Offseason Travel

Cold, but cozy

Follow Boston local Ben Markham's 3-day winter itinerary. Here's what he has to say:

〝Boston’s magic shows up in winter when the snow brings a welcome quiet to the bustling streets.〞Ben Markham

Offseason Itinerary

Day 1

• Morning: Stroll through Kendall Sq and the nearby Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus to soak up the energy of the students and start-ups. Sip your coffee from a window seat at Ripple Cafe on Main St.
• Day: Take the Red Line one stop to Charles St and wander Beacon Hill’s cobblestone in the direction of the Public Garden.
• Dinner: Get clam chowder and brown bread at a historic wharf-side tavern.
• After dark: Attend a concert at Symphony Hall, the renowned acoustical marvel that’s home to one of the world’s finest orchestras.

Day 2

• Morning: Rent or borrow some cross-country skis and set out for Franklin Park, a jewel in Fredrick Law Olmstead’s design for Boston’s green space. The golf course is perfect for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
• Day: After lunch, expand your knowledge at the Museum of Science. Then head up the Charles River Esplanade and warm yourself with a cup of drinking chocolate from LA Burdick in Back Bay.
• Dinner: Order oysters and seafood in the South End.
• After dark: Get tickets for the theater at the Boston Center for the Arts or a jazz show at Wally’s.

Day 3

• Morning: Join the locals ice-skating on the Frog Pond at the Boston Common.
• Day: Head to the Institute for Contemporary Art on Boston’s waterfront to see what’s cutting edge in the art world.
• Dinner: Tuck into a lobster pot pie at a cozy Seaport restaurant. 
• After dark: Celebrate a Bruins win with a pint, ideally at a bar with live music – perhaps one of the many Boston pubs that regularly host an Irish seisiún (session).

My most Boston spots

• LA Burdick has the best chocolate anywhere. The hot chocolate is unbeatable.
• Mike’s Pastry and Modern Pastry Shop are both great. There are no losers in this rivalry.
• The Plough and Stars in Central Sq is a great pub with live music most nights, and The Burren in Davis Sq has some of the best Irish sessions around.
• Union Oyster House for that old Boston charm, Waypoint in Cambridge for the adventurous seafood lover – the raw bar is a Boston winter tradition well worth trying, and these spots are all can’t miss.

Ben Markham has lived in the greater Boston area for 23 years and loves the region’s snowy winters.

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