where to stay in boston given these parameters

[Anonymous]

I know there are a lot of threads on Boston. Here’s my situation:

My niece is graduating from Tufts this May, and my oldest (teen) and I are going up to join my sister and family in the weekend festivities.

We haven’t been to Boston before so want to stay in the city versus closer to Tufts where my sister will be. There will be some grad activities to which my niece doesn’t have tickets for my teen and me, and I figure we can explore Boston during those times.

Where would you suggest we stay, to balance easy walkability or subway access to Boston sites with relative ease to get to Tufts. It looks like the North End and Seaport areas are easy access to Tufts, but are those nice places to stay? Ideally we’d stay on the same subway line as Tufts (green).

Thanks for your advice.

[Anonymous]

Look at hotels in the Prudential center or close to that area.

You will have a plethora of choices, depending on your budget and need for comfort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at hotels in the Prudential center or close to that area.

You will have a plethora of choices, depending on your budget and need for comfort.

Hi - This is what my sister suggested, and maybe I am overthinking it, but it looks like a much longer trip on the green line “T” (subway) from the Prudential area to Tufts vs from North End area. It would be nice to be near the park/commons (which I think is near the Prudential Center?).

Thanks, from OP

[Anonymous]

Somerville for a budget friendly option.

North End/Wharf areas are more expensive but will put you in the heart of the tourist scene. It’s safe and convenient, just crowded.

DCUM tends to favor Copley which is also has access to the green line.

I’d probably cross Seaport off your list, given your criteria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at hotels in the Prudential center or close to that area.

You will have a plethora of choices, depending on your budget and need for comfort.

Hi - This is what my sister suggested, and maybe I am overthinking it, but it looks like a much longer trip on the green line “T” (subway) from the Prudential area to Tufts vs from North End area. It would be nice to be near the park/commons (which I think is near the Prudential Center?).

Thanks, from OP

I would stay near Copley T not Prudential. And the time difference between there and Government Center or near North End is minimal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at hotels in the Prudential center or close to that area.

You will have a plethora of choices, depending on your budget and need for comfort.

Hi - This is what my sister suggested, and maybe I am overthinking it, but it looks like a much longer trip on the green line “T” (subway) from the Prudential area to Tufts vs from North End area. It would be nice to be near the park/commons (which I think is near the Prudential Center?).

Thanks, from OP

I would stay near Copley T not Prudential. And the time difference between there and Government Center or near North End is minimal.

Agreed, Copley probably the best overall option, plenty of hotels within a block of the station. Hotels around Arlington and Boylston stations are also a good option, but Copley has the most places to eat/shop within a few blocks.

Staying at say the Canopy by Hilton downtown (near Haymarket station) looks like it would save about 10 minutes travel time to Tufts versus the Lenox Hotel next to Copley Station.

[Anonymous]

We’re Marriott loyalist and have stayed at most of them around Boston. Copley is just satisfies everyone with nearby T and food and walkable to cool Boston stuff. But it is not cheap. Have a great Boston weekend!

[Anonymous]

OP here. It sounds like most people suggest the Copley Square area. I’ll look there, thanks.

I’m still wondering about staying in the downtown or North End area, because Google shows me 25 min from North Station to Tufts, versus 45 min from Copley to Tufts. Does anyone have thoughts on staying more downtown (I know one poster above said it will be crowded, and that makes sense).

Thanks again.

[Anonymous]

If you stay in the North End, you're going to be adding extra time to get to other areas of Boston like Copley/The Commons, etc. There is only so much to do in the North End area. So the extra 20 min to Tufts evens out with the extra time you'll spend going from your hotel to other parts of Boston.

We go to Boston a ton and DH and I lived there for years. We pretty much always stay in the Copley area so we can walk to everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you stay in the North End, you're going to be adding extra time to get to other areas of Boston like Copley/The Commons, etc. There is only so much to do in the North End area. So the extra 20 min to Tufts evens out with the extra time you'll spend going from your hotel to other parts of Boston.

We go to Boston a ton and DH and I lived there for years. We pretty much always stay in the Copley area so we can walk to everything.

Forgot to add, I think your best bet since you seem so unsure is to figure out exactly what you want to do in Boston. If most of your interests are in the Copley area, it makes no sense to stay somewhere else. Whereas if you want to do the Museum of Science, Aquarium, North End , Faneuil Hall, it makes less sense to stay in Copley.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you stay in the North End, you're going to be adding extra time to get to other areas of Boston like Copley/The Commons, etc. There is only so much to do in the North End area. So the extra 20 min to Tufts evens out with the extra time you'll spend going from your hotel to other parts of Boston.

We go to Boston a ton and DH and I lived there for years. We pretty much always stay in the Copley area so we can walk to everything.

Forgot to add, I think your best bet since you seem so unsure is to figure out exactly what you want to do in Boston. If most of your interests are in the Copley area, it makes no sense to stay somewhere else. Whereas if you want to do the Museum of Science, Aquarium, North End , Faneuil Hall, it makes less sense to stay in Copley.

Yeah this is good advice. Also, it's 11 minutes shorter on the train from Haymarket (closest station to north end) versus Copley to the Tufts green line station- 18 minutes versus 29.

[Anonymous]

I think you want to be near Davis Square for easy access to Tufts, and then can get on the T to get to Cambridge/Boston locations. But I don't think there are regular hotels there, maybe check Airbnb.

I don't think it's worth staying IN Boston proper, unless you plan going out late in the evening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you stay in the North End, you're going to be adding extra time to get to other areas of Boston like Copley/The Commons, etc. There is only so much to do in the North End area. So the extra 20 min to Tufts evens out with the extra time you'll spend going from your hotel to other parts of Boston.

We go to Boston a ton and DH and I lived there for years. We pretty much always stay in the Copley area so we can walk to everything.

Forgot to add, I think your best bet since you seem so unsure is to figure out exactly what you want to do in Boston. If most of your interests are in the Copley area, it makes no sense to stay somewhere else. Whereas if you want to do the Museum of Science, Aquarium, North End , Faneuil Hall, it makes less sense to stay in Copley.

Op here. Great point. That said, what do you suggest first timers (mom and teen) put on our to-do list in Boston - what are the to-do’s around Copley, for example? We’ll be looking into this ourselves, too, of course, but not sure we’ll be sorted before making a hotel reservation (my sister keeps on me to do this soon, as there are a lot of graduations around the same weekends in Boston).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you stay in the North End, you're going to be adding extra time to get to other areas of Boston like Copley/The Commons, etc. There is only so much to do in the North End area. So the extra 20 min to Tufts evens out with the extra time you'll spend going from your hotel to other parts of Boston.

We go to Boston a ton and DH and I lived there for years. We pretty much always stay in the Copley area so we can walk to everything.

Forgot to add, I think your best bet since you seem so unsure is to figure out exactly what you want to do in Boston. If most of your interests are in the Copley area, it makes no sense to stay somewhere else. Whereas if you want to do the Museum of Science, Aquarium, North End , Faneuil Hall, it makes less sense to stay in Copley.

Op here. Great point. That said, what do you suggest first timers (mom and teen) put on our to-do list in Boston - what are the to-do’s around Copley, for example? We’ll be looking into this ourselves, too, of course, but not sure we’ll be sorted before making a hotel reservation (my sister keeps on me to do this soon, as there are a lot of graduations around the same weekends in Boston).

How old is the teen? What are his/her/their interests? How many days/hours of touristing time will you have? The area maybe 1/2 mile around Copley is about shopping/strolling on Newbury Street, seeing the beautiful homes on Comm Ave, enjoying the Common and Public Garden, and going up to the Esplanade along the river for longer walks.

If staying downtown, you have more historic sites like the Freedom Trail stops, Fanieul Hall, Paul Revere's House, Old North Church, etc. The Aquarium is nearby also.

All of these places are generally within 10 minutes of each other on the T also, so you can see both "sides" easily.

[Anonymous]

It would also be nice to stay in Harvard square. Nice to walk around and very Easy access to tufts. And red line also into beacon hill / government center to walk anywhere in Boston. There used to be a hotel called the Charles Hotel which was nice. Not sure if it’s the same.