Trip Review- Boston

Is The Historical City Worth All The Hype?

By Sophia LaRocca

Published, July, 19th, 2024

All the pictures in the article were taken by me!

In a response to being told I’m not good enough by plenty of publishing companies and ignored by my local newspaper after several emails, jerked around by five year olds everyday and also jerked around by a certain tattooed someone whose been popping in and out of my life for the past couple of weeks now—I decided to do the responsible thing—go on vacation.

Ok, I’m kidding. (Not really.) But we’ve had this vacation planned for a while now and I love it here.

Boston Massachusetts. Perfect.

Historical, gorgeous, rich in knowledge, and even richer in hot men. Oh, and let’s not forget the witches and seafood. It’s big enough to be a city, but safer then Manhattan. Perfect.

We stayed in Boston but really went all around Massachusetts. Just like when I went with my Mom and Girl Scout troop many years ago. And it’s held a special place in my heart ever since.

So here I was. Twenty-one and fabulous. And in Boston.

(Disclaimer: This will be my longest article so far, I want to give as much information as possible! Also, I’m going to be blunt. I’m not sugar coating anything. My parents and I spent our own money on this trip and If I didn’t like something, I’ll tell you. If I loved something, I’ll tell you. The one thing that I love though is Boston. Truly. So If I say that I didn’t like something, please don’t take it with any disrespect. I’m just being honest.)

The Hotel

After a long five hour trip we checked into the Hilton in Boston. Now, a hotel can make or break a vacation, and let me tell you… this was no disappointment.

Now, the streets were confusing. Getting to this hotel Would have taken a nuclear scientist out. (Or maybe it was just the gps.) As I mentioned in my first TikTok, (sophierosiel) the service was iffy. The kitchen staff was amazing, and so was everyone else. But the people working at the front desk were—dare I say—snobbish. Extremely so that it was annoying. They weren’t helpful either. Which I mean, working at the front desk… you’re supposed to be helpful.

I showed a lot of the room on my first Boston TikTok, but it was stunning. The most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in. In any hotel. The view… oh my God, the view made the horrible front desk worth it. They had an indoor pool, beer station, and free breakfast that ran from six to nine. The view was by far my favorite part of the room though.

Although the bathroom was amazing also with its glass shower. So overall, I would definitely go back to the hotel. I really would. It was stunning. Worth the front desk trouble.

There’s not much else to say about the hotel rather then it was gorgeous, and I wouldn’t have chosen anywhere else to stay. I think that’s good enough to be quite honest. The only downfall was the font desk, and honestly, it didn’t ruin my experience.

The Food

Our first night we went to the Quincy Market, and Faneuil Hall, which was my favorite part of the trip the first time I went and It did not disappoint.

It’s a beautiful outdoor market that is an absolute must if you’re going to Boston. Live music, great shops, and great food. We went to places like Kate Spade, Coach, Urban Outfiters, and Sephora. Some cute little Boston novelty shops are there and a nice Christmas shop as well. If you love markets, do this.

We had dinner at this amazing Irish pub right in the front of the market called Ned Devine’s. My family and I do enjoy a good Irish pub and this one was no disappointment. I had the Ned’s Burger, which had bacon, Vermont cheddar, an onion ring, bbq sauce, lettuce, and tomato. It was amazing after a long day of traveling, and was by far the best food I’ve had on the trip as well as the best service, our waiter was amazing! It was your typical Irish Pub, nothing special, but the food… fab.

The next day we were in Salem and had Boston Burger. A supposedly popular Burger chain down there. I must say, the service was good. The restaurant was small, but nice. The wings were amazing! I got mild wings. They were boneless and huge! Amazing and crunchy. Then poutine. I love poutine and this did not disappoint. The fires were delicious, the gravy was great, and the cheese was fab. Now for the burger… I must say, a little disappointing. Something was off with it. I had The Gravy Train. It was basically just poutine on a burger. I had my Dad taste it and he said it had an after taste, so I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who thought so. But they were on Diners, Drive-In’s, and Dives, so that’s cool! Overall, not a bad place at all. I did enjoy it. Really disappointed in the burger, but I’m sure other’s are good. Overall, I would go again. And then, we went to Melt, an absolutely amazing ice cream shop in Salem as well. Let me tell you… this place was outstanding. It could be hard for me to eat at places like that with my nut allergy, but this was somewhere I felt safe, and that’s rare.

Melt makes their ice cream homemade with fresh and local incidents. Right in the front it says ‘Allergy Friendly.’ Which I appreciated. I just got regular chocolate which had chunks of chocolate chips in it. It was truly the best ice cream I’ve ever had. It tasted real. Genuine. Not too sweet, and not jam packed with chemicals. Truly like it was made that morning. The worker was amazing, I wish I got her name. She actually had a nut allergy as well and stated that all their nut products are in a completely different area then the other ones, and that they have different ice cream scoopers. She even asked me if I would like a fresh one and got an ice cream scoop from the back This is hospitality, this is not only a sign of a good employee but a great and safe shop for all. Please go to Melt if you’re in Salem, they’re just fab.

The next day we had Regina’s Pizza for dinner and… oh boy. I knew I had to eat here knowing that it had the same name as one of my favorite people, but I’m sorry to say… I was disappointed. Now, I know a lot of Bostonians will be upset with me, I get it! Just listen with an open heart. This is coming from a person who is from New York, the place known for pizza. We went to the one located on the North End, the original.

Supposedly this is the most popular pizza chain in Boston, and I know why! This place’s pizza was amazing! And so were the prices! It was 35 bucks for a jug of coke and a large cheese pie. Not bad! My problem with this place was the service.

Let me start off by saying that we weren’t expecting how this place ran. The line was out the door to be seated, and coming from New York, that’s not abnormal. A good pizzeria can have people lined up for blocks, and that’s great! We had a couple of extreamly rude men in front of us who tried to cut us multiple times. Thank God my Father looks like Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro combined because after they laid eyes on him, they weren’t messing with my Mom and I. (Although, I’m not opposed to cursing off a couple of finance bros.) This place was small. So small that you literally felt the air leave your lungs when you walked in. You sit at the table and could feel the persons breath at the other table beside you on your neck. Once we finally got in, our waitress was rude. Extreamly so that it was uncomfortable. Keep in mind, we’re tourists. And it’s obvious. We did not know how this place ran or how crazy it was, and it was almost expected that we should have. And I mean, it was crazy in there, absolute chaos! But it wasn’t even a weekend, and honestly, you’re not going to tell me that’s a rarity because I asked around and most people said it’s like that at the North End shop most nights.

And maybe she was having an off night, I completely understand. But the way she tossed the pizza on our table, scoffed, and paid us no mind was completely beyond me. I was seething. And of course just my luck, I was sat right next to a child standing on the booth, picking his nose.

Looking back on it, the pizza was great and so were the prices, I know why it was so crowded. My Dad was upset in the moment, but he ended up loving it. And I understand. It was great. But after a long day, not so much. Also, the service was unforgivable. I would definitely go back, but would appreciate if my pizza wasn’t tossed at me the next time.

The last day we went to some place in the middle of Boston by the aquimrm called, Provisions. And they were good! Nothing to brag about, but good. Expensive. But that’s the area. I had the State Street burger which had American cheese, applewood smoked bacon, secret sauce, and pickles. The waitress was nice as well. It reminded me a lot of the restaurants in Manhattan. Low lighting, leather seats, and a great bar. This is where the finance bros go after work to have a drink. Overall, I’m not sure I would go back, but the food was really good

Salem

I love Salem so much, that I went twice. Once on our second day there and one on the last. We stayed in Boston and give or take, Salem was about 40 minutes away. It was truly magical. Just as much as it was when I went when I was little.

We went to the Salem Whitch Musame. It was two presenatations. Mini shows, with animatronics telling the story of how the Salem Whitch Trials started. Each show is about fifteen to twenty minutes long and you go in with a large group. You have to buy your tickets online, then you can join the line for the next show. Everyone working their was extreamly nice. My advice is though, please do not bring your child to this show if they are under five years old or do not like loud noises. The room grows dark and loud and I mean… It shows scenes from the Salem Whitch trials. It’s scary! There were a couple of three and two year olds in this group and they had to be taken out because they were crying so much. I felt so bad. The second part of the show was a walkthrough that depicts witches throughout history. It was super interesting. It was just as I remembered when I was little and I loved it! Totally recommend. it’s a must!

A couple of blocks away is the innocent victim’s cemetery, which was sad, but beautiful. Also within walking distance is all the shops. My favorite, duh! Places like Melt and Boston Burger are amongst the amazing blocks in Salem. You have the Bewithched Statue, more restaurants, boutiques, home decor stores, and more historical sites. It feels like you’re a part of history being there, and I love that. The houses are old but fab, and the neighborhoods are older but cute.

We went to two shops involving tarot and readings. One was named Haus Witch and the other was Pentagram. Both were amazing. The people were nice, but not only nice, talented. Haus Witch specialized in things like crystals and aura readings. It was not only a beautiful store, but I felt extreamly comfortable. My Dad and I got our auras read Whitch was something neither of us done. They hook you up to a machine that was made in the 70’s, take a picture of you, and somehow the picture shows up with colors around you, the colors representing your aura. And Let me tell you, it hit the nail on the head. The colors on my picture stated that I was balanced, creative, and romantic. My Dad’s showed personal growth and balance. It was interesting, and worth the forty dollars.

Then on to Pentagram. I was amazed with my reading. Mathew did a fab job, the moment I met him, I felt an instant connection. It was fifty dollars for a fifteen minute reading and ninety for a half an hour. Now, I don’t know if that’s a reasonable price or not, you tell me. Fifty for fifteen does seem like a bit much to me, but I understand. It was absolutely worth it! Mathew hit the nail on the head, specializing in both charms, and cards. I love the charms, and this was my first reading. I felt extreamly comfortable, which was appreciated. So if you’re ever in Salem and want to get a reading, go to Pentagram and ask for Mathew. You’ll love it.

Salem is a must if you are anywhere in Massachusetts. It’s too iconic to pass up. I can’t even begin to comprehend all the history that surrounds Massachusetts and how much I love it. Salem is just one of the may places in Massachusetts that makes you feel like you’re apart of History. And there is something so beautiful about that. I can’t wait to go back.

The Boston Aquarium

Let me start off by saying I LOVE aquarium’s. Will take them over a zoo any day. I love the animals, the environment, everything. And this was a beautiful aquarium. The animals looked happy and taken care of, which is the most important thing to me. The employees were sweet, but I did expect a little more from a large aquarium. And I mean, this aquarium was huge! I believe it was four floors. The whole first floor was penguins. They were so cute! I loved the large turtle and touching a stingray. God, I’m a sucker for that. I think each ticket was about forty dollars, which is really expensive, but I’m not surprised. There is not much to say about this aquarium besides it’s an aquarium. Is it worth forty dollars each person? No. I don’t think so. But if you’re in Boston and you want to go to a aquarium, this is the one. We went during the hottest day of the trip and honestly, that’s why we went! Because it was so hot outside. And it was a nice relief from the heat.

If you have kids, absolutely take your kids here. It’s beautiful. If you need relief from the summer heat, absolutely come here. But, if you are only in Boston for three days like us, don’t waste your time. Go on a boat trip, a tour, there are plenty of historical things to do that would be much more interesting than this.

The Duck Tour

The Boston Duck tours is a guided tour that takes you around some of the most historic places in Boston. The catch? This isn’t only a large car shaped like a boat… it’s an actual boat.

Yes, you heard me right.

This thing drives you all around Boston and then takes you into the water for a boat ride. It’s inane! And I loved every moment of it! (Besides getting a little sea sick.)

We departed right outside of the aquarium, so of course we did this the same day as the aquarium. They have three departing stations; The Museum of Science, The Aquarium, and the Prudential Center. My advise, spend your day at the aquarium, leave right before your Duck Tour begins so that you are right there, then grab dinner. There, a full day that was fun and will satisfy the whole family. Also, get those tickets early, or you won’t get them.

Ready for all the tour sites you’ll visit in the hour? Quincy Market, Post Office Square, Rose Kennedy Greenway/Wharf District Park, Long Wharf, The New England Aquarium, Custom House, The Boston Public Libary, 200 Clarendon, Trinity Chruch, Newbury Street, Bull and Finch Pub, Make Way For Duckling statue, and many more. On the website it shows forty-one iconic and historic sites we visited! Tired yet?

Our tour guid was amazing too, he was absolutely hilarious, and knew so much about Boston, it was scary. He told us a little bit a about every site we passed, it was amazing. Now going into the Charles River was scary, I must admit, but it was so fun and the drivers are extreamly experienced. The Duck Tours are a must if you’re in Boston. No doubt. One of the best things we did, and we learned so much! Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.

Final Trip Thoughts

I love it here, I really do, and I missed it dearly. Boston is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. Massachusetts as a whole actually. Just sunning. Being there you actually feel like you’re a part of something, you’re a part of history. And you can be! With all the tours, and things they have to offer. I can’t believe that this is all we did in three days, but to be quite honest, there is so much to see it’s impossible! We saw almost everything on our first trip, but it was so much, it wasn’t enjoyable. My advise, do what you want.

You don’t need to see everything, do everything, I know it feels like it. But this is still a vacation! Do what you and your family is comfortable with and relax! That’s the most important part. My favorite part of the vacation was getting back to the hotel room at night, opening those blinds to see that beautiful view, getting in bed, and watching Sex and the City. It’s the truth!

Because I truly felt like I was relaxing.

If you’re thinking about going to Massachusetts, I’d always recommend. There is so much for you and your family to do. I’d do four days three nights.

As I said, I adore Boston and Massachusetts, so if you’re from there and I’ve said something negative about your favorite place, know that it comes from a place of honesty. And to be quite honest, nothing we did was bad. The food was great, the hotel was great, the experiences were great. But I will be honest with every detail.

If you are looking to go to Boston or Salem, I hope this helped. And if you’re reading this blog just because you wanted to, thank you! I appreciate you!

I can’t wait till me and all my problems go to Boston again.