Need help planning a trip up north in January.

[BlondieK143]

Okay, the furthest North I've been is D.C. and that was oh, 6 years ago. I'd like to maybe visit Boston or NYC. Anyone have any suggestions for me? Any places that you love to go that I've never been to (that shouldn't be too hard)? Also, hotel suggestions would be a plus as well. I'm not picky and it doesn't take much to amuse me. :)

[No Mandate Here.]

1. There's going to be a coronation on January 20th

in DC. But we won't be allowed anywhere near. Darn!

[Bill McBlueState]

2. are you driving?

If you're driving, don't go right through the major cities, but don't go too far out of your way to bypass them, either. My friends in Ohio will go seemingly hundreds of miles out of the way to get around NYC, but I think it's a waste of time.

[BlondieK143]

3. No, definitely not driving!

:) That wouldn't be nice on my car. If I go to D.C., I'll consider it.

[fudge stripe cookays]

4. Boston was a blast!

You have to go to the North End for some awesome Italian food. It's a wonderful little neighborhood full of Italian mom and pop places where little old men stand around and still call each other "Paisan."

Go to see the Duckling statue in Boston Common.

Go to the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum. Not just for the art, but for the increibly beautiful house it's housed in.

Go to MFA to see great portraits of the Founding Fathers.

Go down Newbury Street for fun shopping.

Go to Fanueil Hall for neat eateries, shopping and other cool stuff.

See the Granary Burial Ground. Some of the big guys like John Hancock and Paul Revere are buried there.

Fudge-Striped Tip:
You can get virtually ANYWHERE on the train! Exercise your calves before going (try climbing mucho stairs before you go), as the stairs into and out of the T can be BRUTAL on them if you are not prepared for them! After a day and a half, my legs hurt so bad I had to curtail my activites a bit, and I hated that. There was so much more I wanted to see!

Here are the maps, routes, and rates: http://www.mbta.com
You can get a pass for a few days and use it to get anywhere.

I'd give you where I stayed, at a great little B & B in the South Bay, but it appears to have closed since I went in 2001. It was called the Ainsley. I LOVED that place.

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[DrZeeLit]

11. Go to the Prudential building and get on the DUCK TOUR!

Yes, it is touristy, but is is FUN!

Surprisingly (and I think I want to write a book about eating at hospital cafeterias)... cheap/good coffee can be found at Mass General.

[fudge stripe cookays]

15. Oen of the things I missed because of aforementioned

sore calves, so do your exercises first!

Above all, do NOT DRIVE IN BOSTON! Those people are CRAZY!

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[BlondieK143]

16. Gotcha.

No driving. :D

[whalerider55]

5. y'all

New England in the winter can be brisk, but loverly.
Depnds on what you like. History? Plenty. Scenary? That too. Winter Ocean? uh huh.

gotta get the kid ready for the movies. I live North of Boston, and have been in the NY/New England locale all my life...

drop me a line later at DU or [e-mail], and i'll send out a more detailed list of suggestions about what to see and where to go...

lemme know what kind of things interest you so i can tailor the remarks to the specific.

enjoy. i kinda like living in the true blue region.

whalerider55

[KurtNYC]

6. Glad you asked...

One day in Manhattan
If you only have one day to see as much of New York as you can here is a suggested list (this is more than you can do in one day but all things which I would give a high priority):
• Empire State Building (34th/Fifth Ave) open till midnight
• Grand Central Station (42nd/Park Ave.)
• The Metropolitan Museum (79th/Fifth)
• Macy’s (34th/Seventh Ave)
• Battery Park/Wall Street/Seaport (1 or 9 train south)

Three days
If you have more time or perhaps this is not your first visit, you can dig a little deeper:
• Canal Street / Little Italy
• SOHO (Prince/Broadway)
• Washington Square Park (8th /Fifth Ave.)
• Chelsea Market (15th/Ninth Ave.)
• Ellis Island (leave from Battery Park)
• Rockefeller Center
• St. Johns Cathedral (112th/Amsterdam)
• 42nd Street
• Central Park (72nd/Fifth or 59th/Fifth)
• Dakota/Strawberry Fields (72nd/CPW)
• South Street Seaport (South St/Fulton)

[Parche]

7. tour

New York, the Radisson Lexington sometimes has $149 nightly rates

Intrepid air and space museum USS Intrepid CV-11

[Squeech]

8. Fudge Stripe Cookays is right

but I would advise that you not overlook the Freedom Trail. Yes, it's hackneyed, but it really is the definitive collection of sites relevant to the beginning of the Revolutionary War. I'll walk it with you (and provide snarky DU commentary) if you get in touch beforehand.

I also love the two Minuteman statues, one in Lexington center, and one by the "rude bridge that arched the flood" in Concord. I'd be happy to take you there too, if we're not snowed in at the time :o

I think I can direct you to a nice bed-and-breakfast in Brookline, on the Green Line, but remind me to get back to you about prices.

There's some really interesting stuff in the North Shore too: Salem has a bunch of witch memorabilia, some of it genuinely informative, plus the Customs House where Hawthorne wrote House of Seven Gables (plus the house in question is still standing). Nearby Peabody has a terrific museum of China trade stuff. And many of the oldest surviving businesses in that part of town are old candy factories dating back to the colonial era (sugar was the only vice allowed by the Puritans). Remember, salt water taffy was invented hereabouts.

And speaking of sugar, no visit to Boston is complete without a taste of our many excellent boutique ice creams!

[BlondieK143]

9. You guys are awesome!

The more I hear about it, the more I want to visit Boston. I'm going to feel so weird by myself though!

[yardwork]

13. I've discovered that traveling by myself is GREAT!

I'm serious. I've done a fair amount of business traveling on my own for the past few years, and I love sightseeing by myself. You can do exactly what you want, when you want, and you can interrupt your plans to stop and see interesting things without worrying about your companions' feeling bored or tired.

Cities are designed for single people. It's not at all unusual to see lots of people visiting museums by themselves, sitting in coffee houses by themselves, eating in restaurants by themselves, you get the idea.

I recently spent a few days by myself in a little fishing village. I ate gourmet meals every day because I could afford it - it was just me! I went on a chartered catamaran all-day trip. I was the only single, but so what? I was part of a big group and met lots of people.

When you are by yourself, you are more likely to meet local people and learn more about the area. Shopkeepers, innkeepers, catamaran pilots, wait staff, tour guides - they are all friendlier to singles.

Go! You will have a great time.

[BlondieK143]

14. I agree!

I'm one of those people that doesn't mind being by themselves. I like to take time to appreciate my surroundings. I think this would be perfect. :)

[DrZeeLit]

17. I agree! I've been to Europe 3x by myself. LOVE IT!

I feel more mobile. I can do selfish things -- like shop and eat -- exactly when I want. I can do NOTHING if that's the feeling.

I love travel by myself. The first time I went to Paris and the south of France, and then Italy. I had to laugh. Some of my women friends called me their "hero," just for trying this.

Travel is liberating no matter when, how, where, with whome, or alone.

[fudge stripe cookays]

18. I went by myself

and I had a blast (then reprehensor decided to fly up and surprise me, romantic devil that he is...).

I had no worries! I never felt unsafe. The T was perfectly safe, and most of the neighborhoods are pretty good. Just don't go to Southie.

And because I didn't have any traveling companions, I never had to argue over what I wanted to go see (until he got there, he he) I missed an amazing brunch at the Hasty Pudding to go see the Paul Revere house (which was very interesting), so it was sort of worth it, but not.

There's one type of travel guides that I find invaluable. I think they're called "Citypacks" It has a city map in a pocket in the back. And it's very useful here because it has the T stops superimposed on the map so you can see where you are when you emerge from a station.

As a southerner trapped in Dallas, where you have to drive every-fucking-where, the metro was a godsend. I'd move to Boston in a shot if I could afford it.

Here's some ideas for lodging, with ratings:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g60745-Boston_Massachusetts-Hotels.html

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[BlondieK143]

20. You are wonderful!

You realize I'm going to flood your inbox, right? :) Thank you so much for all your help!

[fudge stripe cookays]

21. No worries!

See my post #19 for more ideas.

And see if WillPitt is around. Natives will know more about stuff to do.

That was my one and only trip, but I had a blast. I'll be glad to share my personal experience if it'll help you!

I was there in March, and it was still a bit chilly, but the sun came out, and it got downright pleasant. I did land in a pouring rain though when I first arrived, which sucked finding my B & B when I got off the T!

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[Jack Schitt]

10. How about Minnesota?

Come and watch some Vikings fooball. We're not that bad of a state. After all, we did vote for Kerry. :hi:

[DrZeeLit]

12. Boston is GREAT, but keep driving north to... VERMONT!

Lots of wonderful small towns, kind people, maple syrup, and probably snow!

Some cozy inns or B&B's... Woodstock Inn (Woodstock, VT) is just one. If you're up near us at Killington, Fox Run Inn and (wow) Mountaintop Inn, among others. Also, the Sugar 'n Spice Restaurant (breakfast).

Vermont is not a place full of "things to do;" it's more an experience.

[fudge stripe cookays]

19. More lodging...

http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/boston-massachusetts.html

http://www.innsite.com/browse-MA.html

I really enjoyed being in a B n B wen I was by myself. Seemed a little bit cozier than a big huge hotel. And lodging in Boston can be pricy!

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[BlondieK143]

22. Morning kick.

:kick: