Fenway from Seaport with limited mobility tourist
June 6, 2017 8:44 AM
My mom and I are seeing a game at Fenway next Monday, but we're flying in Boston on Friday and seeing the sites. Complication: my mom is in her early 70s and not great at walking long distances.
We're staying at the Aloft Seaport. I'm happy to use Lyft and the T. Do you have advice for getting to Fenway on Monday night?
We're both new to touring Boston, so I'd love recommendations of essentials while we're there as well as restaurant recommendations. We're probably using the Go Boston Card and including a Whale Watch.
We're staying at the Aloft Seaport. I'm happy to use Lyft and the T. Do you have advice for getting to Fenway on Monday night?
We're both new to touring Boston, so I'd love recommendations of essentials while we're there as well as restaurant recommendations. We're probably using the Go Boston Card and including a Whale Watch.
Not great for mobility challenged, but doable and a great collection of stops in a compact area: Hanover Street in the North End, Green Way, Columbus Park, Faneuil Hall. It'll be busy, but it's quintessential and it has some of the best view corridors in the City.
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 9:22 AM on June 6, 2017
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 9:22 AM on June 6, 2017
Agreed, you will want to take a Lyft or cab to Fenway, especially if you're leaving from the Seaport. If you're already out and about it might be fun to take a pedicab from Copley/Prudential area. Leave yourself plenty of time, regardless. The Gardner Museum mentioned above (which is probably my favorite as well) and the MFA are actually pretty close to Fenway Park; if you wanted to go there Monday afternoon, then Lyft over to Fenway and have a Fenway frank or an Italian sausage with peppers and onions for dinner, that would be a pretty great Boston day in my book.
The Boston Public Library has some really gorgeous spaces that not everyone knows about - there's a wonderful magical courtyard, a big old-fashioned reading room, Sargent murals.
Hard to give sightseeing and restaurant recommendations without knowing more about your preferences... the Duck Tours and hop-on/hop-off trolleys are both pretty good if you are avoiding walking. You will probably want to focus on a couple of different neighborhoods.
posted by mskyle at 9:28 AM on June 6, 2017
The Boston Public Library has some really gorgeous spaces that not everyone knows about - there's a wonderful magical courtyard, a big old-fashioned reading room, Sargent murals.
Hard to give sightseeing and restaurant recommendations without knowing more about your preferences... the Duck Tours and hop-on/hop-off trolleys are both pretty good if you are avoiding walking. You will probably want to focus on a couple of different neighborhoods.
posted by mskyle at 9:28 AM on June 6, 2017
Its been very cold and rainy here in New England, so be prepared for any weather. (Also, be prepared that your game may be rained out.) Last summer the Globe ran a nice article that really provides a round up of 'tips and tricks' to know when visiting Fenway. The whole first section is about getting tickets, but there is also info about transportation and where to eat.
Fenway is old. Its been renovated, but is old. Be aware that the bathroom situation (for women especially) is not optimal. Also, there are, unavoidably, many stairs. You may want to call the box office and ask about how accessible your seats are.
I, too, would choose the Gardner over the MFA in a heartbeat.
Also, go in the Boston Public Library to see the amazing murals. (Its free, and right off the Alewife T stop.)
We've had a lot of fun on the duck boat tours, but they might not be as fun if the weather is terrible.
Atlas Obscura has some great Boston entries, which might spark some ideas.
posted by anastasiav at 9:32 AM on June 6, 2017
Fenway is old. Its been renovated, but is old. Be aware that the bathroom situation (for women especially) is not optimal. Also, there are, unavoidably, many stairs. You may want to call the box office and ask about how accessible your seats are.
I, too, would choose the Gardner over the MFA in a heartbeat.
Also, go in the Boston Public Library to see the amazing murals. (Its free, and right off the Alewife T stop.)
We've had a lot of fun on the duck boat tours, but they might not be as fun if the weather is terrible.
Atlas Obscura has some great Boston entries, which might spark some ideas.
posted by anastasiav at 9:32 AM on June 6, 2017
Seconding the BPL and the Gardner Museum. Both gorgeous places. Also, the Public Garden is lovely and green; the Swan Boats are cute if not particularly exciting [the Ducklings statues are more popular], but the Public Garden is the setting both for The Trumpet of the Swan and Make Way for Ducklings, so worth a stop if you're into classic children's literature. In the North End, there's great Italian and seafood aplenty; people will argue for hours over whether you should get your cannoli from Mike's or Modern [but the locals frequently vote Maria's or Bova over their more famous neighbors]. If pizza is your thing and you're in the area, do Pizzeria Regina, but *only* at the original North End location, and plan on going at off hours because of the lines.
Unfortunately, your hotel isn't anywhere particularly transit-friendly [about a half-mile walk to the Silver Line bus, just over a mile walk to South Station], especially if your mom's mobility is limited. You'll be using Lyft/taxis a lot.
I used to live four blocks away from Fenway Park. I would plan on getting a Lyft to the area early [around 4 pm] and having an early dinner at a nearby restaurant before the game, so that your mom has a chance to sit for awhile before trying to navigate the crowds to get into the park. The later it gets, the more likely your driver is going to have difficulty dropping you off anywhere near the park, and of course the higher the surge surcharge. After about 4:30-5:00, it all gets really crowded. Note that the park opens an hour and a half before the game starts, around 5:35, so that's the earliest you're going to be able to access your seat. What entrance do your tickets say? If you're entering by Gate D, your closest restaurants are going to be on Boylston St. Gates A or E, look to the pubs on Brookline Ave. Gate B or C, you're looking at the bars on Lansdowne.
Post-game, plan on chilling in your seats for awhile to avoid having to stand too long in the mass exodus. I'd look at the Fenway Park accessibility guide - locations of elevators and escalators so you can map out the best route to take ahead of time.
posted by Pandora Kouti at 9:52 AM on June 6, 2017
Unfortunately, your hotel isn't anywhere particularly transit-friendly [about a half-mile walk to the Silver Line bus, just over a mile walk to South Station], especially if your mom's mobility is limited. You'll be using Lyft/taxis a lot.
I used to live four blocks away from Fenway Park. I would plan on getting a Lyft to the area early [around 4 pm] and having an early dinner at a nearby restaurant before the game, so that your mom has a chance to sit for awhile before trying to navigate the crowds to get into the park. The later it gets, the more likely your driver is going to have difficulty dropping you off anywhere near the park, and of course the higher the surge surcharge. After about 4:30-5:00, it all gets really crowded. Note that the park opens an hour and a half before the game starts, around 5:35, so that's the earliest you're going to be able to access your seat. What entrance do your tickets say? If you're entering by Gate D, your closest restaurants are going to be on Boylston St. Gates A or E, look to the pubs on Brookline Ave. Gate B or C, you're looking at the bars on Lansdowne.
Post-game, plan on chilling in your seats for awhile to avoid having to stand too long in the mass exodus. I'd look at the Fenway Park accessibility guide - locations of elevators and escalators so you can map out the best route to take ahead of time.
posted by Pandora Kouti at 9:52 AM on June 6, 2017
Just to clarify, the Public Library is super-duper NOT off of the Alewife T stop. It is at Copley.
posted by bowbeacon at 9:53 AM on June 6, 2017
posted by bowbeacon at 9:53 AM on June 6, 2017
Oh! And it's also worth hopping on the Red Line to go into Cambridge - the main Harvard campus has lots of interesting museums, and the ride over the Charles is pretty. Just avoid rush hour so your mom can get a seat. Depending on which of their museums sound interesting, you may want to grab a taxi/Lyft from Harvard station, as the campus is fairly large.
posted by Pandora Kouti at 9:56 AM on June 6, 2017
posted by Pandora Kouti at 9:56 AM on June 6, 2017
Goodness, the recommendations for the Gardener Museum were so great. That museum was indeed beautiful, and it was a perfect place to escape the heat on Monday afternoon. We spent a wonderful weekend touring through the North End, sitting in Columbus Park, falling in love with blooming alliums, and seeing all the happy, excited people in town for Pride near City Hall/Faneuil Hall. We missed the BPL and Copley and never made it into Cambridge, but that's just a good excuse to visit again. Thank you all so much!
posted by gladly at 2:13 PM on June 13, 2017
posted by gladly at 2:13 PM on June 13, 2017
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The most beautiful place in Boston is the Gardner Museum. I believe the recent renovations have improved accessibility, though it's not an issue for me so I haven't tested it. Personally, I would go there over the MFA, if you only went to one museum, but that's an idiosyncratic choice.
posted by praemunire at 9:10 AM on June 6, 2017