Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Just booked a trip to Boston in September  : ok:

Never been to the US before, infact never been that far away from the UK before.

Only there for a week and looking to do the usual touristy things plus catch some Baseball action, and hopefully some Basketball too (purely for the Celtics Dancers!  :love:)


Got a bit of a budget and I'm going with my buddy from work. We're staying in the Back Bay Area.

Want to get some shopping in, but have a feeling this will be more of a sports & drinking holiday!

Any of you fellow gunners reccomend some tips for stuff to do, places to go, and bars/live music/nightlife?

You should purchase tickets now, or very soon if they are not available. The Red Sox games are usually sell-outs from what I've heard...I'm a Yankee fan so I would say come to NY but you already booked it.

Boston is awesome.

Check out The Middle East and TT The Bear's in Cambridge for some good shows.

Take a day or two out to walk the Freedom Trail.

Visit Chinatown, but do it in the daytime.  If you like Asian food, there are tons of good places there.  I lived right around the corner from it while in college.

Also get up to the North End.  I lived there for a summer and it was awesome.  Great bakeries, amazingly good Italian food.

thanks guys  : ok:

get paid in a week so hopefully booking Sox tickets then.

Any idea which part of the stadium would be best?

Just make sure you don't get "obstructed view" seats.  They may be available, but you can't see much from them.  If you get seats in the right field bleachers too, you actually face center field instead of home plate which has always puzzled me.  But you can turn your body.  Bleachers are alright, even though you're far away.  If you can get in the ballpark I'd take what you can get.  It's a great experience.  Plus there are loads of bars around Fenway for pre and post game festivities.  Try "Game On" or "Jillian's", or any of the others.  Places will be packed on game days. 

"The Greatest American Sports Bar" (I think that's the name) is good for Celtics games. 

Also, Fanueil Hall is a place to check out.  It's historic and they've got some pretty good food there.

The Celtics won't be playing in September. Pre-Season doesn't start until the first week in October.

What everyone has said about Fenway is correct. If you can avoid obstructed view try to, but at the same time, don't miss an opportunity to catch a game there. The bars in that area are great, and if you are interested in getting a great cocktail try Eastern Standard... they mix some amazing old school pre-prohibition drinks (I recommend the 'Dartmouth'). If it's beer your into, just close you eyes and spin in a circle walk into where you are pointing and Im sure you'll be happy. Back to the Sox for a second... the one issue you could run into is your timing. September is the last month of the regular season so depending on standings and schedule those games could be harder than normal to get into BUT if and when you do the atmosphere there should be amazing.

As far as shopping, staying in the Back Bay is the place to do it. Between the Copley and Prudential Malls plus Newbury street you should find anything you want.

For some joint US/UK history you have to do the Freedom Trail, which will bring you through several different neighborhoods (North End, Fanueil Hall, Tremont Street/Common).

Have fun, and if you have any specific questions just PM me.

Go to uBurger on Commonwealth! Best burger I've had in awhile the other day from there.

Don't let this happen to you.

(http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2005/06/17/1119017844_3356.jpg)

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2365/1849751047_5eaa161e52.jpg?v=1194151797)

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4238360193_bf093b1855.jpg)

(http://media.photobucket.com/image/fenway%20park%20obstructed%20view%20seats/eric93757/pole_feature.jpg)

hahaha that place is a fucking dump... tear it down already

That's sacrilege.

The owners are doing everything within their power to keep the park afloat and on the cutting edge.  They're doing a great job and have added seats all over the place.  It's a historic park for sure and while a new state of the art stadium would be quite appetizing, and a heck of a lot more profitable in the long run if they could increase capacity from 36K.  They could easily sell out 40K+ on a nightly basis.  But I can understand not wanting to be THE owners who tore Fenway down.  And my biggest complaint is the seats in the park (aside from the obstructed view seats as pictured above).  Like I said before, the seats in the right field bleachers face center field so you have to turn you whole body to see the action, unless you really want to watch the CF's every move.  That makes no sense.  Tear those seats up and re-position them.  And upgrade them while you're at it.  The seats are not very roomy for this day and age.

They can eliminate the posts EASILY.

They eliminated the posts in the real Yankee Stadium during the renovation, I'm sure they could cantilever the tiny Fenway upper deck.

And it's not like Fenway has been the same since 1912.  So another full scale renovation wouldn't make it lose its landmark status.

They are doing the right thing by keeping Fenway up, just like Wrigley.  Once the shiny place in da Bronx loses its luster and the team isn't as successful (it's bound to happen one day), the Steinbrenner's will forever be hated for tearing down Baseball's Cathedral.

thanks for the replies folks, especially the tips about Sox tickets  : ok:

Can you give me any info about Boston nightlife? pubs/clubs/bars/live music?
I'll listen to most things from Jazz, Blues throught to metal, even an acoustic night would be appealing

Visit every dark alley.

yep thats good advise right there  : ok:

Been trying to get tickets for the Sox in September but no luck yet.

Do they release them in batches? as I've tried every date we're in the city only to be offered the "restricted view" seats or ones at $90 each.  ???

Is the official site the only place to buy tickets?

Find it a bit strange that all the seats are booked already for a September game.  :rofl:

any help appriciated

I'm telling you man, getting Sox tickets is like getting the golden ticket from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  It's damn near impossible.  The only time I ever get tickets is if I know someone who has season tickets or if I WIN the OPPORTUNITY to purchase tickets.  You're best bet would be to go down to the park and get tickets from a scalper because there are plenty of them.  You might have to pay a pretty penny, but it's all about supply and demand.  They've sold out every game for like the last 8 years.

www.stubhub.com

Thanks guys, I've just went and purchased 2 of the "restricted view" seats @ $30 each, basically because there was nothing else  apart from $95 seats.

Even if it is behind a post, sure I'll enjoy the atmosphere, no doube will have had a few beers anyhow

 :beer: