BOSTON CITY GUIDE
"There's nothing more beautiful than a walk down the Charles in the fall"
Here's my guide to one of the oldest and greatest sports cities in the United States, Boston! My family and I visited Boston a couple of years ago over Memorial Day weekend. It's such a great city, filled with great food, art, history, and of course great sports! If you're lucky enough to be headed to watch the Laver Cup, here are some of the things we enjoyed while visiting Boston. I've also added a few great movies and series to watch, based in the Boston area, just to get you hyped for it!
TENNIS
Bring your racquet along and play at one of these courts.
Boston Common
A popular place to play due to the central location. Open to the public during park hours, lights, two courts plus a hitting wall.
Prince Street Park 585 Commercial Street
2 courts, lights, good condition
Great views of Boston scenery, right on the waterfront and walking distance to TD Garden. Open to the public 24/7.
MIT duPont Courts and J.B. Carr Tennis Bubble 77 Massachusetts Avenue
12 outdoor and 4 indoor courts, excellent condition
During the indoor season, all courts will be $25/hr. Reservations are available in advance by calling 617-253-1451 during operational hours. Between 2pm-6pm they are only available to MIT students and their guests.
Outdoor courts require a reservation three days in advance and are free to play.
Tennis Northeast provides a full rundown of available tennis courts for every area of Boston, complete with details and court ratings.
Watch Professional Tennis
This year's Laver Cup will be held September 24-26, a quick weekend of tennis and plenty of time left to explore the city! Team Europe will be defending the title and Team World is ready to battle!
HOTELS
Where to Stay?
Our stay at Hyatt Regency Boston was perfect for our family of 5. It's conveniently located downtown and we were able to walk to most attractions including Boston Commons, Chinatown and the Theater District. Some of the best pubs and restaurants were also a short walk. The Laver Cup is held at TD Garden, a quick 15 minute train ride or a 30 minute walk.
Here are some more options that come highly recommended, although I haven't personally stayed.
Golden hour views from the Hyatt Regency Boston.
RESTAURANTS
The Barking Crab Located in the Seaport District, this casual seafood restaurant has everything to quench our New England cravings. Oysters, clam chowder, crab cakes, lobster rolls, they've got it all!
Tatte Bakery & Cafe Pronouced like latte. This bakery makes me so happy just walking inside. The smell of fresh baked bread, coffee, and white subway tiles remind me of a french bistro. There are several locations throughout the Boston area as well as Washington D.C. Fortunately there was a location a short walk from our hotel and we ate here several times. The Croque Madam was incredible and I've had dreams of their apple croissant.
Union Oyster House This Boston landmark was opened in 1826. Delicious seafood and a great little gift shop make this a great spot for the entire family. If you're traveling as a couple, try to get a seat at the bar.
Bell in Hand Tavern Americas oldest tavern! It was established in 1795 and is still a great spot for a drink and delicious food.
B&G Oysters We popped into this oyster bar for lunch, sat at the bar and watched one of the staff shuck oysters while we ate. A great neighborhood vibe.
Mike's Pastry This historic cannoli shop has been a landmark in Boston since 1946. We visited here late one evening and it was packed! They run it like a well oiled machine and there are several lines inside to help get you in and out quickly. If cannoli is your thing, you definitely want to stop by. My favorite was pistachio.
L Street Tavern This cozy pub was made famous by the film Good Will Hunting. I'm embarrassed to admit how many times I've seen this movie. My Matt Damon crush started with this film.
Green Dragon Tavern This great little pub was the scene of some late night debauchery. Great live music, drinks, and if you ask to sit by the window, there is great people watching.
ACTIVITIES
Tour Fenway Park and take in Boston Red Sox Game. Known as "Americas most beloved Ballpark," the Green Monster is a must for any baseball enthusiast. The game we went to was delayed becuase of rain, but we still had a great time!
Historic Sightseeing Harbor Cruise I know these can be cheesy, but taking a river tour is a great way to see a lot of sights at once. We have used Viator in almost every city we've visited, home and abroad and have had nothing but good experiences. We took a small boat tour and our guide was super fun. We were able to have a snack and drink and our little guys didn't have to walk so much. A total win-win!
This historic park has a long history dating all the way back to the Revolution. It's a beautiful space and a jumping off point for the Freedom Trail. We were there on Memorial Day, and the flag presentation made us feel so patriotic. The original Cheers is close to the park and fun to visit.
EXTRAS
There's no doubt that Boston is for intellectuals. Home to Harvard and MIT, it's a great place to take high school students for a little motivation. Harvard square was bustling with students and visitors alike. I don't know if my kids got the message of inspiration (my daughter gave it the pinky), but it was a fun place to see. Younger kids my find it quite boring, so just know your audience.
EXTRAS
Day trip to Martha's Vineyard This was one of the most fun things we did while in Boston. We scheduled the tour ahead of time through Viator. They picked us up at our hotel in a nice coach bus, it's about an hour drive to the ferry. Then we took a 35 minute ferry ride to Martha's Vineyard. We had a full day to explore. They do offer guided tours, but we decided to rent an open air jeep and adventure on our own. We visited the gingerbread cottages, shopped at Vineyard Vines (when in Rome), and had lunch at an adorable cafe in Edgartown called Among the Flowers. Then we drove around the island to Aquinnah Cliffs and the Gay Head Lighthouse. It was a little drizzly when we were there, but I imagine it's amazing in the summer months!
What to watch before you go to Boston & Martha's Vineyard!
A classic Boston film set in South Boston.
Depicting Ted Kennedy's involvement in the fatal 1969 car accident that claims the life of a young campaign strategist, Mary Jo Kopechne. This film gives you an idea of the long history of political figures and Martha's Vineyard. I watched it on the plane to Boston.
This is such a great series! Although most of the seasons are based in LA and New York, the family is from Boston and they've been filming for the next season in Boston. Can't wait for the new season!
We had such an incredible time in Boston! The only thing missing was tennis! If you're lucky enough to be attending the Laver Cup, I hope you have time to visit some of my favorite spots. I can't wait to go back! Don't forget you can download all the locations in my city guide directly to your maps by clicking the button up top. If you have any great spots you think I should add, please let me know!
Safe Travels,
Val