Boston, Massachusetts
Logan International Airport (BOS)
6 miles/20 minutes to Fenway Park
WHERE TO STAY? Hotels Near Fenway Park (All within 1.5 miles)
Unlimited budget
Hotel Commonwealth - make sure to ask about their Fenway Park 100th Anniversary packages
Hilton Boston Back Bay
Sheraton Boston Hotel
Moderate budget
Chaser budget traveler -there are no hotels under $100 a night in downtown Boston.
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.
WHERE TO PARK?
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 Bostonian Red Sox fans.
If driving to the ballpark, we highly recommend arriving early or pre-purchasing to ensure a parking spot as options are extremely limited in the area surrounding Fenway Park. Forget about street parking as most are reserved for handicap spots. Prices can easily run over $40 for walking distances between 2 and 20 minutes.
Ballpark Chasers Tip: a special discounted parking rate of $10 is found at the 100 Clarendon Garage, the Official Garage of the Red Sox. The garage is easily accessed from both I-93 and the I-90 and is a comfortable walking distance of Fenway Park. Only valid for night games and weekends.
WHERE TO EAT?
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 ballpark 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. Try the Chaser Meal: a Fenway Burger, Fiery Fries and MVP Wheat.
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 The Bleacher Bar. Fenway Park's newest annex, lying beneath the bleachers in center field, offers a window that looks directly through centerfield and into the ballpark. The Bleacher Bar is a place where you can enjoy an extraordinary bar and also feel the very history that is Fenway Park.
Ballpark Chasers Hidden Gem: three miles from Fenway Park is one of our staff's favorite sports bars. The Four's Sports Bar and Restaurant is one of Boston's originals, serving great food since 1976. Wall-to-wall sports memorabilia line The Four's so make sure to allow a few extra minutes to wander after your meal. The best feature though is they literally have every sports package and therefore will show whatever game you want!
Ballpark Chasers Favorite Bar- Cask'n Flagon
With so many great restaurants and bars outside of Fenway Park, Ballpark Chasers recommends eating before entering the ballpark. With that being said, there are still a few good options within Fenway. 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. Fenway Farms is a new concession stand for the 2016 season that offers assorted wraps, salads, deli sandwiches, seasonal dishes will incorporate ingredients from the Fenway Farm.
Some of our favorite Fenway Park ballpark items include a bowl of New England Clam Chowder, Lobster Rolls, Fenway Franks and the Turkey Gobbler Sandwich. For a snack, head to the Big Concourse to try Fenway Park’s famous Kettle Corn – the local fans swear by it. The seasoned pulled chicken taco trio, French Toast, and Fenway Taters are other ballpark food high on our list.
New Food at Fenway Park
Sam’s Slammin’ Onion - a lager-battered, deep-fried flower served with a savory dipping sauce.
Bacon-on-a-stick
Buffalo chicken topped tots - Shredded Buffalo chicken spread over a mound of fried tater tots, blue cheese, and chives.
King’s Hawaiian pulled pork sandwich - pulled pork smothered with smoky bacon barbecue sauce and finished with a scoop of pineapple slaw.
Banana Splitter & Brownie Sundaes - need we say more?
WHERE TO BUY 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 usually occur. Fenway Park was on average 96% full during the 2019 season. What does this all mean? Buy your tickets before going to the game through the Red Sox ticket office.
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.
WHEN TO GO?
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.
WHAT ELSE TO SEE?
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 $12, 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 VACATION?
Fenway Park is one stop in the “Northeast 3” Ballpark Chaser Vacation, 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 four 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 ballparks in a short amount of time. The Lowell Spinners, Pawtucket Red Sox, New Hampshire Fisher Cats and the New Britain Bees are all within a two hour drive of Fenway Park. With so many parks to chase, you may be forced into taking a few extra days off of work.
Last updated by Ballpark Chasers.