Wish to travel Boston/Cambridge for 7-10 days on a budget of at most $1000. Coming from Arizona. I’ve been hearing about the snowstorm in the north east so I’m not sure if it’s worth visiting from Jan 1-10 2023. Any suggestions/discussions are welcome!
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rainniier2 t1_j1vp1mq wrote
In my opinion, the best bang for the buck in terms of winter travel on the east coast is Washington DC. so many free museums. Typically slightly warmer a little further south. Boston is hibernating this time of year and indoor activities tend to be $$$.
AutoModerator t1_j1unhp2 wrote
Your post appears to be one of a number of commonly asked questions about the port city of Boston. Please check the sidebar for visitor information. Ah Hi! Ive always wanted to respond to one of these, but I normally reach the post a few hours too late. I'll do my best to give you some good recommendations. So first things first, Boston is VERY walkable and easy to get around, especially if you take the T (what we call our subway). People on this subreddit love to shit on the T (and everything else honestly, very pessimistic group of people), but in actuality its great, especially by American standards. I would consider getting a day pass so you can ride it as much as you want, but I am not sure how much they cost/if it would be worth your while (a single ride is around $2.75 I believe?? Not really sure). With that being said, I would say one of the first places you should check out is the North End. It is a very Italian American neighborhood, and has a pretty strong European-esque feel to it. There are great Italian restaurants and shops everywhere. The touristy thing to do is to go to Mikes Pastry's for cannolis, but I (and I think most locals would agree) recommend Bovas instead. The whole neighborhood is super compact and dense, and it will be mad easy for you guys to walk around and check it out. Nearby the North End is Faniuel Hall/Quincy Market, which is probably the epicenter of Bostons historical/tourist scene. The food there might be a bit overpriced/overhyped, but I personally have to recommend the Boston Chipyard. Its a stand within Quincy Market that sells fresh, mini cookies. Ive been living here for five years (and visiting my entire life) and I STILL always go there whenever I am feeling sad and need a pick me up/just craving a cookie. I love it and its absolutely delicious. Id also suggest just strolling around Beacon Hill and the Back Bay neighborhood (particularly Commonwealth Avenue). The architecture there is beautiful, and both are very serene and picturesque, and really just great places to walk around and soak in the ambiance. Both neighborhoods have plenty of bars/restaurants/shops, so youll have plenty of other things to do besides walk around. They are super close to one another, and very conveniently located right in the heart of the city. Also gotta check out the Esplanade, its a cool park right along the Charles River, its super pretty and relaxing, and also right next to Back Bay/Beacon Hill, so really convenient to get to. One of my favorite places in the city. In terms of less touristy things to do, Id suggest going to the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain. Its basically one giant park/tree zoo, and its filled with really beautiful trees and plants, and is just a lovely place to walk around. This is definitely one of the cooler places in Boston, and definitely not something that the average tourist does. Its right at the end of the Orange Line (Forrest Hills), so while it is kinda far out compared to the other places I have mentioned, it really is not that hard/complicated to get to. Great place to just vibe out and relax, and its one of my favorite places in the whole city. Obviously Boston/New England is known for its seafood, and it really is tremendous. There is a lot of debate about which place has the best clam chowder/lobster roll, and it ultimately comes down to preference, but I always recommend to visitors the Barking Crab. It is located right on the water in Bostons Seaport neighborhood, so again, very centrally located. I think the food there is delicious, and I think it offers the best ambience/overall dining experience. It does a good job of kinda replicating the traditional New England seafood shack, while still being more of a legit restaurant. Again, some people may shit on me for that answer, but at the end of the day, if you go, youre gonna have a good time/delicious meal. Other quintessential Boston things are the Freedom trail, Duck Boat Tour, harbor walk, and visiting Fenway (which it seems like you are already doing, although i highly recommend going to a game if you can, not sure if the Sox are in town this weekend). Cambridge is located right across the Charles River from Boston, and while it technically is its own city, it feels like it might as well be an extension of Boston. Both Central and Harvard squares are a lot of fun, with plenty of cool restaurants and stores to check out. One last non-touristy thing I recommend is visiting East Boston, or Eastie. Its really easy to get to on the Blue Line, and is just a really underrated neighborhood as a whole, and definitely is not the type of place a tourist would usually go to. It has some beautiful parks right on the water that have great views, as well as many really good Latin food spots. There is the ICA watershed, which is a really cool contemporary art museum located right in the Boston Shipyard. Also, there is an Australian meatpie place right there called KO Pies that my friends and I always go to when we are in the area. For all I know, it might not even hold a candle compared to the meatpie places you have back home, but the people working there will definitely get a kick out of serving a fellow Aussie. All in all, Boston is an incredible place with a unique sense of charm and distinct identity, and it takes a lot of pride in itself, which I love. It does a great job of blending the big city/small town feels, and in my opinion, is the best city on the East Coast. Please feel free to message me if you want any more specific recommendations. Enjoy your visit!!
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WinsingtonIII t1_j1vwtdj wrote
Honestly, the predicted weather doesn’t look particularly wintry over that time period, more like 40s and 50s. There will be rain some days though, so just consider that if you’re planning on walking around a lot (which is the best way to see Boston). Nothing really closes down in the winter here other than some outdoor events and outdoor dining at restaurants. It will just be chillier than if you come at another time of year, but you could have 40s and 50s here in April, so for January that really isn’t bad.
If you’re referring to the snowstorm that already happened, it was just rain here so there’s no snow on the ground. I see more rain in the forecast and if the predicted temperatures stay that high it won’t be snow, but it’s always possible things could change.
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[deleted] t1_j1urg61 wrote
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AllMightyImagination t1_j1wii5k wrote
Lol now from AZ? Your gonna freeze my hot state friend. This is the cold. And theres not much to do in the cold
arch_llama t1_j1y3nke wrote
I wouldn't. Boston is sleepy and cold this time of year and January and February are the worst even if it is 50 for a few days. It's so much more enjoyable in the spring because the city is walkable and has a lot of green space. Even the biggest tourist attraction the freedom trail is a walking tour. The DC recommendation is a good one. It has history, better food, free indoor activities... I might even go myself.
M_Shulman t1_j1yztbe wrote
We didn’t really get hit by the storm other than rain, and the upcoming temps are mild, so come on.
shihchiun t1_j1uoa3p wrote
It’s supposed to be in the 50s and Boston area has generally recovered from the storm.
But yes, snow can complicate travel plans this time of year.