Where to Stay:
Choosing a hotel in Boston is all about location. Not only is the Boston Harbor Hotel conveniently situated near the airport and convention center, it boasts the prettiest waterfront views in the city (70 Rowes Wharf, 800-752-7077, www.bhh.com). The XV Beacon—just about the swankiest of swanky boutique hotels—is located on the Boston Common, mere steps away from the Freedom Trail (the red-brick path that guides tourists to historical hot-spots in town). Most first-time visitors become long-time regulars after getting the XV’s royal treatment, which includes a complimentary chauffeured Lexus (15 Beacon St., 877-XV-BEACON, www.xvbeacon.com). Surrounded by the charming brownstones of Back Bay and a block from the ballpark, Kenmore Square, home to Hotel Commonwealth, is almost always buzzing with local students and Sox fans. Escape the hubbub inside a lush suite where you’ll sleep soundly on imported Italian linens and enjoy views of historic “Comm Ave.” (500 Commonwealth Ave., 866-784-4000, www.hotelcommonwealth.com).
Where to Eat:
For fish with a twist, head to Great Bay in the base of Hotel Commonwealth. You’ll still see New England’s famous clam chowder on the menu, but alongside more imaginative specials like panko-crusted Chatham Cod (500 Commonwealth Ave., 617-532-5300, www.greatbayrestaurant.com). Sonsie offers international fare in a see-and-be-seen setting. Nestled between trendy shops and eateries on bustling Newbury Street, this popular bistro transforms from a romantic date destination in the evenings to a breezy brunch spot on warm summer days with folding French doors that turn the front dining area into a people-watching patio (327 Newbury St., 617-351-2500, www.sonsieboston.com). You won’t find a bad meal at any of the Italian restaurants that crowd the North End, but stop into Dolce Vita Ristorante and owner Franco Graceffa will serenade you while you dine (221 Hanover St., 617-720-0422, www.dolcevitaristorante.com). Afterwards, skip dessert and walk to Mike’s Pastry, the local legend that’s been a favorite of sweet teeth since 1943. Scarf down a cannoli, éclair, or just about any other sugary specialty you could possibly crave (300 Hanover St., 617-742-3050, www.mikespastry.com).
What to Do:
There’s nothing like spending nine innings at Fenway Park, the oldest baseball stadium in the U.S. But before you see Boston’s beloved Red Sox in action, learn the park’s history with daily guided tours. See Pesky’s Pole, the manual scoreboards in the Green Monster, and the lone red seat where Ted Williams’ 502-foot record-breaking homer landed in 1946. Come 7:05 p.m., enjoy a beer, a Fenway Frank, and a little Neil Diamond—“Sweet Caroline” plays every seventh inning stretch—as the Sox make a playoff push and you learn the true meaning of diehard (4 Yawkey Way, www.redsox.com. For tickets: 617-482-4SOX; For tours: 617-266-6666). Afterwards, follow the sign over the left field wall to Cask ’n Flagon, a sports bar as synonymous with baseball as it is with brew (62 Brookline Ave., 617-536-4840, www.casknflagon.com). If you’d rather have your beer dark and your bars Celtic, you’re in luck. In a city full of genuine Irish pubs, one of the best is Hennessy’s, a cozy spot where Guinness and rare Irish whiskeys are served day or night (25 Union St., 617-742-2121, www.somerspubs.com). If all that drinking leaves you thirsty for a little culture, visit the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, where the intimate venue is as gorgeous as the art. Set within the confines of a Venetian Renaissance-inspired mansion—all three floors of which open into a flower-filled courtyard—the late Gardner’s collection of more than 2,500 pieces is exactly as she left it when she died in 1924 (280 The Fenway, 617-566-1401, www.gardnermuseum.com).
Convention Center:
Boston Convention & Exhibition Center
415 Summer St.
OR
John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center
900 Boylston St.
617-954-2000
www.mccahome.com
