Boston on your own

[antmaril]

We found out today that Carnival has revised the itinerary for our cruise in September.  We were originally docking in Boston at 3:00 p.m.  The new itinerary has us docking in Boston at 8:00 a.m. (departing at 4:00 p.m.).   I am very happy with the change.  

[138east]

4 hours ago, antmaril said:

We found out today that Carnival has revised the itinerary for our cruise in September.  We were originally docking in Boston at 3:00 p.m.  The new itinerary has us docking in Boston at 8:00 a.m. (departing at 4:00 p.m.).   I am very happy with the change.  

That’s great!  Now you can plan based on all the info in this thread.  Post back if you have questions.

[GMRPHRN]

Thanks for all the useful information on this board. I will be in Boston with Carnival on Sept 27 from 8am til 4pm. I would like options to explore on my own as I am traveling solo. Would like to walk/see the Freedom Trail. I am also interested in seeing Harvard or at least a gift shop selling their apparel. Would like to know how easy and inexpensive it might be to find transportation to get to Harvard for only 1 person (Is it worth my while). Or are there gift shops in the tourist areas around the Freedom trail selling Harvard apparel? I also enjoy historic (old) cemeteries and would like to know if there are any in the area worth visiting.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice or help.

[138east]

5 hours ago, GMRPHRN said:

Thanks for all the useful information on this board. I will be in Boston with Carnival on Sept 27 from 8am til 4pm. I would like options to explore on my own as I am traveling solo. Would like to walk/see the Freedom Trail. I am also interested in seeing Harvard or at least a gift shop selling their apparel. Would like to know how easy and inexpensive it might be to find transportation to get to Harvard for only 1 person (Is it worth my while). Or are there gift shops in the tourist areas around the Freedom trail selling Harvard apparel? I also enjoy historic (old) cemeteries and would like to know if there are any in the area worth visiting.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice or help.

My suggestion would be to take the Silver Line bus from the pier (Design Center) to South Station where you can free transfer to the Red Line direction Alewife to Harvard.  https://cdn.mbta.com/sites/default/files/maps/2019-02-rapid-transit-key-bus-routes-map-v33.pdf  Return on the Red Line (any train) to Park St and walk the Freedom Trail - http://www.boston.com/images/FreedomTrail/FreedomTrail.pdf. The Old Granary Burial ground is very close to Park St and I would head there directly from the Park St Station (don’t walk the Boston Common).  You should be able to get at least as far as Faneuil Hall on the Trail if not as far as the Copps Hill Burying Ground in the North End.  I would plan to get back to Atlantic Ave southbound to get an Uber back to the port for $10-15.  I would not walk out to the Constitution in Charlestown - you don’t want to run out of time and find yourself so far from the port on a Friday afternoon.  If seeing the Constitution is a priority, then post back with your must sees.

[Jiffymom]

I suggest the hop on and off bus.  

We found it easy to get to HARVARD and we stopped for a mandatory beer and shopping at Cheers on our way back.  

[Nitemare]

Faneuil Hall shops (on the Freedom Trail) will be selling every kind of Harvard gear you can imagine.

[138east]

GMRPHRN -I’m oblivious to Harvard gear and didn’t want to assume you could buy it everywhere, but it seems you can.  If actually going out to Harvard in Cambridge is not required, post back with your “must sees” and we can give your further suggestions.

[WatchHill]

Go online and order any Harvard item through the Coop.  At least it will be a real Harvard item, not a copy from a tourist shop.

 

Darcy

[samandpam]

All of this info is helpful.  But we will be docked in Boston  in Oct 2019.  We would like to travel to Salem.  Any helpful  hints on how to get there?  The RCCL excursion looks kinda cheesy..(pls tell me if it isn't).  There is so much to see and it only goes to 2 places.  

[WatchHill]

7 hours ago, samandpam said:

All of this info is helpful.  But we will be docked in Boston  in Oct 2019.  We would like to travel to Salem.  Any helpful  hints on how to get there?  The RCCL excursion looks kinda cheesy..(pls tell me if it isn't).  There is so much to see and it only goes to 2 places.  

https://www.bostonharborcruises.com/salem-ferry/salem-ferry/

 

Darcy

[Nitemare]

The Salem ferry is not year-round.  There is a commuter rail option from Boston's North Station, which is a few miles from the pier.  You can get schedules at www.mbta.com