Best Guide for Planning a Trip to Boston

Hotel: Boston, Massachusetts, USA | Kimpton Nine Zero Hotel

This is the best guide for you when you are planning your trip to Boston, Massachusetts. When picking the next place for us to visit, the first thing that comes to mind is, “how will we get there?”

Arrival: Road tripping has become a thing we will now just decide to do the weekend or two before we go somewhere. Driving to a new city is an easy thing for us to just do! We started out by driving up I-95 and arrived in Boston with its twisty turny streets and Gabe reading the map saying to “turn left” when we had already passed it. *insert face palm emoji*

Experience: Honestly the streets of Boston became the comical joke for the weekend. Neither of us were able to navigate our way through the historic city. Thank goodness when we arrived at Nine Zero Hotel, the valet was waiting outside (so we could stop driving down the wrong streets) AND the concierge behind the front desk was kind enough to draw out directions on a map for us to every place she recommended we go!

Not only was our concierge so kind as to give us directions all through the entirely walk-able city, she also made sure Kota felt right at home! She offered bowls, a dog bed, and even a dog leash. I think sometimes Kota is treated better than us when we get places but we’re not complaining there! (Except for maybe the time she was delivered a cooked chicken breast and Avian water at Hotel Del Coronado for “Yappy Hour” because she’s a queen…) Obviously we packed all these items but, it’s nice to know that a hotel has taken the time to not only be pet friendly BUT to also provide these items I’m sure we will forget one day on our adventures!

The Room: Not only was the valet and concierge amazing, but Kimpton Nine Zero Hotel went above and beyond by having our bags delivered to our room while we enjoyed the Happy Hour in the lobby. Happy Hour was an amazing opportunity to meet others who were staying at the hotel but also a chance for us to get to know the bartender who made sure we got a heavy pour of red wine! We chatted for a bit and then decided to head up to our room where we turned our glass of red wine into a “to-go” glass!

I cannot even begin to explain how nice it was to arrive to our room with our bags already there while we enjoyed our “to-go” glasses of wine in our new home for the weekend. Yes, home… This hotel room did not feel like a hotel room. This hotel room had little details to make you feel as if you were staying in a newly furnished home. From the books on the shelf to the figurines on the desk, this hotel did not lack in detail. We took a few minutes to walk around and look at the details while Kota found her spot right onto the bed!

The Cuisine: Breakfast came included and after the night out in Boston that we had, this was much needed. There was coffee, different types of juices, cereal, meats and cheeses, fruit and much much more set up in this “European Style Buffet”. If that wasn’t enough, you could order anything off the menu for an additional cost.

Activities: We started our evening walking downtown following along with the map that was provided (we only got lost once or twice)…

Dinner was at America’s Oldest Restaurant, “Union Oyster House”. Not only did we get an order of ½ a dozen oysters, we also got two entrees with all the seafood you could imagine!

From there we walked around and popped in a few bars to see the nightlife that we heard so many good things about! We watched the Celtics vs Sixers at a sports bar around the corner which was pretty fun since we lived in the Philly area at the time. You know I love a good chance to “loudly discuss” sports teams. 🙂

Following the game, we went to a tavern called The Bell in Hand which was our favorite bar that we stopped in. It actually has a pretty cool story with lots of history!

The Bell in Hand has been around since 1795. Told you there was a lot of history! This tavern was a gathering place for printers and politicians, sailors and students, it quickly became the most famous alehouse in Boston. The first owner’s name was Jimmy and he was the town crier for 50 years! He actually reported on The Boston Tea Party and when he decided to open a bar, he named it The Bell in Hand because of his former profession! Another unique thing about The Bell in Hand is that originally they only sold ale! Jimmy wanted his place to stand out among all the other bars in the area so when folks wanted a crisp cold one with some nice foam on top, they would go to The Bell in Hand!

The next day we took on the city and completed our walking tour, The Freedom Trail! From starting steps outside our hotel, to ending up on the other side of town – we saw it all! We saw the site of the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the USS Constitution, and so much more. You can really create your own path when following the trail.

To end our long weekend in Boston, you know what we had to do! We had to visit Fenway Park. While the stadium was closed when we were there and we couldn’t secure a tour spot, we still made the best of it and walked along the outside gazing at the statues and banners. It really was a sight to see!

The stadium is really tucked away in the middle of a neighborhood. It reminded us of the Soccer Stadiums in England! While we walked along the outside, we noticed a tiny little dinner to grab some hot dogs to go! It really was the best way to end a day visiting Boston, especially Fenway Park!

If you’re looking for some rich history and a city that will captivate you on every corner – look no further! Boston is definitely calling you home! 🙂

(This blog post was written pre-covid)

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