A Boston Break: The Quick Trips from Maine Series
Maine is quiet and peaceful, with beautiful starry skies, ocean vistas, and thick green forests. But every once in awhile, you start itching for a little more excitement. Maine may seem pretty remote, but luckily, you don’t have far to go to get back into the swing of things: one of America’s largest and most fascinating cities, Boston, is a mere two-hour drive from Portland. You can shop, stroll through the historical neighborhoods, even catch a concert — and still be back in Maine by bedtime. With tons of great restaurants, shops, and cultural events, Boston is a great getaway for a day.
Fanueil Hall. Photo by Walter Parenteau
Getting there is easy, if you go by car — just hope on the 95 Interstate, and it’ll take you straight there. If you’d prefer not to pay the exorbitant parking fees within the city, it’s easy to get there on public transport, too. From Portland, you can take a Concord Coach Bus for $30 round-trip — less than what you’d pay in parking fees, plus you don’t have to navigate through Boston’s famously atrocious downtown traffic. The Concord’s last bus from Boston leaves just after 11, but if you’re planning a late night, you can still make a day trip of it: just drop your car off at the Portsmouth Transportation Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, about an hour south of Portland, and take a C&J Trailways bus instead. The fare to Boston from there is only $22, and you can leave as late as 12:50 AM, if you’re so inclined.
Once you’ve made it into Boston, there’s plenty to see and do. Take a stroll along the lovely waterfront, where you can stop in at the large New England Aquarium and pay a visit to the penguins, seals, sharks, and air-conditioned IMax theatre. Right nearby, you can visit the shops and sights of Fanueil Hall, a historic market square that was built in the early 1700s, and now houses popular shops like Victoria’s Secret and Urban Outfitters.
Baseball-lovers won’t want to pass up a stop at the world-famous Fenway Park, home of the 2004 World Championship winning team, the Red Sox. You can take a guided tour of the Park, which will give you some insider information on the winning team and their park.
If you get hungry, you have a world of options to choose from — literally. In Boston’s Chinatown, near South Station, you’ll find blocks of authentic Chinese restaurants, made with all fresh ingredients. One of the best is the massive Chau Chow City, a three-level restaurant that serves up delicious seafood, dim sum, and traditional dishes. Would you prefer a European adventure? Then try Caffe Vittoria in the historic North End. Built in 1929, it’s the oldest Italian cafe in the city, and serves up a delectable selection of espresso drinks and pasties in an old-world atmosphere. For a real sense of the city’s history, try the lobster specialty at Union Oyster House, which is a designated historic building from 1826, and the oldest restaurant in Boston.
For nightlife, you have thousands of choices. Just want to chill at a neighborhood pub? There’s no shortage of those, but if you want to be where everybody knows your name, there’s — you guessed it — the original Cheers restaurant on Beacon Hill. For a more upscale evening, you might try to catch a performance by the world famous Boston Pops Symphony. If you’re more into rock music, you’re bound to find something you like — with a huge variety of clubs and larger venues, you can’t go a night without a great band coming to town.
Once you’re worn out, don’t worry about getting a room in one of Boston’s expensive hotels — just head on back up to Maine for a good night’s sleep, crickets and all.
Written by Kathy Hawkins on July 26, 2007
Filed Under Nearby Locations, Boston
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