Topic: OT: American Odyssey (Read 3351 times)

lee269 · « **on:** May 28, 2004, 01:59:20 pm »

Are we still allowed OT posts? It isnt politics or religion.

Thought Id try looking for some local knowledge from the Americans here. Im flying to Boston on vacation at the beginning of September. I cant wait! This is the 4th year out of 5 Im holidaying in the States, but the first to New England. Planning a nice driving tour with a bit of relaxation thrown in.

Im looking for something of the quintessential American experience for an evening out. To my mind this seems to be a sporting event. In previous trips Ive been to see both the Orioles and the Dodgers play baseball, and Ive loved it, but I cant get Red Sox tickets for the dates Im around this time. September seems to be end of season baseball, close season basketball, and pre season football (not soccer), plus no hope of tickets anyway. Can anyone recommend a good night out? Ive seen adverts for BB Kings Blues Festival (at the FleetBoston Pavilion?) which sounds like a decent backup, but I can see concerts in London. How does college football/baseball etc work? Is it on? Is it worthwhile? Do I stand a chance of getting tickets? We are planning to tour the New England countryside mostly, so Boston seems our best hope, but any recommendations gratefully received.

Shame Im not getting any closer to 125 N. First Street, Minneapolis, but maybe another time...

paulr · « **Reply #1 on:** May 28, 2004, 02:36:07 pm »

I'm not familiar with the New England area, but something in your post caught my eye...

You *cannot* go wrong going to see a college football game. They are much more exciting than pro games IMO. The atmosphere is usually amazing, although it would depend on what team you go see. I imagine that getting tickets to a college game won't be too difficult - you can usually buy them outside the gates from a scalper if that is allowed where you are.

crowfan · « **Reply #2 on:** May 28, 2004, 07:50:02 pm »

While in Boston, I would definitely recommend a few stops:

-- Cheers, just because. It's located on Beacon St, at the southwest corner of the Common (the park).
-- Fanuel Hall and Quincy Marketplace. Great atmosphere.
-- Get dinner at the North End (Italian food). Many great restaurants. Also, while in the North End, see if you can get into Mike's Pastries (it's often crowded, but from what I hear, it's the best!)
-- I would also highly recommend the museums across from Northeastern University.
-- There are also tons of neat historical sites, especially along the Freedom Trail

I live in NY, but I've been to Boston many times. I really love the city. I know this isn't exactly what you were looking for, but I thought I'd mention it in case you were looking for some alternatives.

Enjoy, it's a beautiful city.

crow

lee269 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 29, 2004, 11:21:18 am »

Thanks crowfan - any info on any subject is really welcome. Ive got a few guidebooks to read here, but personal recommendations are much more valuable.

Re college sports: Thanks paul. Ive done some more digging and it seems there are a lot more opportunities for college sports in Maine, Massachusetts etc than the national leagues. The set up is a bit more confusing to me, but its good to know its worthwhile. Atmosphere and excitement are what Im after because Im not kidding myself that I understand the finer points of the game. Im really just looking for something un-touristy that regular people do, that I cant do here in the UK, if you know what I mean.

Deivit · « **Reply #4 on:** May 29, 2004, 12:45:19 pm »

Since I assume that you like music

may I recommend to stroll by Newbury Street and check out a couple of used records stores. I found some gems there last summer.

Enjoy!

---
Listening to: 'Citizen Kane' from 'The Best of the Byrds - Greatest Hits, Vol 2' by 'The Byrds' on Media Center 10

lee269 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 29, 2004, 03:52:15 pm »

Deivit

Of course, all contributions gratefully received. Ill bear it in mind.

Just spent a couple of hours poring over AAA maps trying to sort out some routes. I love all this planning and the anticipation.

Listening to: 'Pacific' from 'This Is Cinerama' by 'Cinerama' on Media Center 10

GHammer · « **Reply #6 on:** May 29, 2004, 11:52:26 pm »

Head for Amherst. Nice ride, beautiful area, once you get there it is a great tourist town with nothing to do but enjoy the town.
Hard to explain, but believe me, the drive and the town are worth it. Especially if you are going to be there during fall foilage time.

On the way you will pass Agawam, they have an old rickety wodden roller coaster there. I'm a coaster junky, so I always stop by for a ride or two.

In Boston itself, my attraction is food! But the Bunker Hill monument is a good spot. Old Ironsides is cool too.

If you have time, head for Bush I's home in Kennebunkport Maine. Also a nice drive from Boston and a cool place to hang out for a night.

You should try to find someone who is having a lobster boil. That's about as typical as it gets.

lee269 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 30, 2004, 12:01:31 pm »

GHammer - thanks a lot. So much to do, so little time. As a vegetarian, I might pass on the lobster boil, though

GHammer · « **Reply #8 on:** May 30, 2004, 01:57:41 pm »

Quote from: lee269 on May 30, 2004, 12:01:31 pm

GHammer - thanks a lot. So much to do, so little time. As a vegetarian, I might pass on the lobster boil, though

There's potatos, corn, and beer.
It's more for the beach/company than the food anyway.
At least the ones I've been to.

lee269 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 30, 2004, 04:11:22 pm »

Mmmmmmmm, beer...

Ok, I accept.

modelmaker · « **Reply #10 on:** May 31, 2004, 08:24:06 pm »

What about ice hockey?? You've got the Boston Bruins (proffesional) and college hockey.

lee269 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 01, 2004, 03:42:22 am »

Im game for anything - but it seems that the Bruins will be playing preseason games around the end of September. It looks like that will be too late for me.

benrad · « **Reply #12 on:** June 01, 2004, 06:49:00 am »

I live and work in Boston, so I can give you a few tips.

No offense to whoever mentioned it, but skip Cheers, it's a tourist trap, and really awful.
The rest of the recommendations are fairly solid. You might be there around the time of the "Head of the Charles" (http://www.hocr.org/index2.html) Regatta, but, maybe it's a little too late. That's always really neat. Make sure you go for a walk along the Esplanade along the Charles River. Very beautiful walk.
Check out Cambridge, just a few T stops (the subway) away from Boston. Lots of good used record stores and restaurants catering to vegetarians. Newbury Street is nice for shopping. Go to the Public Garden, and the Common (in Boston). Boston's Chinatown is one of the most authentic C-Town's in the USA. Although, as a vegetarian you may not appreciate the smells and sights (lots of chickens, hanging everywhere).
If you're up for the drive, Walden Pond, just north west of the city is really beautiful.
Providence, RI is a really nice city as well. I currently live about halfway between Boston and Provi, but will be moving soon, but I split my time between the two cities. Provi is even lower key than Boston, a great town.
Check out the Museum of Fine Arts (the museum across from NorthEastern). I used to live across the park from the MFA, in Fenway, which is also a great section of the city. You may just want to swing by Fenway park and see if you can get some tickets to a game when you're there. It's well worth it...great ball park, and the Sox will be well on their way to the World Series by then after having decimated the Yankees in the playoffs (or at least keeping them out of first place). Check out the Brown Sugar Cafe in Fenway. Amazing Thai Food. My apartment's back window faced their kitchen, so I was reminded on a daily basis that I could cook boring food at home or go eat there.

Anyway, I'm babbling on. There's lots to do. Enjoy.

Mysticeti · « **Reply #13 on:** June 02, 2004, 04:55:53 pm »

I don't think anyone has mentioned the "Freedom Trail" yet which is a nice walking tour steeped in history regarding the Revoluntionary War.

http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/

If walking isn't your thing the Duck Tour is "something different" to do.
It's a bit touristy but one of the departure points is the Museum of Science so if you're interested in that you can kill two birds...

http://www.bostonducktours.com/

I'm not sure what sort of foliage colors you get in the fall in England but lots of people come to New England for "leaf peeping" about the same time you're here.

GHammer · « **Reply #14 on:** June 02, 2004, 11:37:35 pm »

Quote from: Mysticeti on June 02, 2004, 04:55:53 pm

I don't think anyone has mentioned the "Freedom Trail" yet which is a nice walking tour steeped in history regarding the Revoluntionary War.

I always avoid the 'American war crimes' museum when I'm in Vietnam.

Mysticeti · « **Reply #15 on:** June 03, 2004, 09:44:31 am »

Huh?

Anyway, it was on the Duck Tour last year that I learned about the Park Street Church's role in the War of 1812.

http://www.nps.gov/bost/Park_St_Church.htm

American's like to moan about the caching of arms in religeous buildings (e.g. mosques in Iraq) but we weren't above the practice ourselves almost 200 years ago.

Something else to consider while in Boston:

http://www.nehm.org/

GHammer · « **Reply #16 on:** June 03, 2004, 10:56:40 am »

Just meant that perhaps a guided tour of the British/American War wouldn't be considered a 'fun' tour for a Brit.

Actually, in the same vein, I never think of Holocaust memorials and 'fun' trips.

As for the implication that shooting from mosques and storing gunpowder in churches is the same, I think not. YMMV.

lee269 · « **Reply #17 on:** June 03, 2004, 12:04:06 pm »

Quote

I always avoid the 'American war crimes' museum when I'm in Vietnam.

Not at all - ancient history, surely. And interesting, Im sure. I wouldnt consider it 'no fun' at all. A few years ago I visited Arlington and the Vietnam memorial etc in DC - sobering and fascinating. Thanks, Mysticeti.

Its not clear yet how long we will have in Boston as we are planning something of a round trip driving tour up to Maine and back. But Im gonna try and squeeze in as many of these suggestions as possible.

We have a duck tour in London too. Im not averse to having fun, but I must admit these sort of things make me curl my toes up. I reckon I can find my own way around.

bjsolem · « **Reply #18 on:** June 04, 2004, 09:45:24 am »

No one has mentioned the boston Aquarium!

It has a very cool central pool that must be 3 or 4 stories tall. There is a spiral walkway around it and the fish etc. change as you go from the bottom of the ocean to the top. Sharks at the bottom, sea turtles at the top.

Haven't been there in a long time, but this is a cool stop if you are at all interested in nature type stuff.....

Mysticeti · « **Reply #19 on:** June 07, 2004, 09:41:58 am »

The New England Aquarium's web site:

http://www.neaq.org/

Tyler Campbell · « **Reply #20 on:** June 07, 2004, 10:23:33 am »

I think the Patriots have home games the 2nd and 9th. Now that is quintessential New England! Even if you can't get tickets, it might be worth watching the games in a Boston pub to see the fans get rowdy.

What about Cape Cod or MV? Definitely touristy, but still very cool.

As someone who recently moved from CT to Phoenix, this thread is making me very homesick!

lee269 · « **Reply #21 on:** June 07, 2004, 01:06:53 pm »

tylerctyler:

Thanks. Yeah, I saw the Patriot games (not the movie

). Dont think I could find tickets online though. I can guarantee we'll be visiting a pub though.

We are probably going to miss Cape Cod, as the plan at the moment is to head north up the coast to Maine, maybe as far as Arcadia NP, looping back possibly through New Hampshire with a few days in Boston probably either side of that. And we've only got 2 and a bit weeks. Strange factoid: My wife comes from Barnstaple, England and visited Barnstable, MA and Cape Cod on a twinning visit back in 1984.

I cant figure what MV is though. Probably being dumb.

I never thought this thread would trickle on so long. Thanks everyone for all the suggestions - Im still open for any more as all I have at the moment is plane tickets...

JimH · « **Reply #22 on:** June 07, 2004, 02:47:49 pm »

On the way up the coast from Boston, you would normally pass through Portsmouth, New Hampshire, an interesting old town. Right off the road is a group of very old (for the U.S.) houses. It's called Strawbery Banke (with one "r"). Well worth an hour or two:

http://www.strawberybanke.org/exhibits.html

Deivit · « **Reply #23 on:** June 07, 2004, 03:01:21 pm »

Quote from: lee269 on June 07, 2004, 01:06:53 pm

I cant figure what MV is though. Probably being dumb.

He probably refers to Martha's Vineyard

http://www.mvol.com/

----
Listening to: 'Emociones' from 'Bonito' by 'Jarabe De Palo' on Media Center 10

Mysticeti · « **Reply #24 on:** June 07, 2004, 04:22:01 pm »

I'm straying a bit from the "Good night out" ideal but...

If you have a sweet tooth you might want to try some Maple Sugar Candy:

http://www.mainegoodies.com/food/maplecandy/

I used to think that Salt Water Taffy was a New England thing but now I'm not so sure:

http://discussions.bbcamerica.com/thread.jspa?messageID=295662

Tyler Campbell · « **Reply #25 on:** June 07, 2004, 07:54:14 pm »

Sorry, I did mean Martha's Vineyard. I need to stop using so many abbreviations!

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Author Topic: OT: American Odyssey (Read 3351 times)

benrad