Boston has been one of my favorite cities to visit since I first went in the 8th grade for a historical field trip. Since then, I've gone back a couple of times with my mom being the chauffeur – and it never disappoints. For me, Boston is a city that I like to visit for a short trip out of my home state Connecticut for sightseeing and eating my way through the different sections that it has to offer. While on my trip in New England, of course, Boston had to be a part of the list of places to stop at... especially since it's a short drive away from Salem, my main reason for visiting Massachusetts – but that's for another blog post.
When I first visited Boston it was a school-led trip and we had to visit all of the historical monuments and places. Going back as an adult and getting to see all of the other offerings the city had to offer is why I was more excited to come back this summer. Little did I know that Tropical Storm Elsa would also be joining us here in the tri-state area. We waited until noon to head out when the storm had passed, and I honestly think the rain made for a more comfortable day in regards to the weather. After a rainy 2.5 hour drive up from Bridgeport, we had finally arrived in Beantown.
For those of you who may be looking for a place to stay in the city and are wondering where exactly to do so, well friends honestly you can stay in any part of Boston and surrounding parts and still have quick access to downtown within minutes. The hotel I chose for us to stay in was in Somerville, but you can choose to stay in Cambridge, Brookline, or even in the city itself for direct walking access, no matter where you decide there is transportation available and/or plenty of parking spots if you're driving.
Now as for the things we got up to while here is a quick list:
Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge: we stopped here because one of the vegan restaurants I wanted to visit was on this street and we stumbled onto this lovely lane, I quickly realized how progressive the area was. Boston as a whole seems to have a pretty forward-thinking way of living, but this street especially is the place to be for queer folks and POC. It's filled with restaurants, bars, and local spots that are nice to explore any time of day.
Harvard: whether you are looking for Elle Woods and her cute dog or just a really pretty university this is a site you should see if you have time, especially in the summer or autumn time. It's rich in history, and the architecture is divine. Easy to drive through when school is not in session and very walkable like much of this lovely city.
Historical Sites: now for those of you visiting Boston for the first time the historic establishments are not to be missed! This city is filled with history that is cool to see in person and admire the architecture. There are quite a few to see like Bunker Hill to the Boston Tea Party, so be sure to make a list or follow the Freedom Trail, and you are sure to visit some gorgeous places. If you're into aesthetics for social media, then you will definitely get some gorgeous shots.
Chinatown: I, unfortunately, didn't get many shots of my favorite part of Boston but, I couldn't leave it out of this list. My first time visiting Chinatown Boston was with my boyfriend Errol back in 2014 and, the amount of food that is available is insane. If you've been following me for some time, you know that Asian cuisine has to be my favorite thing to eat. This place has amazing offerings for everyone. It's a great spot to visit and, I highly recommend adding it to your list.
As for the vegan restaurants, I visited I'll be sharing separate blog posts, but I'll quickly list them below for those of you who don't feel like clicking over to the next posts:
Veggie Galaxy: This uber-cool restaurant transports you back to when diners were top-notch and the place to be. With an awesome playlist to jam out to and a menu full of diner-like foods turned vegan, this is a must on your trip to Boston. Here's a sneak peek at what I stuffed my face with.
Grasshopper: a fully vegan restaurant with Chinese flair... you better believe I was in there! Almost everything you'd eat at a non-plant-based Chinese takeout spot but vegan.
After an hour or two at the Encore Casino (my family won't let me travel without stopping at a casino argh!), we picked up my Chinese food, and we headed to the hotel for a night of sleep before the fun that I had planned for us in Salem the next day. Our Boston trip was a short one due to the tropical storm's heavy rain, but even with just a few hours in the city, you are sure to get a lot of stuff checked off your list. If you're coming to New England, I highly recommend taking a trip to this super cool city and get to explore because it has so many things to offer.
Well, folks, that is it for this short write-up on my short trip here. If you have any questions feel free to message me, and if you're into spooky or Hocus Pocus things, you're going to want to read my next post on the city of Salem that comes out next!! Until then, thank you for reading up on my trip and what I got up to. I'll speak to you very soon <3
With love,
J
P.s.
If you'd like to see the actual footage of what I got up to, then make sure to check out my Boston vlog over on my YouTube channel and see everything in real-time.