26#39;s available. I was recently in Maine, stopped off at the outlets on the way home and came home with two pairs of Sketcher shoes, three shirts and pair of cargo pants from Old Navy and spent only about $70.00. That was utilizing buy one get one half off and clearance items

The thing is, it%26#39;s really only worth it if you ahppen to be in the area or can know ahead of time what%26#39;s in stock and what%26#39;s on clearance. Otherwise you make a trip all the way up there, pay the additional 8% and it doesn%26#39;t end up being worth it.

It might be worth hiring a car to go to Wrentham - we did and filled the boot! Also I think the bus there and back only gives your 4 - 5 hours there - it is very big (only a bit smaller than Woodbury Common) and it took us all day getting around it.

We hired a car from the airport so we could get straight on the highway which virtually goes direct to Wrentham - very easy and just as cheap as the bus but more flexible - caught the T to and from the airport.

Sarah

Cape on a budget

I realize everything on the Cape is more expensive but with the price of gas this year, we are trying to cut some corners.

Looking for locals and regulars suggestions on your favorite inexpensive places to eat and inexpensive activities. We will have a kitchen in our unit so will be cooking some meals but this is a vacation and do not want to spend it in the kitchen.

Staying in Dennisport July 5 thru 12.

All ideas and suggestions are appreciated!

Thanks

Cape on a budget

If you like Mexican - ';Ay Carumba'; in Harwich is a great family place, reasonable prices. Cape Cod baseball is free as is a sunset picnic on the beach. Go to one of the big groceries stores and buy some already prepared meals.(just remember to bring sweatshirts %26amp; bug spray!) The bike trail is a good option if you have bikes, you can also rent them for not too much money. The Brewster Coffee Shop on 6A has great breakfasts. Not sure of your interests, but something we like to do on cloudy days is go poking around consignment shops and church based second-hand stores - there are lots and lots of them in Dennis - Brewster-Orleans corridor.

Cape on a budget

Call the Shaw%26#39;s supermarket on Route 28 in Yarmouth and order lobster and steamers. They will steam them for you, if you request it. Boil corn-on-the-cob, potatoes or what ever you want to have for a Clambake like at the cottage. This is the most economical way for a classic New England Clambake.

(508) 394-0995

I%26#39;m pretty sure Ay Carumba is out of business, unfortunately.

Yep -- just checked their website. Ay Caramba is no more.

Not sure if you can do this or actually you probably could stop before getting to the cape. Last year I began to bring some food from our local grocery store. I live in Massachusetts but I had found that nearly everything was close to twice as much than my own local chain grocery store. For example two years ago cold meat at the cape ran about 6-8.00 dollars per pound combared to 3-4 here. I brought a cooler of some things plus brought non perishable things as well. I planned to eat breakfast and lunch in and only went out for dinner.

The cape puts out a weekly activity magazine so that is always great to check on the local bandstand offerings - some are quite good.

In chatham there are lobster roll picnics before the band plays .

One of the families that stay near us goes fishing and then they cook their catch one night.

Sad to hear about Ay Carumba - there is another Mexican place on 6A to the left of the Brewster Store (intersection of 138 %26amp; 6A) We have had great take-out from there 2x. It is new, and I can%26#39;t remember the name - there was a deli there for years.

Ay Carumba has been replaced by Andale (also a mexican restaurant, but I don%26#39;t think it%26#39;s that inexpensive, especially for Mexican). El Guapo (the one in Brewster) has moved to Underpass Road, right off the bike path, still in Brewster, and is less expensive.

If you can bring (or buy an inexpensive one at Benny%26#39;s or Job Lot) and grill - you don%26#39;t need a lot of kitchen utensils and it%26#39;s cheaper than eating out. Try shopping at the farmers markets or the local farm stands. For eating out check out the restaurants that have the ';early bird'; type specials. You can also bring or rent bikes and bike more than driving - takes more time but it%26#39;s pretty and better for you. You can also use the flex bus and bring the bikes with you. Food is more expensive here, but you can watch the sales and get some good deals sometimes. You can go to beaches that you can park for free and walk to the beach instead of paying to park.

Enjoy

cs files

Ferry... Smooth Sail?

Greetings,

On July 5th, we%26#39;ll be going to Nantucket, out of Hyannis. This is our first time there, though, not to the islands because years ago (early 90s), we went to Martha%26#39;s Vineyard. Our trip to the Vineyard was out of Woods Hole and was relativley smooth. Our return trip, unfortunately wasn%26#39;t. We got caught in a t-storm. It was a pretty horrific (fog, lightening, very choppy). So, needless to say, I%26#39;m a bit nervous going back out on the water.

My question is... is the steamship Eagle, a smooth sail, even in choppy waters (we already have reservations)? The boat we took to/from MV, was a 3 decker, but didn%26#39;t transport cars.

Has anyone had any bad expiriences?

I%26#39;m not prone to seasickness... it%26#39;s just worrying how choppy it can get.

Thanks so much in adavance to those who reply!

Ferry... Smooth Sail?

Your comfort depends on the winds direction and it%26#39;s intensity. They generally stop running the Eagle when the wind starts to top 25 to 30 mph with gusts higher. You wouldn%26#39;t want to be on the boat heading into the wind in these conditions. However if the wind is from the stern the travel time is cut down considerably. Maybe a fast boat might be better. In any case the distance traveled is 30 miles to Nantucket instead of 7 to the Vineyard.

Ferry... Smooth Sail?

The Steamship Authority has a drive-off service for an additional fee that lets you to travel separately from your car if you think you might need that option. That would let you take the fast ferry or fly over, then pick your car up at the dock. My impression is that these are usually rougher than the car ferry - but for less time.

FWIW, my wife is prone to seasickness and hasn%26#39;t had any trouble on the car ferry.

I went over on the fast ferry and it was excellent. It only took an hour as opposed to 2 to 2 1/2 on the slow boat. Try not to worry to much about it. We can%26#39;t control the weather and if it%26#39;s really rough they won%26#39;t run the ferry anyway. Maybe the night before you can log on to weather.com and see the forcast for Hyannis or Nantucket for July 5th. If it gives the wind speeds you should be able to determine how it%26#39;s going to be on the water. If it%26#39;s less than 20 mph or knots you%26#39;ll be fine. Go to Nantucket and have a wonderful time.

olay regenerist

T / Commuter confusion

When looking at the MBTA web site I am very confused as to the ticket that I need or the cost. I will be coming from the Dedham area and need to get to the South Station. I assume the easiest thing to do would be to take the commuter train from Dedham Corp Center to South station verses The redline at Mattapan? WHat is the difference between the two? I will be with my wife and 2 kids. Can any advise which tickets we should purchase. We will probably take the train in 2 times (round trip)

Thanks!

T / Commuter confusion

It is a very confusing system. If you hop on board at the Dedham Corp or Endicott(also in dedham) you%26#39;ll be in Zone 2. Zone 2 fares are $4.75 per person. Kids under 11 ride for free with an accompanying (and paying) adult.

You should not take the Red Line from Mattapan. They extended the Red Line from Ashmont to Mattapan not too long ago, but it%26#39;s not a true subway--it%26#39;s more of a shuttle/trolley, and it%26#39;s a bit out of the way. You%26#39;ll be able to hook up with the Red Line at South Station.

The main difference between the Commuter Rail and the subway? The Commuter Rail is a train, and the subway is, well, a subway that travels mostly below ground, but in Boston there are some stretches where there is a good bit of surface level travelling.

T / Commuter confusion

Thanks for the info. That helps. Is the $4.75 one way or round trip? Is there a round trip discount? I think I also saw that you pay for the ticket at the train? Is there a way to purchase the tickets ahead of time?

Thanks again!

That would be the one-way price, I am pretty sure. The commuter rail fares are ridiculously expensive, and are (I guess) only really cost-effective if you buy a monthly pass. Generally speaking there is a slight surcharge if you buy your ticket on board at a location where you could have bought it before boarding. There is no discount for a round-trip fare. All this should be on the mbta.com website.

Omni Parker House vs. Westin Copely Place?

Which one is better for sightseeing and has best access to T lines?

Omni Parker House vs. Westin Copely Place?

You can%26#39;t go wrong with either place. Parker House is close to the Freedom Trail and Fanueil Hall while Westin Copley is fantastic for shopping. Either one can get you anywhere you need to go on the T very convienently.

Omni Parker House vs. Westin Copely Place?

While I love the history, charm, and character of the Parker House, I%26#39;ll take the Westin and its%26#39; Back Bay location any day. For T maps and subway line info go to www.mbta.com

Locations are both great and near T Stops. Decide on the rates you are quoted and what you prefer a newer high-rise hotel (Westin) or an older historic hotel (Parker House)

Both are nice hotels. When I walk thru the Westin it reminds me of many nice hotels which I have been in. I never think of another place when in the Parker House. I am more partial to the area of The Parker House than the Westin.

Both are very good hotels. One is ';classic/historic'; in ambiance and architecture, the other is a very modern high rise, as others have said.

Be forewarned, though: the cheapest rooms at the Omni Parker House are VERY tiny, 10 x 10 feet, essentially enough room for a bed, nightstand, and small bureau. They are great bargains if you are on business, traveling alone, need to find a great room rate, and don%26#39;t spend any time in it other than to sleep. If you don%26#39;t fit that category, be sure to get a larger room at the Parker House in order to be satisfied.

Thanks so much for the help!!! I do note your comments about the size of the rooms at the Omni Parker House...I think we will go with the Westin!

Boston Improv/Comedy Connection/Improv Asylum

Help!!! Which is best?

Boston Improv/Comedy Connection/Improv Asylum

I%26#39;ve never been to Boston Improv.

The Comedy Connection is a nice venue, but the night really depends on whether or not you like the act.

In my opinion The Improv Asylum on Hanover St in the North End is your best bet. It is extremely funny and unpredictable(hence the word ';improv';), plus the added benefit of a North End dinner before/after a performance.

Boston Improv/Comedy Connection/Improv Asylum

Improv Asylum and Comedy Connection are both great. I haven%26#39;t been to Boston Improv over in Cambridge so I don%26#39;t know about that place. Improv Asylum is in the North End with great places for dinner before the show. Comedy Connection really depends on who is performing that night, as it%26#39;s not improv, but a stand up comedian. Don%26#39;t forget about Sheer Madness at the Charles Playhouse as well. Very funny improv there too.

https://www.shearmadness.com/

Thanks so much for the reply! I think we will go with Improv Asylum...Can you recommend a few of your favorite places for dinner before the show? Thanks!

Access to Halibut Point without a car?

We%26#39;re visiting Boston in mid-June and considering a day-trip to Rockport via the commuter train. What%26#39;s the best way to get to Halibut Point? I%26#39;ve heard great things about the place.

Access to Halibut Point without a car?

I used to go to Halibut Point all the time many years ago but haven%26#39;t been in over 20 years. I always drove there, but there is actually a bus that goes by it:

http://www.canntran.com/routes.html

I have to think that the driver would stop to let you off, but I don%26#39;t know. It%26#39;s 2.5 miles from the Rockport train station, somewhat uphill, as I recall, but walkable.

Access to Halibut Point without a car?

They will.

';Wave-A-Bus

Anywhere along the route, as well as at designated bus stops, passengers wishing to board the bus may wave to the driver, and the driver will stop at the first safe location. Passengers must stand on the same side of the road as the bus. During school pick-up and drop-off, Wave-A-Bus not in effect.';

Works both ways. It%26#39;s not like taking the bus in Boston (actually, they%26#39;re usually pretty nice, too). So save your walking for the marvelous, breathtakingly beautiful, bracing, invigorating jaunt that is Halibut Point (where I%26#39;ll be strewn someday) itself.

Thank you both for the information, especially Thomas who%26#39;s answered other questions I%26#39;ve posted to the Boston forum. It looks like the bus doesn%26#39;t run on Sunday, and this is probably going to be a weekend trip, so we might want to target Saturday. Just in case: are many shops and restaurants in Rockport closed on Sunday?

No. If they closed on Sunday, they%26#39;d cut out probably 1/3 of their business.

I would expect shops and certainly all restaurants to be open in Rockport on a Sunday, but the fact that the bus doesn%26#39;t run on Sundays makes me wonder...

I haven%26#39;t been to Bearskin Neck since 1976, when I took a couple of friends from Europe there for the day when they came for a visit. So, I think it%26#39;s something people from out-of-town should see (it%26#39;s very picturesque) but my information is not very up-to-date. Hopefully someone with more current info can answer. :-)

Most things will be open on Sunday, but at that point in the season could close early.

Remember the CATA bus will finish the last run before 6 on Saturday, so you%26#39;ll want to plan accordingly.

started my birth control

Trolley Tours

Spending just a few days in Boston at the end of June....looking for a trolley on/off tour of the city....any one better than the rest?

Trolley Tours

I like the ';Old Town Trolley Tour'; but I have not used the others so I cannot comment on them but

I would definitely recommend ';The Boston Duck Tours'; over ';Super Duck Excursions'; if you are going to take a Duck Tour.

Trolley Tours

I second the ';Old Town Trolley'; recommendation. I have been on a few and this was the best.

I agree with the Old Town Trolley.

The duck tours are fun and very popular but they are not hop on, hop off which seems like what you were looking for; they do however take you around the city and they also go on the water which gives a very nice view of the city.

I have a listing of all my favorite tours here in case you are interested in other types of tours too:

lovebostonwithme.com/Boston/sightseeing.neig鈥?/a>

Black Heritage Trail

There%26#39;s an interesting article in the current issue of Yankee Magazine. I%26#39;ve never been on this tour, but I might make an effort to take it over the next few months ...

yankeemagazine.com/issues/鈥lackheritage

Black Heritage Trail

The Museum of African American History on Joy Street is totally worth the visit. It%26#39;s fascinating, especially if you%26#39;re a history buff. Plus it%26#39;s right there on Beacon Hill in the middle of everything. I think it%26#39;s probably a hidden gem that gets overlooked. Thanks for the article.

Black Heritage Trail

My dad had told me a story or two about the 54th., but the article was very informative. Thanks for the good read.

When the film Glory came out in 1989, there was a considerable upsurge of interest in the monument and also the Meeting House. The tour was subsequently developed. Maybe a few Yankee readers will see the article and drop by. It%26#39;d probably be a boost if you regular things-to-do suggestion givers added it to the %26#39;basic%26#39; Boston itinerary too.

I think they are renovating the museum right now (the one on Joy street) so I will definitely go soon!

olay regenerist

Where is Revere?

Last night my husband was reading a Massachusetts magazine put out by the Tourism Board. There was an ad advocating staying in Revere. Supposedly it%26#39;s just five minutes from Boston and the ad promised ';cheaper'; hotel rates. My question to the experts is, is it really that close, that much cheaper, and is it worth it to be even 5 minutes away from the heart of things in Boston? Thanks! We are getting extremely excited. Only one more week to go....

Where is Revere?

It%26#39;s 5 minutes to East Boston, maybe.

If you already have a hotel and are comfortable with the rate you got, I would just stay where you are.

Where is Revere?

Revere is close to Boston and accesible by the Blue Line. It has a big public beach, but it is not a tourist area. It%26#39;s a close-in suburb that has some pretty gritty areas. It is not a good alternative to staying in Boston unless you are on a rock-bottom budget. I%26#39;d be curious to know what hotels they recommend as none come to mind.

Revere is a small city about 6-7 miles northeast of Boston. It is tiny area wise with about 10 square miles. 45,000 people live in those 10 square miles making it very ';crowded';. Revere Beach is the oldest public beach in the U.S. It used to be a nice beach, but overcrowding and pollution has dragged it down some. It%26#39;s other claim to fame is the Wonderland dog track. It used to be quite the place to go back in the 60%26#39;s, 70%26#39;s and 80%26#39;s, but it%26#39;s barely able to keep it%26#39;s doors open today. Revere is mainly used by people who need reasonable stays for the airport or to see Boston. Although the subway goes up there, it only stops in a couple of places, the beach and the dog track.

I have been to Christmas parties at the Four Points by Sheraton in Revere. I never feel entirely safe going to get our car in the parking lot.

I live near Revere. Not all of it is horrible. The 4 Points Sheraton is ok. The beach is OK. No matter what the ads say, it is NOT convenient to the downtown Boston. There are no hotels near the T stops, so you%26#39;d be relying on Shuttle Buses or the T buses which are a bit trickier to navigate than the T itself.

The beach is actually pretty clean and swimmable thanks to all the federal $$ spent on the harbor clean up (thanks all US tax-payers!) ... which in turn triggered other environmentally friendly projects in the area. The beach is finally back to it%26#39;s soft sandy self -- after a rehab brought in the %26#39;wrong%26#39; kind of sand and it took a few years for it to get back to normal.

Teacher, you%26#39;ve been working on this trip for a while. Where are you staying? If you are downtown, I wouldn%26#39;t recommend a switch to Revere.

Some links that might be interesting;

http://www.reverebeach.com/

city-data.com/city/Revere-Massachusetts.html

Revere Beach is the oldest public beach in the country. It has had its day, but now it is more of a local place to sunbathe, to eat at Kelly%26#39;s Famous Roast Beef or for teenagers to cruise. Revere Beach is a recommended stop for their annual sandcastle contest which this year is from July 14-July 20, 2008 or to go to Kelly%26#39;s for terrific fried seafood. The governor of MA was trying to push to legalize casinos and the Suffolk Downs Horse Track was to be considered as a place to develop a Casino Resort. The casino bill failed so that looks like it will not happen.

For a cheaper alternative Revere, Winthrop, Chelsea, and East Boston are all are close to the city, the airport and parking is free in most of these locations. They are residential areas, not really tourist areas but they are close and convenient to Logan Airport. They are not ideal for a tourist because it is not convenient to Downtown. It is convenient for commuters because it is one trip to work or school and one trip back. But for most tourists, it is inconvenient and not ideal because you are not able to go back and forth to your hotel room while touring the city. They are a cheaper alternative for budget tourist and as a base stop if your trip is a one stop in Boston and you are traveling to Cape Ann, NH or Maine.etc.

Revere borders East Boston, so I guess they can say it is 5 minutes away from Boston. It is still a commute to get to downtown for a tourist, either by the Blue Line (there are 4 sops in Revere: Suffolk Downs Beachmont, Revere Beach and Wonderland) or by car which you must pay a toll to reach Downtown Boston either by the tunnels or by the Tobin Bridge.

Revere is a state of mind!

:-)

Nothing like the Revere Flea Market, China Roma, Kelly%26#39;s Roast Beef, the New Deal...

Don%26#39;t know that I%26#39;d steer tourists there--not out of safety concerns but becuase it%26#39;s not as convenient as staying in Boston.

It%26#39;s a working class n-hood convenient to the airport, which is why many airport hotels are located there.

The beach is great for walking.

It%26#39;s just not so convenient if you%26#39;re hoping to see the sights in Boston. It would be a shuttle and a T ride.

Oh, yes I forgot about the Four Points. I went to a function there. It seems like a pretty decent hotel. It%26#39;s in a commercial area and I would not at all feel unsafe in the parking lot, but it is not convenient for a tourist who is going to be spending most of her time downtown.

I would stay where you are. I forget where you are staying but see you are in the heart of Boston. Nothing will match this. If you were visiting guests in the Revere area, I would say stay there. I have spent much time in Revere and enjoy being there.

I think you should fit into your schedule a trip to Kelley%26#39;s at Revere Beach. From here you can easily get to Nahant which is very nice.

Clubbin n P-Town

Which are the best night clubs in P-town? Wife and I are looking for an extended evening out when we visit in August. Have been to P-town before but never experienced the night life.

Clubbin n P-Town

When hubby %26amp; I took in a show in Ptown 2 yrs ago, the nightclub @ Crown %26amp; Anchor was hoppin%26#39;

http://www.onlyatthecrown.com/paramount/

Naomi :-)

Clubbin n P-Town

I%26#39;ll second the Crown and Anchor! Check to see if you can get a dinner/show package which gives preferential seating for the show.

Now of course I always ask people what they look for in a nightclub. . .

You may want to check out www.celebrateprovincetown.com which lists the nightclubs as well as the entertainment in town during the summer.

Depending on what you like when you go out, you may like the Crown %26amp; Anchor, Vixen, A-House, etc.

One of the great things about Provincetown is if you are at one club and it%26#39;s not what you are looking for, you can easily walk to another one.

Have a great time! And don%26#39;t forget to report back on your trip :)

Hubby %26amp; I saw Randy Roberts there, what a great show!!!!!

Naomi :-)

Thanks for all your replies. Specifically I was looking for information on things like dinner shows and the times, prices, and particularly parking. The attached links were heplful on the shows that will be in town. When we were there 3 years ago we could not park in town and had to get a shuttle bus in, but we got there during the afternoon. Is is the same at night? Also what time do the bars close?

You really should be able to park in a lot in town, altho not necessarily downtown. The shuttle operates between North Truro and Macmillan Pier hourly in the evening. The last trip leaves Macmillan at 12:30am. Bars and clubs close at 1:00am.

Should you find yourselves ';stuck'; after the last shuttle leaves, there are several extremely friendly and quite inexpensive cab companies that are easy to get they sit in prominent spots as well as drive around the main two roads to see if anyone needs them, so don%26#39;t fear missing the shuttle if your fun time runs over the shuttle convenience.

Besides, what%26#39;s a late night in P-town without a visit to Spiritus Pizza?

Car rental

Please could anyone let me know if there is a mega deal car hire company. I will be arriving in Boston on 25June and will need a car for 6 days.

Thanks

CJ

Car rental

For years I%26#39;ve used AutoEurope when renting a car in Europe. They broker deals from different rental agencies all over Europe and guarantee the rate they quote. I%26#39;ve relied on that guarantee for huge refunds on a couple of occasions (you book something for $600 and find out when you get to Munich that the local agency is really charging $2000 - AutoEurope refunds the difference).

Anyway, googling around, I%26#39;ve discovered that there is now an AutoEurope for the UK:

http://www.auto-europe.co.uk/

You can get online quotes for car rentals in Boston on that site. I know they are a good, reputable outfit.

Car rental

to be honest, the best deals i have found is to go on expedia. they%26#39;ll compare the major companies. It%26#39;s not too expensive to rent a car and if the timing works out, you should get a week%26#39;s rate which is usually discounted. good luck.

wavy hair

Boston - Hotel and Restaurants

My husband and I and our 12 year old son will be spending 3 days in Boston at the end of July. I am looking for suggestions on hotels and restaurants. We will be doing the tourist stuff so would like a centrally located hotel, 2-3 stars with an on-site lounge.

Boston - Hotel and Restaurants

Hi bijougirl,

Do you know the exact dates you plan to visit?

Boston - Hotel and Restaurants

We arrive in Boston on July 23 and depart on July 28. We are planning on spending the first 3 days in Boston then driving to Wiscasset, Maine but our itinerary is flexible.

Hi,I just an ad for a great rate at the Royal Sonesta in Cambridge - which is located right across the river from Boston, (very accessible to the city via the subway - Red Line) close to the Museum of Science which a 12 year-old boy may like. They have a nice pool, fitness facility, a riverside cafe, and an upscale restaurant. The price was $177.

sorry - meant to say, you can also get to the Green Line from the Sonesta.

Kendrick - I was just looking at the Royal Sonesta and the rates are $349 on Wed and $296 on Thurs. Where did you see the $177 rate?

I%26#39;m seeing what I am certain is the Intercontinental Hotel on hotwire for $249. It%26#39;s 4.5 star and a very nice hotel to stay at. Is that something you might consider or are you looking for something less expensive?

Hi, I saw it in today%26#39;s Boston Globe - I just found the ad - it is available Thursday - Sunday, Memorial Day - Labor and it is called ';Summerfest'; - it does say ';from $177.00'; tho. It might be worth a call directly to the hotel - it includes your room, ice cream, complimentary bikes, and a Charles River Boat Ride. Will%26#39;s option looks good, too. Good luck!

Seriously consider satying outside the city as well. Staying at a place like the Marriott in Quincy would run you $239. It%26#39;s a very nice hotel 8 miles south of the city with a restaurant, lounge and irish bar on site. There%26#39;s an indoor pool for your son too. The rooms are nice. The hotel is also very close to the Quincy T station for your trips into the city. It will cost each of you $4 roundtrip to take the T into town. It%26#39;s a 25 minute ride, not too bad. I%26#39;m sure your son will love it. The hotel will shuttle you to the station, but if you come back late night, your on your own. You can walk back to the hotel, less than 1 mile but all uphill or the hotel will call you a cab which costs around 7-8 dollars. I suspect you won%26#39;t be coming back too late at night with a 12 year old, but thought you should know in case you do. The final great thing about staying there is the free parking.

For restaurants, it could be fun to go to Faneuil Hall. There%26#39;s a lot to choose from there and they have quite a few with outdoor seating too. There is also lots of options inside the market where everyone can get whatever they%26#39;d like and then you can go and just sit outside, or in the common area in the middle of the building.

Always lots going on there with street performers and lots of people

Not sure what kind of cuisine you%26#39;re looking for but you can never go wrong with pizza. So with that in mind, try Pizzeria Regina in the North End. All-world pizza in a no-frills atmosphere.

beachfront B&B for August?

I%26#39;m looking for recommendations for a bed and breakfast that is located on the beach or a short walk away on Cape Cod - any town is ok. We are looking to be there from August 16-22. Thanks very much!

beachfront B%26amp;B for August?

There are several in Harwich - the Windstead Inn and Dunscroft by the Sea B%26amp;B come to mind, try www.harwichaccommodations.com/

Advice from all of you...please

Hello fellow travellers. I%26#39;m taking Mom to the Cape Cod area at the end of May/beginning of June. If any of you are familiar with Cape May, New Jersey, this is the type of quaint town we love. I am a photographer and looking for advice on which of the towns hold more charm than the others. Hyannis, Martha%26#39;s, Nantucket, or any of the other Cape Cod towns. PLEASE ADVISE. Thanks all for your help. This is our annual mother/daughter trip and I want to make it special for my mom....Deborah

Advice from all of you...please

I hate to sound biased, but I love Chatham. It reminds me of Cape May. Chatham is the quintessential New England seaside town. Cedar shake houses, lovely churches, charming Main St., Chatham Bars Inn, lighthouse and beautiful beach. I live outside the US most of the year, and look forward to spending my summers in Chatham. For me, it%26#39;s the perfect ';Slice of Americana';. There are several other great little towns too....i%26#39;m sure others will post their favorites.

Advice from all of you...please

Brewster, too -- especially the mill and herring ladder. Lovely homes!

I totally agree with both Chatham %26amp; Brewster. I hate to say it but you%26#39;d have to search a bit harder to find what you are looking for in Hyannis. Any town from Harwich out to Provincetown will give you what you are looking for. Eastham, Welfleet %26amp; Truro are the most lets see how to say it, well least developed. Brewster too. Orleans, Harwich and Chatham are a bit more developed, but in a very Cape Cod way to preserve what we all love about the Cape. Hyannis to me, has lost the Cape Cod feel in most areas. Nantucket and MV are also great, however I can%26#39;t speak from recent experience as it%26#39;s been years since I%26#39;ve been there!

Hands down: Chatham. Chatham is a great homebase to explore from while on the Cape. Downtown Chatham (and the rest of the town), screams: ';Old Cape Cod';.Check out the Bradford Inn for downtown lodging.

If you decide to visit Nantucket, you can take the high speed ferry out of Harwichport at Saquatucket Harbor which is a short drive from S.Chatham.

The National Seashore beaches of Orleans, Eastham, etc. will provide fantastic photo ops. too. The entire Cape is a photographer%26#39;s heaven. How long are you planning to visit?

It can be a bit nippy up here in May and June (especially while on the water or walking the beach), so bring some warm layers! Parts of the Cape may look like Cape May, but the weather pattern is very different!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all for your time and thoughts! I sometimes have my photo%26#39;s published in Coastal and Cottage living types of magazines. If anyone knows of some specific locations, homes/structures, etc., that are special, I would love to know. After reading the responses, I will likely not stay in Hyannis as we had penciled in. I think those towns mentioned are far more fitting of us. What do you all think about MV and Nantucket? Any special places my camera should visit? Thanks again friends!

Also visit the quaint town of Sandwich, please. You won%26#39;t be disappointed. Then drive to Falmouth and take some shots of a real traditional village green with sea captain%26#39;s homes surrounding it.

http://www.falmouthhistoricalsociety.org/

From Falmouth you will want to take the Island Queen over to Oak Bluffs in MV. This is where you will finds hundred of adorable gingerbread houses to phtograph in the center of the village. http://www.mvcma.org/

That is a must for any avid photographer, pofessional or otherwise.

Good luck and have fun!

I second mainstreetman%26#39;s vote for Sandwich. In particular, visit the Thornton Burgess home/museum.

My favorite scenic spot in Chatham is Stage Harbor. From the rotary on Main St., turn right onto Stage Harbor Rd, go past the Oyster Pond then turn right onto Cedar St., go to end and turn left onto Battlefield, then left onto Stage Harbor. It winds down to a gorgeous view of the harbor %26amp; lighthouse in the distance. I%26#39;ve often seen artists set up their easels and paint in this spot.

Breathtaking on a sunny day.

Photo opportunities? The gingerbread houses at Martha%26#39;s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association. www.mvcma.org. While you%26#39;re there, the Flying Horses Carousel. Reported to be the oldest carousel in America

http://www.mvpreservation.org/carousel.html

Both the above are a five-minute walk from the Oak Bluffs ferry.

There is no shortage of lovely architecture on the north side of Cape Cod from Sandwich to Orleans. Rt. 6A is one of the 10 most scenic roadways in the country with charming greens, country stores and old cape cod houses. So no matter where you stay, make sure you take a leisurely drive along 6A....it sharply contrasts with the commercial development that you will find along Rt. 28 and the faster traffic on Rt. 6 which goes down the ';spine'; of the Cape. All of these roads converge at the Orleans Rotary and only one road, Rt. 6, will bring you through the outer cape towns of Eastham, Wellfleet and Truro. The cape is very narrow (about 3 miles wide on the outer cape so ocean and bay are practically touching!!

One place that you should not miss is the Fort Hill Area in Eastham. Along with the three historic homes (One is the Captain Penniman House, a second French Empire design that is often photographed and maintained by the National Seashore. Another is a the charming Fort Hill B+B, a Greek Revival Farmhouse...our favorite place to stay. And the third is a privately owned, gorgeous colonial with a huge tree in front.) the entire area is listed on the National Historic Register and has been preserved by the National Park Service as representative of the Cape in the period from 1880-1940. www.nps.gov/caco The panoramic scenic views from Fort Hill, out to Nauset Marsh, Coast Guard Beach and the Atlantic Ocean are often featured in magazines and the gentle walks along the shore, fields, forest and Maple Swamp will provide many opportunities for landscape photos.

If you want the absolute best garden shots for that country cottage look, go in early June when the wild roses are in bloom, perfuming the air. Perennial gardens with peonies, roses, and lavender will be at their peak from June 1-15 but the abundant blue hydrangeas, so characteristic of Cape Cod, generally do not bloom until summer is well under way. In any event, you will love the scenic towns on the lower and outer cape. Don%26#39;t miss Wellfleet...another gem!

olay regenerist

Falmouth to Provincetown

Hi

Travelling over (from UK) for wedding near Falmouth next week. Not been to Cape before. First full day is Friday,wedding is the next day, Saturday, then we want to explore for the next 3 days as we leave on overnight flight Thursday. We are really open minded where to spend the next 3 days, just don%26#39;t want to miss anything amazing! I fancy going up to Provincetown to see the whales etc but open to any suggestions. Can anyone suggest good route to take with interesting places to stop etc. How long would it take? Any other suggestions? Many thanks

Falmouth to Provincetown

It%26#39;s about 60 km. Route 28 is the more local road along the oceanside to Chaltham, Route 6 the main one into Provincetown.

A couple of ideas for brief stops:

One of the National Seashore walks, like White Cedar Swamp, might be nice.

Chatham is a charming little town along the way.

Falmouth to Provincetown

If you will be spending a few days in the Falmouth area then it makes sense to move your base to the lower/outer cape area near the National Seashore and Provincetown for you last few days. Consider staying in Eastham on Fort Hill, our favorite B+B. It has a unique location in the National Seashore, with fabulous views and nature trails. If you stay at the Fort Hill Bed and Breakfast, you can walk right out your door to the water%26#39;s edge or watch the sunrise over the Atlantic. Also, the inn-keepers are really helpful and can give you advice about things to do. From Eastham you can easily take day trips to popular Chatham (20 minutes) or to Provincetown (30 minutes) to shop and whalewatch. If you will not be moving your base and plan to drive to Provincetown from Falmouth, you should figure that it will take about 1.5 hours. If you want a more scenic route then you should take Route 6A which will take you considerably longer. I do not recommend taking Route 28 in the mid-cape area simply because it is a very busy commercial road.

What ever you do , I would say the most memorable views of the beaches, ocean and bays are the things you should not miss.

I can%26#39;t stress enough not to drive 28 or 6 from Falmouth to the outer Cape. That is no way to see and enjoy the Cape along the way. Take 28 north out of Falmouth to Route 6A east before the Bourne Bridge and follow that east all the way to Orleans. That is a quintessential Cape Cod drive. It%26#39;s worth the extra 30-45 minutes drive to the lower/outer Cape. Where you go from there is up to you. You can take 28 north from Orleans ( it%26#39;s 28 north even though your actually driving south) in to Chatham for your base or take route 6 east (even though your driving north) up into the National Seashore towns of Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and P-town. Since your trying to locate a place to stay on short notice, I would get that squared away ASAP. Best of luck and enjoy your Cape Cod visit.

Wow, you have all been so very helpful. Many thanks. I have e mailed the Forth Hill B and B and await their response.

There seems so much on interest in the Cape.Only got one week and 2 1/2 days of that is wedding. We will be free Sunday afternoon till Friday am when we have to get back to Boston for the flight. Do you think we can get up to Provincetown for the Whale watching and also fit in trip to Marthas vinyard / Upper Cape? Can you do the Upper Cape in one day trip or do you need longer and should you really stay here for the night/ I have no idea of distances and ';must sees';!!!

Many thanks

Jean

Hi Jean,

Your starting to get confused about the different areas of Cape Cod. Falmouth is the Upper Cape area. That is also the easiest and cheapest town for taking the ferry to Martha%26#39;s Vineyard. Then the next area heading east is Mid Cape, then Lower Cape is where Chatham is. Finally, the Outer Cape is where the National Seashore towns are. Look at this map. Orange is upper cape, green is mid cape, purple is lower cape and yellow is outer cape. The pinkish island is Martha%26#39;s Vineyard and the blue island is Nantucket.

http://capecodera.com/mapofcapecodma.htm

So, it%26#39;s up to you what to do after your free from the wedding on Sunday afternoon. Do you want to hop on the ferry in Falmouth and go to Martha%26#39;s Vineyard and spend a night there? Then come back on Monday and go to wherever it is you%26#39;ll be staying the rest of the week? You will still have plenty of time left to see the lower and outer Cape areas before leaving for Boston Friday morning. You could even stay two nights on Martha%26#39;s Vineyard if you so choose, come back Tuesday and still have 3 full days and nights left to explore the outer Cape. Spend one day In Chatham, one in Provincetown and still have time for other places to visit. It%26#39;s all up to what you want to do. But yes, you will have time to see most of Cape Cod during your trip. Feel free to let us know if you need more suggestions if you need help planning your holiday.

Thanks again, map was really useful. Starting to make a bit more sense now. I will digest what you have said and, thanks for the offer, will come back to you if I have any more queries. Starting to get excited now! jean

Wil is right about taking the scenic Rte. 6A when you depart Falmouth, and perhaps staying on the Vineyard for your wedding night. It is so pretty there. I have lived in Falmouth most of my life and would be happy to answer any questions you have for restaurants, activities and special places to visit during your wedding. By the way, what church is the blessed event at? We have so many beautiful ones here in town.

Jim

Hey Jim, I don%26#39;t think it%26#39;s them getting married, I think they are coming to Falmouth to see someone else get married, lol. But your right, they should get some advice from you while they are there if they need any. Keep up the good work!

Sorry Jean, I missed the ';red eye'; back home. I thought you were leaving Friday during the day, but I guess it%26#39;s VERY late Thursday night or VERY early Friday morning. So, Thursday is your last day. It don%26#39;t matter, you still have plenty of time to look around.

Thanks again! We are staying at Inn on the Sound, Falmouth. I think this is near to the ferry to M V. How long does it take? Should we assume we can spend a whole day there? Can you walk around it all or do you need transport? I expect that we will go on the Monday as that is the day we check out of our Falmouth hotel. Should we leave the car at Falmouth?

If you can see all the delights of MV in a day trip then maybe we should book a hotel back on the main bit? Would it be a long drive back from a day trip to MV if on our return we then drove to Chatham for a few days, or should we spend the night in MV and chill out?

To complicate matters futher there is a gig I wouldn%26#39;t mind seeing in Fall River on the Thursday night. ( I just realised that the Flight home is Friday afternoon, not Thurs!!). Its not crucial though. How does Monday stay at MV, Tuesday and Weds Chatham (or Provincetown or another?) and Thursday Fall River sound? Is there much to do there? I don%26#39;t want to go just for the gig if theres not much else going on.

Thanks, lovely people.

Jean

Best breakfast in Falmouth?

My husband loves heart cloggin breakfasts whenever we are on vacation (the only time I allow it!) We will be in Falmouth for 3 days in July, where is the best place for a killer breakfast? Thanks!

Best breakfast in Falmouth?

This is not my area but I%26#39;ll jump in. When I am in Falmouth, I go to where the boat leaves for the island...the one which you can take your car. I think this is the heights.....There is a nice little place right there. I always look forward to it but the name escapes me.

Best breakfast in Falmouth?

I am one of the Falmouth guys and would be happy to help you. My wife and I think that the best breakfast is at Food for Thought- it has the most interesting menu such as pecan, apple and cinnamon griddle cakes or feta, salmon, caper and goat cheese omelet. And the coffee is great! But, I think you are looking for a tradional meat and potatoes kindofaplace, right?

Check out Betsy%26#39;s Diner with it%26#39;s jukebox and 50%26#39;s style atmosphere. It is in an original trolley diner and is way cool! We really like the Talk of the Town in No.Falmouth, too. Instead of a thin ham slice, you get a hunk of ham cut right off the bone! The eggs benny are great and they have a system with plenty of bus boys so the food comes out hot and fast!

Lastly, the Megansett Cafe in Waquit , although I haven%26#39;t been there, gets rave reviews from the locals, too.

Just to add a few more suggestions:

-The Fishmonger%26#39;s Cafe in Woods Hole

-The Coonamessett Inn in Falmouth for Sunday Brunch

-The Pie In The Sky in Woods Hole for coffee and a muffin

Thanks so much for the wonderful suggestions! We will be there for 3 days, so we will try out as many as we can!

how to dealwithabreakup

Please advise

Hello

Would love some input - coming to Boston in June. Thinking about doing the duck tour the first day that we arrive to get a better feel for the city and areas that we would like to return to. Two places that we leave from either the museum of science or prudential center - staying at the intercontinental. Arrive at 1200 - check in, would like to go for lunch and drinks (thinking either north Boston for italian food or faneiul hall - then on to the tour - we would like to end up in a place that has some nice wine bars / restaurant close by for after the tour!!) Which destination would you recommend - museum of science or prudential center?? Also would like to go to Sox game - would you recommend getting tickets ahead on stub hub or trying to get them off scalpers??

Thanks in advance!!

Please advise

hi, doing the Duck Tour from the Prudential center would give you more options in terms of restaurants/lounges upon your return. The North End %26amp; Fanueil Hall are only a short walk from one another (10-15 minutes) so you will have lots of options on your first day. You are sure to get lots and lots of opinions about your Red Sox question. I have actually gotten them from ebay for face value + shipping from an individual (not an agency) there is also the (risky, but rewarding) option of walking up to the box office itself at 10am on the day of the game.

Please advise

Another vote for the Pru. Hands down... more stuff there, especially nice wine places. From the Pru you can easily access Boylston/Newbury as well as South End spots. www.yelp.com has restaurant reviews and I%26#39;m sure people on here will have suggestions.

It%26#39;s a toss up. You can do either and still get your wish for some good choices for dinner. If you do Prudential Center, a few suggestions are Brasserie Jo, Via Matta and Atlantic Fish.

If you do the museum, walk down Charles Street into beautiful Beacon Hill and consider 75 Chestnut, Lala Rokh and Bin 26.

Since you plan to wander around Fanueil and the North End earlier in the day, I%26#39;ll skip making suggestions there. Enjoy your trip.

http://www.75chestnut.com/

http://www.bin26.com/

http://www.lalarokh.com/

www.viamattarestaurant.com/index_flash.htm

http://www.colonnadehotel.com/brasseriejo/

http://www.atlanticfishco.com/

There isn%26#39;t all that much around Museum of Science, although you can walk to Beacon Hill where there are lots of restaurants like Will suggested. I would like to add the Paramount to the list as well.

But there is definitely much more to choose from around the Prudential - Newbury street is right there with TONS of restaurants and bars as well.

The Duck Tour is really fun and you will get a good idea of the city. You may want to buy tickets in advance as the tours are quite popular.

The North End is great and has lots of restaurants. I was just down there today and it%26#39;s a really neat place just to walk around.

Enjoy Boston!

Definitely try stubhub over the scalpers for Red Sox tickets. the earlier you try the better chance you have of getting good seats. It%26#39;s much safer than the scalpers.

if the duck tour drops you off at the Prudential try a place called the Parish Cafe for lunch/drinks. it%26#39;s on Boylston between Berkeley and Arlington Sts.

I agree with poster who said to get your Duck Tour tickets online at their website. Otherwise you have to get there first thing in the am to see what tours are open for the day (makes for a lot of wasted time!) Our hotel concierge got tix for us, but did the same thing we couldhave (should have!) done.

We coulnt get tix to the Sox game when we were there...next time I%26#39;ll do in advance.

travelling

Hoping to visit Cape Cod in September. Thanks to all who replied to previous post. We will arrive at Logan and apart from flying up to Cape Cod what is the best way to travel between Logan and the Cape (we won%26#39;t be hiring a car)? Our travel agent suggested Falmouth as a destination but had never been. Does anyone have any other (polite) suggestions for English pensioners?

travelling

Not sure what more we can tell you. Your question on the previous post was answered quite extensively. You still haven%26#39;t told us why you have chosen the Cape or what your interests are. As we said it is not easy to get around without a car. Falmouth is very nice, but what do you plan to do there. You can take the ferry across to Martha%26#39;s Vineyard for the day. As we told you previously you can take the bus from Logan to the Cape if you decide not to fly. Are you planning any time in Boston? Do you like the beach?

travelling

Hi,

I%26#39;m just a wee bit confused about your post. You state ';flying up to Cape Cod';. Does this mean you are flying from Boston to Cape Cod?

There is bus service from Boston to Woods Hole (Falmouth) and Hyannis Center. Cost is around $30-40 dollars roundtrip. Bus companies include Plymouth-Brockton http://www.p-b.com/ and Peter Pan http://www.peterpanbus.com/

Falmouth would be a good choice without a car. Falmouth and Hyannis are the two biggest towns on the Cape and make good choices for people without a car. There%26#39;s more shops and restaurants in both towns which make it ideal for folks without a car. They also offer the most local bus services for getting around the Cape. http://www.capecodtransit.org/

Renting bikes is a good way to get around either town as well. More so Falmouth that has a nice bikepath that runs from the Harbor area over to Woods Hole. At either Falmouth Harbor or Woods Hole, there are ferry companies to take you over to Martha%26#39;s Vineyard.

http://www.steamshipauthority.com/ssa/

http://www.islandqueen.com/

In Hyannis, you can also get ferry service to Martha%26#39;s Vineyard, but it%26#39;s costlier and takes twice the time. Hyannis has ferry service to Nantucket while Falmouth does not.

So, without a car, I would choose a good central location in Falmouth or Hyannis close to shops, restaurants and the harbor area.

How about Tauck Tours (escorted) I saw a group of them recently in Chatham staying at the Wayside inn (seemed to be a lively bunch). I took a quick peek at their webiste and see they tour to Hyannis, Chatham, Newport, etc. on one of their trips.

I%26#39;m with the rest: I don%26#39;t get it. Are you touring, biking, flying where? I%26#39;m confused!

Anyway: If you%26#39;re in Boston you can take the ferry (no cars) to Provincetown. Ptown can be explored on foot but you%26#39;ll need a car to venture out further than that.

(How were you planning to get to Falmouth from Logan by the way?)

I think Tauck Tours might be a great option for you! Perhaps your travel agent could explore this as an option as well. The Wayside Inn is a standard stop on their Cape tours: nice lodging quality for a bus tour!

Vacation Help

Hello! As a business traveler, I get to reap the rewards of a year full of hassle by cashing in my points to go on vacation. This year the husband and I are going to head to New England. Since US Air is such a royal pain in the you know what, instead of flying in and out of Manchester, we are going to have to fly in and out of Boston. I wasn%26#39;t too happy about that since the airport area is my idea of chaos, but because parking is so expensive at area hotels, might not be too bad.

Here is what I%26#39;m thinking, please remember that I have to stay at a Marriott or Hilton property due to points, no other options. Fly into Boston, transport to an area hotel (shuttle or cab?), stay without a car for a day or two, rent a car near the airport to get to Quincy and Salem and then head up the coast. We want to go to Portland, ME and do a Puffin tour off the coast. We also wanted to go to Vermont to see Cabot%26#39;s, but it looks why the heck out of the way. Would return the car the night before the flight and stay somewhere with an airport shuttle.

The hotel that I%26#39;d love to stay at is the Residence Inn Wharf on the Freedom Trail. Is pricey points wise, but I like that we get free breakfast to help with food costs. Is it realistic to stay there without a car (since parking is ridiculous)? I read it is about a half mile to a train station and you have to go over a bridge to get there. If anyone else has recommendations for another Marriott or Hilton property that is either downtown, Cambridge or closer, please let me know. We are probably going to be car-less for at least a day and half and don%26#39;t want to be stuck in the middle of no where. Can you take a train to Quincy? Want to see the Adams property.

Thanks for your help, sorry for the long-winded post!

Vacation Help

DRAT! I wasn%26#39;t quick enough in booking the Residence Inn at the Wharf, it is now not available with my points. Any feedback on the Courtyard at Copley? The one thing we dislike about staying in the city is noise. I%26#39;m tempted to stay a little outside the city now that we can%26#39;t stay on the wharf (which looked like it was pretty quiet) since that hotel on Copley looks like loud city.

Vacation Help

Copley Square won%26#39;t be really noisy. I wouldn%26#39;t worry about that, not that I know precisely what hotel you are talking about or have ever stayed there, but Boston is not a particularly noisy city. I stayed once in a hotel in Vienna that was on a very busy street - near the train station where drivers apparently decided to downshift and test the acceleration on their sports cars - that was noisy, but I can%26#39;t think of anything like that in Boston.

Don%26#39;t know about Puffin tours but I would think you would have to go a bit further north to Rockland, Maine, but if someone is offering Puffin tours out of Portland I%26#39;m sure they are great.

Vermont really isn%26#39;t that far from Maine.

Plan to take a cab from the airport - it%26#39;s not that far into town. You don%26#39;t need and wouldn%26#39;t want a car in Boston itself.

Thanks for the info on Copley. We also found a Doubletree Suites, that overlooks the Charles River and offers a shuttle. That is kind of what we are going for. I guess our deal is that when we travel on vacation we don%26#39;t necessarily want to be right in the heart of everything, because it can get loud at night (not just cars, but trucks, people drinking, etc.). Would love to be on the skirts or burbs but close enough to take transit. Also found a Courtyard in Cambridge that might not be too bad.

My husband wants to visit Cabot%26#39;s dairy, but I%26#39;m just kind of dreading that drive from Portland, everyone tells us it takes forever. Long drives have a history of ruining our vacation :)

I think you%26#39;d be making a mistake to stay on Soldiers Field Road instead of intown at Copley Square. Copley Square is a great area to walk around in the evening, whereas Soldiers Field Road is kind of boring. (But honestly, because I live here, I really don%26#39;t have much insight into what it%26#39;s like to stay in a hotel in Massachusetts).

If you could use your Marriot points to stay at the Marriot Custom House, that should be your first choice.

Again, Boston really isn%26#39;t a loud town.

The drive from Portland, Maine to where (apparently) the Cabot Visitor%26#39;s center is would be really nice. It is over 3 hours just to get there but it%26#39;s very scenic. You could continue on to Burlington, Vermont for the evening. A really beautiful little city on Lake Champlain, and then drive back to Boston the next day.

I didn%26#39;t even know Cabot gave tours but if that%26#39;s something your husband is interested in I think that would be really cool. You could also stop at the Ben and Jerry%26#39;s factory on your way to Burlington.

The Doubletree is really not convenient to anything. I think you would regret that choice. Go for either the Copley Square Area or the Downtown/Waterfront. Your hotel choices are the Marriott Long Wharf and Custom House in the latter anf the Marriott Copley Place or the other Copley one you mentioned.

AlanM

Unfortunately those choices happen to be on the highest point scale that Marriott offers. Can you tell traveling on points is super-fun? We don%26#39;t want to waste them all for just two nights. If the hotel offers a shuttle, I%26#39;m okay with it being a little bit out there.

On the plus side, there could be rooms with nice views at that hotel. Ask for river view...

If you%26#39;re fine with the shuttle bit, then go for it. It doesn%26#39;t take long to get from there to Harvard Square and then you%26#39;re fine. Make sure to take a copy of the shuttle schedule for reference.

Have you looked into the Cambridgeside Marriott or the Residence Inn Cambridge? Both are at Kendall Square, just over the river in Cambridge. While still an urban location it%26#39;s pretty quiet at night and from the upper floors you%26#39;d have lovely views of the Back Bay.

I agree with the other posters that a Puffin tour may happen further north in Maine, I want to say Machias or Calais. Puffins don%26#39;t travel that far south.

Both Salem and Quincy are doable on public transpo so don%26#39;t waste money getting a car until you absolutely need it. The commuter rail out of North Station is a quick jaunt to Salem and the Adams Historic Homestead is accessible via the Red Line on the T. Here%26#39;s the deets from the National Park Service website: http://www.nps.gov/adam/

Getting to Cabot would be a bit of a drive but looks like fun. http://www.cabotcheese.com/ Count on it being about 4 hours%26#39; drive each way.

The Custom House would only be noisy on weekend nights. There are some bars nearby but during the week that area is very quiet at night. Plus, the location is top-notch.

Thanks all! A lot to consider here. Is a lot to juggle when you have X points with Marriott and X points with Hilton. If we do go to Cabot%26#39;s, the closest property appears to be a Hilton brand, so we may have to go with Marriott in Boston. I would really prefer a non-full service hotel, so the Residence Inn Cambridge may be more what we are looking for. Bigger rooms and free breakfast :) I%26#39;m real bummed that I didn%26#39;t book the RI at the Wharf in time, maybe I%26#39;ll get lucky and they will have some cancellations. On the plus side though, if we do go with that Doubletree Suites, I%26#39;ll be Diamond by then and should be able to get us a real nice upgrade. Too many options :)

Thanks for the info about the car, definitely saves us some headache not having to rent one until we depart for Maine.

BTW- when do your kids go back to school? Are they back pre or post Labor Day? Thanks!

clam bake

Help -- I need information about attending an ';open to the public '; beach clambake around the Brewster area in June . we will only be four people which seems to preclude having our own without very considerable expense -- thanks for any help

clam bake

Hi,

The best advice I can give you is to look and ask around town when you get there. Many clambakes will be posted on signs or flyers. Organizations like American Legion and Knights of Columbus have them as fundraisers. If you can%26#39;t attend the real thing, go get your fix over at Bayside Seafood on Main Street in Brewster or a host of places on the Cape like The Beach Comber in Wellfleet, Swan River Seafood in Dennisport or The Lobster Pot in Provincetown. There are places all over that serve them. ENJOY!

clam bake

Just to add on, the clambake at Bayside in Brewster is $34 per person and includes a 1 and a half pound lobster, a pound of Chatham clams, corn, chowder and cole slaw. A rather nice feast for the price.

olay regenerist

B&B Question

Do B%26amp;B estalishments encourage their guests to stay around during the daytime or are guests supposed to leave and only return at night time.

This may seem an odd question but that%26#39;s how B%26amp;B%26#39;s operate in Ireland!

B%26amp;B Question

I think you will find that almost all B%26amp;Bs in town leave it entirely up to their guests. If they want to hang around the house during the day, that%26#39;s certainly OK. If they are gone all day that%26#39;s OK too. Many Provincetown guesthouses have great yards, patios, decks or common areas and guests are welcome to spend time in those areas whenever they would like.

B%26amp;B Question

I%26#39;ve been a frequent guest of the B%26amp;B called Seasons in Provincetown for a decade now, and I have also been lucky enough to experience two other B%26amp;Bs in town as well. All three of my experiences were filled with warm, friendly hosts. All three properties not only allowed but encouraged enjoying the porches, patios, and common rooms, as part of the ';home away from home'; experience. At Seasons, in particular, I%26#39;ve spent entire afternoons upon their porch, reading, drinking coffee or a cocktail, and watching everyone else whiz by.

Thanks - I am trying to decide (with very limited choices due to July travel dates)between renting a house/condo or staying in a B%26amp;B as we really only want to spend 3-4 nights in P-Town.

We are travelling with our two children (17 %26amp; 10).

Unfortunately many of the really nice looking B%26amp;B%26#39;s don%26#39;t accept children....so our choice is limited further.

Can I suggest that you consider staying on the outer cape but not necessarily in Provincetown? With two teenagers, you may find that staying in Eastham or Wellfleet will work out better for you as you will be able to take day trips to Chatham, Brewster, Truro and Provincetown much easier and you may find that some B+B%26#39;s in the other towns are more family friendly. The Inn at the Oaks in Eastham specializes in family accommodations, with a pool table and activities for children. It is just across the road from the Visitor%26#39;s Center to the National Seashore where there are lots of free activities and fabulous beaches. Eastham would put you mid-way between Provincetown and Chatham (20-30 minute drives), both interesting towns with shopping. Wellfleet also has some nice family friendly B+Bs. Take a look at the Chamber of Commerce websites for more details and options www.easthamchamber.com www.wellfleetchamber.com

I would tend to agree that basing yourself further away from the very tip of the Cape (P-Town) would be much better for the kids. Somewhere like Orleans, Chatham, Harwich and Brewster would be more ideal for a family vacation on the Cape. These locations would still allow you to visit P-town and the towns on Mid Cape going the other direction. There%26#39;s far more to keep the kids happy. I caution you that P-town has an ';adult type atmosphere'; with a strong gay population in the summer. There would be plenty to do in P-town for a day trip but might be a little too ';eye opening'; for a 10 year old spending the whole time there. So just use a bit of caution. The beaches of P-town and the other towns of the National Seashore on the outer Cape are quite beautiful, but the best ones face east and are very cold to swim in, even in summer. The youngest one will enjoy the Nantucket Sound (south facing) or Cape Cod Bay(north facing) waters which are warmer to swim in. For a family with 2 kids, I%26#39;m not sure what advice to give you for lodging. I know many families with kids your age stay at the hotels/motels with swimming pools, game rooms, and other kid based activities readily available. There are B%26amp;B%26#39;s set up for this as well, but to me, most of the B%26amp;B%26#39;s on the Cape are geared towards adult couples with one beautiful room with a queen or king sized bed and a very relaxed type setting. Having your own place would be nice, but that means you have to do some ';work'; during your stay. Best of luck finding your place to call Cape Cod home for your vacation. I am sure you%26#39;ll all have a great time and will want to return again and again.

Hi Grainnew,

I want to encourage you to look into staying at the midway motel in Eastham. We stayed there last July and it was great. You can get a 2 room suite with kitchenette. The place is spotless and rates are extremely reasonable. You are near the bike trail which runs through the back of the property. Natioanl Seashore is close. Arnolds is a great place to bike to for great fried seafood. You have a lighthouse and small beach close by. Whatever you decide I hope you enjoy the cape. I can%26#39;t wait to get back there.

NY Chubby

Thanks everyone,

I have come to a similar conclusion about P-Town - it just might be a bit too eye opening for the 10 year old.....so I have been looking up Chatham today, but not the other town - mainly with a view to finding a house.

I haven%26#39;t thought about Eastham or Wellfleet yet....and time is running out as we are travelling in mid July!

I am looking for a charming town (with nice restaurants) with a beach for the 10 year old, so we can just pop down for a quick swim.

I would welcome some views on Eastham and Wellfleet please.

If you want to look for a house in Chatham or in the Chatham area, you can check in with these estate agents...Realtors:

www.pineacresrealty.com

www.websterrealestate.com

www.kinlingrover.com

You might also consider staying here:

www.waysideinn.com

The Wayside Inn is a lovely hotel on Main St. Chatham and a quick walk to Oyster Pond for a swim or a longer walk to the Lighthouse Beach. The inn has a pool as well.

backgrounds for myspace

Wife and 3 year old stayting at cape an motel? what to do?

WIfe is dragging us up there to gloucster and staying at the Cape Ann, where she stayed as a kid. So we are driving from Syracuse to there for a 4 day weekend. Thats my venting :o)

What is the motel like? just old or digustingly old?

The beach still ol to play on? water must be FRIGID!

I%26#39;ll check out Rudder Restaurant (kids ok?)

WHAT can we do with our 3 year old? We have a 6 month old in tow too.

Wife and 3 year old stayting at cape an motel? what to do?

Were you looking for the Dr. Phil website when you stumbled onto TA? That%26#39;s my venting :0)

This place? Looks fine.

http://www.capeannmotorinn.com/

The water is cold--builds character! Kids won%26#39;t notice the cold.

Lotsa good restaurants--from Jalapeno%26#39;s Mexican to our friends at Thai Choice to some great seafood places, all tolerant of kids.

Take the 3 year old to see the llamas near the movie theatre on rt133, across from old Yankee Fleet.

Take the 3 year old to watch the bridge open and the boats go through.

Take the 3 year old to Stage Fort Park to play.

Take the 3 year old for a whale watch.

Take the 3 year old fishing.

Take the 3 year old for ice cream.

Take the 3 year old to see the fishing boats.

Take the 3 year old to Good Harbor Beach to float in the river, see some striped bass and catch creatures in a net to then release.

Take the 3 year old to walk around in Rockport.

Take the 3 year old to fly a kite.

Take the 3 year old to see the wolves at Wolf Hollow in Ipswich.

Take the 3 year old to see the lighthouse at Eastern Point.

All of which you can take the 6 month old along on.

Have a great time!

Wife and 3 year old stayting at cape an motel? what to do?

If you%26#39;re talking about the Cape Ann Motor Inn, in my opinion it may be the most obviously family-friendly motel/beach combination that can be found. (There are others, but not as obvious.) It%26#39;s not luxurious, but its location on Long Beach is hard to beat. Right on the soft-sand beach, literally. The neighborhood - and it really is a neighborhood - is very safe for several reasons. The curving beach is lined with small summer cottages, jumping with families. The whole beach can be seen from any vantage point on the seawall. If it%26#39;s crowded, I think nearly nothing bad can happen without dozens seeing it and reacting. The beach in front of the motel has large lights trained on it until late at night. There is a whole neighborhood between the motel and the main road. At the ';Y'; where you drive off of Hwy 127, there%26#39;s a classic New England walk-up short-order seafood/sandwich/ice cream etc. -type of place, including a small diner.

Um, was this the place you meant...?

Be prepared for the rooms to be sand-filled, no matter how much housekeeping vacuums. As another poster stated, the beach is literally ON Long Beach. Luckily for you, it%26#39;s one of the cleanest beaches around. The water doesn%26#39;t start to get comfortable until mid to late August.

Take the wife and kids into Bearskin Neck for part of the day. The have some nice restaurants, shops, places to get ice cream and taffy.

Also, check out Captain Carlos%26#39; in Gloucester. Nice spot and very family-friendly.

3-year-olds enjoy digging in beach sand. Most parents of 3-year-olds enjoy doing this with them.

I mentioned Rudders restuarant. Somewhere on a point that some poster mentioned..is worth checking out.

Bearskin is something my wife plans on doing as a day trip, so thats planned in already.

Sure I love playing in the sand with my childrren. But staying on the beach all day is not my idea of fun.. THus looking for other activities we could enjoy and break up the day.

Yeah, Heard the hotel is SANDY. No matter where you go for beaches, you can never clean out sand. HElk my G-parents in florida have a car just for the beach, they cal it their beach car (VW bug) Needs to be shoveled out. :o)

ANyone have input ona a seafood and GOOD steak house?

Harwich Port fast ferry

Hello all,

Does anyone have recommendations, pro or con, for the Freedom Cruise Line fast ferry service from Harwich Port to Nantucket? We will be staying close by in Dennis this August and had a terrible time fighting traffic and finding parking the last time we took a ferry trip out of Woods Hole, (to Marthas Vineyard). We took a ferry from Hyannis to Nantucket many years ago but dont recall the crowds. Thanks.

Harwich Port fast ferry

Here%26#39;s the link so you can check fares and times:

www.nantucketislandferry.com

Parking is free for the day at Saquatucket Harbor and this is the cheapest fast ferry. No crowds at all, but you pay for all this convenience of course.

Harwich Port fast ferry

The crowds in Hyannis are fierce. We still go there though if we don%26#39;t want to spend the money in Harwich Port. It is just so much easier to leave from Saquatucket: worth the money most of the time.

So much easier to go from Harwich. We were just saying today that we think we wil go over again in September, but definitely not from Hyannis.

Much easier going outta Harwich. Not sure if you know where Brax Landing Restaurant is but the boat leaves from right next door. Ticketing/info booth is right across the street. My Dad %26amp; his girlfriend went over to Nantucket last year from there and had a great time :-)

Have fun!

Naomi :-)

Manny's 500th!

I wish I could have been in Baltimore tonight! The great Boston sports news just keeps coming:)

Manny's 500th!

Cannot wait until next Thursday!!!! Hope Ortiz is OK.

Manny's 500th!

We%26#39;re also keeping our fingers crossed for Ortiz.

If Manny%26#39;s milestone couldn%26#39;t happen at Fenway, ';Fenway South'; (Baltimore) was a good second choice. We%26#39;d love to catch a game there some time. Have any of the Sox fans on this site done this recently? Any good tips?

Friends of ours went to Baltimore for a Sox game. They had a blast especially since the hotel they chose was where the Red Sox stay. They saw several members of the team several times throughout their stay.

It was definitely a no doubter. That ball was crushed! Also nice that whoever ended up with the ball gave it back to Manny without asking for a thing. I really don%26#39;t think I could have done that. $25,000 please? :)

And in turn Manny is going to sell the ball at auction to benefit a local children%26#39;s charity.

Guess I am the lucky one. I was there at the game Saturday night with a group.

Had no idea when I planned this trip in January it would be historic.

Can%26#39;t begin to describe the excitement when Manny hit that fate-filled ball.

I also got to meet some Sox players. They stay at the Renaissance Hotel. Which by the way, has an exquisite 5th floor bar that uses only fresh fruit juices for its cocktails. That bar and the extremely friendly bartenders was a total winner!

It was so bizarre seeing so many Red Sox fans in the city. Tons in the hotels and at all the attractions. It really was Red Sox Nation!

Is it ok to be jealous? :0)

What great luck you had!

Being here in the Belly of The Beast, it%26#39;s not always easy to watch Sox games on TV (although easier than you might expect), so I didn%26#39;t get to watch (except the highlights). Wondering what Kevin Millar had to say about it.

I have not seen any Millar comments but will keep an eye out. I am sure there are a few. He was looking tough at first these past two games.

Mahj,

Luck indeed...

I was leading a group with some handicapped and physically challenged individuals, and for them it was the first time they had ever gone to a Major League Baseball game.

Diehard Sox fans, they really wanted to go to Fenway, but there was no way I could get enough tickets so I ';settled'; for Baltimore.

No regrets now...absolutely none!!!!!!

And FWIW, I cheered for Millar when he was up.

Boston Park PLaza

Hi All,

There are very mixed reviews for the Boston Park Plaza.We are able to get a very good deal to stay in July when everywhere is quite expensive.

We are a couple in our later 30%26#39;s/early 40%26#39;s and we do like older hotels with more character. When we went to Boston 2 years ago we stayed in the Parker House which we loved (again has some mixed reviews) - we quite like the faded grandeur as long as the room is clean and the bed is comfortable which it was at the Parker House.

Knowing we like older hotels do you think the Boston Park Plaza will be fine for people like us?

Thanks for your advice in advance

Sarah

Boston Park PLaza

My sister-in-law stayed there last summer (she was here for a conference) and was perfectly satisfied. Not fancy, but she said her room was clean.

The location is great. If the price is right, I%26#39;d go for it.

Boston Park PLaza

The smallest rooms at the Park Plaza are really tiny, glorified broom closets, but I really have always liked this hotel, and I%26#39;ve stayed in it many times.

It is a ';classic'; hotel like the Parker House, and yeah, it%26#39;s a little faded. But it has something few other big city hotels these days can offer: you can actually open your window and get fresh air if you wish!

I know the reviews are mixed, but I%26#39;d bet you%26#39;ll have a good experience...unless you get their smallest room.

Great location. I%26#39;d rather stay there than at an outskirts hotel with more amenities, but that%26#39;s me...if you%26#39;re happy with the rate and not super super fussy about room size, then it might be worth it to you. If you%26#39;re very fussy and want the perfect room, you might want to keep looking. The location is super convenient.

Agree with Queenslace. The Park Square neighborhood has restaurants, caf茅s and shops just steps out the door. The Park Square Building, just across Arlington Street is an older office building with a public arcade on the lobby level. It%26#39;s a great shortcut between Arlington and Berkeley Streets. And in a few minutes you%26#39;re at Newbury Street, the Public Garden and restaurants in the Transportation building. It has a faded grandeur but I%26#39;ve always has a soft spot for it myself.

Oddly enough, I found myself there Friday night visiting friends from out of town. I kept commenting on how the hotel was very modern and hip but that it still maintained that character and charm from many many years ago. I%26#39;d give it a go.

Thanks everyone - I have booked this morning - went for a deluxe room (was only 拢9 per night extra) so hopefully that will be a little bigger.

The only place I ';have'; to get to is the TD Banknorth stadium which is near to North Station so should be easy to get to on the T from Arlington - am I right?

Believe it or not flying all the way from the UK to see George Michael! but having a holiday as well - going to Cape Cod for a week first then back to Boston for 3 nights - so perhaps I wasn%26#39;t so daft!!!

Thanks again

Sarah

Sarah,

Getting from Arlington Street to North Station is a breeze....well, sort of.

Can I safely assume that the Arlington Street entrance is still closed due to construction? If so, you%26#39;ll need to walk to Berkeley Street to get into the T. As I mentioned earlier, there%26#39;s a great shopping arcade in the Park Square Building.

Anyhoo, hop on an inbound Green Line train. The trains will have an end destination of Government Center or Lechmere. Hop on the Lechmere train and get off at North Station. Follow the signs to the TD BankNorth Garden. When leaving, any outbound Green Line Train will get you to the Arlington stop.

Sarah,

At check-in ask the clerk if the hotel has anything available on their upper level executive floors. Those rooms are newer and the executive suites are very very nice if you can land one of those.