Mr GoodTimes and I are travelling to BOS and staying in Boston from Sat until Thursday at the end of March. We then plan to spend a further 4 nights but are not sure where to go and stay. We'd like to do some sightseeing, outlet shopping, eat seafood etc. We were thinking of hiring a car and driving somewhere. Any suggestions?

We don't really need the stays as we are diamond until 2008.

Your help would be very much appreciated.

Well, you can take a trip up to Maine, and go to the Kittery outlet shops (http://www.thekitteryoutlets.com/). Kittery is about an hour or so from Boston, and then you can continue northbound and expirence Portland.

Or, you can go to the Wrentham Outlets in Wrentham MA and then maybe continue down to Providence, RI and see that city.

Other than the mention that GoodTimes is a Hilton HHonors Diamond member until 2008, this thread really has nothing to do with the Hilton HHonors frequent guest program.

This thread is better suited for the New England forum, GoodTimes, which is now its new home.

Good luck, GoodTimes — and I hope your inquiry is answered many times over as quickly as possible!

Regards,

Canarsie
Co-Moderator, Hilton forum

--------------------------------

By the way, have you been to Boston before? There are many places to visit, especially if you follow the Freedom Trail, which you can do on your own by walking.

Historic sights and places along the 2.5-mile Freedom Trail (http://www.nps.gov/bost/) include: The USS Constitution (also known as Old Ironsides), which is the recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the World’s Oldest Commissioned Warship afloat. Bunker Hill Monument The Paul Revere House Old North Church — “The British are Coming!!! The British are Coming!!!” Faneuil Hall...and other sites.

You can also visit the site where the Boston Tea Party occurred.

Have a fantastic Italian dinner in the North End, just up the street from The Paul Revere House. Among the fine restaurants there, I enjoyed 5 North Square (http://www.5northsquare.com/), which is also the address of the restaurant.

There are so many things to do in the Boston and surrounding areas that I cannot list them all here. Try the official Internet web site of Boston (http://www.cityofboston.gov/) for more details on what to do, where to go and what to see.

If you are interested in fried lobster in a very informal setting and are willing to go to North Reading, I recommend a place called the Lobster Claw on Massachusetts State Highway 28 at the intersection of Concord Street, east of Interstate 93:

Lobster Claw Seafoods of North Reading
7A Main Street
North Reading, Massachusetts
(978) 664-6349

some boston ideas:
-Visit Walden Pond (yes, that Walden Pond)
-go ice-skating on Frog Pond in Boston Commons
-walk the Freedom Trail & look at everything historical
-visit Harvard Yard & surrounding
-go up the Prudential tower for the view
-go to beaches (Constitution Beach or Castle Island if you like planes)
-take a boat ride in the harbor
-visit JFK library & museum
-tour the USS Constitution (well, it's sorta on the freedom trail)
-tour the state capitol
-eat in Chinatown (Taiwan Cafe is good)
-eat in North End (Italy-town)
-attend a concert (Symphony Hall/BSO, New England Conservatory, Harvard, MIT, etc)
-visit the aquarium
-visit Museum of Fine Art or science or Harvard's Peabody or Natural History or numerous Art museums
-go skiing somewhere
-Six Flags?

-go ice-skating on Frog Pond in Boston Commons
Normally a great suggestion -- I was there with my daughter last weekend -- but the Frog Pond closes for the season mid-March.

Hi,
Some out of Boston trip options:
- Boston to Kennebunkport, ME.
- Salem and go on a ghost tour.
This area, an hour's drive, is scenic, historic and quite worthwhile visiting, and a chance from Boston.
- Rhode Island - worthwhile, but is a non-scenic drive.
I'd recommend the drive to Kennebunkport, with tea once you arrive. As the earlier poster mentioned, get in some shopping on your way back.
- Cape Cod - pleasant, but not scenic until you get there; Provincetown is unique ;) .
Cheers
Ben

Sightseeing of a different sort: 90 minutes away via the Mass Trunpike, the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield:

http://www.hoophall.com

Mr GoodTimes and I are travelling to BOS and staying in Boston from Sat until Thursday at the end of March. We then plan to spend a further 4 nights but are not sure where to go and stay. We'd like to do some sightseeing, outlet shopping, eat seafood etc. We were thinking of hiring a car and driving somewhere. Any suggestions?

We don't really need the stays as we are diamond until 2008.

Your help would be very much appreciated.Drive to Maine. It's an easy drive and you can get outlet shopping at both Kittery and in Freeport. Plus if you want seafood, there's nothing better than Maine lobster. For the best clam chowder, go to Gilbert's Chowder House in Portland. ^

I think this is common knowledge - take a map, just in case you want to deviate from the main route. We were told about a couple of popular local places en route to Maine and could have used a better map than the one in the hire car.

The weather is warmin slowly now, but Maine seaside areas are likely to be chilly and blustery, not bad if you want to stay indoors. The Maine coast north of Portland is more scenic in a rough craggy way than the southern coast. The town of Camden is quite pretty with a number of small inns and B&B's to stay in. It is the deepest off-season along the coast so there isn't much competition for accomodations. Lobster is the thing to eat, and eat, and eat....
Closer to Boston, consider visiting Salem and the Peabody Essex Museum. This old museum has a large and eclectic collection of artifacts brought back by 18th and 19th century sea captains. The South Pacific collections are particularly notable. Avoid the completely phoney witch hype. Visit the memorial to the unfortuante victims of this hysteria instead. Near Salem, go to Woodmans restaurant in Ipswich for the New England classic they invented, fried clams.
To get a last taste of winter try central Vermont. It should still be maple syrup season there. Travel south to north along the center spine of the state on state rt. 100. Look for roadside signs advertising Maple Syrup or a sugar house. If there is a building with huge clouds of steam billowing out, you've hit gold. They are boiling maple sap down. A taste of the hot syrup right out of the pan is not to be missed. A gallon to take home with you should cost around $45, maybe less on the farm. Some farms eaven have a seasonal restaurant where you can absorb the syrup with pancakes and sausage. The traditional chaser? A dill pickle.

Thanks for all the tips. We visited Boston 3 years ago, so have pretty much done all the sights there except for Harvard and MIT.

We've just looked at the atlas of the East Coast of the USA, and it's like being at home. No wonder they call it New England!

We've decided to go to Salem and then on to Portland. Now, the task is to find a hotel to stay nearby...

My vote would go to Cape Cod, but I am kind of partial, any time I can get out to the cape I do. I particularly love the Eastham/Orleans area. Nauset beach calls to me no matter the time of year!

We've decided to go to Salem and then on to Portland. Now, the task is to find a hotel to stay nearby...
Check out The White Barn Inn, a Relais et Chateaux property in Kunnebunkport, Maine. http://www.whitebarninn.com/

Very close to Boston, in addition to Walden Pond I would recommend taking the part of what I think they call "The Freedom Road" and visiting Lexington and Concord. The town green in Lexington (I think) where the first battle of the revolutionary war occured. It is now a nice example of a small New England town. And then the bridge where the second battle occured outside of Concord and where the poem about the battle was inspired. It is a beautiful country are apart from the historical importance.

I see you've decided to go north, but how about a trip an hour south to Newport, RI and see all the magnificent mansions! Don't miss The Breakers. It's truly a sight to behold; a lesson in opulence. Well worth the trip. Just follow Rt. 24 south (off 93S) until you get there.

We've decided to go to Salem and then on to Portland. Now, the task is to find a hotel to stay nearby...

In Portland the art museum is surprisingly good.

One of my favorite places in Maine is the DeLorme map company headquarters, about halfway between Portland and Brunswick. They have a 50 ft diameter globe called "Eartha."

You might find Gloucester to be of interest as well- it's not too far up the road from Salem. Lots of fishing history.

Don't forget to visit the LL Bean company store in Freeport!

You might find Gloucester to be of interest as well- it's not too far up the road from Salem. Lots of fishing history.

Don't forget to visit the LL Bean company store in Freeport!


If you are in those areas absolutely!

We're in Boston right now. Where is Walden Pond??

The lake/Frog Pond in Boston Common has been drained. It looks really dry out there! We visited Harvard Yard yesterday. We have already visited everywhere else recommended for Boston during our last visit.

We've decided to go to Portsmouth (as it's the city where my husband is from in the UK) and intend to go to Portland and Salem.

We're in Boston right now. Where is Walden Pond??

The lake/Frog Pond in Boston Common has been drained. It looks really dry out there! We visited Harvard Yard yesterday. We have already visited everywhere else recommended for Boston during our last visit.

We've decided to go to Portsmouth (as it's the city where my husband is from in the UK) and intend to go to Portland and Salem.


Web site for the state park:

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/wldn.htm


Here are the directions from that web site:

" Walden Pond State Reservation is located near Lincoln and Concord in the Greater Boston Area.
From Rte. 95/128: (North & South West of Boston area) Take exit 29B onto RT. 2 West, at 3rd set of lights take a left Onto RT. 126 South. Parking is ¼ of mile down on left.

From Rte. 93: (North & South of Boston area) get on RT 95/128 South, take exit 29B onto Rte. 2 West at 3rd set of lights take left onto RT 126 South. Parking is ¼ of mile down on left.

From Mass Pike RT. 90: (Boston area & out of state) Get on Rte. 95/128 North, take exit 29B onto RT 2 West at 3rd set of lights take left onto RT 126 South. Parking is ¼ of mile down on left.

From Rte. 495: (North & South West of Boston area) Take exit 29A Onto RT 2 East, at 6th set of lights take a right onto RT 126 South. Parking is ¼ of mile down on left.

From RT. 3: (North of Boston area & NH) Get onto RT. 62 West, Follow through Bedford center and into Concord, at stop sign there Is a Senkler Real Estate office directly in front of you, take a left, Follow road to the left around traffic circle, take next right onto Main St., take 1st left onto Walden St. Follow Walden Street until you get to the intersection of Route 2. At this traffic light go straight onto RT.126 South, (cross over RT.2) parking is 200 yards down on left."


Also the Lexington and Concord National Park stretches through that area.

If you do ever go to Walden Pond, do not go at night if you drive an old, beat up Volvo wagon that does not have license plate lights to illuminate the plate so it can be seen from 50 feet. Also, do not have any substances in your car or look like a college punk. The law there likes to protect their quaint, historic little town and don't like people like that using the pond at night when they're not supposed to be there, anyway.

Though that's just what I've been told. I wouldn't know anything about it :cool: :D

If you do ever go to Walden Pond, do not go at night if you drive an old, beat up Volvo wagon that does not have license plate lights to illuminate the plate so it can be seen from 50 feet. Also, do not have any substances in your car or look like a college punk. The law there likes to protect their quaint, historic little town and don't like people like that using the pond at night when they're not supposed to be there, anyway.

Though that's just what I've been told. I wouldn't know anything about it :cool: :D
Don't take offense. I live in Lincoln, one of the towns that borders Walden Pond. It had nothing to do with the beat up Volvo, the license plate, or the suspicious substances visible inside (although that my have been the pretense for giving you a hard time), our local gendarmerie doesn't care for any "foreigners" (i.e., non Lincolnites) driving through our town!

Mr GoodTimes and I are travelling to BOS and staying in Boston from Sat until Thursday at the end of March. We then plan to spend a further 4 nights but are not sure where to go and stay. We'd like to do some sightseeing, outlet shopping, eat seafood etc. We were thinking of hiring a car and driving somewhere. Any suggestions?
Your help would be very much appreciated.

Well, I'm a bit late to be of help but I hope you enjoyed your stay in New England! There is much to see and do here, and I think you would be able to enjoy more during the summer and fall months, but you have hit on some great weather for this time of year!

Thanks for all the tips. We visited Boston 3 years ago, so have pretty much done all the sights there except for Harvard and MIT.


Eh, not much your missing over here :)

I used to live in Simmons Hall and take classes regularily ih the Stata Center.

Both are awful.

For being reknown in architecture MIT really has some awful examples.

Don't take offense. I live in Lincoln, one of the towns that borders Walden Pond. It had nothing to do with the beat up Volvo, the license plate, or the suspicious substances visible inside (although that my have been the pretense for giving you a hard time), our local gendarmerie doesn't care for any "foreigners" (i.e., non Lincolnites) driving through our town!


I know it's slightly OT but I have to add that I can attest to this non liking of "foreigners" driving through Lincon - I've been pulled over there twice in the last year! :o :o

Check out The White Barn Inn, a Relais et Chateaux property in Kunnebunkport, Maine. http://www.whitebarninn.com/
^ ^ ^
Excellent restaurant there!