Boston Guide
3 days of bookstores, matcha, and the sights of Boston
Boston Guide!
We just got back from such a fun weekend in Boston! Here is what we did and what we would recommend!
Coffee & Matcha
Tatte Bakery & Cafe - Tatte is a Boston staple, so naturally, this was our first stop once we landed. We both got sandwiches, as well as a latte and a matcha, and it was all delicious!
Blank Street Coffee - This is my new favorite coffee shop! I loved it so much we went twice. I got the blueberry matcha and the daydream matcha, and both were delicious. Blank Street, please come to Indy?
Blue Bottle Coffee - We already knew we loved Blue Bottle so this was our morning stop before heading to the airport.
If I could only choose one, I would personally choose Blank Street. Their matcha was just so good! But if you are more of a coffee person or just want the quintessential Boston experience, go with Tatte.
Must Do: Blank Street Coffee
Food
Luke’s Lobster - Being in New England, I felt like we had to try a lobster roll. I think this was my first time having lobster? Luke’s has a gluten free roll that I could try which I really appreciated!
Boston Public Market - This was a fun little indoor marketplace in the downtown with lots of different food and artisan vendors.
Faneuil Hall Marketplace (Quincy Hall) - Quincy Hall is the oldest and largest food hall in the country, located inside Faneuil Hall Marketplace. They had tons of different food vendors.
High Street Place Food Hall - This was a more modern food hall with tons of options, including drinks and dessert. We got Haley Jane’s fried chicken!
Fomu - Fomu is a completely plant based (dairy free) ice cream shop! They have different locations throughout the city, but we went to the location in Quincy Market (twice)! I got the chocolate pudding and birthday cake flavors, and I think it was the best dairy free ice cream I have ever had. I would go back just for this!
Of course, my top food choice would be Fomu. If you are traveling with a group, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the market / food hall options - there is something for everyone!
Must Do: Fomu
Bookstores
Brattle Book Shop - This is one of America’s largest and oldest used book stores with tons of antique books. They also have an outdoor section that is so unique and perfect for photos!
I Am Books - This bookstore is located in the North End of Boston, also known as Boston’s Little Italy. The bookstore reflects its neighborhood with lots of Italian options!
Beacon Hill Books & Cafe - This was my dream bookstore. It was beautiful and whimsical with lots of natural light. There is also a little cafe where you can grab a treat or a drink!
Harvard Book Store - This bookstore is in Cambridge, right across from Harvard’s campus. It had beautiful, wooden rolling ladders and a downstairs full of discounted books.
Lovestruck Books - Lovestruck is a romance dedicated bookstore in Cambridge. It was so fun to see all the romances divided out by rom-com, contemporary, western, sports, etc.
Trident Booksellers & Cafe - This bookstore is located on Newbury Street, which was one of my favorite areas of the city! We ended up eating upstairs in the cafe, and it was perfectly cozy and yummy.
Porter Square Books: Boston Edition - We stumbled upon this bookstore walking along the harbor walk in Seaport. It was beautiful and seemed to be a really great place for writers and readers in the community to connect!
My must see bookstore would have to be Beacon Hill Books & Cafe. It was the most dreamy bookstore, and I would love to go back!
Must Do: Beacon Hill Books & Cafe
Parks
Fan Pier Park - This park has beautiful views of the downtown and of all the ships in the harbor! One of my favorite parks we visited!
Harbor Walk - We stayed in Seaport, so we walked along the harbor walk around us the most, but it goes into the downtown area as well!
Pro tip: There are stairs that go on the roof of the ReelHouse Oyster Bar on the harbor walk in Seaport, and the top has beautiful views of the downtown and the harbor!
Revere Beach - Revere Beach was the first public beach in the United States. We rode the blue line up to sneak a peek at the ocean!
Charles River Esplanade - This park was close to some of my favorite Boston neighborhoods but tucked out of the hustle and bustle. There were beautiful weeping willows framing the sailboats in the river. I could have sat there all day!
Commonwealth Avenue Mall - This park allows you to walk down some of Boston’s most beautiful streets in the safety and beauty of a treelined path.
Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park - This park has a great view of the water and is a great spot to take a break after walking around the city!
Boston Common & Boston Public Garden - Boston Common is one of the biggest parks in the downtown and probably one of the most famous as well. It runs right into Boston Public Garden, which I think I preferred! Both of them were beautiful and perfect for morning strolls with matcha and coffee!
Norman B. Levanthal Park - This park we just stumbled upon when walking around and took a little break from walking.
Rose Kennedy Greenway - This collection of parks snakes along some of the main corridors of Boston. It was created when they moved the highway underground in 2008, opening up more prime land downtown for parks!
My must see park would be either Charles River Esplanade or Fan Pier Park in Seaport. Of course, you can’t go wrong with Boston Common and Public Garden as well.
Must Do: Fan Pier Park in Seaport
Boston Sights
Boston Public Library - The Boston library was absolutely beautiful. There is the new side that is modern and the older side that has a beautiful courtyard in the middle. A must see in my opinion!
Harvard - We had to stop by and see the oldest university in the United States.
MIT - We also stopped to walk around MIT’s campus. The weekend we were there happened to be commencement weekend for both Harvard and MIT, so it was quite crowded!
Acorn Street - This is one of the most photographed streets in America, and somehow we missed it. I had it written on my list and with all the other beautiful streets we saw, I think I just assumed we did it? Don’t miss this like we did!
Charles Street - This street was also beautiful to walk down. There’s a Blank Street Coffee, Beacon Hill Books & Cafe, and lots of other local places to stop in.
Newbury Street - This street is perfect for shopping. There’s tons of popular stores you would recognize, with other local places sprinkled in. It was so fun to stroll around and pop in and out of whatever caught our eye!
Fenway Park - While in Boston, we had to stop by Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. We didn’t tour the stadium or go to a game, but those would both be fun additions to a trip!
Old State House - This historical building was the site of the Boston Massacre, as well as where the Declaration of Independence was first read aloud. It is full of history and also a beautiful building right in the heart of downtown!
Granary Burying Ground - This is the burial ground of many of America’s original Patriots, such as Paul Revere, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams, as well as Benjamin Franklin’s parents.
If I only had to choose one, I would probably pick the Boston Public Library. However, I think Charles Street, Acorn Street, Newbury Street and honestly the entire Beacon Hill / Back Bay neighborhoods of Boston were my favorite areas to explore.
Must Do: Boston Public Library
Tips for Transit:
We saw Boston by foot, plane, train, car, and bus!
We flew in and out of Boston Logan and had a great experience! Once we landed, we used one of the machines in the airport to get a reloadable Charlie card to use for transit in the city. This card works for buses and trains. There was a free bus that ran from the airport to the Seaport area where our hotel was. Throughout our stay, we rode both the buses and trains. They were clean, on time, and easy to use.
We would recommend the public transit in Boston!
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this newsletter, it would mean so much to me if you would share it with a friend!
Take care,
Caroline
Thanks for all the inside travel tips! Sounds like y’all had a great visit!