My wife is scheduled for a medical conference in Boston for November 10-14. I'll probably be going with her and would appreciate some recommendations for places to visit and places to eat/drink. I'm a history nut (what surveyor isn't) and I know Boston is a pedestrian friendly place (I certainly wouldn't want to drive there though). I'll probably be wandering during the day while she's in class looking for places for her after class. Anything an old redneck from Georgia would like?
Andy
Too many Yankees.
I was less than 2 miles from the Taxachussetts state line back in 88 and could have easily crossed into the state. I refused to do so. It would take something major to get me there.
B-)
Wow Andy, Boston!!! Old Ironsides is a great visit, the Freedom Trail through Boston will acquaint you wit most of the Early history.
The Double Tree in boston is a nice place to stay, although I don't know your budget.
The Constitution (Old Ironsides) is near the bunker/breeds hill battle site in Charlestown, just a short subway ride across the river.
If you like art, the Boston Museum of Fine Art just recently finished a remodeling/expansion project. The result is spectacular!
What do you like to do? Will you have a car at your disposal? Plymouth plantation is a cool stop (about 45 minutes from Boston, and about halfway to the Lower Cape.), and if you head to the cape, I'm about 90 minutes from Boston... just head east! (well southeast, then east.)
Let me know your interests and I'll try to find other fun stuff..
Don
World’s Largest Van De Graff Generator
1 Science Park, Boston, MA
Molasses Flood Plaque
529 Commercial St., Boston, MA; North End Puopolo Park, along the sidewalk near the bocci ball court, between the two baseball diamonds.
The Mapparium
200 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, MA
Skull and Crowbar of Phineas P. Gage
Countway Library of Medicine, 10 Shattuck St., Boston, MA
5th floor, in the Warren Anatomical Medical Museum. No photography allowed.
Hours: M-F, 9 am-5 pm. (Call to verify)
Phone: 617-432-4888
Admission: Free
Someday, I would like to get to the Museum of Science in Boston. Bradford Washburn was one of the fiunding directors and hung his hat there when he wasn't maing maps around the world.
I have a few of his maps.
http://www.mos.org/washburnclimb/washburn.php
On my last visit to Boston years ago, I found the city drivers to be very bad and the seafoodto be good except the chowder.
One look at me and you'd know I love to eat. I'm especially looking forward to some good seafood. I've been once before and enjoyed the trip, but that was years ago. I'll have to get some maps to be sure I know where I'm going (and how to get there).
Andy
> Too many Yankees.
>
> I was less than 2 miles from the Taxachussetts state line back in 88 and could have easily crossed into the state. I refused to do so. It would take something major to get me there.
>
> B-)
I'm two hours north of the Mass Line and even that is too close.
I'll second this site! Very neat, but they charge to enter now. The first time I went (25years ago) you could just walk in, now it's a big deal at the Christian Science Center...
"The Mapparium
200 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, MA"
Fenway Park Tour
You would probably enjoy eating here. Great food and great location.
You could also check in at The Engineering Center, the home of the Mass. Assoc. of Land Surveyors and Civil Engineers 🙂 It's right on the Boston Common.
We hit Boston last fall on our baseball stadium tour. It's VERY walkable. And it has a good subway and bus sytem that take you almost anywhere it's worth going.
I assume your wife's conference has the hotel all taken care of, so no comment here, except to say most Boston hotels are expensive.
But if you need, we found a nice one out in Cambridge that was a converted fire station that was right on the Red Line at MIT (Kendall station). Five minutes into downtown.
1. Take one of the all-day bus tours.....they give you the lay of the land, and you can see what you might be interested in. Usually, they are on-off all day long, amd you'll get an idea of scale.
2. Fenway Park tour is non-reserve.....call ahead for times.
3. The Back Bay is an interesting story (all landfill, constant water level monitoring, you'll see the wells all over the sidewalks). Take the Trinity Church tour for some details.
4. The Old State House is within walking distance of Faneuil Hall.
5. The tour of the Harvard Campus is worthwhile, it's given by students.
6. Charles River boat ride, leaves from Cambridge.
7. Boston Harbor and the North End are also great walking areas. You can see the site of the Tea Party and have a great seafood dinner at The Barking Crab.
8. For shopping, the Prudential Center has shops and restaurants.
It's really a compact city in termsof traveling around.....if you have time to kill, there's plenty to do.
