Boston Trip 2: Busy Day Back in Boston

 

My second trip to Boston in the 21st Century was for surgery. I wasn’t going to waste a trip to a city I Ioved, so I arrived two days early, and filled the schedule with as much as I could. It was a cross between being dedicated to seeing more of Boston and trying not to worry too much about my upcoming surgery.

It was just before the holidays, and the downtown hotels were pretty expensive. I found a deal at a hotel in the Fenway Park area that looked interesting. It turned out to be directly in front of Fenway Park and interesting was an understatement.

 

I had arranged an accessible ride with Go Airport Shuttle. The driver was waiting for me at Logan Airport when we arrived and took me to The Verb. An attendant greeted us. There were no steps to get in, and I wheeled right into the lobby.

Soon after I checked in, I went out to explore. I couldn’t be this close to the iconic Fenway Park and not check it out. I was told the tour was not accessible—but you can get accessible seating during the season. I still walked around the outside and could see just how special this place was.

I hadn’t eaten since my early morning flight and grabbed a Mediterranean bowl at Cava. The Fenway area is much different than downtown Boston. The cobblestones were missing and there was a more modern feel.

 I  took a short nap after my exploration and decided to forego the Lyft WAV and wheel the mile to The Prudential Center, where I was meeting my friend, Amanda. It was an unusually warm day for December, and it looked to be a scenic ride.

I went through the Fenway Victory Gardens and through the Back Bay Fens. Like just about everything else in Boston, there was history all around me. I passed a statue of “Poet Patriot” John Boyle O’Reilly, and the location of the Massachusetts Historical Society. 

I hit those famous cobblestones and got bounced around a bit, but I saw The Prudential Center in front of me and knew it would be better in there.

The Prudential Center is a modern mall, with wide and smooth walkways that are perfect for wheelchairs. They even had a huge accessible bathroom. I love a bathroom I can easily turn my wheelchair around in, then be able to get myself up holding on to properly placed rails. 

I knew we were having dinner, and I didn’t want to fill up, but I was early and decided to stop at Eataly for a latte and a cannoli. They make them fresh and they are delicious.

I met up with Amanda about an hour later in front of the entrance to The View Boston. I expected to just go up to the top floor for view of the city, but it was so much more. We found multiple floors with displays, history, and videos about Boston. There were also 360-degree views and miniature maps explaining everything you are seeing.

The Stratus, Boston’s highest bar, was decorated as a winter wonderland. We were tempted to stay for a drink, but it was crowded and we had reservations for dinner at the restaurant. Stratus has a patio too. We went outside to catch the view, but it was too cold to stay there.

The Beacon had a creative cocktail menu that included Spirit Free and Zero Proof drinks. Amanda had a Boston Garden Fizz, with vodka, strawberry-basil shrub, and soda water. I did the Southside, with zero-proof gin, mint, and soda. With all the botanicals in the gin, I couldn’t even tell that it was alcohol-free. After all, I was having surgery the next day.

The food at The Beacon was as good as the menu made it sound. We started with sharing the wings and meatballs with ricotta. They were both flavorful, but not too spicy. I had the sausage and cavatelli with burrata for a main course.

 

We enjoyed our meal before it was time to go. I was surprised to find out when we got downstairs that it was raining hard. I didn’t want to get soaked so I called a Lyft WAV to take me back to The Verb.

I had thought I’d eat something again and stay up late because I couldn’t eat in the morning and surgery wasn’t until the afternoon. I was just too tired and drifty off to sleep quickly.

 

CI Living January 16 - Endless Activities in Downtown Boston

I grew up in New York and Boston was a frequent vacation destination. I continued to go occasionally. It had been about 20 years since I had been there when I was recently given an opportunity to go back.

Boston has too much for me to cover it all in one story. I will have more at a later date on some other areas to explore. You’ll find more than enough below to start planning a spring break or summer vacation through the cobblestone streets, famous architecture, and many sites in this city.

 Must-See Sites Downtown

It’s not often a baseball stadium is considered a historical site, but Fenway Park is in that category. You can see a lot of it from the outside. There is a tour to take you through off season or wait for a game to get the best good look.

 

Take a walk-through scenic Boston Common, the oldest park in the United States, or Boston Public Garden, which has been around since 1837. One of the things about Boston I enjoyed is the historic statues throughout the city and its parks. Among them, I was partial to the one dedicated to Edgar Allan Poe, a native of the city.

 

The Museum of Fine Arts is deserving of hours, if not a full day, of your time. The collections encompass all types of art from around the world. I found the jewelry especially interesting. Their special exhibits are not to be missed. I saw “Power of the People: Art and Democracy” and “Georgia O’Keefe and Henry Moore.” There is a Van Gogh exhibition coming this spring through summer.

 

You can’t go to Boston without stopping by the Cheers Bar, which looks like it did when it inspired the long running television show. Although the bar is not operational, there is a restaurant where you can get drinks (in Cheers mugs) among the memorabilia, and eat from the large menu. There’s also a gift shop to visit on the way out.

 

The Prudential Center is filled with stores and restaurants, but you really need to head to the View. It has three floors filled with spectacular views of Boston. There is also a lot of displays and videos about the history of the city and facts about its importance now. The Stratus Bar, which has indoor and outdoor seating, is on the 51^st floor.

On the 50^th floor, you’ll find The Beacon Restaurant. The menu includes everything from sandwiches and salads to creative entrees. You can purchase a ticket that includes the meal with the View.

 

More Restaurants to Try

Treat yourself to a fine dining experience at Davio’s Italian Steakhouse. Watch the freshly made pasta and other specialties being cooked in the open kitchen and feast on such unique items such as roasted beets with yogurt, pistachio brittle, ricotta, and balsamic. You’ll also find a selection of seafood you’d expect in this city surrounded by water. Be sure to save room for dessert as the selection is beyond belief.

 

Tattes Bakery & Café is a Boston stable with more than a dozen locations. It’s a must visit for an unusual menu of coffees, teas, snacks, and meals. I had a Prosciutto & Fig Panini (with pear and fig jam) with a Pistachio Latte, and a Halva Brownie. It was all as good as it sounds.

 

For quick meals, Sal’s of Boston has pizza and subs. Stop by the Omni Parker House and order a Boston Cream Pie. It’s where the original came from, and you’ll be surprised at how different it tastes from what we have now.

 

Where to Stay

The Verb is directly in front of Fenway Park. Music is the theme here and it’s everywhere, even in the record player in every room, which you can choose albums for. This hotel has a pool in the courtyard heated all year round.

The Verb Hotelalso has one of the best complimentary breakfasts I’ve ever seen. It includes waffles, an assortment of fresh Danishes and muffins, fresh fruit smoothies, yogurts, and more. There is hot coffee, and always free cold brew—including a latte option—in the lobby.

The Hyatt Regecy Downtown has everything you need in a perfect location downtown near the Theater District and Chinatown. It’s walkable to just about everything and is directly connected to a train station. I had a junior suite which was extremely accessible, down to the pocket doors and bathroom mirror that moves for wheelchair viewing. The Hyatt also is very family-friendly, with connecting rooms,  and welcomes pets.

 

Making Your Way Around

Boston has a particularly good public train system. There are also taxis, Ubers, and Lyft, all of which have WAV (wheelchair accessible vehicles). For more personalized service, I tried Go Airport Shuttle. You can arrange it in advanced, for a group ride or to have a dedicated driver to pick you up, help you with your luggage, and take you where you need to go.

I highly recommend Old Town Trolley for getting around to the sites. I used it quite a bit and got to see a lot more than I would have on my own. The drivers are truly knowledgeable and filled with information and anecdotes on all spots Boston. You can even take the 13-mile tour around for two hours to get better acquainted with the city before hopping on and off one of the 18 stops.

 

I received some complimentary accommodation, activities,  and meals in Boston, but opinions are my own.