Guide to Boston
Finally, a post! I took last week off to recharge. It also took me longer than I thought to write about my weekend in Boston! It had been two years since my previous Boston visit, so this trip was very overdue. This time around, I was really able to get a feel for what life in Boston is like post-college. The trip’s main objective was to celebrate my lovely friend Jenna’s 23rd birthday with my other high school besties and our significant others. We had the best time, filled with laughs, good food, and fantastic weather. But I also got to experience and see parts of Boston I’d never been to before. I would highly recommend taking a trip to Boston during this time. It was incredibly convenient for me to come from NYC because I didn’t have to quarantine upon arrival, and I could go by train. You can do practically anything socially distanced and wearing a mask.
FOOD
Boston has QUITE the food scene. I would say the food and service are just as great as the NYC restaurant scene with less competition. But even after extensive research, I realized there was no chance I would be able to try all the places I wanted to try in one weekend. We decided to pick spots close to where we stayed (Cambridge) and offered reservations at all hours. They have also started offering indoor seating at a limited capacity.
Naco Taco ($$) - We discovered Naco Taco walking around the Cambridge neighborhood. It caught our eye because of its adorable outdoor seating. It also has a “food truck” in the outside area; it’s an extension of their inside kitchen. I went with Sebastian on Saturday night, and we went all out. The portions were huge. We got the salsa dips to start, a salad to share, and tacos. It was some of the best salsa I’ve had! We left very, very full. I’d highly recommend checking this spot out.
Committee ($$$) - I came across Committee while looking for a brunch spot on Google Maps in Seaport. We made a reservation to go after our visit to the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), which was close by. I think Committee was my favorite restaurant food-wise from this trip. It probably was one of the best brunches I’ve had in a while. We ordered the calamari to start and an omelet and pancakes to share as entrees. Our meal wasn’t too expensive because we just ordered food and shared everything, but some expensive dishes were on the menu. Portions are MASSIVE so keep that in mind. We got the half stack of pancakes, and it was still so much food.
Celeste ($$$-$$$$) - Sebastian, Jenna, and I went to Celeste on our first night in Boston. Celeste is located in Somerville, so it was about a 10-minute drive from Cambridge. I wanted to try Celeste because I rarely eat Peruvian food in the northeast. I was also very curious to see how Boston does Peruvian. We feasted at this delicious restaurant. The ambiance is adorable, and the serving staff was so kind. We started with ceviche, and then each got an entree. I ordered the lomo saltado as my main dish and drank two watermelon Moscow mules throughout the meal. It was one of the most expensive meals I’ve had in a very long time, but it was worth it!
Tatte Bakery ($) - We stopped by Tatte Bakery a couple of times throughout the weekend. It’s an adorable cafe & bakery chain with locations in Brookline, Boston, and Cambridge. Sebastian and I tried their breakfast dishes and many pastries. You must get the cheese bureka.
Brookline Lunch ($) - I stumbled upon Brookline Lunch while walking to the Central T stop. It looked like the perfect place to have a quick meal, and it turned out to be just that. Run by a couple and their son, this lovely cafe has a plethora of inexpensive diner-like dishes. They’re known for the vegetable hash side that comes with every plate. It includes seasoned potatoes, beans, olives, spinach, and many other vegetables. I was so pleasantly surprised when my veggie omelet came with even more veggies. The owners told us to come back for brunch, which we sadly were unable to do. I’d return if I were in the area.
Eataly ($$) - Even though there are Eataly restaurants everywhere, they are always a good option for solid Italian food. We ate at their pizza & pasta restaurant, which was offering a $19 lunch special. It included an appetizer with a pizza, pasta, or salad entree. I ordered the steak carpaccio to start and the four cheese pizza as my entree. The service was very meh, and the food was okay. I think a lot of the Eataly charm is in the ambiance. You feel like you’re eating in a lux grocery store. I wouldn’t recommend it, but I don’t regret going.
AREAS TO EXPLORE
MIT/ Cambridge - Although most of our activities took place in Boston proper, it was nice to call Cambridge our home base for the weekend. It’s a very calm, residential, and academic area filled with local eateries and outdoor spaces. It’s also a great area to stay in if you’re interested in exploring MIT and Harvard. Just keep in mind that the neighborhood does not have great public transportation (we walked almost everywhere and occasionally Ubered).
Southie - Southie is what Bostonians call the area of South Boston and Seaport. It’s a beautiful area, situated right on the water, booming with new developments. It’s the kind of place you go to walk around and dream about future #goals. The ICA and Celeste are located in this area. There’s not much to do in terms of activities - we just walked around and did sightseeing. But, it’s truly the best place to see the waters around Boston Harbor. There are so many beautiful boats and great people watching.
Boston Public Garden - one of the most beautiful places to spend a weekend afternoon in Boston. Just west of the Boston Commons, the Public Garden has plenty of areas to explore and relax in. Sebastian and I decided to rest here after walking the Freedom Trail. We chose to sit by the lake, take pictures, people watch, and look at the beautiful nature Boston has to offer. The most significant difference between a city like Boston and a city like NYC is that you can see the sky! There aren’t many high rise buildings, which makes spaces like the Public Garden feel so much more peaceful. You could spend as little as twenty minutes here or as much as a couple of hours.
Newberry + Back Bay - the best area to shop in Boston is Newberry Street. It is in the Back Bay area of Boston, just west of the Public Garden and south of the Charles River. The architecture of all the buildings, even some of the stores, are still in a very classic Boston style. It has all your favorite stores from Sephora to Brandy Melville to Reformation and Uniqlo. We went on a Friday afternoon, so it was pretty calm and enjoyable. My friends told me that the lines to get into stores during the weekend are out the door due to stores taking COVID-19 precautions. There’s also plenty of spots to eat along the street.
ACTIVITIES
Picnic @ The Charles River Esplanade - this lovely spot and activity are right near Newbury St and the Back Bay area. It’s a piece of land that is separated from Boston by a bit of water. It has some of the most beautiful views of the Charles River and plenty of open space. We saw people walking their dogs, drinking beer at the brewery, and others running along the pedestrian path. We had a big group picnic. Everyone brought their beverage or snack of choice. Make sure to bring a blanket or towel to sit on and a speaker to play music. There’s also a couple of bathrooms on the Esplanade, so you could stay for hours as we did! At sunset, there was the most beautiful golden hour. Going to the Esplanade is probably one of the best free activities Boston has to offer.
Freedom Trail - Per Sebastian’s request and suggestion, we walked the Freedom Trail. The Freedom Trail is a 2.5 mile guided walk that connects a bunch of Boston’s historic sites. It starts in the Boston Commons and ends on the other side of the river in Charlestown. We walked the first half of the trail on Friday and the second half on Saturday. I actually would recommend walking the trail (self-guided like we did) if you have time to spare in Boston. My favorite part of the trail was the USS Constitution and Bunker Hill. Charlestown is such a beautiful area, and I would’ve probably never gone if it wasn’t for those two historical sites.
ICA - The Institute of Contemporary Art is a beautiful museum located in Seaport. Not only is the building itself outstanding and worth exploring, but the art is also excellent. It’s a small museum that you only really need about an hour/1.5 hours to cover. We got to see two unique exhibits by two different artists: Sterling Ruby and “The Visitors” by Ragnar Kjartansson. I’d highly recommend going to see both!
TRAVEL TIPS
Take the Amtrak from NYC. They’re offering two tickets for the price of one deal now!
Take the T if it’s convenient. Uber is also very affordable.
Boston is a great city to visit on a low budget. The most expensive part of it will probably be lodging and food if you choose to go to expensive restaurants. Other than that, the city offers a lot of free and low-cost tourism/ activities.