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NYT said this is how to spend 36 hours in Boston. Do you agree?

What did the itinerary get right – or wrong? Did they miss your favorite spot? Share with us.

If you're going to spend 36 hours in Boston, The New York Times has put together a recommended itinerary. What did the list get right – or wrong? (Photo collage by Annie Jonas

By Annie Jonas

July 11, 2024

Summer in Boston is a special time for residents and tourists alike, as the city emerges from its long winter months to arrive at the sunny (sometimes sweltering) summertime season.

Bostonians, like the flowers and trees that bloom with the warmer weather, will crop up throughout the city to enjoy the much-appreciated balmy weather and the best of dining, shopping, entertainment, and more.

There’s plenty to do and see during a Boston summer, and often not enough time to do everything on your wishlist. But according to Jenna Russell, New England bureau chief for The New York Times and former reporter for The Boston Globe, this is how to spend 36 hours in the city:

Friday

First up on Russell’s itinerary is heading to the Boston Common. Stops include the performance space UnCommon Stage, followed by “The Embrace” sculpture, and a pit-stop at Danish-Israeli bakery Bakey.

People mingle around “The Embrace” sculpture in Boston Common. *(Photo by Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff)*

Afterward, Russell suggests heading to Downtown Crossing for drinks at the cocktail lounge The Wig Shop and to Temple Records, a tribute to the “listening bars” of 1950s Japan. For a bite to eat, she suggests heading to a subterranean sushi bar, Sushi @ Temple Records one level below. For an alternative atmospheric dining option, Russell recommends heading to Yvonne’s for its old-world Boston charm and elegance.

Saturday

Saturday begins with a visit to Fenway Park for a tour. A non-sports related alternative is heading to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum nearby. Afterward, Russell suggests Time Out Market for roast beef sandwiches at Cusser’s and sweet treats at Union Square Donuts.

Mac Smith, 4, and his brother Harry, 7, share a bag of popcorn before the Red Sox home opener against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park in Boston, MA on April 9, 2024. *(Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff)*

From Fenway, it’s on to Beacon Hill for a bit of history at the Granary Burying Ground (“Disneyland for history buffs,” according to Russell), the African Meeting House, and the Museum of African American History. For shopping and book browsing, she recommends the jewelry at December Thieves and Beacon Hill Books & Cafe.

Saturday evening is spent in East Boston, which Russell acknowledges was “long a home to new immigrants and Logan Airport, and [is] now morphing into a trendy waterfront playground.”

A Red Top Boats Water Taxi arrives at the Logan Airport Ferry Terminal in East Boston, MA on July 13, 2023. *(Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff)*

Russell suggests the Italian sub sandwiches at Carmella’s and a visit to The Watershed (the Institute of Contemporary Art’s outpost in East Boston). Afterward, she recommends drinks at either the Downeast Cider House Taproom or Tea By The Sea, and oysters at Tall Ship, a floating oyster bar. A dinner at Rincon Limeno in Day Square brings the day to a close.

Sunday

Sunday is spent mostly along the city’s shoreline and in Dorchester, starting at the University of Massachusetts Boston for a bike ride along the Boston Harborwalk. Russell suggests riding to Castle Island for a tour of Fort Independence and food at Sullivan’s. Then, it’s on to Dorchester Brewing Company for drinks and a casual dinner. For a fancier dinner option, she suggests the highly-acclaimed restaurant Comfort Kitchen for globally inspired comfort food.