We recently took a trip east to Boston due to Annie having work back there. The big decision was whether or not to leave Sammy behind for the five night trip or take him with us. It worked out to leave him behind which was a nice break from the daily act of parenting but also rather difficult to be away from him for so long. Our longest time away prior to this trip was three nights to Portland, Oregon.
With the decision made we took off on a recent Monday morning to drive to San Jose. It was a long travel day. We had a layover stop in Los Angeles and did not get to our hotel in Boston until late Monday evening/early Tuesday morning. We stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton in downtown Boston. Thanks to our friend, Sean K., who works there and took extremely good care of us.
This was our first trip to Boston and I really didn’t go with any expectation of how it should be. I’ve come home to Paso Robles as a big fan of that city. Depending on what area of Boston I went through, it reminded me of a cross between San Francisco and something European…possibly Paris-esque. There is an insane amount of history there that is impossible to absorb on one 5-day trip.
We visited spots like the Old State House where the Declaration of Independence was first read, the Charlestown Navy Yard where the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) is located, Fenway Park (oldest ballpark in baseball), and spots like Boston Common and the Public Gardens which are beautiful.
As a lover of history and stories it really was surreal walking around some of these places. If only the uneven brick and cobblestone sidewalks could talk, know what I mean? Whether you go to the Back Bay neighborhood or Downtown, Chinatown, Charlestown, or North End…so many stories and all so different.
One stop that was especially poignant was the finish line to the Boston Marathon. It’s recent. Fresh in our minds. To top it off the surviving culprit just got sentenced. It was surreal to be there and think back to the events unfolding on television.
I understand better why ‘Boston Strong’ is a thing.
A truly amazing city for so many reasons. We were stoked to get some time away from Sammy. We were thrilled to see our good friend Sean over the course of the week. It was exciting to explore and walk all over this historic area. And when I say we walked all over I have proof. From Tuesday to Friday I walked 28.5 miles in Boston…and I loved every minute of it.
Below you will find a list of the places we went to either drink, eat and drink, or…well…what else is there? I really enjoyed each place for different reasons. I’d eagerly go back to any on this list. The best clam chowder I have ever had is at Yankee Lobster on the list below. Boston is not lacking great food…or great bars.
Based on some suggestions from Sean and another friend, Frederick, we avoided the “tourist traps” like ‘Cheers’. Anyways, that’s all I got. It was a great trip. If you want to see the trip from my point of view check out the slideshow down below. Lots of pictures but check them out to get an idea of the city.
The Landing in Long Wharf
The Hub Pub “the friendliest pub in the hub”
Click on any photo to enlarge it…enjoy!
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