I am trying to plan a trip for this summer for a bunch of us Baltimorons to travel up to Boston for a weekend. We are planning on going to Fenway and watching the Orioles vs. Sox game. I have booked cheap airfare and rental bus but have no idea of what would be a cool area of the city in which to stay.

Also, I would love some recommendations for good drinking establishments. We really prefer the dive bars where we can get to know the locals. (Read: we never ever go to Hard Rock Cafe)

Is anyone familiar with Boston? Any advice?

-- Anonymous, April 17, 2002

Answers

My favorite dive bar is The Last Drop, on Mass. Ave. and Marlboro Street in the Back Bay. In fact, it was my second home when I lived there.

However, staying in the Back Bay can be ridiculously expensive. I'd suggest checking out the Holiday Inns etc. downtown-ish.

-- Anonymous, April 17, 2002

Funny that you say that because when I pulled up hotel info on Expedia.com, the Back Bay Hotel (or Inn, I can't remember), was like $289 a night...it looked beautiful, but damn!

I did find a Best Western that is actually at 891 Massachusetts Ave. which was about $150 a night. Is that a fun area in which to stay?

-- Anonymous, April 17, 2002

What's the cross- street? Mass Ave can get kind of seedy as you head out of the Back Bay. But it's not too bad, especially if you cab it. And Wally's, the greatest jazz club in Boston, is down on that end of Mass. Ave.

-- Anonymous, April 17, 2002

I've only been to Boston once, and it was with my family so we didn't go on a pub crawl, but I was going to suggest The Last Drop. One of my college roommates lived in Boston for one summer and swore by The Last Drop.

-- Anonymous, April 17, 2002

According to Mapquest, the cross street is Island Street and it is just south of Melnea Cass Blvd - does that ring a bell?

-- Anonymous, April 17, 2002

Yeah, that's up towards Roxbury, near Boston Medical Center.

I used to work at BMC, and it's fine in the daytime, but sketchy at night.

However, it's probably a $3 cab ride to Wally's, if that, and $5 or 6 to the Last Drop (which is also walking distance to Fenway, and CRAZY after a game).

-- Anonymous, April 17, 2002

Can you all think of any reasonably priced hotels that are in the proximity of Fenway? From what I gather, is the neighborhood around Fenway fun and yet safe?

-- Anonymous, April 18, 2002

Dawn, try the Kenmore Square Howard Johnson's.

-- Anonymous, April 18, 2002

Hannah - Is that the one on Boylston Street?

-- Anonymous, April 18, 2002

Oh, I was thinking of the one on Commonwealth, but the one on Boylston might be even cheaper.

-- Anonymous, April 18, 2002

The other location that was shown was on Morrisey - would this be the Commonwealth one?

-- Anonymous, April 18, 2002