Boston Travel Guide

Boston has to be one of my favorite cities in America. It's the perfect New England city, filled with beautiful scenery/cityscapes, fun things to do, and amazing food. I've been a few times and my parents actually met around Boston, so while I do have a few tourist-y things on this list, a few of these are local favorites!

What to Pack:

• Walking Shoes - One of the best things about Boston is that you are able to walk just about anywhere.
• Flats - If you’re going out to a nicer restaurant, wearing flats and bringing heels is definitely going to help save your feet. The cobblestone can be really rough on heels.
• Rain Jacket - From my time in Boston, it rained a lot. I recommend bringing a light rain jacket so you can still be out and about even in the rain.

Where to Stay:

• I’m not going to lie, Boston is an expensive city - if you want to get a cheaper room I recommend looking into an Airbnb or something similar. But if you're looking for hotel, these are two that I've found with amazing reviews.
• Fairmont Copley Plaza - For a more upscale hotel, this one has amazing reviews. It’s located in Copley Plaza, so it’s walking distance from tons of different attractions and things to do. I’ve heard the staff are super helpful and the restaurant itself was really pretty.
• Hilton Boston - From what I’ve heard, this is a pretty standard Hilton Hotel. It’s a little more out of the way but it does offer shuttle services. Again, I’ve heard the staff were super friendly and helpful and the hotel was itself was really nice.

Where to Eat: 

• Antico Forno - I actually went to this restaurant twice with 2 different sets of people so I had lots of opportunities to try all the delicious food. The Tradizonale Pizza was amazing. The caesar salad was also delicious, as was the Chicken Parmesan. This restaurant was in the North End, so it also had a great vibe.  
• Oak Long Bar and Kitchen - This was a delicious restaurant that we actually went to for breakfast. They make delicious raspberry granola pancakes. Their yogurt parfait was also delicious. We tried it out for dessert after dinner, and the creme brûlée and vanilla ice cream was delicious.
• Mike’s Pastries - I’m sure you’ve heard of this one before, Mike’s famous cannolis. I’ve never had a cannoli until I came here, and this was so so so delicious.  
• Flour Bakery - This is one of Boston’s many many many bakeries. They serve amazing pie and those who drank coffee said it was amazing.
• The Thinking Cup - The grilled cheese. Oh good lord, the grilled cheese. Just order it. Trust me. If you're feeling fancy, try it with caramelized onions, it's delicious. We also tried the B.A.L.T. and the Italian and they were also amazing.
• Emack and Bolios - This ice cream was some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had. They had tons of flavors and it was all super creamy and delicious.
• Stephanie's On Newbury - This is a great restaurant we went to for breakfast and dinner (on 2 different trips, dw). This is a classic restaurant with anything you could possibly want, in an AMAZING location.
• The Friendly Toast - For a quirky breakfast place, try The Friendly Toast, right around the corner from Flour Bakery. They have amazing breakfast tacos and waffles.
• Ristorante Saraceno - This is another great Italian restaurant in the North End. I recommend the lasagna or the fettuccine bolognese.

What to Do:

• Take a Stroll - Walking around Boston is one of my favorite things to do. The scenery is gorgeous and the weather is (usually) gorgeous.
• Shop on Newbury Street - In case you couldn’t tell, I love to shop. Newbury street is such a pretty street to walk on and shop on. It has the perfect mix of upscale stores and little boutiques.
• Take a Duck Tour - This may be a little cheesy, but taking a duck tour is the perfect way to see the city and learn a little bit of history.
• Walk Through Faneuil Hall - Faneuil Hall is a really cool shopping place and has tons of really cool restaurants. There are also tons of street performers which are so much fun to watch.
• Walk By The Charles - Take some time to walk by the Charles River. There are always crew teams practicing and even in the pouring rain, it's gorgeous.

Overall, I had an amazing time in Boston and if you have the chance, I totally recommend planning a trip there. Please share any other tips or ideas down in the comments - I’d love to hear them!

XOXO,

Samantha