Boston question??

[luvsvacation]

I’ve never been to the Boston area before. My daughter and I are going on a cross country trip for her high school graduation. We’ll be in the Boston area for 2 days. We’ll be flying into Logan airport and I’ve booked a hotel in the Danvers area. Maine is our next stop after Boston so I figured we’d stay north. We have one full day that we would like to walk around the city, see Boston common, walk the freedom trail and all the touristy type of stuff. We will rent a car at the airport since after Boston we’re continuing traveling. Would it be best to drive into the city and park in a centrally located garage for the day or to drive to a station and take a train into the city? Thanks for any help!

 

[kaytieeldr]

What time are you arriving? If early enough, you might consider taking the (internal bus to the) Silver Line, ride into the city, sightsee, then head back to the airport to pick up a rental car. Danvers is a little extreme, especially if you have to drive out of or into Boston during rush hours.

But if you're going to spend the first night in Danvers, take the train in. Route 1 South to Route 62 East, to 1A South/Rantoul Street to commuter rail station.

 

[luvsvacation]

We arrive just before midnight so we’ll drive straight to the hotel and sleep. Then spend the entire next day in Boston. Thanks for the detailed info for taking the train into the city, that’s what we’ve done when visiting Chicago before. I figured driving into Boston probably wasn’t the best idea.

 

[design_mom]

I'm not from Boston and have only been there once (for a work conference). My hotel was downtown, within walking distance of Boston Common. I was very glad that I did not have to deal with a car. (I took a taxi from the airport to hotel, then took the subway everywhere else I needed to go.)

Many of the streets, especially in the older/historic areas, are very, very narrow and one-way. However, I think they were designed with horses, not cars, in mind! We do not have any sort of subway in my city, so I am not used to riding one, but I figured it out pretty easily and was able to go all the places I wanted/needed to go.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Yeah, you don't really want to drive into Boston from there if you're unfamiliar with it, especially during rush hour! (Which is almost all day! Lol) Have a great trip, though!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'm not from Boston and have only been there once (for a work conference). My hotel was downtown, within walking distance of Boston Common. I was very glad that I did not have to deal with a car. (I took a taxi from the airport to hotel, then took the subway everywhere else I needed to go.)

Many of the streets, especially in the older/historic areas, are very, very narrow and one-way. However, I think they were designed with horses, not cars, in mind! We do not have any sort of subway in my city, so I am not used to riding one, but I figured it out pretty easily and was able to go all the places I wanted/needed to go.

Enjoy your trip!

Cow paths!!

 

[bcla]

Why not Cambridge for a little bit? I saw it from a car service van when I interviewed in the area, and I'm kind of disappointed that I didn't have the chance to check it out? There should be convenient public transportation there from Boston once you're already there.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Why not Cambridge for a little bit? I saw it from a car service van when I interviewed in the area, and I'm kind of disappointed that I didn't have the chance to check it out? There should be convenient public transportation there from Boston once you're already there.

Cambridge is awesome.

 

[The Mayor]

If you want to see Boston then why not stay in Boston? I live in the Danvers area and believe me you don’t want to try and drive into Boston each day. Especially if you are unfamiliar with the roads/highways. It would be much easier to leave Boston and head to Maine than commute into the city, find your way around and find a place to park. I’d recommend the Back Bay or Boston Common hotels. That way you can walk to a lot of sites or use the subway.

 

[dlm]

stay in the city, its only 1-2 nights. You will really lose lots of time driving to and from Danvers, plus the train will likely only take you as far as North station. You will save $$$ by not having to rent a car until it is time to leave the city. Immerse yourselves, you wont be sorry.

 

[skyblue17]

Boston is a fantastic walking city, with so much great stuff to see and it's all relatively close together. I've found it's really expensive to stay in Boston, sometimes even for just one night. But if staying in Boston isn't out of your budget, staying there and renting a car when it's time to leave would be a good plan. If you need to stay in Danvers, taking a train instead of driving into the city is definitely the better idea!

 

[kaytieeldr]

plus the train will likely only take you as far as North station.

While true, both The Green and Orange lines can be accessed across the street.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Don't even rent the car until you are done in Boston - it's a total liability and you don't need it. Plus, drivers are absolutely crazy there, and that's coming from someone who lives in So Cal. Get a hotel that is either in Boston or on one of the T lines. The T is EXCELLENT IMHO, very easy to get around and as others have said, Boston is a great walking city. Just find an Enterprise in the city on your last day or even head back to the airport on the T.

 

[luvsvacation]

Thank you all for the advice. Originally I looked into hotels in Boston and renting the car before we head on to Maine but the prices were higher than I wanted to spend. In Danvers I was able to get a 2 bedroom suite with a kitchen for half the price of the hotels in Boston. This is part of a 2 week trip and I think we’ll both be glad for a little privacy in the 2 bedroom suite. We are only planning on one day in Boston so I think it will be okay to take the train in in the morning and back at night. Our other day in the Boson area we’ll be seeing Salem and Harvard and then going to Gillette stadium for an evening concert. So I think we will be glad to have a car. Then from there we head on to Maine. Thank you all for the help, after reading your comments I won’t try to drive into the city.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Thank you all for the advice. Originally I looked into hotels in Boston and renting the car before we head on to Maine but the prices were higher than I wanted to spend. In Danvers I was able to get a 2 bedroom suite with a kitchen for half the price of the hotels in Boston. This is part of a 2 week trip and I think we’ll both be glad for a little privacy in the 2 bedroom suite. We are only planning on one day in Boston so I think it will be okay to take the train in in the morning and back at night. Our other day in the Boson area we’ll be seeing Salem and Harvard and then going to Gillette stadium for an evening concert. So I think we will be glad to have a car. Then from there we head on to Maine. Thank you all for the help, after reading your comments I won’t try to drive into the city.

Are you driving to Gillette? You should know it could literally take hours to get out of the parking lot and back to Danvers. Pay for the VIP parking to get out of the lot quickly. You won’t regret it.

 

[luvsvacation]

Thank you for the tip! I’m taking my daughter to see Taylor Swift so I’m guessing it will be crazy busy...I’ll definitely pay for VIP parking!!

 

[leebee]

If you don't want to take a train into the city, you can take the T from Revere (blue line) or Malden (orange line). IMO it's easier to get to the station in Malden; it's what we do when we are going into town for the day.

If you are looking for something "touristy" to do, try a Duck Tour. I really enjoyed it! I grew up in the Boston area, used to go to school in Boston, worked in Kenmore Square, and was fairly familiar with the city... but we always take the T, so we are always underground. It was SO MUCH FUN to ride around the city, see the sites, the drivers are great, and definitely worth the money- even to a "local!" I think the Duck Tour "office" is at the Prudential Center.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Our other day in the Boson area we’ll be seeing Salem and Harvard and then going to Gillette stadium for an evening concert.

That is a LOT of driving, in traffic. You're going to have to drive into or very close to Boston that day. It sounds overly ambitious, and exhausting.

I would skip Salem and maybe even stay somewhere slightly South of Boston until you leave for Maine. You can visit Salem when you bring your daughter to college .

If you don't want to take a train into the city, you can take the T from Revere (blue line) or Malden (orange line). IMO it's easier to get to the station in Malden;

Then I'd even skip Malden and head for Wellington in Medford. More parking.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

That is a LOT of driving, in traffic. You're going to have to drive into or very close to Boston that day. It sounds overly ambitious, and exhausting.

I would skip Salem and maybe even stay somewhere slightly South of Boston until you leave for Maine. You can visit Salem when you bring your daughter to college .


Then I'd even skip Malden and head for Wellington in Medford. More parking.

I was thinking about their staying somewhere near Newton/Waltham on Rt128(95). They could easily hop on the Green Line (Riverside stop) to go into Boston; shoot up 128N > 95 to go to Maine (which is a long ride!); and shoot right down 128/95 to get to Gillette Stadium. Either Newton or Waltham would be a good central location for all of these things. You would also avoid driving in Boston this way, but you would have to drive on 128/95 which isn't too, too bad.

Green Line Riverside Station: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riverside_station_(MBTA)

One hotel in the area of Riverside @128/95
- Hotel Indigo Newton Riverside
Walk to Riverside Green Line station

More, perhaps better hotels a little further north in Waltham on 128/95
- The Westin Waltham Boston
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Boston Waltham
- Best Western Plus Waltham/Boston
- Hampton Inn and Suites Boston/Waltham
Drive to Riverside Green Line station

Personally, I think staying right in Boston would be best, but since you have these things you want to do while here, I think this might be your best solution. It is a relatively safe area, too.

Let me see if I can do a map of some sort for you.

 

[disindec]

Thank you all for the advice. Originally I looked into hotels in Boston and renting the car before we head on to Maine but the prices were higher than I wanted to spend. In Danvers I was able to get a 2 bedroom suite with a kitchen for half the price of the hotels in Boston. This is part of a 2 week trip and I think we’ll both be glad for a little privacy in the 2 bedroom suite. We are only planning on one day in Boston so I think it will be okay to take the train in in the morning and back at night. Our other day in the Boson area we’ll be seeing Salem and Harvard and then going to Gillette stadium for an evening concert. So I think we will be glad to have a car. Then from there we head on to Maine. Thank you all for the help, after reading your comments I won’t try to drive into the city.

Salem. Harvard and Gillette in one day is going to be an absolute nightmare of biblical proportions.