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Magical Mystery Tour: Wed/Thu prePAX adventures SCHEDULE UP
PAX East 2017 Magical Mystery Tour of Boston!
Twitter: PAX_MMT Follow this to keep track of where we are in real time. Very useful if you want to join up partway through!
Who: You! And me. And other PAX peeps. AKA your future friends.
What: Visit interesting places in and around Boston.
Where: Schedule TBD below.
When: The two days before PAX: Wed 3/8 and Thurs 3/9. Traditionally runs from 9am to 5pm but you don't have to do the whole thing.
Why: See something of Boston other than the convention center and your hotel. And do it with cool people!
How: Boston's public transit. We'll be using the T (subway and buses) to get around. You can by a pass for $21.25 that will get you unlimited rides for a week. (Better than paying $2.25 per ride!) When we leave the morning meetups, I'll be making sure everyone has a pass.
Schedule:
12pm meet in front of bcec, go to lunch @ miracle of science
2pm MIT look at art: https://listart.mit.edu/public-art-map
4pm Taza chocolate tour [$8]
Thursday:
9:15am meet in front of bcec
10am Sam Adams brewery [$0]
11:30 stone zoo [$20]
2pm lunch @ fanuiel hall
3:30pm tea party museum
Potential Destinations:
Twitter: PAX_MMT Follow this to keep track of where we are in real time. Very useful if you want to join up partway through!
Who: You! And me. And other PAX peeps. AKA your future friends.
What: Visit interesting places in and around Boston.
Where: Schedule TBD below.
When: The two days before PAX: Wed 3/8 and Thurs 3/9. Traditionally runs from 9am to 5pm but you don't have to do the whole thing.
Why: See something of Boston other than the convention center and your hotel. And do it with cool people!
How: Boston's public transit. We'll be using the T (subway and buses) to get around. You can by a pass for $21.25 that will get you unlimited rides for a week. (Better than paying $2.25 per ride!) When we leave the morning meetups, I'll be making sure everyone has a pass.
Schedule:
12pm meet in front of bcec, go to lunch @ miracle of science
2pm MIT look at art: https://listart.mit.edu/public-art-map
4pm Taza chocolate tour [$8]
Thursday:
9:15am meet in front of bcec
10am Sam Adams brewery [$0]
11:30 stone zoo [$20]
2pm lunch @ fanuiel hall
3:30pm tea party museum
Potential Destinations:
Items in bold are places we went last year in 2014. And just assume pricing is different now until I go through and check it all.
Prices listed are per each adult. Discounts are often given for children, seniors, students, and sometimes military.
Any notes about reservations are for my benefit.
Prices listed are per each adult. Discounts are often given for children, seniors, students, and sometimes military.
Any notes about reservations are for my benefit.
[url="http://www.abigailadamsbirthplace.com/]Abigail Adams House[/url]
F1 Boston
Franklin Zoo
What it is: Birthplace of Abigail Adams, first lady of John Adams and mother of John Quincy Adams.
Price: $5 each, plus $25 private tour fee
Hours: 1pm-4pm
Website: http://www.abigailadamsbirthplace.com/
Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
Price: $5 each, plus $25 private tour fee
Hours: 1pm-4pm
Website: http://www.abigailadamsbirthplace.com/
What it is: 1 hour tour of tea ships and historic items related to the Boston Tea Party. Throw tea in the ocean just like Ye Olde Ancestors!
Price: $25 (or $22.50 if purchased online in advance)
Hours: 10am - 4 pm
Website: http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/
Additional Notes: Group rates for 25+
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Price: $25 (or $22.50 if purchased online in advance)
Hours: 10am - 4 pm
Website: http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/
Additional Notes: Group rates for 25+
What it is: 1-1.5 hour guided tour of Symphony Hall.
Price: $10
Hours: Wed, 4pm
Website: www.bso.org
Additional Info: A reservation for a group tour will need to be made 3 weeks in advance.
Commonwealth Museum
Price: $10
Hours: Wed, 4pm
Website: www.bso.org
Additional Info: A reservation for a group tour will need to be made 3 weeks in advance.
What it is: A museum specializing on Massachusetts history.
Price: Free! (I suspect donations are encouraged.)
Hours: 9am - 4:45pm
Website: www.sec.state.ma.us/mus/museum/index.htm
Duck TourPrice: Free! (I suspect donations are encouraged.)
Hours: 9am - 4:45pm
Website: www.sec.state.ma.us/mus/museum/index.htm
What it is: 80 minute land and water tour in a repurposed WWII vehicle
Price: $34.99
Hours: tours don't start until 3/17
Website: http://www.bostonducktours.com/
Additional Notes: group rates for 20+
Price: $34.99
Hours: tours don't start until 3/17
Website: http://www.bostonducktours.com/
Additional Notes: group rates for 20+
F1 Boston
What it is: Kart Racing (no blue shells)
Price: $10 for an F1 license and $30 to actually drive on the track
Hours: 12pm - 10pm
Website: www.f1boston.com/
Additional Notes: Reservations suggested. It's a bit out of the way since it's in Braintree and using public transit will take us about an hour to get there by bus. Must be 18+ with valid driver's license. There are also a bunch of other rules you might want to read.
Fenway Park
Price: $10 for an F1 license and $30 to actually drive on the track
Hours: 12pm - 10pm
Website: www.f1boston.com/
Additional Notes: Reservations suggested. It's a bit out of the way since it's in Braintree and using public transit will take us about an hour to get there by bus. Must be 18+ with valid driver's license. There are also a bunch of other rules you might want to read.
What it is: The Green Monstah! 50 minute tour of the Red Sox's home field
Price: $20
Hours: 11am - 5pm at each hour
Website: mlb.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/tour.jsp
Fort IndependencePrice: $20
Hours: 11am - 5pm at each hour
Website: mlb.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/tour.jsp
What it is: Fort built in 1851 on the oldest continuously fortified site in British North America
Price: free!
Hours: closed for the winter
Website: http://www.bostonfortindependence.com/
Additional Notes: You can always walk around the outside of the fort.
Price: free!
Hours: closed for the winter
Website: http://www.bostonfortindependence.com/
Additional Notes: You can always walk around the outside of the fort.
Franklin Zoo
What it is: A zoo. Look at the animals.
Price: $17.95
Hours: 10am-4pm
Website: www.zoonewengland.org/page.aspx?pid=219
Additional Notes: Animal exhibits include Tropical Forrest, Giraffe Savannah, Kalahari Kingdom, Serengeti Crossing, Tiger Tales, Franklin Farm, and Outback Trail. Read more here.
Freedom Trail
Price: $17.95
Hours: 10am-4pm
Website: www.zoonewengland.org/page.aspx?pid=219
Additional Notes: Animal exhibits include Tropical Forrest, Giraffe Savannah, Kalahari Kingdom, Serengeti Crossing, Tiger Tales, Franklin Farm, and Outback Trail. Read more here.
What it is: A walking tour of historic Boston sites. Roughly 2.5 miles in 90 minutes
Price: $13 for guided tour
Hours: 11am & 12pm
Website: www.thefreedomtrail.org/
Additional Notes: We can do a self-guided tour to avoid the ticket price, but it's less fun.
Spots on the Trail:
Gibson House Museum
Price: $13 for guided tour
Hours: 11am & 12pm
Website: www.thefreedomtrail.org/
Additional Notes: We can do a self-guided tour to avoid the ticket price, but it's less fun.
Spots on the Trail:
Boston Common
State House
Park Street Church
Granary Burying Ground
King’s Chapel
King’s Chapel Burying Ground
Benjamin Franklin Statue/Boston Latin School (Oldest Public School)
Old Corner Book Store
Old South Meeting House ($6)
Old State House ($7.50)
Site of Boston Massacre
Faneuil Hall
Paul Revere House ($3.50)
Old North Church
Copp’s Hill Burying Ground
Bunker Hill Monument
USS Constitution
Additional Notes: We can take the Boston Town Crier tour instead. It seems nearly identical on paper.State House
Park Street Church
Granary Burying Ground
King’s Chapel
King’s Chapel Burying Ground
Benjamin Franklin Statue/Boston Latin School (Oldest Public School)
Old Corner Book Store
Old South Meeting House ($6)
Old State House ($7.50)
Site of Boston Massacre
Faneuil Hall
Paul Revere House ($3.50)
Old North Church
Copp’s Hill Burying Ground
Bunker Hill Monument
USS Constitution
What it is: Museum of a late 1800's row house
Price: $9 guided tour
Hours: 1pm, 2pm, 3pm
Website: www.thegibsonhouse.org/
Additional Notes: Museum is 4 floors and has no elevator. Cash or check ONLY, no cards accepted! Group of 12+ needs an advance reservation.
Harpoon Brewery
Price: $9 guided tour
Hours: 1pm, 2pm, 3pm
Website: www.thegibsonhouse.org/
Additional Notes: Museum is 4 floors and has no elevator. Cash or check ONLY, no cards accepted! Group of 12+ needs an advance reservation.
What it is: hour-long brewery tour with tasting
Price: $5
Hours: 12pm - 5pm, starting every hour
Website: www.harpoonbrewery.com/
Additional Notes: 21+ unless accompanied by parent
Harvard Museum of Natural History
Price: $5
Hours: 12pm - 5pm, starting every hour
Website: www.harpoonbrewery.com/
Additional Notes: 21+ unless accompanied by parent
What it is: Natural history museum. Exhibits on dinosaurs, fossils, evolution, minerals, and the glass flowers.
Price: $12 (includes admission to Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology)
Hours: 9am - 5pm
Website: www.hmnh.harvard.edu/
Institute of Contemporary Art
Price: $12 (includes admission to Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology)
Hours: 9am - 5pm
Website: www.hmnh.harvard.edu/
What is it: An art museum. They claim even the architecture of the building is interesting and noteworthy.
Price: $15
Hours: Wed 10am - 5pm, Thu 10am - 9pm
Website: www.icaboston.org/
Isabella Sewart Gardner Museum
Price: $15
Hours: Wed 10am - 5pm, Thu 10am - 9pm
Website: www.icaboston.org/
What it is: Art in a 3 story “Venetian-style palace” with courtyard
Price: $15
Hours: 11am - 5pm (open until 9pm on Thursday)
Website: www.gardnermuseum.org/
Additional Notes: $2 discount if you visit here and the Museum of Fine Arts within 2 days. Bonus: the website says if your name is Isabella, you get in free :P
JFK Presidential Library & Museum
Price: $15
Hours: 11am - 5pm (open until 9pm on Thursday)
Website: www.gardnermuseum.org/
Additional Notes: $2 discount if you visit here and the Museum of Fine Arts within 2 days. Bonus: the website says if your name is Isabella, you get in free :P
What it is: Museum dedicated to JFK
Price: $14
Hours: 9am - 5pm
Website: www.jfklibrary.org/
Additional Notes: group rates for 12+ with reservations. Main exhibit halls currently closed for renovation.
Mary Baker Eddy Library
Price: $14
Hours: 9am - 5pm
Website: www.jfklibrary.org/
Additional Notes: group rates for 12+ with reservations. Main exhibit halls currently closed for renovation.
What it is: Library/museum centered around a female writer in the late 1800’s
Price: $6 each
Hours: 10am - 4pm
Website: www.marybakereddylibrary.org/
Additional Notes: Home to the Mapparium! A 3 story painted glass globe. (Viewable only by tour. Tours are every 20 minutes, starting at 10:20am.) Might be closed for renovations...
45-60 minute guided tours available, but only listed on the group rate page. I may have to reserve it (if we have a group of 15+).
Modern Pastry
Price: $6 each
Hours: 10am - 4pm
Website: www.marybakereddylibrary.org/
Additional Notes: Home to the Mapparium! A 3 story painted glass globe. (Viewable only by tour. Tours are every 20 minutes, starting at 10:20am.) Might be closed for renovations...
45-60 minute guided tours available, but only listed on the group rate page. I may have to reserve it (if we have a group of 15+).
What it is: Pastry shop in the North End.
Price: depends on what you buy
Hours: 8am - 10:00pm
Website: www.modernpastry.com/
Additional Notes: People said Mike's Pastry was too tourist-y so this is the chosen alternative.
MIT
Price: depends on what you buy
Hours: 8am - 10:00pm
Website: www.modernpastry.com/
Additional Notes: People said Mike's Pastry was too tourist-y so this is the chosen alternative.
What it is: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Campus tours, public art collection, museum (with exhibits on robots, stop-motion photography, and other cool stuff), and more
Price: many things are free. $10 for the museum
Times: varies depending on what we do. Campus tours are 11am and 3pm. Museum hours are 10am - 5pm. Art tours must be scheduled in advance.
Website: http://web.mit.edu/institute-events/visitor/
Additional Notes: They periodically have some very cool-sounding events. Check out what will be happening when we're in town.
Museum of African American History
Price: many things are free. $10 for the museum
Times: varies depending on what we do. Campus tours are 11am and 3pm. Museum hours are 10am - 5pm. Art tours must be scheduled in advance.
Website: http://web.mit.edu/institute-events/visitor/
Additional Notes: They periodically have some very cool-sounding events. Check out what will be happening when we're in town.
What it is: Abiel Smith School (first public school specifically for African American children), African Meeting House (the center of Boston's African American community in the 1800's), and an optional 1.6 mile walking tour
Price: $5
Hours: 10am - 4pm
Website: www.afroammuseum.org/
Museum of Fine Arts
Price: $5
Hours: 10am - 4pm
Website: www.afroammuseum.org/
What it is: Museum of Fine Arts. Can't say it any plainer than that.
Price: $25
Hours: 10am – 9:45 pm
Website: www.mfa.org/
Additional Notes: Check the current and upcoming exhibits to see what will be showing while we're in town.
Museum of Science
Price: $25
Hours: 10am – 9:45 pm
Website: www.mfa.org/
Additional Notes: Check the current and upcoming exhibits to see what will be showing while we're in town.
What it is: Science!
Price: $23
Hours: 9am – 5pm
Website: www.mos.org/
Additional Notes: The temporary exhibit when we'll be there is about food. You can also visit the planetarium for an additional $5.
New England Aquarium
Price: $23
Hours: 9am – 5pm
Website: www.mos.org/
Additional Notes: The temporary exhibit when we'll be there is about food. You can also visit the planetarium for an additional $5.
What it is: An aquarium. Look at the otters, turtles, penguins, octopi, etc.
Price: $24.95
Hours: 9am – 5pm
Website: www.neaq.org/
Additional Notes: They recently finished a remodel. Read about what's new here. Group rates available for 10+. They have an IMAX theater but we probably won't be there long enough to see anything (and it costs another $9.95).
Sam Adams Brewery
Price: $24.95
Hours: 9am – 5pm
Website: www.neaq.org/
Additional Notes: They recently finished a remodel. Read about what's new here. Group rates available for 10+. They have an IMAX theater but we probably won't be there long enough to see anything (and it costs another $9.95).
What it is: 1 hour brewery tour with samplings
Price: Free! (suggested donation: $2)
Hours: 10am – 3pm
Website: www.samueladams.com/
Additional Notes: All ages allowed, but if you want to sample the beers, you must be 21+ and have a valid ID. International people, have your passport with you!
Skywalk Observatory
Price: Free! (suggested donation: $2)
Hours: 10am – 3pm
Website: www.samueladams.com/
Additional Notes: All ages allowed, but if you want to sample the beers, you must be 21+ and have a valid ID. International people, have your passport with you!
What it is: In the Prudential building, 50 stories up, 360 view of city. Audio tours available.
Price: $15
Hours: 10am – 10pm
Website: www.prudentialcenter.com/shop/shop_detail.php?id=64
Sky Zone
Price: $15
Hours: 10am – 10pm
Website: www.prudentialcenter.com/shop/shop_detail.php?id=64
What it is: Indoor trampoline park
Price: $9 for 30min or $13 for 60min. +$2 for "sky socks"
Hours: 3pm-8pm
Website: http://www.skyzone.com/Boston#1385350-welcome
Sports Museum (TD Bank Garden)
Stone Zoo
Price: $9 for 30min or $13 for 60min. +$2 for "sky socks"
Hours: 3pm-8pm
Website: http://www.skyzone.com/Boston#1385350-welcome
What it is: A zoo. Look at the animals.
Price: $8.95
Hours: 10am-5pm
Website: www.zoonewengland.org/page.aspx?pid=220
Additional Notes: Animal exhibits include Yukon Creek, Windows to the Wild (small birds, mammals, and primates), Treasures of the Sierra Madre, Barnyard, Himalayan Highlands, and the Gibbon exhibit. Read more here.
Taza Chocolate Factory Tour
Price: $8.95
Hours: 10am-5pm
Website: www.zoonewengland.org/page.aspx?pid=220
Additional Notes: Animal exhibits include Yukon Creek, Windows to the Wild (small birds, mammals, and primates), Treasures of the Sierra Madre, Barnyard, Himalayan Highlands, and the Gibbon exhibit. Read more here.
What it is: 45 minute tour of a chocolate factory
Price: $5
Hours: 11am-6pm
Website: http://www.tazachocolate.com/
Additional Notes: Must wear closed-toe shoes, no jewelry or perfume, hair/beard net provided. Reservation required.
USS Constitution
Price: $5
Hours: 11am-6pm
Website: http://www.tazachocolate.com/
Additional Notes: Must wear closed-toe shoes, no jewelry or perfume, hair/beard net provided. Reservation required.
What it is: guided tour of the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat
Price: Free!
Hours: 10am - 4pm (Thurs-Sun only)
Website: http://www.history.navy.mil/ussconstitution/
Additional Notes: All bags subject to visual search. Valid government-issued ID required to board the ship if you're 18+ (you can still explore the shipyard without showing ID).
Price: Free!
Hours: 10am - 4pm (Thurs-Sun only)
Website: http://www.history.navy.mil/ussconstitution/
Additional Notes: All bags subject to visual search. Valid government-issued ID required to board the ship if you're 18+ (you can still explore the shipyard without showing ID).
punzie on
+2
Posts
Note to self: Cheers has meh food. Not worth going.
Note to others: I think I want to explore Quincy this year. I'm thinking Quincy on Wednesday (Abigail Adams' house, John Quincy Adams' tomb, wherever else the historical trolley thing goes) and then Cambridge area on Thursday (MIT, Harvard museums, other fun-ness?).
Another note to self: The Harvard Natural History museum is interesting, but way too hot. I always feel stifled, light-headed, and eventually nauseous in there.
OP updated with old list of places. Some future day I will check pricing on those places (it's probably gone up on most places) and add new stuff.
I second this
I've seen it
I've seen it
Editor in Chief @ www.mmo-central.com
I'm working on this now, in my commute to work. Hit some snags with quick sites: historical trolley tour and uss Salem are both closed for the winter. Looking into Cambridge sites for Wednesday and more frequently visited Boston stuff for Thursday.
Wednesday:
10am MIT museum [$10]
11am lunch @ miracle of science
12pm MIT look at art: https://listart.mit.edu/public-art-map
2pm Harvard museums (natural history/archeology and ethnicity) [$12]
4pm tata chocolate tour [$8]
Thursday:
10am Sam Adams brewery [$0]
11:30 stone zoo [$20]
2pm lunch @ fanuiel hall
3:30pm tea party museum [$26]
All times approximate except the first and last item each day. Buy your tickets for Taza and the Tea Party Museum online (Taza required to buy online, tea party museum is cheaper online but not required.)
Wednesday:
12pm meet in front of bcec, go to lunch @ miracle of science
2pm look at art around MIT
4pm Taza chocolate tour
Tomorrow we'll meet up at 9am in front of the bcec. Sam Adams is a bit of a trip from there so we have to make sure we leave in time to make that 10am tour. Bonus: it's free. And yes, you'll get beer at the end of the tour.