guide to boston

BOSTON. what a city it is!

i've loved visiting a few different times,

and especially most recently with chase --

for his first time! it is filled with so much

history and charm while also having the

perks of a big city. it is a great east coast

city and here are some of my favorites!

{eats}

faneuil hall & quincy market
does this one need an explanation? this is the food mecca, with lots of restaurants and stands. from bagelville to durgin park, you can find some of the best and most beloved boston eats here. make sure to take a stroll around and sample everything!

regina pizzeria
the well-known favorite pizza joint in the north end-- boston's little italy. you have to at least come here once! voted #1 pizza in boston so don't just take my word for it!

stephanie's on newbury
THE place for brunch on the cutest street possible. local and darling and delicious! paramount is another good option if the line here is long :) ...or 75 chesnut if you'reon beacon hill!

bostonia public house
this is a newer restaurant on the scene and it's a must in boston. it is so well-designed and the food is classic new england with a modern touch. their lobster roll was my favorite, along with the sweet potato doughnuts at the end. the live music, the atmosphere, the location, it's top notch!

giacomo's
our friends recommended this joint in little italy as very local and authentic. warnings: cash only, and be prepared for a line!

legal seafoods
i won't say this is top of the line fine dining, but it's a new england establishment in my mind. classic and well-known for a great seafood meal in boston, you can find this chain in a few different places. i always have to make a stop.

figs
more contemporary pizza, get the bianco or the fig/prosciutto (thanks katy!)

cocobeet
boston's stop for pressed juice. the ingredients here are top notch, and i love all the flavors. they have lots of snacks/healthy treats/nut milks to go along with the juices, so you can find anything to satisfy your craving!

seasons52 
at this restaurant everything is seasonal, and all items on the menu are 475 calories or less. perfect for a healthy, delish meal!

pasta beach
i was recommended this restaurant on boston's waterfront, and it didn't disappoint! it's a hidden gem with great authentic italian {they rotate chefs in from italy} in a different setting in the city.

union oyster house
this is the oldest restaurant in the US, so it's worth going for the history!

**and a few east coast favorites that happen to be in boston:

sweetgreen, shake shack, wagamama, potbelly, frozenyo

^^^^^ these are all favorites from new york/DC/london that are also in boston!

{treats}

flour
the best contemporary bakery that is right up my alley. great for a treat stop, and they have yummy lunch items too! love the name :)
j.p. lick's ice cream
every city has the "best ice cream" spot, and this is it! you can find shops all over the city, and it's truly divine. {we've heard kimball farms, outside the city, is a close second!}

finale desserterie
this restaurant in cambridge focuses on desserts (my kind of place) but also has delicious food. get the white pizza and molten chocolate cake, of course!

L.A. burdick chocolate
best hot chocolate i have had in the USA. get the dark hot chocolate if you can handle it! it's true DARK chocolate, and so thick it's like drinking a candy bar.

saus waffles
authentic belgian waffles {our favorite} can be found here with so many yummy different sauces to go with!

dunkin' donuts
i know it's a huge chain, but locals LOVE it and you have to get one while in boston! :)

mike's pastry
the very famous pastry shop in the north end {little italy}. if you like cannoli, this is your place!

{attractions}

freedom trail
one of the most unique and interesting things you can do in any city. boston shows off the history and importance of its past in this fun walking tour that you follow through the city. you can download the iPhone app and do it yourself, or sign up for a tour but either way you will love it if you like history at all! we especially love: the USS constitution, paul revere house, old north church, boston common,  and paul revere statue among all of them! see our freedom trail post here!

back bay
i always imagine that this is where i'd live if i moved to boston. my mom and i stayed in this neighborhood when she brought me in high school for the first time, and i fell in love with the brownstones + trees + atmosphere. it's local and charming and new england.

public garden
this might be my favorite spot in the whole city. it's BEAUTIFUL and i could stroll around it for hours! do the swan boats and find the duckling statues of course!!

"make way for ducklings" statues
if you grew up on the classic book "make way for ducklings," you'll want to see the darling duckling statues in the public garden depicting the little mallard family.

newbury street
going along with the back bay above, ^^ this street is not to be missed. it's the shopping/ boutique/ local street that you want to wander down for hours..and stop at stephanie's for brunch! :)

boylston street
this is a main downtown street with shopping and restaurants, and notably it's where the famous boston marathon finishes which is amazing to see! {it's also where the boston bombing happened :( 

fenway park
whether you're a redsox fan or not, fenway is a classic ballpark. there's something special about it, and do anything you can to go to a game -- the atmosphere is out of this world!

massachusetts state house
although this is part of the freedom trail, it deserves it's own spot because it is so gorgeous. go at sunset when the sun is reflecting off the gold dome and all is right in the world.

harvard university
it really is so inspiring to set foot on one of the world's most prestigious campuses. i love going into the harvard coop bookstore, walking around campus, and stopping for an ice cream at j.p. lick's in cambridge!

charles river
it's worth taking a boat ride along the charles river. it's absolutely gorgeous and you get to see views of both boston and cambridge!

boston pops
the famous boston symphony orchestra is worth seeing, and they have free summer concerts at the hatch shell if you're lucky enough to be there at the right time!

institute of contemporary art
one of the best museums in the city, and has an amazing view of boston & the water.

top of the hub
you can visit the top of the prudential center for amazing views {always love those} and a fun restaurant if you're feeling fancy! i remember it gave me a sense of how boston was laid out, and i loved seeing the "emerald necklace" from up there -- connecting boston's amazing parks!

{hotels}

copley square hotel
we've had our best experience staying at the copley square hotel. it provides you with a downtown city experience while being really close to the back bay and anything else you want to get to easily. it's very central and very nice, with a feel of tradition meets modern.

airBNB
we also have had a good experience staying in a darling apartment in the back bay and feeling like locals! try for cambridge or the back bay if you opt for this.

{transportation}

back bay bicycles
we rented from here and had the greatest time biking around boston. there are lots of bike lanes and paths, and it is a very bike-able city. it especially feels good on a hot muggy day to bike around with a breeze on you! we loved biking the boston common, public garden, freedom trail, and waterfront! you could easily bike over to cambridge as well, making these a great option. this shop is located in my favorite neighborhood!

boston supertours
we decided to do the upper deck trolley tour with supertours our first day in boston because we had just taken the red eye flight in and knew we would be tired. we didn't want to be figuring out the T or worrying about bikes/ cabs/ cars this day, so we just hopped on and off these buses all throughout the city which was so easy. it included the cambridge loop + harbor splash duck tour (!!!) so that made it worth it. it also got us into a few freedom trail sites which was nice! we also loved that it included the charles riverboat company!

the T
we used the "T" (boston's subway line) to and  from the airport. it's another great and inexpensive option for transportation around the city. it's simple to figure out too!

hy-line ferries
for any side trips from boston -- like nantucket or martha's vineyard -- we loved taking hy-line ferries. they have great schedule options, they were on time, so nice, and the ride was beautiful. we highly recommend them!

there are many more amazing parts of boston,

but those are our favorites! mention any more

in the comments if you have them!

xo