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Exploring · · 8 min read

City Guide: Boston, Massachusetts

City Guide: Boston, Massachusetts

Before this trip, the only things I knew about Boston was that Harvard and MIT are here. (I’ve now found out that even that knowledge is wrong because they’re actually both on the Cambridge side of the bridge.) I went to Boston with no expectations for what I would see, feel, or do and it’s always these trips that end up amazing.

Overview

Here’s an overview of all the places I visited in Boston.

Hotels

Restaurants

Cafes & Treats

Attractions

Shops

Day 0.5

The first night, I stayed at the Kimpton Marlowe. The purpose of this trip was to film for a brand and their head office was in the same area hence why we picked that hotel. Since I landed in Boston after dinner time, I didn’t bother leaving the hotel to eat. I ordered pasta from Gigi on Uber Eats which was just okay. I’d give it a 6/10, wouldn’t recommend it.

Day 1

Spent the entire day in the studio so just ate what the team provided. But for dinner we ventured out to the North End to try Neptune Oyster. I only found out afterwards (through TikTok) that they’re well known for their lobster rolls. Wish I knew that ahead of time because I would’ve loved to have tried one there.

Instead we ordered a variety of oysters and a lobster burrata salad to share. I also got a cioppino myself which was good but not the best I’ve had. Overall, I’d give the place an 8/10. It was great for fresh seafood and all the food I tried was tasty but nothing especially stood out to me.

After Neptune Oyster, we walked to get cannolis. Some say Mike’s Pastry is the best, some say Modern is better. But we had 3 locals confirm with us that Bova’s Bakery is the real deal so that’s where we went. I can confirm that it was delicious and definitely worth checking out but since I haven’t tried the other two, I can’t give a comparison.

Day 2

Since the “brand trip” portion of Boston was now over, I transferred over to my second hotel which was The Newbury Hotel. I actually found this hotel on Airbnb which was such a surprise considering how beautiful and perfectly-situated it was. The hotel lives within a historical building but everything within it has been renovated to give off both a clean modern feel but still keeping an old-world charm. I loved this place and would definitely stay here again.

The Beacon Hill neighbourhood was high on my list of must-sees so that’s where I headed first. Started my morning off at Tatte for coffee and a treat. The almond croissant I had was lackluster but their Tatte Latte which features halva and honey was delicious. I was told later on that their cookies are amazing and they do a beautiful shakshuka so clearly I made the wrong food order.

Right across the street from Tatte is the infamous Beacon Hill Books & Cafe. This is a beautiful 4 story book shop with a garden and cafe on the ground floor. I could’ve spent hours here however the building itself was narrow so when it’s busy you are squeezing past people to see the next shelf. Their garden/courtyard is dreamy so I’d recommend purchasing a book then seeing if you could grab a spot there to read.

On the same street, you’ll also find a few boutiques and second-hand stores. The first one I visited was Covet. Covet is a fun, bright consignment store with a good mix of low and high end. I actually purchased a Telfar tote here. Was also eyeing the cutest vintage suede gucci purse but decided against it (I would ruin it in a second).

I also loved Ouimillie, a boutique shop clearly curated by someone with impeccable taste. The owner wasn’t there but the shopkeeper told me that the owner travels all around the world buying for her shop. I saw some of the most unique, interesting pieces there, with a decent variety from European designers.

With shopping out of the way, I wandered back to the public gardens to sit and read. There are benches scattered across the park and depending on what time of day you visit, a few or many will be in the shade. The park is big enough that even at it’s busiest, you can find a quiet spot. Definitely the perfect reading/lunch spot.

I unintentionally skipped lunch so I decided to have an early dinner instead. Headed over to the North End (Boston’s “little” Italy) and ate at The Daily Catch. This was a recommendation from a friend so I had high hopes, and even then it impressed me. Me being me, I ordered two pastas (as per usual). The calamari squid ink pasta was phenomenal and a must-try. It seems to be their most popular dish. I also ordered a red-sauce linguine with seafood (that’s literally how you’d order it). Both were exactly how I like my pasta: simple but fresh ingredients, no frills, al dente, delicious. I honestly wouldn’t have changed anything about it. Highly recommend. Dare I say it was a 10/10 for me?

Day 3

Like I said, I came to Boston with not much planned so knowing that the Boston Public Library was the last “must-see” on my list, I slowly wandered down Newbury street and made my way there. Most of the other recommended cafes I had were out of the way so I visited Blue Bottle instead. It’s still one of my all-time favourite cafe chains so whenever I’m in a city that has one, I feel inclined to visit. They were featuring their Nola coffee which was good but not my favourite.

The Boston Public Library was an absolute marvel. I wandered in what I thought was the main entrance and spent a solid 10-15 minutes just trying to read the signs and try to find my way. There was one specific room I was looking for and after a quick TikTok search, I found it was called the Bates Hall and was actually located in a different building.

Thankfully everything was connected through a few shared floors and I was able to find Bates Hall relatively easily after that. This hall is something out of a movie. It’s rare you’ll find anything in life that makes ME want to go back to school—but this did it.

I can’t stress how much of a must-visit this place is. If you take one recommendation from this city guide, this would be it. Once you’re done in Bates Hall, make your way down the marble stairwell and into the courtyard. I’d bring a lunch and have it here.

After several hours in the library, I crossed the street over the Sweetgreens. Another US favourite of mine that I visit whenever I find one.

I spent the rest of the day meandering down Newbury street. Some notable shops were Reiwatakiya for Japanese and Korean beauty and skincare, Top Drawer for the most beautiful stationary, and Aigo for vintage and pre-loved streetwear. There’s also a Covet location here if you want to do more pre-loved shopping.

For dinner, I had Saltie Girl, a well known spot for lobster rolls. My understanding is that there are 3 main spots to go for lobster rolls in the city. Saltie Girl, Neptune Oyster (a missed opportunity), and Pauli’s. Not sure if the price differs between the restaurants but the “market price” at the time I was visiting (early August) was $46 per sandwich. Outrageous, I know. I had a warm lobster roll with butter and truffle fries and it was delicious, don’t get me wrong…I just wouldn’t pay $50 USD for it. 8/10 for the food. 2/10 for the price.

Day 4 (Bonus)

My departure flight was delayed meaning I was going to miss my connection back to Vancouver. So I decided to cancel altogether and rebook for the following morning. This meant that I had to book another hotel so I decided to move over to CitizenM, close to the North End. I’ve always wanted to stay at a CitizenM hotel and I’m so glad I did.

The idea behind the hotel is that each room is designed exactly the same no matter which location globally you’re at. The community they appeal to are the digital nomads and creatives of the world. Meaning once you stay at a CitizenM, each time you visit another one, it will feel familiar. Honestly such a clever marketing and habit-building strategy. I loved the entire experience and they’ve sold me on the dream.

Before I headed to CitizenM, I actually spent another hour or two reading in the Public Gardens. The thought was: I’d read, head over to Citizen M, and then walk around the North End and surrounding areas. However, shortly after I checked in, Boston started storming so I ended up spending the rest of my stay in my hotel room.

For dinner I ordered 2 pastas from Ciao Roma, which was the restaurant I was planning to visit anyways. I got the Sunday Rigatoni Ragu and the Squid Ink Linguine Vongole. Both were delicious but the Ragu was definitely the star of the night. Overall I’d rate it 8/10.

Other Recommendations

Since I was restricted by weather and Uber pricing, here’s a list of other spots I was recommended to check out and never had the chance.

Shops

Restaurants

Cafes

Attractions

What I wore + packing list

Boston in the summer is hot and HUMID so prepare for that. I definitely wasn’t expecting it to be that humid but thankfully I came prepared with summer clothing.

Tops:

Outerwear:

Bottoms:

Shoes:

Bags:

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