Fenway Park

Boston, Massachusetts

Logan International Airport (BOS)

6 miles/20 minutes to Fenway Park

 

Hotels – all of the following Ballpark Chasers recommended lodging are in walking distance of Fenway Park.

Unlimited budget

Hotel Commonwealth

Hilton – Boston Back Bay

Sheraton - Boston Hotel

Moderate budget

Howard Johnson – Fenway Park

Buckminster Hotel

Midtown Hotel

 

Chaser budget traveler – we are still looking for one…don’t hold your breath!

Ballpark Chasers Tip: if you plan on staying anywhere near Fenway Park, expect to spend at least $150-$300 a night for a decent hotel room. Otherwise, try staying outside of the city to save a little money.

 

Parking

Ballpark Chasers suggest taking the “T” to Fenway Park if you are staying at a hotel that is not within walking distance.  Subway access is conveniently located all over the downtown Boston area and is much cheaper than parking. All subway lines will connect to the Green Line which you then take to the Kenmore stop. From there, just follow the heard of crazy Bostonians.

If driving to the ballpark, we highly recommend arriving early to ensure a parking spot that fits your budget. Prices range from $6 to over $50 for walking distances between 2 and 20 minutes. 

Dining

Just across the street from Fenway Park is Boston’s world renowned sports bar, Cask’n Flagon. Since 1973, the Cask’n Flagon has been serving food and drinks for all of Red Sox Nation. Ballpark Chasers love this restaurant for their great food, service and overall atmosphere. With over 60 high definition televisions, it makes a perfect place to hang out before or after the game. Just one piece of advice – leave your Yankees gear at the door! Another sports bar close to the stadium is Beer Works, Boston’s oldest and largest restaurant and brewery. For you microbrew lovers, Beer Works is the place to go. From their Bunker Hill Blueberry Ale to their Gold Medal winner Red October, Beer Works Brewery offers a variety like no-other. In addition, they have over 9o food items that include several on the lighter side. Who are we kidding? Go with the Fenway Burger and Fiery Fries! 

For those looking to avoid the sports bar scene and have a quieter meal, we recommend the Audubon Circle Restaurant. The Audubon is a casual restaurant serving a wide range of food, including many vegetarian items. Keep in mind that the last time we visited there was only one television, so be prepared to go elsewhere if you need your SportsCenter. Our last recommendation is Canestaro, located on Peterborough, just a few blocks from Fenway Park. Canestaro’s serves some of the best Italian food we have sampled in all of North America. We hear they have a great menu other than just pizza, but honestly the pizza is so good we can’t bear to try anything else.

With so many great restaurants and bars outside of Fenway Park, Ballpark Chasers recommend eating before entering the stadium. With that being said, there are still a few good options within the park. Although it’s hard to miss, look for Yawkey Way, an extension of the Fenway Park concourse that offers pre-game live music, entertainment and amazing Italian sausages. Some of our favorite ballpark items include a bowl of Legal Seafood’s Clam Chowder, Fenway Franks and the Panini sandwich. For a snack, head to the Big Concourse to try Fenway Park’s famous Kettle Corn – the local fans swear by it! 

 

Tickets

Fenway Park is the oldest ballpark in all of Major League Baseball and arguably holds the greatest and most loyal fans. Many times the Red Sox will travel to other stadiums and bring as many fans as the home town team; hence they are referred to as "Red Sox Nation".  Sellouts don’t sometimes occur, they always occur- since May of 2003 to be exact! Fenway Park was on average 104% full during the 2008 season! What does this all mean? Buy your tickets before going to the game or else bring plenty of cash to fork over to scalpers. Don't delay! Boston event tickets are available for purchase at BarrysTickets.com.

Ballpark Chasers Fun Fact: there is a lone, red-seat surrounded by a sea of green in the Right Field section of Fenway Park. This seat marks the longest home run ever hit inside Fenway, some 502 feet away! The shot came from Ted Williams’ bat on June 9, 1946. Good luck trying to get this ticket in Section 42, Row 37, Seat 21.

 

Weather

The Boston area has fairly mild summers with light rain and humidity. To increase your chance for a warm summer day, Ballpark Chasers recommend late June, July and/or August. We also suggest avoiding the months of April and May as wide temperature swings are very common with averages rarely exceeding 70 degrees.

 

Local Attractions

 Since “Beantown” can be an expensive place to visit, we thought we would suggest a few local attractions to see on a limited budget. For just $6, you can get a true feel for New England’s rich sports history at The Sports Museum. Located at the TD Banknorth Garden (home of the Boston Celtics and Bruins), The Sports Museum is nearly a half-mile filled with historical memorabilia and exhibits. Some of our favorites include: Ted Williams’ locker, the infamous baseball that struck Tony Conigliaro, Nancy Kerrigan’s skates and Larry Bird’s shoes!

Do you want to go to a place in Boston where everyone knows your name? Well, look no further than a little pub called “Cheers”. Okay, so they will not actually know your name when you walk in the door. Norm will not be at the corner seat and Sam will not be behind the bar reminiscing about his former playing days with the Red Sox. However, it’s a pretty fun stop to see where one of the most successful television shows in history was inspired. Stop in for a quick drink and finish in their gift shop for a Cheers souvenir.

Don’t leave Boston without seeing their historical landmarks by foot. The Freedom Trail is a 2.5 mile long self-guided walking tour through the city that is marked with a red-brick line to make it easy to follow. Because the Freedom Trail is not a circular loop, we advise starting your walk at the Boston Commons (don’t forget to pick up a map here too). Famous stops along the way include: Paul Revere’s house, America’s first public school, the location of the battle at Bunker Hill and the Boston Massacre.

 

Ballpark Chasers Trip Suggestion

Fenway Park is one stop in the “Northeast 3”, which includes seeing Yankee Stadium and Citi Field. By far, this is the most popular of all Ballpark Chasers vacations. If possible, extend your trip by another day to visit Cooperstown, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Cooperstown, New York is just over a 4 hour drive from Boston and New York and provides a once in a lifetime experience for all baseball fans.

Minor League Baseball in the Northeast is also another great option for seeing multiple stadiums in a short amount of time. The Lowell Spinners, Worchester Tornadoes, Pawtucket Red Sox, Connecticut Defenders, New Hampshire Fisher Cats and the New Britain Rock Cats are all within a 2 hour drive of Fenway Park. With so many parks to chase, you may be forced into taking a few extra days off of work!