So, I'm off to BOS this weekend to visit two friends finishing up at Harvard... Thus four questions come to mind:

a) What is there to do in BOS? What are key things and sights that I should see?

b) What are the recommended restaurants that won't make me wish my next paycheque came sooner?

c) Any romantic places to go?

d) What AC lounge action is there at BOS?

BOS will be my second U.S. city that I am not actually transiting through, so I'm quite excited!

Hey , you aren't FGII masquerading as YOWkid are you?

Aren't (b) and (c) connected. Romantic = wishing your paycheque comes sooner lol.....seriously though you could buy a nice picnic basket and have a picnic on the common or some other place. There is always "Legal Seafoods" with multiple locations and only around $33 a head. Zagat gives it a good rating.

Kid,

You have to do THE classic BOS thing: Fenway and the Red Sox : http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/NASApp/...x.jsp?c_id=bos There are home games this weekend !

If you can't find tickets on the Red Sox site, send me a PM and I'll direct you to a reputable/legitimate ticket broker in Beantown.

Walk the Freedom Trail;

Eat some excellent Italian food in the North End.

Looks like you can have some very good ideas from this thread

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=443229
If you are a techie like hubby and I , try to cross over the river to visit Harvard U and the MIT site

and this one for resto
http://www.boston.com/ae/food/restaurants/
btw: I will second NordsFan recommendation as far as the Italian food in the NorthEnd

As for the 3rd question, sorry been married and on the road for too long that a good home made dinner is romantic to me - so no input there

Never had the time or opportunity to use the lounge (either on a cx flight or travelling by car)

Don't bother going to Cheers.. it's lame, overrated, and a waste of time (and it doesn't even resemble the TV set anyway)

I'd go to the USS Constitution, then the Bunker Hill Monument. Take the water shuttle downtown (nice view from the water) and hit Bricco in the North End for dinner. Prices are reasonable and the food is fantastic. The Arnold Arboretum at Harvard is amazing to see as well.

I prefer this too actually -- romantic and less expensive. But a bit difficult to do when our buddy lives in dorms without a kitchen. Eeek.

Thanks for the pointers everyone. I will look into them.

(Maybe except for the Red Sox game -- I have been scared for life by Pitch Fever is it? Or is it called Fever Pitch? Either, ugh.)

What on earth did they teach you in Europe?

and

how on earthy could you have been afraid of that table full of ladies I wanted to take you to when you were in YYC?

My family (ie wife and 9 yr old daughter) and I will be transiting through BOS on the way to/from Aruba later next month. Going to Aruba, we will be staying overnight in BOS. Coming back from Aruba, we will be staying 2 nights and one full day in BOS. We have never visited BOS before. I am therefore, interested in YOW kid's question #1 as well.

The answers are largely there in this and the other linked threads.

The outstanding questions I have include:

1) if I go to BOS by plane (and we may drive there - I have not decided one way or another on that option), is there any value in renting a car, if we just want to see the sights.

2) how far is the airport from downtown - I am wondering whether to stay in a downtown or airport hotel.

Faneuil Hall and the waterfront are nice to walk around, if you are a history buff - definitely do the freedom trail. If you like museums, JFK museum down south of the city, and Museum of Fine Arts get good reviews. Newbury street for expensive shopping and people watching (maybe not given b) )... Pubs on Boylston Street.

Harvard Square. Just for the wandering around and listening to street musicians and the general eclectic feel of the place.

If you are into the theatre, there is a "rush" tickets booth just outside the Public Library (Boylston St. stop on Green Line).

Bertucci's is okay, but a little pricey. We had a really great experience at a place called the Naked Fish, down by Faneuil Hall (but also definitely doesn't satisfy the paycheque requirement ).

For romantic Italian dinner - there's lots to choose from in Little Italy and the North End. BUT, if you go, you have to find Mike's Pastry, (look for the line spilling out into the street). You will get authentic Boston customer service and incredible pastry desserts. The freedom trail goes through little Italy and makes a nice end to the day...

Harbour Cruise!!!! Was our first date and we are getting married Aug 13 so never know??? . Would also recommend just being downtown by the water at night - walk along the harbour can be romantic. Prudential Tower gives pretty nice view of the city lights at night but may be bit expensive.

The Esplanade can be a nice green walk along the Charles river and you'll get a nice "across the river" view of the pretty side of MIT (the other side of campus is kinda depressing) but probably don't want to do it at night - despite how pretty it is, it can be dark and a little isolated. For a different view of the city take the Red Line Outbound towards Harvard / Alewife - it crosses the Charles river and you'll get a nice view of the Boston skyline (you can get off at Kendall and go back if you don't have time for Harvard - though it will cost you another subway token)

Just a note on the subway - anything going towards downtown is "Inbound" and anything away "Outbound." The Green line can be confusing but for most of the places you probably would go any branch will work (just be careful of the E line - it branches off a little earlier than the others).

Would love to offer to meet up and show some of our favorite places but unfortunately with us leaving for the wedding Tuesday this weekend is promising to be rather busy . Enjoy the city and feel free to post any more questions about any specific ideas (or PM).

Because I've been subjected to better looking women before.

Thanks for the hints -- greatly appreciate it.

And congratulations! ^

If you are happy to stay downtown, don't bother. The local transit, "the T", is pretty good for getting around the major downtown touristy activities. Driving in Boston can be a bit of an adventure between the regularly unanounced detours and construction closings, utter lack of street signs, use of the horn as a resting device for one's elbow, having fun playing run-down the pedestrian in the crosswalk, and having fun dodging the pedestrians avoiding the crosswalks. In short, unless you want to leave Boston proper, stay with the T or taxis....

Don't know too much about the hotels in either place, but the airport is across the harbour from downtown - about a 5 minute ride on the subway. Getting to/from the airport itself on the subway is a bit of a hassle with inter-terminal transfer buses to the subway station, and then the subway itself. If money isn't a big deal would suggest just grabbing a taxi on arrival / departure, but definitely use the T for going out and about for the day.

Thanks! Its funny - people keep asking if I'm nervous, but the nerves aren't at all about the being married part, they are all about how the "planning" is coming along