Boston & New England

[Doogie]

We are travelling to Boston in mid September staying about four days and would like to spend about ten days travelling around New England.

Can someone provide some hotel recommendations for Boston? As well, we would like to stay a couple of days in Cape Cod; do you need reservations for that time of year? Any other suggestions of 'must see' places in New England?

Thanks in advance for all your help!

 

[e.bram]

Use Hotwire.com for Boston. Cape Cod will be a piece of cake.

 

[erm]

Maine Coast

I'd suggest a day trip to the Maine Coast, specifically Ogunquit. It would take less than two hours and you'd experience something we New Englanders can't get enough of in the summer. Go to a beautiful beach, a walk along the "marginal way", stroll among the shops of Perkins Cove and of course, get yourself a "lobsta".

 

[SailBadtheSinner]

I would suggest staying in Newport, RI and Bar Harbor, Maine while visiting Acadia National Park; and would recommend a day trip to Mount Washington, NH. Either take the auto road to the top or the cog railroad.


SBtS

 

[Helene4]

I second the Newport RI suggestion. Stay a day or 2 and see the mansions. They were "Summer Cottages". Very impressive.
If you stay on the cape in Falmouth you will have easy access to Martha's Vineyard ferries. Certainly worth a day or 2 to explore here.

 

[Conan]

For Boston, the most desirable location but also the most expensive for hotels is Back Bay - - on a map that's the area between the river and Boylston Street, bounded on the west by Massachusetts Ave and on the east by the public garden/boston common. You can check the Wyndham and Marriotts in Copley Square, and the Taj Hotel near Arlington Street. You'll have to pay parking in addition to the room rates. The Park Plaza may be cheaper but it's a bit out of the way and not as nice as the others.

A second choice location but still very good in its own right with easy subway access to Boston is Harvard Square, Cambridge. We've gotten good deals at Sheraton Commander. Again you'll pay separately for their limited parking. There are also hotels on the Cambridge side of the river near the Longfellow Bridge (the one that crosses the river near the science museum and park street)--good transportation connections but not an interesting area to walk around in.

When we're thinking 'cheap' we stay in one of the hotels in Newton adjacent to the Mass Turnpike. Rates are lower and parking is free. You'll need to start your day by driving into Boston, about 10 minutes away, and leaving your car in a pay lot in Copley Square or elsewhere.

 

[Big Matt]

For Boston, I'd also look at the Residence Inn at Tudor Wharf. It's right across the water from the harbor and walking distance to Fanuel Hall, etc.

 

[ctreelmom]

If you're going to be in Boston over a weekend, you can get good deals at nice hotels in the financial district--we stayed at the Wyndham one year which, if memory serves, was pretty close to the harbor (actually, in Boston, everything's pretty close to everything else--it's a very walkable city!). I have had great luck with Priceline--got Marriott Copley several times around Christmas for less than $100 per night by naming my own price.