2 Days in Boston: The Best Places to See, Eat, and Stay in Boston

Boston has been on my list for quite some time, and we finally made our way over last month. I really do wish we would’ve had more time to explore (there’s plenty to do). We did cover as much ground as possible with only 2 days in Boston, and I’ll be sharing my favorite spots with you today including the prettiest neighborhoods you shouldn’t miss!

2 Days in Boston: Where to Stay

We enjoyed our stay at Yotel Boston. It’s only a 10-minute drive to the area’s most idyllic neighborhoods. We ended up going with a hotel because the Airbnbs are the most expensive I’ve seen almost anywhere (even NYC). Other hotels in specific areas can be pricey too, so I saved some money by staying a few minutes out.

One thing I loved about Yotel was the view of the city from the rooftop bar. It’s a VERY modern hotel, so modern that you check yourself in and out on a computer. The rooms were quiet, comfortable, and clean, and we got lucky by finding free overnight parking all weekend! Parking is similar to NYC (a lot more flexible than Chicago). You only pay for certain hours, you can leave it overnight, plus Sundays and holidays are free.

Where to Eat in Boston

Neptune Oyster– The yummiest lobster rolls! However, the wait is brutal. They don’t take reservations, you have to put your name down early and they’ll call you hours later for a table lol. It’s worth it though, the rolls were some of the best.

Life Alive– Great vegan restaurant. We visited the Cambridge location and fell in love with their warm bowls! So much flavor, full of all things good for your belly.

Mike & Patty’s– Picked up some egg sandwiches before getting on the road and they were delicious. Highly rated place!

Render Coffee– Nothing fancy, but great coffee according to Jorge. I couldn’t find a shop that offered coconut milk so I didn’t try any of these cafes.

Tatte Bakery & Cafe– The coffee was good here, they have a lot of pastries to choose from, and a really cute shop.

Thinking Cup– More great coffee right on Newbury Street in the Back Bay area.

Places to See in Boston

If you’ve been following the blog or my Instagram for a while, you know walking the neighborhoods is my favorite thing to do. Definitely make time to walk all the pretty areas, they’ll make you feel like you’re in a movie set!

To find all these beautiful streets and facades just adventure out to Beacon Hill, Back Bay, South and North End neighborhoods. Plus, don’t skip Cambridge that’s where the purple house below is located. There were surprisingly a lot of colorful homes in Cambridge.

When in Beacon Hill, you’ll run into the famous Acorn Street, the most photographed street in Boston. I suggest you go on a weekday morning or on a rainy day to get a photo without crowds.

Acorn Street is like a flashback to colonial Boston, and one of the few streets still paved with true cobblestones. True cobblestones can be difficult to walk on, and there were massive complaints about them back in the 19th century.

I learned that real cobblestone streets are rare and what we’re seeing out there in the world is something called “setts”. Setts are a safer, more even version of cobblestones. Who knew?

We didn’t do any of the historical stuff because we’re not into any of that but we did check out Paul Revere’s house!

Due to our timing and the holiday hours, we didn’t have a chance to visit the Boston Athenaeum. I wish I could’ve seen these interiors in person! It looks like this:

source: bostonmagazine.com

Or the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum that looks like this:

source: cntraveler.com

But we did get a chance to visit the Boston Common and see the Memorial Day flag garden. The garden displayed 37,000 flags that represented every fallen soldier from Massachusetts since the revolutionary war. It was a moving sight.

Hoping to return to Boston soon enough and include some of the nearby cities and islands! Have you been?

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