Blizzardy Boston Break

It is so great when you have friends who have the same hobbies as you. My childhood best friend loves to travel and we have been dying to plan a trip together.  Even though we knew the weather would be cold over the MLK holiday, we found cheap flights and didn’t look back. During this trip, I was also participating in  Whole30 so all the restaurants I picked out and emailed ahead of time were compliant with the program.

This trip was such a fun weekend and a much-needed girlfriend getaway, but it didn’t go quite as we planned. I had a small cold going into the trip and it got worse throughout the weekend. In the hotel room, we spent two of the three nights watching movies and snuggling which was what I wanted and needed. We knew the weather would be cold, but a slight snowstorm came through and dropped about a foot of snow in the middle of our trip. Both of our flights were scheduled out Monday afternoon, but mine was delayed and didn’t get home until about 3 am! Thank goodness I predicted this early and got a sub, but my poor friend didn’t get back home until the next day! Sometimes trips don’t always go as planned, but you have to make the most of it, which is exactly what we did!

Accommodations:

We looked at Airbnb as an affordable option for this weekend, but ironically prices were super high. We ended up finding a deal at Fairfield Inn & Suites by Mariott in Cambridge. It was perfect because it was a 5-minute walk to the Lechmere transit station. It came with free breakfast and free luggage storage as well.

Transportation:

The whole weekend we took the Boston Metro System. It was very easy to navigate. We paid for the 7-day pass even though we were only there for 3 days because we knew we would get our money’s worth. The Metro also takes you to and from the airport easily.

Day 1:

Breakfast at Sonsie:

Located on the hip Newberry Street, this European inspired location was perfect for our first meal. Sitting inside, I loved the outdoor terrace feel with all the chairs and tables facing the windows. This was a great gluten-free option as well in Boston since my friend has celiac disease. I got the steak and eggs with home fries and it was all compliant and super filling!

Freedom Trail Public Walking Tour:

Walking up to the Boston Common area, we purchased our tickets ($12.60) for the tour at 11 am. The tour was super informative and our guide was very authentic with his outfit, accent, and knowledge of the city. All the famous sites like the Old Meeting House, Faneuil Hall, and the Granary Building Ground were featured. It was 100% worth the money and interesting to get a feel of what life was like in the past versus today in this historical city. For those who are traveling with families or don’t have the attention span for a full-length tour, do the FREE audio tour. This tour you can download on your phone and get great historical information but on your own time! 

Quincy Market:

This classic Boston staple is a perfect spot to stop at for a light snack/lunch after the tour. Quincy Market is a fun place just to walk through and see many of the delicious types of Boston cuisine and do a little bit of window shopping as well. They also have a FREE one-hour walking tour to talk about the history and background of this historical place. 

Little Italy:

Continuing on the Freedom Trail heading towards Paul Revere’s House, this area of Boston has a ton of great things to see. Visiting inside the house costs $5 and they only take cash. Walking around this area is so quaint and historical and we loved exploring the area of the Old North Church. Visiting the church costs $8 but it also includes a guided tour. If you are a big history buff, this is the perfect area for you.

At this point, you are probably craving an afternoon snack and it is a perfect time to stop at Mike’s Pastry shop. Even though it might have a long line and a crowd, the cannolis are a must. I couldn’t go this round because I was on a Whole30 but I highly recommend. If you want to come back to this area from dinner, a family friend of mine recommended Bricco.

Stella for Dinner:

Even though this place was on the other side of town and mainly catered for my Whole 30, it allowed us to see a completely different neighborhood on our walk there. I ordered the Spaghetti squash which I normally love, but it had too much sauce on it for my liking. My friend got the gluten-free gnocchi and loved it!

Boston Bruins Game:

Growing up together, my friend introduced me to ice hockey. We attended Atlanta Thrashers games weekly as kids. It was fitting for us to go to a hockey game as a part of our trip to Boston. Sporting events in other cities are such a treat and this game was great because they were playing a rival, the New York Rangers. The Garden is a beautiful venue and if you can plan an event to the Garden I highly recommend it.

Day 2:

This morning we slept in a good bit and stayed as bundled up as we could because the snowstorm came through. Even though it was cold and there was a lot of snow on the ground, we decided to walk everywhere during the day. Unfortunately, we ironically also visited Boston when the government was shut down so many of the places we wanted to visit were closed such as Bunker Hill and the USS Constitution. I still wanted to highlight their benefits if you happen to go when the government isn’t shut down. 

Bunker Hill:

We walked from our hotel to Bunker Hill which was quite a walk, but walking through the area of Charlestown was so cute and quaint. Covered in snow, this historical area made me feel like we were back in the 1800s. There is no fee to go to the top of Bunker Hill but it is almost 300 steps to get to the top so prepare your lungs. This has the perfect 360° view of the city as well!

USS Constitution:

This amazing ship that was used as a for the Navy in the 1790s is another great and FREE place to visit. The ship and the museum are both free but the ship is only open from 3-6 pm. Although the museum is open from 9-6 pm. I love exploring on the ship because it is rare that you get to visit such an original piece of American history.

Tea Party and Ships Museum:

Since it had snowed that day and the first two activities we had planned to do were closed, we started brainstorming other places we could visit in Boston! We discovered this awesome museum on the other side of town so we hopped on the metro. Unfortunately, due to the snowstorm that came through, the museum workers couldn’t open the shop and it was also closed. It was a very unlucky day, to say the least. If you are a huge tea fan, this museum is perfect for you. The museum itself costs $30 but it includes a full hour-long tour that starts at the top of the hour and you get to taste 5 different types of teas.

Dig Inn for Lunch:

After trekking out in the snow for the last few hours to places we sadly couldn’t visit, we built up quite an appetite. Heading back towards the city center my friend ate at Chipotle and I ate at this delicious Whole 30 restaurant. I got a bowl that had greens, roasted chicken thighs, and roasted sweet potatoes. It was very filling and very wholesome.

Primark:

We discovered this amazing UK department store was right next to our lunch spot. It provided an excuse to kill some time and allow our feet to dry from the wet snow. We spent over an hour roaming around the store. They have clothes, accessories, and home goods items for all ages.

Legal Harborside:

The highlight of the day was the dinner place that we were most looking forward to visiting, Legal Seafood. We planned our whole trip on this reservation. This location was right on the water, a little bit of a walk from the metro station but it had a great vibe. We sat on the floor 1 dining and I ordered raw oysters as my appetizer and grilled rainbow trout with their gluten-free french fries as my entree. The staff was very accommodating of our dietary restrictions and it was a very peaceful dinner. 

Day 3:

Newberry Street:

This was a perfect place to spend a sunny but chilly morning in the city. This street is full of cute boutiques and shops that are great to pop in and out for warmth. From clothing boutiques, bookstores and cooking shops, this street really epitomize quintessential Boston. We ate lunch at Joes American Bar and Pub and I got a delicious lettuce wrap burger and gluten-free french fries as well. 

Harvard:

We headed over to the Harvard campus just to take a look around since we were in this iconic city. It wasn’t anything special since we couldn’t walk into any of the buildings or get a tour since it was a holiday, but it was interesting to see in person. The way Harvard is shown by society makes it seem so superior and special when in reality it is just a very common college campus with buildings that are a little bit older. They do have public historical tours at 11, 12 and 1 pm every day. I would love to take one of those when I come back just to learn more history and see more of the campus.

Trip costs: