Boston Port of Call

[riodeeg]

My wife and I are cruising to Boston on Princess. I wanted to ask a few questions:

- Where does the boat dock in Boston?

- Is it far from the Freedom Trail? Can we walk there or should I take a cab?

[138east]

The boat docks at Black Falcon Pier in South Boston. You can take a cab to the Freedom Trail or the Silver Line and Red Line for $2/pp. Please post back if you are interested in the public transportation option.

[doglover3]

138east,

 

You have been such a help on various threads about Boston. Do you (or anyone else) have an opinion about which sites on the Freedom Trail are worth the time to investigate more in depth? So you don't have to look them up or try to figure out what they are, I've included the sites below. I eliminated a couple at the end, since I don't think we'll get that far. Thanks for your help.

The Boston Common

The State House

Park Street Church

Granary Burying Ground

King’s Chapel and Burying Ground

Benjamin Franklin Statue/Boston Latin School

Old Corner Book Store

Old South Meeting House

Old State House

Site of the Boston Massacre

Faneuil Hall

Paul Revere House

The Old North Church

Copp's Hill Burying Ground

[138east]

doglover3 - this is a tough question. I'm not sure I've been to all of these attractions. The Boston Common has the Swan boats and the "Make Way for Ducklings" bronze statues. It is a pleasant park to wander through. You can see the State House along the edge of the park. The trail will take you by the next set of places - mostly plaques along the way. You read, you look, and you move on. You can stick your nose in the Old Corner Book Store. The Old State House is on a busy corner across from one of the NP headquarters. Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market is a big complex where you can spend a lot of time. I enjoyed seeing Old North Church, but I don't think we went in Paul Revere House. These are in the North End where the Italian restaurants and stores may be equally as interesting. What you have to realize is that the Freedom Trail is intermingled with downtown Boston. As you move along there may be stores or other things that tempt you.

[doglover3]

138east,

 

Thanks once again for your help. We may just have to relax and see what interests us. When it's time to go back to the ship, we'll just have to head back. I would like to make it to the Old North Church, so we might have to get to that end and work back at some point.

 

Are the Make Way for Ducklings statues anywhere near the Visitor's Center? I don't know if we'll take time to stroll through the park, but seeing the statues would be fun since it was a favorite book of mine.

[TheWog]

If you are talking about the visitor's center at the Boston Common, no they are not far. They are across the street in the Public Gardens. The swan boats are there as well and will only take a short amount of time to get to. If you mean a visitor's center over near Fanueil Hall, then yes, they are pretty far away and are approx. a 10-15 minute walk, but could be worth the photo op if you are a fan of the book.

[doglover3]

If you are talking about the visitor's center at the Boston Common, no they are not far. They are across the street in the Public Gardens. The swan boats are there as well and will only take a short amount of time to get to. If you mean a visitor's center over near Fanueil Hall, then yes, they are pretty far away and are approx. a 10-15 minute walk, but could be worth the photo op if you are a fan of the book.

 

Thanks for the info. I did mean the one in the Boston Common. We'll definitely take a look and a few photos. I'm glad 138east pointed that out. We hope to get to Faneuil Hall, but that will be later in the day. I would have been sorry to miss the Duckling statues when we had been so close.

 

Now all we need is good weather. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

[TheWog]

You're welcome. You can see on the picture on this link where you are location and comparison wise. You are not far at all. If you use the satellite image there are markers/tags/labels for where Make Way for Duckling statues are located (you have to zoom in a little bit - it is upper right corner of the Public Gardens corner of Charles and Beacon Streets). You have to cross Charles Street and make your way over. You can also see "above" the PG the Bull and Finch Pub on Beacon Street. That is the inspiration and location for the tv show Cheers (it does not look the same as the tv show set). You can grab a bite in there if you feel up to it or have time. There is a Cheers location at Fanueil Hall, but just isn't the same.

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tab=wl

[TheWog]

138east,

 

Thanks once again for your help. We may just have to relax and see what interests us. When it's time to go back to the ship, we'll just have to head back. I would like to make it to the Old North Church, so we might have to get to that end and work back at some point.

 

Are the Make Way for Ducklings statues anywhere near the Visitor's Center? I don't know if we'll take time to stroll through the park, but seeing the statues would be fun since it was a favorite book of mine.

 

If you make it over to the Old North Church and Paul Revere's house grab a pastry at Mike's on Hanover Street. It is worth the line. You will be surprised how close everything in this area is to each other - meaning the North End to Fanueil Hall, etc.

[doglover3]

If you make it over to the Old North Church and Paul Revere's house grab a pastry at Mike's on Hanover Street. It is worth the line. You will be surprised how close everything in this area is to each other - meaning the North End to Fanueil Hall, etc.

 

Thanks again to TheWog. It took me a little looking, but I found the duckling statues. We will definitely be stopping there. I'm kind of counting on things being fairly close, otherwise we'll have no time for stopping, only walking. Since the entire Freedom Trail is only 2.5 miles and we don't plan on going over the river to the end, I think we'll be able to walk and stop to enjoy a few of the sites more fully.

 

Yes, I'd heard of Mike's and will plan a snack break when we get to that area. I'm taking the address with us.

[TheWog]

Thanks again to TheWog. It took me a little looking, but I found the duckling statues. We will definitely be stopping there. I'm kind of counting on things being fairly close, otherwise we'll have no time for stopping, only walking. Since the entire Freedom Trail is only 2.5 miles and we don't plan on going over the river to the end, I think we'll be able to walk and stop to enjoy a few of the sites more fully.

 

Yes, I'd heard of Mike's and will plan a snack break when we get to that area. I'm taking the address with us.

 

Have a great time. You won't be able to miss Mike's either. Get on Hanover St. and look on the left hand side. Very easy. Have fun!

[Maraprince]

Not wanting to depress anyone...but where is the church located that the funeral mass is being said for Ted Kennedy? Is it in the Italian North End or someplace else? We saw the church where JFK and Jackie were married and it was in the North End.

 

Thanks.

 

MARAPRINCE

[TheWog]

I believe it is in the Mission Hill section of town, which is not the North End. I can try to verify though.

 

Yes, Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help or also known as the Mission Church.

[Opinions]

We saw the church where JFK and Jackie were married and it was in the North End.

 

Thanks.

 

MARAPRINCE

 

JFK and Jackie were married in St. Mary's church in Newport, Rhode Island.

[JPackerFan]

Does anyone know how early I can check in at the port for a 5pm embarkation on the Jewel of the Seas. We fly into Logan at 11am and hope to drop of the luggage at the port so we can grab lunch in the North End and hang out at Quincy Market before the cruise. Our documents tell us to arrive at 2pm, but I know that I've arrived at other ports as early as 12pm for a 5pm sail and have been able to check in.

[RandMcnally]

Not wanting to depress anyone...but where is the church located that the funeral mass is being said for Ted Kennedy? Is it in the Italian North End or someplace else? We saw the church where JFK and Jackie were married and it was in the North End.

 

Thanks.

 

MARAPRINCE

 

Ted Kennedy's funeral was indeed at Mission Church (Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help), which is located in the Mission Hill section of Roxbury (Boston). In my opionion it is the most magnificent church in the entire city of Boston. It's an easy ride on the subway, Green Line E train to Brigham Cirlce and then walk a couple of blocks up Tremont Street. The neighborhood that it's in has always been considered a sort of tough one, but that has definitely changed over the past 20 years. I have been there hundreds of times and have always felt safe. If it is of interest to you then you should go see it.

[Maraprince]

Ted Kennedy's funeral was indeed at Mission Church (Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help), which is located in the Mission Hill section of Roxbury (Boston). In my opionion it is the most magnificent church in the entire city of Boston. It's an easy ride on the subway, Green Line E train to Brigham Cirlce and then walk a couple of blocks up Tremont Street. The neighborhood that it's in has always been considered a sort of tough one, but that has definitely changed over the past 20 years. I have been there hundreds of times and have always felt safe. If it is of interest to you then you should go see it.

 

 

Saw some of the funeral on TV yesterday. The Church looked very large and beautiful and well capable of holding all the attendees.

 

 

MARAPRINCE