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East 2015 - Boston/Local Regions Q&A
InscrutableGamer
IDLE ACCOUNTRegistered User regular
IDLE ACCOUNTRegistered User regular
in PAX East
Good morning/afternoon/evening to everybody:
DISCLAIMER: This post was created with the express written approval of zerzhul. No, seriously, ask him.
As a Boston native, and a helpful person by nature, I decided that a good idea would be to create a small (ok, bigger than small) Q&A thread about Boston and the area surrounding it. This includes geography, transit, traditions, sight-seeing, and general information.
Just to be clear, there is another Q&A thread here specifically for PAX itself, so if you have questions about that, you should consider paying the thread a visit.
Also, if you know the answer to a question posed here, feel free to chime in with your answer - if you really think I can answer all the questions, you are sadly mistaken. :P
DISCLAIMER: This post was created with the express written approval of zerzhul. No, seriously, ask him.
As a Boston native, and a helpful person by nature, I decided that a good idea would be to create a small (ok, bigger than small) Q&A thread about Boston and the area surrounding it. This includes geography, transit, traditions, sight-seeing, and general information.
Just to be clear, there is another Q&A thread here specifically for PAX itself, so if you have questions about that, you should consider paying the thread a visit.
Also, if you know the answer to a question posed here, feel free to chime in with your answer - if you really think I can answer all the questions, you are sadly mistaken. :P
PAX East 2015: Passes For All Days [X] -- Free Time [X] -- Pass For Girlfriend [X] -- Hype [X]
PAX EAST 2015 IS A GO!
PAX EAST 2015 IS A GO!
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PSN/Steam: mindflare77
https://www.massport.com/logan-airport/to-and-from-logan/public-transportation/#silverline
http://www.mbta.com/uploadedfiles/services/subway/World Trade Center Neighborhood Map.pdf
March is the worst cuz it really does whatever the hell it wants.
For example, it could be 38 degrees out, but the wind chill could be 15. There are times where you are leaning into the wind just to walk; other times there is no wind at all. Because Boston is on the coastline of a bay, the weather changes its mind so frequently that it is impossible to tell how it is going to be outside of 48 hours.
They planned for it to be closed for 2 years. So it'll probably be longer than that.
It can get cold here but nothing worse than what most people from Canada would experience.
When it comes to early March (or March in general) in Boston, prepare for anything because of the high unpredictability of weather. Not only can it either be springy or wintery, it's also possible we get both of those on the same weekend, and even on the same day. (Remember a few weeks ago when the Patriots played the Broncos. It snowed in the morning at Foxboro and then it cleared up, melted away, and became milder toward the evening.
So if you can pack more, do so. Early March is still more likely to be winter than spring so better prepare for that. Waterproof shoes for snow or slush is probably the most important thing.
Yes, the "Silver Line" from the airport is free but only when you take it to leave the airport. (Taking it back to the airport will cost a fare.) Everyone who is arriving by plane for PAX should always take the Silver Line. It takes you directly to the Seaport area ("World Trade Center" and "Courthouse" stops) where most of the hotels are and it also goes to "South Station" which is the interchange to the "Red Line", the main subway line into downtown Boston and connecting lines. (You won't have to pay to changeover either.)
The Silver Line is not a subway train but a wide/extended bus that stops outside of every terminal (its stop usually has the most people waiting to board). It is however, treated as if it were a subway train in that it has its own stations and shows up on the subway map. Just don't confuse the Silver Line with the MBTA airport shuttle buses that take you to the "Blue Line" subway station. (You don't wanna go to the Blue Line unless you have a reason to go to the Blue Line.)
Also, one thing to note about transit here. Buses take a separate fare from subway. So if you exit a subway station to board a bus (or vice versa), you pay another fare, I know some transit systems have it such that one fare is good for all modes of transport. That's not the case here.
If you plan on using the transit system a lot....there is a 7 day pass for $19....it is worth it since you can use it for the subway and local bus system, or the other option is to pick up a Charlie card which provides a discounted fare plus allows you to transfer free to the local bus system. I received my Charlie card for free and i believe you just need to pick one up at one of the subway sale windows.
Link is below:
http://mbta.com/fares_and_passes/subway/
Yeah, right now it's quite literally a hole in the ground. They're changing a ton of stuff, including platform heights, so it's going to take a while.
I recall riding the green line through the station a number of times.
I also recall seeing those workers take a massive break to watch the World Cup on city hall plaza. What a letdown...
PAX EAST 2015 IS A GO!
Yes, trains still run through it, they just don't stop.
Charlie Ticket:
Charlie Card:
The choice is totally up to you. Most people prefer the Charlie Card because it's easier in general to use, but I can attest that both work absolutely fine.
*You save $0.45 per use if you only put a dollar value on the Charlie Card. Day/Week/Month rate is the same, no matter which medium you choose.
***These are the Financial District locations; the Financial District is the one nearest to South Station. Use the menu on the right if you need to find one closer to where you are staying.
From Canada? Wear shorts. From everywhere else? Yes. But heck, you might show up and have it 50º - New England weather is unpredictable.
Depends on each person's feet to be honest.
If you're talking about say, Converse Chuck Taylors, I'd say they wouldn't offer enough support (Mind you, I see a lot of people wearing them at PAX...yes, I notice shoes. I follow fashion, so sue me). If they're a pair of actual running shoes (Cross training, jogging, basketball), I'd say they're fine.
I'm a bad standard to use, as I have HORRIFICALLY flat feet (as in no arch whatsoever). I usually wear a pair of low-cut hiking shoes (ire: basically hiking sneakers) and I'm good. I wore a pair of casual leather shoes last year and was fine overall- a bit sore at the end of the day, mind.
Honestly, shoe-wise there are three things they need to be:
1) Comfortable
2) Broken in (i.e.: don't wear a brand-new pair of shoes right out of the box first thign at PAX, they need to reshape a bit to your feet and their individual pressure points)
3) Supportive (I had a really comfy pair of shoes I wore to my first east, but they were too wide, and didn't give my feet the support they needed- my feet were hamburger by the end of the first day- I started wearing my hikers the year after)
PSN: L00nyEclip
Steam: Loony Eclipse
Twitter: @Loonyeclipse
You can get waterproofing spray for most shoes, and those are a big benefit.
PSN: L00nyEclip
Steam: Loony Eclipse
Twitter: @Loonyeclipse
Salem Witch Museum is a good stops for a History Buff in Salem. They also have witch tours as well, but not sure how they run in the winter time.
There are a bunch of smaller things there as well including a wax museum and a pirate museum. Also if you are into art at all the Peabody Essex Museum is also a nice stop.
Few Links for you below:
Salem Witch Museum: http://www.salemwitchmuseum.com/
Peabody Essex Museum: http://www.pem.org/
Pirate Museum: http://www.piratemuseum.com/
Wax Museum: http://www.salemwaxmuseum.com/
Also, here is a great resource for other things to do in Salem:
http://salem.org/advertisers/find/activities
Lol well I've never lived outside of socal so my footwear selection comes down to running shoes and flipflops
Fun fact- I was in Italy last summer- I caught pretty much every Aussie in my tour group at some point roaming around on the tour in flip-flops. I dunno how they did it...well, besides being Australian and thus crazy (I kid because I love, the Aussies were great).
PSN: L00nyEclip
Steam: Loony Eclipse
Twitter: @Loonyeclipse
I think it's worth mentioning that the cramped spaces and full lines will inevitably lead to your feet getting stepped on and your heels will get rubbed up against by all kinds of footwear.
At the rate this damn winter is going, there won't be anymore sidewalks to get to the BCEC
26 days away from PAX East, with another snowstorm expected this weekend into Monday evening. Anybody travelling to Boston from anywhere outside Massachusetts should consider cold- and snow-based clothing. While it is unlikely that the snow conditions will be as abysmally bad as they have been, travelers should still expect some cold temps and residual snowy conditions.
YOU WILL NEED:
-long-sleeve shirts or hoodies underneath mid-level jackets
-work boots (snow boots are not too necessary unless it literally snows the day before PAX)
-gloves (thinner "work gloves" are probably ok)
YOU WILL NOT NEED:
-heavy winter jackets
-winter hats (unless you're bald/low on hair or you just like wearing them)
-hiking/heavy socks
I'd also like to recommend that anybody travelling from out-of-state keep up-to-date on the weather conditions in Boston up to and including the week of PAX. Those snow boots may need some room in your suitcase at the last minute.
Anyways, let the questions continue.
PAX EAST 2015 IS A GO!