April
4,
2004
NCAA Frozen Four
INCH's Boston Primer
By
Inside College Hockey Staff
You can’t win without a good scouting report.
That’s true in hockey, and in hockey road trips, and Inside
College Hockey is here to help. Here’s our quick guide to
the city of Boston for any out-of-towners making the trip to the
Frozen Four.
|
Travel Help |
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| Still
need to get to Boston, or need a hotel or rental car once
you get there? Click on the logo above and search Orbitz
to find what you need. |
GETTING
AROUND
There are two terrific ways to travel in the city
of Boston – on foot and on the T (the local name for the
subway system).
That’s not to completely discount traveling
by car, which has gotten easier thanks to developments with the
Big Dig – the massive construction project that took the
elevated highway that ran through the city and moved it underground.
A cab ride from Logan Airport, for example, should get you downtown
in a reasonable amount of time now, whereas a few years ago it
could take anywhere from 10 to 90 minutes.
But traveling by car in Boston can still be as
confusing as navigating the neutral-zone trap, and as unnecessary
as a toe pick on a hockey skate. Most of the time, especially
for someone visiting the city, you’re better off walking
or taking the T.
The fare for the T is $1.25 per trip; purchase
tokens at the entrance to any station, and buy at least two at
a time so you don’t have to get another on your way back.
With some rare exceptions that you probably won’t need to
worry about, every trip costs $1.25, even if you have to switch
trains to get to your destination.
Trains are
identified by color, and each color travels “Inbound”
or “Outbound.” Inbound is toward four stations: Park
Street, State, Downtown Crossing and Government Center. (Within
those four stations, Inbound and Outbound are not used, so check
the maps to make sure you're headed in the right direction.)
The FleetCenter is located on the Green Line at
the North Station stop. If you are staying in Kenmore Square,
for example, and headed to the FleetCenter, you would want the
Inbound train, since you would pass Park Street along the way.
Traveling by train won’t take you completely
away from Boston’s historic sites, either; opened in 1893,
the T was North America’s first subway. Park Street was
the first station.
Boston is
probably the nation’s best walking city, however, and if
the weather’s nice, it’s worth hoofing it if you can.
You can often walk the same distance of five or six T stops in
15 minutes; if you’re staying near the Boston Common, for
example, you can take a leisurely walk to the FleetCenter. Along
the way you’ll see the Granary Burying Ground, the State
House, and Faneuil Hall; keep an eye out for the red line on the
sidewalk, either in brick or painted on asphalt. That’s
the Freedom Trail, which takes you past Boston’s best historic
landmarks.
|
Attending the Awards |
| If
you'd like to attend the Humanitarian and Hobey Baker Award
ceremonies on Friday, keep in mind that seating is limited
in Faneuil Hall. You'll need to get a ticket in advance
by stopping by the Humanitarian Award booth at the Beyond
the Game Tour in City Hall Plaza, starting at 10 a.m. Friday. |
WEATHER
Early reports
call for highs in the mid- to upper-40s all week, with lows about
10 degrees cooler. It looks like we'll see rain at some point,
with the best chance of it on Friday. (Click
here for weather.com's Boston forecast.)
The average high temperature for this time of
year in Boston is 53 degrees, and it’s looking like we might
get worse weather than that. But not cold enough that you couldn’t
wear a sweatshirt with a hockey sweater over it and be uncomfortable.
If you’re going out at night, it’s
worth noting that most bars with live music will have a complimentary
coat check.
EATS
& DRINKS
One thing to keep in mind when it comes to eating
and drinking in Boston – no city has perfected the classic
pub atmosphere like the Hub. Yes, the seafood is magnificent,
and you can get great Italian in the North End.
But if you’re a fan of the tried-and-true
pub menu to go with a pint of Sam Adams at a bar old enough that
your father and grandfather might have gotten sloshed there (I
know mine did), you won’t be able to go two blocks without
finding a spot that suits you.
Buffalo, with Chippewa Street, gave us a great
central location for all our pre- and post-game fun and merriment.
Boston is a bigger city, and not surprisingly that spreads our
options out considerably. What follows here is far from a comprehensive
list of the eating and drinking possibilities in Boston; instead,
we’ve highlighted some personal favorites, and a few that
were recommended by friends of INCH.
Close
to the Fleet
If you
haven’t been here since 1998, you’ll be pleasantly
surprised at the growth of this area. We’ve included some
new spots, as well as the classics.
The Fours
(166 Canal St.): This is an absolute classic hockey spot, and
a must-see – if you can get in. It promises to be crowded,
but it’s worth it.
Sports Grille Boston (132 Canal St.): A poor-man’s
Fours, it’s a good sports bar if you want to catch a game
on TV.
Hurricane O’Reilly’s (150 Canal St.):
Good food, and a festive atmosphere with live music on the weekends.
The Penalty Box (65 Causeway St.): If you’re
a fan of dives – and here at INCH, we are – this is
the place for you.
Sullivan Tap (168 Canal St.): If you say “Sully”
anywhere in Boston, expect 20 guys to turn around. Nowhere is
that more true than here, another option for a dive bar with a
little more space than The Penalty Box.
Coyote Ugly (234 Friend St.): OK, the movie wasn’t
fantastic, but it wasn’t a waste of two hours either. This
place can be fun.
Boston Beer Works (112 Canal St.): A newer branch
of the popular spot near Fenway, you’ll find good food and
microbrews here.
Near
Faneuil Hall
This area
is just a few blocks from the Fleet, and boasts a good nightlife.
The Rack (24
Clinton St.): A classy pool hall with live music at night. Will
host the Hobey Baker reception after the award ceremony on Friday.
The Bell in Hand (45 Union St.): Billed as America’s
oldest tavern, it comes alive at night. Recently opened some space
upstairs, so they can host two bands on weekend nights.
The Black Rose (160 State St.): An Irish tavern
with good food and live music every night.
The Purple Shamrock (1 Union St.): Another in
a line of pubs that transform from a nice place to grab a happy-hour
beer into a rocking spot at night.
Clarke’s Turn of the Century (21 Merchants
Row): Not really a nightlife hotspot, but a good place to grab
a pint at the bar and a bite to eat. We’re pretty sure nobody
reads the books on the library-like shelves, but we suppose you
could try.
Near
Fenway Park/Kenmore Square
Expect
huge crowds this weekend with the Sox in town.
The Dugout
(718 Commonwealth Ave.): When they write the history of BU hockey,
The Dugout will probably get two chapters devoted to it.
Cask ‘N Flagon (62 Brookline Ave.): Just
beyond Carlton Fisk’s foul pole, it’s probably the
most popular spot for fans headed to and from the Sox games.
Copperfields (98 Brookline Ave.): A popular spot
that comes highly recommended.
Dance clubs: We don’t know too many college
hockey fans who live and die by dance clubs, but this is the spot
if that’s your thing. Lansdowne Street is lined with clubs
like Avalon and Axis. Watch out for balls hit over the Green Monster.
Near
Copley Square
Lots of
hotels are in this area, so you may find yourself close by.
Dick’s
Last Resort (55 Huntington Ave.): Big crowds, and good nightlife.
Champions Sports Bar (110 Huntington Ave.): A
popular sports bar with a good menu.
The Cactus Club (939 Boylston St.): Everybody
comes to Boston for Tex-Mex, right?
Whiskey’s (885 Boylston St.): Good food
and drinks, but it attracts a crowd – sometimes too big
of one.
Eating
in the North End
Want to
wander for a bite between games Thursday? Any of these spots in
the North End would be worth the stop for great Italian.
Cantina Italiana
(346 Hanover St.); Ristorante Fiore (250 Hanover St.); Mike’s
Pastry (300 Hanover St.); Bacco (107 Salem St.)
Pizzeria Regina (11 ½ Thacher St.): Some
of the best pizza around, although you can expect a line to get
in.
Great
Dinner Choices
These
restaurants just say “Boston.”
Legal Sea
Foods (Various locations): Yes, you can find Legals at seemingly
every turn on the East Coast these days, including airports. But
it started here in Boston, and if you want to get a seafood fix,
there’s no better place.
Durgin Park (340 Faneuil Hall Marketplace): This
Faneuil Hall restaurant is a tourists’ staple, but a more
worthwhile one than going to Cheers.
Union Oyster
House (41 Union Street): Billed as America’s oldest restaurant,
it opened in 1826. May we recommend the Lazy Man’s Lobster,
because, well, we’re lazy.
Locke-Ober
(3 Winter Place): A classy spot downtown – too classy for
us – it was recently re-opened but boasts a rich history
of serving Boston’s well-to-do.
FIVE
GREAT FRIDAY GETAWAYS
Need something
to do after the Hobey ceremony? Or just want to spend the day
seeing the sights? Here are your best bets:
1. Pro sports: Friday is the home opener at Fenway,
which is the equivalent of a regional holiday in New England.
If you have tickets for this one, you’re lucky (and we’ll
be your best friend). If you don’t have tickets, but have
a bottomless wallet, you can find them for sale outside the park.
Unlike when Michigan fans have sold their Saturday Frozen Four
tickets the past few years, we don’t think you’ll
get them at face value. If baseball’s not your thing, the
Bruins will be home for the playoffs. While recent B’s playoff
games haven’t sold out, there’s a bit more excitement
about them this time around.
2. The Freedom Trail: If you want to see the city,
get some fresh air, and learn a bit in the process, there’s
no better outlet than the Freedom Trail. Watch for the red line
that is either in bricks or painted on sidewalks (who says there’s
no red line in college hockey?) and follow along. Highlights along
the way include the Granary Burying Ground, the old State House,
and the Old North Church. Plan to break up the trip along the
way with a meal (or two), or just focus on part of the trail –
it’s too long to see it all in a two- or three-hour block.
3. The Museum of Science: If you have kids, this
is a must-see, and it’s easy to get to on the Green Line.
Even if you don’t have kids, it can be pretty amazing. Complete
with an IMAX theater and a life-size Tyrannosaurus Rex.
4. Shop: If shopping’s your thing (or your
spouse’s), you have plenty of options in Boston. Check out
Faneuil Hall of you want, or for less of a mall-like feel (but
still with plenty of familiar stores) stroll down Newbury Street.
5. Check out
Cambridge: One of the most photographed statues you’ll find
is of John Harvard in Harvard Yard. Walk around the campus and
keep an eye out for the school’s best hockey player (Angela
Ruggiero). If you miss home, visit the out-of-town newsstand in
the heart of Harvard Square.
Special
thanks to Jenna Briand for her contributions to this report.
