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Looking into the future - UMASS

Oh, and just a heads up, happy hours are illegal in Boston. No, seriously. Drink specials of any kind are against the law. Plan on spending money at the bar.
 
tante said:
So I wrote this in the middle of the night so it may not make much sense.

This guide is for people that want to stay in or around downtown Boston. Unfortunately hotels rates are fairly high so there are no bargains to be found.


Getting here: You will want to fly into Boston Logan airport versus one of the regional airports (Providence or Manchester) unless you get a really good deal. Parking in downtown Boston is very expensive, so if possible try to avoid renting a car. I know this will make getting to the game itself a bit of a challenge, but Boston is well served by a subway and a very walkable city, so a car is not needed. An alternative is fly to NYC and taking the train from Penn station to Boston (about 4 hours), after spending some time in NYC. It is a nice and comfortable train ride that can be scenic at times.


Getting to your hotel: if you fly into Boston Logan you can access the subway system, called the T. Right outside of baggage claim (from any terminal) look for the MTBA bus which takes you to the airport subway station. You can ride the bus for free to the subway station and buy a CharlieCard at the airport station after you get off the bus. I ususally buy a 7 day pass because a one day pass is $11 and a 7 day is $18. You get unlimited rides so you can figure out how much you will actually ride. You can pay with a credit card for this.


You can also easily grab a taxi, but they can get fairly expensive, especially during rush hour. Expect to pay $30 to $50 to get to your hotel depending on the traffic. If you want to grab a cab, just look for the taxi line and jump in a cab when it is your turn. Most cabs take credit cards.


Where to stay: There are absolutely no bargains this time of year but it never hurts to look. You can book a hotel that you can cancel if you find a better deal closer to your travel date, or just find the best deal now that you can't cancel. If you want questions about a particular hotel, feel free to pm me. I have stayed in more than a dozen hotels in Boston over the past decade and definitely have my favorites. I have never stayed in cambridge, so I can't vouch for any of those hotels, and I would avoid the area known as waterfront. It can be quite a hike to get to bars/restaurants and definitely a long walk to get to the T.


So based on the deals alone, the two best hotel deals (in downtown Boston) I have found are the Mariott Copley place for $166 plus tax and hyatt regency for $220 plus tax (both on lastminutetravel.com). Neither of these hotels have any of the Boston charm but the locations are a plus. There are only a handful of locations I would stay in Boston: Back Bay, financial district, Quincy Market (AKA Faneuil Hall) and downtown. Any of these locations are close to everything and a good starting point to get the most out of your stay in Boston.


If price is not an object here are a few hotels you can consider:


Fairmont Battery Wharf - my absolute favorite hotel in Boston. The location is on a wharf in an italian neighborhood in Boston. It is a bit further to the T from the hotel, but it is right on the water and just a beautiful. I was built in the past 6 or 7 years so still fairly new. One a side note, the standard rooms are mediocre, but the suites and corner rooms are amazing.


Liberty Hotel - a converted jailhouse right on the banks of the charles river. I usually avoid staying in beacon hill, but made and exception and was rewarded. Just a unique play to stay to admire the restoration done to a building that was vacant for quite some time. Not a lot to do in the immediate area at night, but the T is across the street from the hotel. An SPG hotel if you have points/status


Hilton Financial District - a great old building with huge rooms. This was my go-to hotel in Boston before the Fairmont opened. The only downside is that it is not super close to the T, but easy walking distance to many Boston landmarks with bars and restaurants close by.


Mariott Custom House - I have never stayed here, but it is on my bucket list. Just google the name and look at the pictures. It is down the street from the Hilton, but much closer to the subway and some Boston landmarks.


other hotels that I wouldn't mind stay at again are the Copley Square Hotel and the Nine Zero and maybe the Omni, which is an old building but needs a remodel


As for hotels I would avoid at all costs, I would say the Millenium Bostonian. Amazing location, but very mediocre. Maybe it was the small rooms and small beds. The location can't be beat but this hotel wasn't great for me.


Where to eat: Boston has some good food and some unique amazing food. I tend to eat a lot of italian food in the north end, which is what little italy in NYC probably was 30 years ago. It is a colorful neighborhood of italian immigrants, cooking their family recipes. You can walk around and read the menus before deciding to sit down and have a good meal but some of my favorites are:


Neptune Oyster Bar ($40 - $50 per person) - very expensive but the best seafood I have had in my life. top rated restaurant by foodies
Antico Forno ($20 per person) - typical north end restaurant serving above average food from their brick oven
Taranta ($30 per person) - high end north end restaurant that serves italian-peruavian fusion
Galleria Umberto ($4 per person cash only) - the first dive on my list. This place is a Boston institution. They open their doors around 10:45 am and close when they run out of food. Closed on Sunday. Great place to try to get a feel of the neighborhood. A must try
Modern Pastry ($5 per person cash only) - as you see the lines of tourist at Mike's Pastry down the street, eat like a local and get your desert at Modern. Try the lobster tail pastry. It is enough for 4 or 5 people and at under $5 a total steal.
Regina Pizzeria ($10 per person) - This is a local chain and regina's is where it all started. I would not try another location because it is just not as good. Sit down, grab a beer and order a Giambatta and thank me later. You should not miss this place.


outside of the north end there are some other really good places


Chacarero ($10 per person) - Chilean sandwiches. The owner is an immigrant who started out with a food cart who made good food and was able to open his own restaurant.
Smith and Wollensky ($60 per person) - Boston has two locations, I would go to the castle location and if they have it get the cracklin pork shank, which may not be on the menu as they only have it limited times, but it will change your life. I think they server it a few times a week.
Legal's ($20 per person) - yes it is a chain, but they started in Boston and they make quality clam chowder that is consistent from location to location.
Shake Shack - my favorite burger is now in Boston and near Harvard.
There are also a lot of high end and celebrity chef owned restaurants, but I usually stick to the north end.


What to do:
Freedom trail - A self-guided walking tour to different historical significant sites. Just follow the brick trail that starts at boston common and ends at bunker hill. From Paul Revere's house to meeting houses and churches, you can get a taste of American history not found in many other american cities. Note, there are stops that cost money along the way. An alternate way to do is the freedom trail pub crawl, which is my favorite way to do it, but at a minimum stop at the Green Dragon, where Paul Revere would hang out and the Bell in Hand tavern.


Red Sox game - Fenway is a great park to catch a game and has a history that most stadiums can't match. Tickets are expensive but it is like watching baseball in a piece of history. If you can't make a game do a tour of the stadium. It is pricey, but they do a great job.


Copley Square/Newbury street - This may be the most architecturally interesting area of the city, in a city full of great architecture. Newbury Street is a outdoor shopping district from converted brownstones. You can walk down the street to admire the architecture or the people. A great place to drop your wife off for a few hours.


Harbor Cruise - great way to see the skyline of Boston and learn more about the city.


Where to drink:
Cambridge brewing - a fantastic brewery a short distance from downtown Boston.
Jacob Wirth - great beer selection in a great historic building
Bullkowski Tavern - midwest vibe in this loud dark tavern
Green Dragon and Bell in Hand Tavern - on the freedom trail. Have a beer with your history
Boston Beer Works - local brewpub that serves mediocre beer at extremely high prices. Occasional good/great beer. Locations near Fenway and the TD Center
Harpoon - I would skip this place on the weekend as it is a zoo and maybe do a tour ($5) with the free beer at the end. Think of this place as the New Belgium of New England. Some beers are good, most are mediocre and probably not worth the long walk to get there.
Sam Adams - avoid at all cost. Sam Adams beer is brewed in Ohio (I think). It takes forever to get there and you get a tour from a 23 employee who has never brewed a beer in their life.
Any one of the million irish pubs - yes find an irish pub that looks awesome and grab a pint.


I don't know what more to add but have a good time and enjoy the city that is rich with history. PM me if you have any questions.


My ideal trip would be:


Thursday: arrive in Boston late afternoon check into hotel and head to north end for dinner at Pizzeria Reginas. Stop at bars near Faneuil hall area and grab beers on the way back to hotel
Friday: wake up early and head to Boston Common to start freedom trail. grab lunch at Galleria Umberto and continue walking all the way to the Bunker Hill Memorial and climb to the top. Early dinner at Antico Forno or Neptune Oyster and then head to red sox game
Saturday: CU game!!! party in Boston after victory
Sunday: schedule a late afternoon flight. Nurse hangover with breakfast and head to Cambridge to explore harvard and grab a burger at shake shack and a few beers at cambridge brewing co. Grab chowder at the legals at the airport and head home a winner

tl;dr version:

fly into Logan, jump on bus to subway get 7 day unlimited ride pass and take the subway to your hotel, which should be location in copley square, downtown or near quincy market.
Walk the freedom trail and go to a red sox game
eat food in the north end and get drunk at a random Irish pub
go buffs
Click to expand...

I'll add my four favorite restaurants:

1. Joe's American Bar & Grill on the water front (Atlantic Avenue, there's a Back Bay location on Newbury, but go to the water and sit on the patio). One of the best burgers I've ever had, and I couldn't tell you why. Plus you get a full loaf of fresh baked bread while you wait for your food. It's excellent.

2a. Giaccamo's in the North End.

2b. Rabia's in the North End.

Both are very good Italian food. Giaccamo's doesn't take reservations and there is a line, but the food is amazing. Rabia's is more intimate and better for a date.

3. Brown Sugar Cafe (or the Similans in Cambridge). Excellent, excellent Thai food. But, it's pretty far west, so not near much of anything else.
 
Tante was very thorough but I have a few additional recommendations. As far as hotels go, if you're willing to stay outside of the city, there's a Best Western in Quincy just south of Boston. It's a pretty short walk to a T station (Red Line) and they have a free shuttle to/from the airport. We had a few out of town wedding guests stay there and my parents have stayed there for visits.

http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwes...dams-Inn/Hotel-Overview.do?propertyCode=22041

If staying in Boston is essential, you could also try this little bed and breakfast just a few blocks away from the common. We actually had our wedding reception there and it's really nice. It's not exactly what you would call affordable but it's very nice.

http://thecollegeclubofboston.com/

I don't have any good restaurant recommendations because we're lame and don't really get out very often but I do know the city pretty well now at least so I'll throw myself out there for anyone with questions.
 
7
wsp4820 said:
I'll add my four favorite restaurants:

1. Joe's American Bar & Grill on the water front (Atlantic Avenue, there's a Back Bay location on Newbury, but go to the water and sit on the patio). One of the best burgers I've ever had, and I couldn't tell you why. Plus you get a full loaf of fresh baked bread while you wait for your food. It's excellent.

2a. Giaccamo's in the North End.

2b. Rabia's in the North End.

Both are very good Italian food. Giaccamo's doesn't take reservations and there is a line, but the food is amazing. Rabia's is more intimate and better for a date.

3. Brown Sugar Cafe (or the Similans in Cambridge). Excellent, excellent Thai food. But, it's pretty far west, so not near much of anything else.
Click to expand...

Giaccamo's is also cash only. Has an insane line almost any time of day. Place is good but not stand on a sidewalk for 30 minutes in 90+ degree weather good. IMO

Edit: want to add vinoteca di Monica. Excellent food.
 
Last edited:
If you have the time, and have transportation, I'd also recommend spending a couple days on Cape Cod. It's like going back in time to 1955. It'll still be warm enough in September to enjoy the Cape, and it won't be too crowded. In fact, if I were going to see this game, I'd only spend a couple days in Boston, tops. The rest of the time would be spent on the cape. That's just me, though. I love Cape Cod.
 
If anyone should for some reason choose to come in via Providence and stay in Providence, I'd be happy to answer questions on that area, but I suspect most of you will end up in Boston - if airfare is a consideration, there is rail service from Providence TF Green Airport to Boston, so if you can get a cheaper fare to PVD and are willing to take a train ride that is something to look into...
 
tante said:
Where to eat: Boston has some good food and some unique amazing food. I tend to eat a lot of italian food in the north end, which is what little italy in NYC probably was 30 years ago. It is a colorful neighborhood of italian immigrants, cooking their family recipes. You can walk around and read the menus before deciding to sit down and have a good meal but some of my favorites are:
Click to expand...

This. I have only been once but could live a lifetime on that street just having dinner. One of the funnest experiences picking a place to eat and just amazing food.
 
Has anyone heard anything about the CU ticket allotment? I'm pretty sure they were supposed to start yesterday but I can't find any information on cubuffs.com.
 
GoldenBuff said:
Has anyone heard anything about the CU ticket allotment? I'm pretty sure they were supposed to start yesterday but I can't find any information on cubuffs.com.
Click to expand...

alison_coviello.jpg
 
it looks like there is a train from South Station in Boston to Wapole, which is only 4 miles from the stadium. according to the MTBA site it runs the regular schedule on saturdays. But it would be cool if the Boston Buffs set something up.
 
The point isn't that some boob on the east coast wrote a poor analysis of the game, it's that some boob on the east coast thinks we are so bad that UMass is gonna win. That sucks.
 
'Tini said:
While providing no real analysis...:woot:
Click to expand...

True. While the analysis of how long it takes to get to Massachusetts by foot, bike, train, car and plane is mildly informative, it has nothing to do with X's and O's.

The picture of the bored buff fan wearing a Wizzer jersey and buffalo hat was a quality effort.

In the big scheme of college football, this matchup is small potatoes. Maybe the article will draw a dozen more minutemen fans to the game. This is lining up to be a poorly attended snoozer that, due to lack of TV coverage, most will never see.
 
Hkylw21 said:
I believe they will. I would check back here, https://www.facebook.com/groups/BostonBuffs/ , closer to the game.
Click to expand...

Boston Buffs just posted this - looks like they will be offering a shuttle for those who need some transport to the game from Beantown...

"Are you interested in a round trip shuttle from a central location in Boston directly to the CU sponsored tailgate for $15-20? Let us know ASAP! Spots will be limited!"
 
Official Boston Buffs gathering the night before the game at the North Star Bar in Boston. The North Star is located right near TD Garden (Boston Garden/whatever they want to call it this year) and is easy to access. The bar has become the official Pac-12 bar of Boston and on Saturdays it is where most Pac alum gather to watch the games. http://www.northstarboston.com/ The get together starts at 6pm on Friday September 5th for those of you that will be in town.
 
Away game tickets now on sale at CUBuffs.com. Just picked up 3 for the UMass game. $25 each .....
 
looks like they have a calendar of events in Boston for the weekend. Link in tweet:

[tweet]490937329704382464[/tweet]
 
yeah, looks good. Planning on doing the game shuttle from Boston and the pre-game at the stadium.
 
flight, hotel and stadium shuttle booked. found out a few friends are making the trip as well. i like where this is heading.
 
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