Boston Folks?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Thank you everyone for all the suggestions. We will be in Ithaca,NY on the way out and our "home base" for the trip will be at a timeshare in southern NH ( 6 days). ( 1 ½ hour outside of Boston). We also have a one night stay in Cambridge. Fenway is already in the plans as is kayaking down the Charles River. Sam's Adams brewery is also in the plans, and we were thinking about a day trip up to Chatam/Provincetown. Any feedback on those cities?

Where in Southern New Hampshire?  I'm always intrigued visiting this place near Hampton Beach & Portsmouth, NH.

America's Stonehenge, 105 Haverhill Road, Salem, NH
http://stonehengeusa.com/

I second the don't go to Provincetown call.  It's just too far.

Instead from where you are staying, I will second the recommendation to visit Maine Coast from Kittery to Portland as it's very scenic.  They are all very close to Southern New Hampshire.
* York has a famous lighthouse.
* Ogunquit has a cliff walk the parallels the Atlantic.  If I recall there's a restaurant on the water where the lobster boats pull right up.
* The Bush family has a summer home in Kennebunkport.
* Old Orchard Beach has an old time amusement park and is over-run with French Canadians in the summertime.
* Portland has an active downtown with several brewpubs and micro-brewery's (Allagash (as mentioned), Geary's & The Shipyard) and the Wadsworth Longfellow home. 
*  L.L. Bean is another 30mins past Portland in Freeport.  I think there's a brewpub in town also (Gritty McDuff's?)

[Litehouse]

I second someone earlier that said visiting Harpoon is better than Sam Adams.
If you're near Faneuil Hall, the Green Dragon and Black Rose are both worth a stop just to read the placemats for the history lesson.

[mubb34]

Where in Southern New Hampshire?  I'm always intrigued visiting this place near Hampton Beach & Portsmouth, NH.

America's Stonehenge, 105 Haverhill Road, Salem, NH
http://stonehengeusa.com/

I second the don't go to Provincetown call.  It's just too far.

Instead from where you are staying, I will second the recommendation to visit Maine Coast from Kittery to Portland as it's very scenic.  They are all very close to Southern New Hampshire.
* York has a famous lighthouse.
* Ogunquit has a cliff walk the parallels the Atlantic.  If I recall there's a restaurant on the water where the lobster boats pull right up.
* The Bush family has a summer home in Kennebunkport.
* Old Orchard Beach has an old time amusement park and is over-run with French Canadians in the summertime.
* Portland has an active downtown with several brewpubs and micro-brewery's (Allagash (as mentioned), Geary's & The Shipyard) and the Wadsworth Longfellow home. 
*  L.L. Bean is another 30mins past Portland in Freeport.  I think there's a brewpub in town also (Gritty McDuff's?)

We will be at a timeshare in Francestown,NH.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

We will be at a timeshare in Francestown,NH.

1.5 hrs to Boston
2 hrs to Portland, ME

You're off the beaten path half-way between Keene & Manchester.  You're close to a few favorite New Hampshire things.
You're 1.5 hrs from Lake Winnipesaukee.
You're also 3.5 hrs from Mt. Washington.
You can only see where the Old Man of Mountains used to be since it collapsed many years ago.

Growing up, my parents always took us for a week in the summer literally, On Golden Pond and also for a long weekend on the Maine shore usually tied in with a visit with the French-Canadian relatives in lived the middle of Maine.

[Tortuga94]

Thanks for all the input. I'll be in Boston and Newport, RI over Memorial Day weekend.
Will definitely hit some of those places up. I've been to Boston before, but this definitely gave me a few new ideas of things to do.

[keefe]

Thanks for all the input. I'll be in Boston and Newport, RI over Memorial Day weekend.
Will definitely hit some of those places up. I've been to Boston before, but this definitely gave me a few new ideas of things to do.

In Newport eat at the Black Pearl. Superb.

[mubb34]

Thanks for all the input. I'll be in Boston and Newport, RI over Memorial Day weekend.
Will definitely hit some of those places up. I've been to Boston before, but this definitely gave me a few new ideas of things to do.

Thats when we will be there as well! Enjoy!

[rocket surgeon]

fenway-a must-singing sweet caroline is a hoot

legal seafood

cheers

[keefe]

legal seafood

It's good but a chain...Go to No Name

[reinko]

It's good but a chain...Go to No Name

Or Yankee Lobster,  just down the street from No Name..

[rocket surgeon]

It's good but a chain...Go to No Name

yes, but, it didn't feel like a chain, i.e. red lobsta, or long johnny silvers

[Celtic Truth]

If you feel like treating yourself go to Del Frisco's which is also in the seaport district. Amazing high end restaurant with great seafood and steaks. Great waterfront location and definitely the best meal to be had in the seaport. Unfortunately I have never been there but it is extremely highly regarded and everyone I know who has been there has raved about it. Pricey but worth it.

Barking Crab is another popular destination. A mix of tourists and locals. Nice location on the waterfront and the Fort Point channel with great downtown views. Family friendly place known for their seafood. Not cheap but definitely not a fancy expensive place. I've been before and I thought it was pretty solid, nice location and the food is good but about what you will find at other places in the area.

As a local I've always stayed away from Legal Seafood because it's perceived as an overpriced tourist place. But I went to the one in the seaport a few months ago and I thought it was great. It definitely wasn't cheap but the price was reasonable. Really sleek and modern restaurant right on the water. And the food quality was really good. I got the linguini with clams and it was great. Also, some of the best clam chowder I've had in a while. I like mine to have a lot of chunks of clams and potatoes in there and that's what there's was. I hate that soupy milky crap.

[keefe]

If you feel like treating yourself go to Del Frisco's

You know that is a chain??

[Celtic Truth]

You know that is a chain??

Yea, my bad I meant to say Strega Waterfornt. I get all these Italian names mixed up. Del Frisco's is fine but skip that you can find that in other cities. Strega is the place to go for high end Italian, steak, and seafood in the Seaport. Owned by a guy Nick Varano who owns a place in the North End and just opened up another spot in the Back Bay.

[Litehouse]

Strega is nice, and you can't go wrong with Legal Seafood.  Barking Crab is also a good rec.

[NoCheese]

Don't go to Union Oyster other than a quick overprice beer for the history of the location. It's a tourist trap. The other poster had it right with Neptune Oyster if you can get a seat. It's tiny and they don't take reservations. The best restaurants are all in Cambridge and even Somerville these days.

[mubb34]

Hey all! Currently in NH. Going to Boston Thursday and Friday. Where should I park my car? I heard not to drive in.

Thanks!

Eric

[Eldon]

Hey all! Currently in NH. Going to Boston Thursday and Friday. Where should I park my car? I heard not to drive in.

Thanks!

Eric

In Hahvid Yahd

[warriorchick]

Hey all! Currently in NH. Going to Boston Thursday and Friday. Where should I park my car? I heard not to drive in.

Thanks!

Eric

Eldon beat me to it!

[reinko]

Hey all! Currently in NH. Going to Boston Thursday and Friday. Where should I park my car? I heard not to drive in.

Thanks!

Eric

Park @ Sullivan Sq.  T station (Orange Line) ,  it's only $6, right off Rte 93 (where you will be driving South on from NH),  and only a few stops from Downtown.  Orange connects with both Red (at Downtown Crossing)  and Green @ North Station.

[mubb34]

Thanks guys! Same for Fenway, or is it easier to park there?

[reinko]

Thanks guys! Same for Fenway, or is it easier to park there?

Sox are in town this weekend,  you going for a game,  or just to bum around in the morning or afternoon?   If going for a game,  this probably your best bet, http://www.100clarendon.com (about a 25 min walk,  or quick T ride)     if you are just going during the day,  plenty of meter parking around the stadium.

If you don't have a place yet to eat before the game,  can't recommend Sweet Cheeks BBQ enough.

Enjoy!

[ken8406]

Thanks guys! Same for Fenway, or is it easier to park there?

Yes, but it will be costly around $35 - 40. Best thing to do is ride the T in specifically the Green Line (easier to ride in from the Newton and Brookline on the D line. There is a Fenway stop (only reachable on the D line) that is less hectic than getting off at Kenmore (this is where all the other Green Line trains stop for the game). Getting back on the train after the game is always a cluster F if you stay till the end. The risk with meter parking or creating your own space is that they love to ticket and tow during game days.

[mubb34]

Going to the game. Eating at Wahlburgers for lunch and grabbing a bite around Fenway before hand. Thanks!

[77ncaachamps]

Eat at Tastyburger near Fenway. Good, inexpensive burger.

If you're there for an extended stay, buy the T pass for $16.

$25 will get you into Boston Fine Arts Museum which is having two phenomenal exhibits going on right now: Hokusai and Da Vinci (with a few Michelangelo sketches) from Italy. Riits and Gordon Parks exhibits are also there. But I warn you: it's almost an all day event unless you just hit up the two main new exhibits and breeze to the highlights.

Kosher ice cream? J.P. Licks
Tasty ice cream? Toscanini's in Cambridge.

Sam Adams is worth the trouble. Free small glass after an unremarkable tour. But I got to try three types: classic Boston Lager, Summer Ale, and an experimental one (since their Boston brewery is small they use it for small batches and experimental brews) which used 75% nitrogen like Guiness. It was SMOOTH.
Take the free shuttle to Doyles, order a Lager, and they give you the Sam Adams pint glass for free.

Fenway tour is a must. Nice place. Quick hour.

I wish I could have gone to Harpoon. Their Hall was closed due to a special event and BU grad ceremonies. I heard their pretzels are awesome.

Watched the Boston Pops. Awesome. Especially their "By Popular Demand" section of the performance. Audience members get to vote on what song they want the Pops to play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ2eE4cUqgg

Ate at Island Creek Oyster House. Great bread (bottomless). Very attentive wait staff. Oysters were awesome.