Boston at Thanksgiving
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**chezp** · 01-30-2005, 08:18 AM

Our plans for our November / December trip are gradually taking shape. We're looking to fly into Boston on 25 November (the day after Thanksgiving) probably arriving early afternoon and then head down to Orlando on the morning of Tuesday 29 November.

1) That would give us three and a half days in Boston - does this sound like enough time?
2) Are there any big events that take place during this weekend in Boston that I ought to be aware of?
3) Are there any hotels that you'd recommend?

Any thoughts would be great - and for all you Boston PassPorters, there's the possibility of a meet that weekend, if any of you are able to make one!

debsta922 · 01-30-2005, 12:50 PM

What a great time to be in Boston. I don't know of any main events but the day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday and it's all about shopping!
Three days should be enough to see all the highlights. There are great musuems (museum of science, museum of fine arts, and the aquarium). You can take a trolley tour of the Freedom Trail and get on and off whenever you like although this tour may be a bit biased against the English

. I would definitly recommend dinner in the North End (our version of little Italy). Shopping in Fanuel hall will be great during that weekend because it will be decorated for Christmas, and I think they do a tree lighting ceremony at the Prudential Center during that weekend also (or it may be the first full weekend of December, I'm not quite certain.)
As far as Hotels there are plenty and most (if not all) are pretty expensive. I would recommend a hotel downtown so you will be within walking distance of most places because you really don't want to drive around town unless you know where you are going. Dh and I stayed at the Park Plaza last year and got a great rate through aaa. The hotel was beautiful, the room was nothing spectacular, but the location was great, it was right on the T line (our subway), close to the theater district and shopping. The Seaport hotel is really nice and The Boston Harbor Hotel is spectacular, but very very pricey.
One thing I would recommend is to get tickets to Blue Man group, it's hard to discribe, but its a great show.
I'd be happy to send you a current AAA book and travel info so you could get some ideas of hotels and things to do. If you're interested just send me a pm.
Happy planning...

Luv2plan · 01-30-2005, 02:13 PM

Hi Cheryl, how fun that you'll be in Boston! I certainly hope we can all set up a passporter meet, as I've never been to any of the Boston ones, and of course would love to meet you & Mark as well. For your questions:
1. Yes, I think 3 & 1/2 days would be perfect to hit the main Boston highlights and have some fun.
2. I don't know of any particular events that weekend - as someone else mentioned, I'm pretty sure the big Boston tree lighting is usual more into Dec.
3. The Copley Square area is a great location as it's within walking distance, or a short subway or cab ride from a lot of sites. There's The Lenox, The Marriott Copley, The Copley Plaza, The Westin, and The Colonnade all of which are nice and often run good weekend deals. The Sheraton is another hotel right there that we've often had great luck with good rates. If you prefer the Fanueil Hall area (shops, more historical buildings, closer to the Aquarium and North End-our little Italy) then The Bostonian is a nice hotel, but I believe it's a little pricier.

Have you been to Boston before? Some fun places in Boston that I've always liked are the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum which is next to our Museum of Fine Arts and is a mansion and private art collection left by Isabella Stewart Gardner, who was a prominent Bostonian. Also Duck Tours - a tour aboard WWII Duck vehicles which can drive on land and sea - take you all about town and are loud, silly and fun. And a fun place to eat or visit is The Green Dragon, an old pub in Fanueil Hall where the Sons of Liberty met and some say planned the Boston Tea Party (sorry!).

Anyway, I'm sure the other Boston Passporters will have lots of good ideas for you too. Happy Planning!

loobyoxlip · 01-30-2005, 06:52 PM

Oh, it would be so fun to have a Boston meet then but I'm highly doubting I would be able to travel standby during that time

But I sure as heck would try!!

**CRCrazy** · 01-30-2005, 08:36 PM

This sounds fantastic Cheryl!!!

I would love to try for a meet that weekend!! I'm also thinking of popping down to Orlando the following weekend for Mousefest if I can finagle it with the girls' school schedules and concerts (and mine!) I get 2 personal days off a year that I don't need an explanation for!

Thanksgiving weekend is automatically a long weekend for us! We get Thursday - Sunday off!

FanOfMickey · 01-30-2005, 10:01 PM

Everyone is giving you great advice Cheryl. I however will not be able to make any meets that weekend, can't get out of work due to Thanksgiving weekend

In retail, no one can have that weekend off

You will have a great time here in Boston though!

joyful1nh · 01-31-2005, 10:23 AM

You've been given some great advice so far -- we head to my MIL's in NY for T-giving, but we are back on Sunday usually. Then I'll be off to Mousefest! So if not in Boston, maybe we'll meet in Orlando!

BTW -- if you want a holiday parade, I'm pretty sure that Manchester (NH) parade is the Saturday after Thanksgiving (since I never get to go to it!). Manchester is about an hour North of Boston.

In Boston, I highly recommend relying on public transportation rather than a rental car. The streets are confusing, we drive like maniacs, and of course, we drive on the wrong side of the road

LisaJ · 01-31-2005, 01:49 PM

Deb and Joy are right - DON'T DRIVE IN BOSTON. What a nightmare. My daughter spent the entire summer at Harvard/Boston, and it took me FOREVER to get out of that city, with the traffic, streets not marked, etc. It's horrible! I swear, I think it's a conspiracy.

My daughter thoroughly enjoyed the public transportation - she and her friends took it everywhere. It's a very walker-friendly city, too.

There are a lot of hotels. And they can be quite costly. But I would recommend spending a little more than you might think. It seemed that even though we stayed in a not-so-cheap hotel, I didn't think it was that great and I would have switched hotels and spent more on the room had I been there longer than one night.

I would have opted for quaint lodging in Cambridge or 4- or 5-star lodging in the city of Boston. If you book now, you will get some great deals and believe me, those hotel rooms go fast. Don't wait. I learned the hard way.

katspjs · 02-02-2005, 05:13 PM

How exciting! Hopefully, I'll be able to make it home for the meet.

Everyone has given you really good advice! Hotels in Boston are pretty expensive - but if you were to stay outside the city limits you would have to factor in a rental car plus parking (which I would not recommend - if you don't know your way around, don't bother) or taxi fare back to your hotel in the evening.

There a website you can check out - Boston.com - they have a travel section.

Have fun planning!

karmic · 02-03-2005, 12:59 PM

My recommendation for a hotel would be the Cambridge Marriott. The T station is right outside the door and there is a Legal Seafood restaurant right next store as well as the MIT coop. We always stay there while in Boston and find it very easy to get around from there.

DebbieG · 02-03-2005, 05:10 PM

Cheryl,

We are headed to Boston next week. Granted, our tour of the city will be bery different from yours, as it will be with 2 kids, but I will be sure to let you know about it. We will be staying at a Marriott in Copley Place, so I'll let you know how that is. It seems like it is very central to everything, with shopping and restraunts connected to it, just in case the weather is yucky. It also has an indoor pool that might interest you. That's one reason we chose it, as the kids will enjoy it, I'm sure.

Debbie

lkmom · 02-06-2005, 10:50 AM

Hi Cheryl!

My Husband and I stayed here Marriott Long Wharf Boston for a night in town once. It's a great Downtown location right next to the Aquarium and on the Freedom Trail. It's walking distance to Faneuil Hall, The North End, the Theatre District, and the Fleet Center. Lots of fantastic dining experiences abound! Short cab rides everywhere else. You DO NOT want to drive in Boston! John works there and we live close by so any questions feel free to PM and ask away!

disneymom9092 · 02-06-2005, 11:29 AM

Oh Cheryl-you will love Boston. We love the Marriott at Copley Square as well as the Westin. There is also a hotel in Boston ( a Marriott near the water) that you can use your DVC points at!!). When you go to Quincy Market, you have to eat at Durkin Park!! The restaurant has great food (you can still eat there being a vegetarian) and the restaurant is VERY old! However-beware of the waitresses! It is known for it's VERY RUDE Waitresses! All part of the charm! Unfortunately the older waitresses had passed away, and the younger ones are not as rude! A definate MUST when you go ! Also-don't forget those Boston Brownies at Quincey Market!! TO DIE FOR!! ALso-if you like beer, experience Sam Adams on tap. Certainly not a British ale, but a good beer for here anyway. Have a great time!

BostonTeaParty · 02-07-2005, 12:43 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Our plans for our November / December trip are gradually taking shape. We're looking to fly into Boston on 25 November (the day after Thanksgiving) probably arriving early afternoon and then head down to Orlando on the morning of Tuesday 29 November.

1) That would give us three and a half days in Boston - does this sound like enough time?
2) Are there any big events that take place during this weekend in Boston that I ought to be aware of?
3) Are there any hotels that you'd recommend?

Any thoughts would be great - and for all you Boston PassPorters, there's the possibility of a meet that weekend, if any of you are able to make one!

[/ QUOTE ]

Cheryl, I seem to remember you mentioning a friend who lives in Boston, that you've visited before. Have you checked with him for hotels and events?

I wouldn't recommend one hotel over another, they're all great. Maybe the Marriott Longwharf if you'd like to be on the water, or the Boston Harbor hotel. I can't think of any special events off the top of my head. The only thing I know of is the day after thanksgiving half a million crazed shoppers hit the stores. I stay far, far away from that scene.

**chezp** · 02-07-2005, 01:36 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Cheryl, I seem to remember you mentioning a friend who lives in Boston, that you've visited before. Have you checked with him for hotels and events?

[/ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately he's not very reliable at keeping in touch. I usually get a Christmas card and a couple of e-mails a year. In fact, he was meant to phone this weekend, but didn't of course!

When I do manage to speak to him, I will ask for his views on hotels and events as well.