Boston or New York City?

January 12, 2015 5:59 PM

Working in Hartford, CT this week. Staying the weekend but im thinking of going to either Boston or NYC for the weekend. Which will I have the best time spending the least amount of $? Tips what to do it what city you think i should go. Thanks in advance.
posted by flipmiester99 to Travel & Transportation (15 answers total)

NYC! See plays!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:00 PM on January 12, 2015

Response by poster: FYI...Been to NYC before but didnt do much. Never been to Boston.
posted by flipmiester99 at 6:00 PM on January 12, 2015

Boston will be 5-10 degrees colder this weekend. Come to New York and go to a comedy club.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:09 PM on January 12, 2015 [1 favorite]

It super depends on what you like to do.

Boston:
Much smaller
Downtown is highly walkable and everything's really close together -- you could walk across the entire core of the city in an afternoon
Great museums, but most aren't particularly close to each other
Probably really cold
Bar scene more centered on beer
Really nice train station to arrive in and depart from

New York:
Huge!
Easy to get same-day theater tickets, particularly if you aren't fussed about what show and are happy to just get whatever from the TKTS booth
Tons of amazing food
Beer OR cocktail bars, depending on your taste
Museums are closer together so you can hit several in an afternoon if you're feeling ambitious
Slightly less cold
Pubtrans will get you more places
Penn Station is a hellhole and the worst

I dunno, I feel like Boston is pretty underrated but it's not for everyone! Especially if "Frigid walk along the Freedom Trail" isn't your idea of a good time.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 6:12 PM on January 12, 2015 [4 favorites]

Head to Boston. I just spent the weekend there and spent very little money. It's easy to get around, has a great local vibe, and there are a lot of great hotel deals happening now, especially because the college kids are not quite back yet. I booked at a boutique hotel just steps from Fanueil Hall for $100/night (valet parking added a fair bit, maybe you could find a better deal than $40/night). Brainy, mellow time. Lots to do. Wicked cold though, but the cabs are out and the T is easy to navigate and cheap.
posted by lakersfan1222 at 6:12 PM on January 12, 2015 [2 favorites]

If you like libraries, the Boston Public Library is one of my favorite places in the world.
posted by you're a kitty! at 6:43 PM on January 12, 2015 [2 favorites]

I really want to see the Tenement Museum, so I'd pick NYC, but I also haven't been to NYC in ... 13 years, whereas I've been to Boston in the past 5.
If you pick Boston, OMG biscotti and cannoli.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 6:54 PM on January 12, 2015 [1 favorite]

You can stay in the NY Loft Hostel in Brooklyn, or if you want a real hotel, the Aloft in Harlem should be a great time!

On Friday enjoy free entry to MOMA.

Go to TKTS in Times Square for half price tickets on shows. If you've never seen Avenue Q, it's always there and it's pretty great. I'd also do Sleep No More.

Eat dirty water hot dogs. Go to Big Wong for soup dumplings. (There are better places, but it's easy to get there.) Grab a slice somewhere. Have a cone at Big Gay Ice Cream. Bagels. I went into a bakery at about 5 to get croissants for breakfast the following morning and they loaded up my bag since they were about to close. There are bargains.

I am sure Boston is awesome, but...New York!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 7:02 PM on January 12, 2015 [2 favorites]

New York. Boston honestly doesn't have near as much to offer. People get there often with conferences and layovers, you'll have another chance, and you can do everything worthwhile there in a day or so. Go to NYC.
posted by Miko at 9:10 PM on January 12, 2015

Here's the thing: you can see a lot of Boston in a weekend. You'd just be scratching the surface in NYC.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 1:47 AM on January 13, 2015 [1 favorite]

It's not going to be super cold in Boston this weekend and if you can get to a bar and watch the Pats vs Colts Sunday, you can learn first hand all about crazy Boston pride. Can't get THAT in NYC this weekend.

And the MFA is free on MLK Day, Monday.
posted by kinetic at 3:45 AM on January 13, 2015

There are a lot of excellent restaurants in Boston, and I'd be happy to make recommendations depending on your taste & budget. We also have music & theater here, you know. ;)

I do have to say, if your intent is to leave at the end of the weekend feeling as if you have a sense of a city, its people, its history, I'd recommend Boston. If you want to leave at the end of the weekend with a long list (and photos) of impressive things you've seen, NYC might be a better bet.
posted by pammeke at 4:45 AM on January 13, 2015

Boston is a large college town and New York is one of the great world cities. I don't say that as any sort of criticism, just as a neutral way to think about each place. Like other people have said, it really depends on what you want to do. Interested in history? Boston. Interested in comedy, theater, sightseeing? New York.
posted by Automocar at 6:29 AM on January 13, 2015

As someone who has lived and grown up in both places and currently divides his time between the two cities a lot, I say you should stay in Hartford and learn about the history of the insurance industry.

Just kidding, another context-free vote for NYC! Boston will only break your heart. Plus, NYC!
posted by spitbull at 7:35 AM on January 13, 2015 [2 favorites]

I'm a big fan of new experiences so I'd go where I haven't been before. I'm also a huge history fan, so Boston is very high on my bucket list. This internet stranger votes for Boston.
posted by TooFewShoes at 3:59 PM on January 13, 2015