I am back in Boston (!) and enjoying every minute of it. I’ve been really making a point to leave the computer off and get out in town to read, explore, and hang out. Here are some travel recommendations and third spaces that I enjoy in Boston. A “third space” is a place where people hang out that’s not their workplace or home. They add balance to life, social opportunities when desired, relaxation, and people-watching opportunities.
My brother recently visited Boston, and I figured I’d write all my recommendations about Boston that come to mind, as it may be useful for others to know. Below I talk about many options for exploring around, with a strong emphasis on places to sit/chat/read, buy/browse books, eat cheap lunches, and view (or find, spontaneously!) a small exhibit/artwork/live music. This is not really an itinerary below, there’s way too much to do, but more of an ideas-generator for a trip.
To start, take the green line T to Hynes Convention Center, exit to Newbury St., and eat breakfast at Trident Booksellers & Cafe. This is a bookshop and a cafe with two floors where you can sit, eat, read, and relax. If it’s not busy, you can sit upstairs without ordering and read. From there, walk down Newbury St. and explore the shops if desired. Find your way over to the massive Boston Public Library and go inside. There’s a wide range of paintings, architecture, and books (!) in there to see. The courtyard is an excellent place to read and hang out. There are small exhibits in glass cases, sculptures, and a whole miniature museum next to the courtyard to check in and see what they’re exhibiting currently.
From BPL, you can continue further into downtown to the Duck Pond (Public Garden). Picnics, live music, and swan boats make this a calm and magical place. Check if there is any live music happening that you could catch later that day at the Hatch Memorial Shell on the riverfront. Towards the opposite direction, Brattle Book Shop is a great used bookstore with three floors including an antiquarian floor, but make sure to check their hours because they close at odd times. If you find yourself down here and need a cheap lunch, go to Roche Bros, they have a hot bar and a large selection of basic lunch options. Warning: Downtown Crossing can be sketchy. The Boston Common features a number of events in the summer, and is a great place to people-watch and see what’s happening. Generally, I find out that there is an event there (like a cultural fair or other event with tents set up) after I show up, so don’t feel bad about not knowing what’s happening before arriving.
The Boston Public Library Courtyard has a fountain and a lot of space to relax.
You may also be interested in an event at Hynes Convention Center itself, or exploring the Prudential Center, which is a shopping mall, but also has a green space in the center where you can relax and eat. “The Pru”, as it’s called, has various expensive shops as well as food, and an overpriced top floor that you can pay to go up to see the view from. (But, if you want the view from the first pic for free, go down to the new BU CDS Building while it’s still open to the public.) There is a new Dicks Sporting Goods that connects to the Pru, which has a climbing wall, golfing and batting cages and may be of interest. Exiting the Pru at Cheesecake Factory, the Reflecting Pool is a wide open area with some green space nearby and chairs/tables.
If you’ve bought some new books and want to sit down somewhere to read them, The Esplanade is a great place to hang out. Viewing the sunset from the dock there – and the sailboats – is a great time too. The BU Beach has lounge-style chairs which are relaxing (Magazine Beach across the river has these too), and you can sit on campus even if you are not a student since their pedestrian bridge connects directly to the Esplanade, and legions of people walk through the campus to get back to the main road.
Ben and I really enjoy Banga Korean Cuisine. This is right near the Kenmore T stop. Landwer Cafe is amazing (but can be pricey). Wen’s Noodle and Ramen is on Newbury St., and it’s really good (if you want a bite, Levain Bakery is on Newbury too). If you’re in a group of people who all want to eat something different, Time Out Market and Faneuil Hall are have a variety of food styles in the same building/hall.
Towards the end of the day on a warm summer night, Coolidge Corner is a magical place (after the Esplanade). Across from the theater (roughly), sits Brookline Booksmith, a city favorite which has a whole basement floor of used books to browse through alongside the fully priced new ones on top, and a gift shop! If you’re hungry for fast food, hop across the road to Lee’s Burgers, one of my favorites.
Notes and Tips
- Buy a day pass for the T if you’ll be really exploring around. That way you can use the T or bus as many times as you need without paying for it separately each time, which will really add up.
- Check the Red Sox / Fenway schedule. If there is an event, avoid the T before and after it, it’ll be wall to wall people in there.
- Trader Joe’s pre-made sandwich wraps are $5, and make an excellent small lunch on the go alongside a banana or something. There are two Trader Joe’s within walking distance from the library.
- Newbury St. is closed to cars most Sundays of the summer. There is also frequently live music here in the evenings along the storefronts.
- BPL has a “Concerts in the Courtyard” program (hosted by Berkeley’s “Summer in the City”) which features free live music in the courtyard during the summer. BPL has bathrooms and water bottle filling stations!
- Time Out Market is right next to REI, which is a fun destination to shop around for a minute.
- The Newbury St. T stop is an easy connectin to Bus 1, which can take you across the river to MIT and Harvard, if you want to do that. Otherwise, hop on the Red Line T at Downtown Crossing to go into Cambridge.
- Tatte Bakery / Cafe has great (but pricey) food, and normally has public-use bathrooms.
- Any guide to Boston’s cool spots would be incomplete without mentioning the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA).
- If you are a tech nerd, Micro Center is the place to browse.
- For nightlife, Fenway is the place to be, whether or not there is a Sox game going on, the bars are generally full there and the place is lively up past midnight. Be warned, the last train on the green line runs at 12:30am. You will have to Uber if you are out later than that.
There is so much in Boston to explore! Get out there!
Daniel