I decided to take a solo trip up to Boston as I had never been before and have been wanting to see it for a long time. I only spent a couple days there so I definitely want to go back and see more. First, I want to go over the pros of my trip and then I'll mention the cons.
The Pros
- Staying at a hotel attached to the airport. You can't get any easier than this if this is your first time exploring a city. I kept things easy by booking a room at the Hilton Boston Logan Airport Hotel. It was over $200 and since it's a business hotel, if you book it last minute (like I did), you just might save a little if there are vacancies. Now, I thought this hotel was attached to the airport because that's what I kept seeing online. When I asked an airport worker, the guy glanced at his coworker and gave me a funny look. He laughed and said, "We're not that boujee." I am going to review the hotel in a separate post but I was able to get directions on how to get there, which mostly involved walking in the airport on some ramps. Very convenient and was a good pick.
- Metro is easy! If you can do the DC metro, you will be fine on the Boston one. It is clean, safe, and easy. Plus, there is a worker stationed by the payment machines to answer any questions you have. It leads to so many attractions and places you'll want to see. And it was easy to get to from the hotel. No need for a car when visiting this city. Pleasant surprise!
- Old Town Trolley Tours - This was recommended to me by a concierge at the hotel. The weather was perfect for open windows. I couldn't really hear the guide even though bus was quiet and I sat up front but I didn't care. It's all about the views and the stops! I'll review this more in a separate post but it's definitely something I'd like to do again.
- I felt safe everywhere I went. This is huge for a solo female travel. The metro, the hotel, the places I went in the city, I felt comfortable walking and being around others.
- Tie in to number 4, but this seems to be a city with single, professionals. I went during the week and was out primarily during the day but I did see some, would like to visit the city again maybe on a Friday or Saturday another time.
- There are some cool attractions. One is the Boston Tea Party Ship (which I did and will review in another post). Another is the Cheers Bar. There's also the Boston Public Library, Harvard, and a beach.
The Cons
- This wasn't a foodie city for me, and I'm a foodie. The hotel didn't include a free breakfast. They did have a restaurant where I had a yogurt dish and a coffee for breakfast. It was solid but typically on trips, I go for an included breakfast buffet at the hotel and am always finding yummy places throughout my stay and that didn't happen on this trip. I stopped in a market and got a noodle dish that I dumped after a few bites and chocolate that was good but not memorable.
- It's not cheap. The plane ride, hotel, food, and excursions were not cheap. I did the trip on less than $1,000 but I was not there long.
- It might be lacking a little bit of excitement and fun. I'm a big water person and a big adventure activity person. There's a big market with food stands (a lot don't have great reviews). There is also a big park with benches to sit on. Stuff to see is spread out. I only had time for a couple stops on the trolley tour. There's not music on the streets or anything. Just people getting where they need to go.
- I went on the Boston Tea Party ship which was not a bad experience by any means. However, I was under the impression it was going to move and it was a docked historical ship. I'm going to review the pros in another post but I thought I was going on a boat ride.
What do you think of my pros and cons for my first solo trip to Boston? I definitely want to go back and if you have any food recommendations, please share them!