Boston from 6pm-6:30am?
June 28, 2017 7:55 AM   Subscribe

Arriving in Boston (South Station) at 6pm on Monday, July 24th. Departing at 6:30am the next day on a flight from Logan Airport. What should I do during that time that's entertaining, cheap, and safe?

Arriving in Boston (South Station) at 6pm on Monday, July 24th. Departing at 6:30am the next day on a flight from Logan Airport. I will have carry-on luggage (larger backpack, poster tube, and a small cross-body purse) with me the entire time.

What should I do/where should I go from 6pm-6:30am that is entertaining, cheap, and safe? Dinner (and maybe a drink or two?) will need to be involved, at some point. I'm hoping to avoid paying for a hostel/hotel room since I'm pretty broke and the cheapest thing I'm seeing is $55, which seems silly since I won't be there very long. Can I wait in the airport lobby until it's time to check in to my flight that night once it gets late? Or is there a better option? I'd love all advice!
posted by lucy.jakobs to Travel & Transportation (18 answers total)
 
Best answer: So this is kind of weird, but I live in Cambridge (near the red line, which is convenient for South Station) and have a couch. If you don't mind large (but friendly) dogs and aren't a murderer, feel free to send me a MeMail.
posted by schroedingersgirl at 7:59 AM on June 28, 2017 [17 favorites]


Best answer: You should find somewhere to spend the night. Boston is decidedly not a 24-hour city.
posted by Miko at 8:12 AM on June 28, 2017 [14 favorites]


Best answer: This very question came up on FlyerTalk - you might want to check it out and see if the links are still active.
posted by Miko at 8:15 AM on June 28, 2017


Best answer: You can technically stay overnight at Logan but I wouldn't if you have any other options, it's closed up tight after ... ten? midnight? and you have few food options and fewer transportation options. As Miko says, Boston is really not a very 24 hour city.
posted by jessamyn at 8:30 AM on June 28, 2017 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Clover Food Lab in Central Square is open 24/7! Delicious vegetarian cafe. One thing you could do is hang out in Harvard Square for dinner or to people watch, then go to a show at a bar that has live music. It drives me batty that a lot of acts don't go on until late, but it could work on your favor and keep you entertained until 2 or so. Check out the Middle East venue in Central Square, it has more than one stage so several different acts play each night. After that, hang out at Clover until the T starts running. Don't miss their breakfast popovers.
posted by prewar lemonade at 9:29 AM on June 28, 2017


Best answer: it's closed up tight after ... ten? midnight?

I was at Logan terminal B between 1:30 and 2am a couple of weeks ago (my flight due in at 12:45 was delayed). All the concessions were closed (except maybe one Dunkin Donuts?) and they were cleaning the floor with those zamboni-like machines, but there were plenty of people about: wandering, chatting, sitting on benches dozing, one on a cot sleeping, and mostly on their phones…

It didn’t look like a nice way to spend a night, but if you were there you’d be part of a crowd!
posted by Quinbus Flestrin at 9:30 AM on June 28, 2017


Best answer: Addendum - my plan could easily run you $40+ so check cover prices, T pass etc. ahead. You could do it on a budget if you bought or brought cheap food though and stuck to coffee at Clover.
posted by prewar lemonade at 9:36 AM on June 28, 2017


Best answer: When I was in college, South Street Diner (very near South Station) was my favorite middle of the night hang out. Definitely some sketchy people in there, but I never felt unsafe...granted this was 10+ years go.
posted by justjess at 9:41 AM on June 28, 2017 [2 favorites]


Best answer: I'll point out that if your flight leaves at 6:30, you should allow an hour to get through security, i.e. arrive at the airport at 5:30. You can get to the airport via the Blue line or the Silver line, but neither starts running in time, they don't leave downtown until 5:30. If you left the airport at night and were relying on public transit to get back in the morning, you'd be cutting it very fine.

I'd suggest going into town for dinner/etc (note, unlikely to be any shows late-night action on a Monday night) and then catching the last T out to the airport (12/12:30) and settling in to nap at your gate.
posted by aimedwander at 9:49 AM on June 28, 2017 [8 favorites]


Best answer: I was also about to say South Street Diner, but the fact that a single 24-hour diner is such a big deal to us perhaps underscores the point that very little is open 24 hours in Boston.

I have spent the night at Logan (arrived at 12:30am or so, as late as the T would get me there, for a 6am flight, though this was probably 10 years ago) and remember it being boring but ... basically fine. The place starts to wake up around when the earliest business travelers arrive for their flights (maybe 4am?), so there wasn't that much weird dead airport time.

(aimedwander's point that you most likely won't be able to take public transportation to the airport in time for a 6:30 flight if you *don't* sleep at the airport is also a good one to keep in mind.)
posted by teditrix at 9:49 AM on June 28, 2017 [5 favorites]


Best answer: Oof, I missed that the flight is actually *at* 6:30AM, not that you have to be there by 6:30AM. Yeah you don't have enough time to get from Central to the airport on public transport in the morning. Glad folks pointed that out. Don't do my suggestion!
posted by prewar lemonade at 10:14 AM on June 28, 2017 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Public transport between midnight and 6am is tricky indeed, and I'm not sure I'd recommend spending time within walking distance of (rather than inside) the airport during that time of night. If you're not ok with spending around $50 on overnight accommodations, I'm guessing you wouldn't be happy about spending that much on non-public airport transport. With that said, 6 hours at Logan sounds pretty grim to me personally. The above offer of a couch sounds ideal... but you'd still have to cope with the expense of getting yourself to the airport in time for your flight, which might cost almost as much as the hostel you mention.

So! My suggestion: enjoy wandering around the city (along the Charles River is pleasant, as is through the Common Garden) until the sun sets (8pm or so). Have an inexpensive meal somewhere good for people-watching and close to the subway (Clover in Harvard Square is an excellent suggestion - you could also hang at 1369 coffee shop in Central Square). Free music can be heard for the price of a drink at a couple of places in either square (I'd suggest Beat Brasserie in Harvard, Cantab Lounge in Central). Free to view art at Into The Blue Gallery in Central. Then take the subway around 11-11:30 to the airport (the last silver line shuttle leaves South Station reportedly at 12:30am, but frankly knowing Boston public transport I'd suggest you arrive no later than midnight). This should get you to Logan by around 1am, leaving you about 4-5 hours before you should go through security, etc. You could nap on a chair, wander about, read, charge your devices, etc.

Living a bit vicariously through you - not an adventure I'd mount, but one that does sound fun.
posted by pammeke at 11:02 AM on June 28, 2017 [3 favorites]


Best answer: I spend a lot of time in my home town of Boston and have to say that any hotel charging $55 is probably more dangerous -- and dirtier -- than Logan airport.
posted by spitbull at 11:15 AM on June 28, 2017 [7 favorites]


Best answer: Correction: Out Of The Blue is the name of the gallery in Central Square. Into The Blue is where you'll be flying. #DadJoke
posted by pammeke at 11:25 AM on June 28, 2017


Best answer: There's a Hilton attached to the airport (it's a bit of a walk, but you can get there from Terminal A and E I think). You might be able to pass some time in the lobby without getting kicked out.
posted by Sweetie Darling at 1:39 PM on June 28, 2017 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Corner Pub is short walk from South Station if you like dives with cheap drinks. Tends to have a mix of travelers and locals.
Chinatown is another short walk away. One of the cheapest places I can think of is the Vietnamese sandwich place at 66 Harrison ave.

Boston Public Library is another half hour walk from there (or short train ride away) and is open until 9pm.
Unfortunately, Boston's doesn't have many late night options, but the streets will be full of people on a nice night in July.
posted by libraryrat at 11:39 PM on June 28, 2017


Response by poster: FWIW--spitbull the $55 was for a shared room in the youth hostel, not a hotel. Agreed with you on the safety of any hotel available at that price!

The weather was terrible, so I ended up going straight to the airport and was able to get a standby seat (for no extra cost) on the flight leaving at 8:55pm that night. We had delays and didn't get off the ground until 11pm, but it was still a lot better than any of the other alternatives (especially with all the rain).

Thanks again for all the help, metafilter!
posted by lucy.jakobs at 3:47 PM on July 25, 2017 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Also--I never properly thanked you, but I really appreciate the offer, schroedingersgirl! I definitely almost took you up on the offer. :D
posted by lucy.jakobs at 3:49 PM on July 25, 2017


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