Traveling in Our Fabulous World: Boston, Massachusetts
By Donald Pile & Ray Williams, Gay Travelers

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Boston Harbor is a natural harbor located adjacent to the city of Boston. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the northeast. When you are staying in a large city like Boston you need a great central location to stay.

We stayed at the Oasis Guest House (pictured at right), 22 Edgerly Road which is conveniently close to the Prudential Center (Hynes Convention Center), the Green Line Subway T station in Boston’s Back Bay. Wonderful public transportation is just two blocks away that whisks you to any part of the city.

Joe and Eric are the proprietors and they have owned the Guest House for several years.  They, and their staff, Keith, Victor and Mike are the most professional and friendly that we have encountered in years!  It is no wonder why they have guests that return year after year.

A nice continental breakfast is served every morning.   It is of course air-conditioned and has Wi-Fi for their guests. Check out their website at: www.oasisgh.com or give them a call at 800.230.0105.

Within a couple of blocks there are literally dozens of restaurants, cafes and there is a Whole Food grocery just one block down the street.  It is in a residential neighborhood and is very quiet.  We met several interesting people while staying there.

We just can’t recommend this place enough.  Everything is so great about staying there.  When you stay at the Oasis Guest House, the staff can plan your day, give you directions and they are more than happy to do so.  Your happiness is what the Oasis Guest House is all about! 

Boston Harbor is a natural harbor located adjacent to the city of Boston. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the northeast. It was also the site of the Boston Tea Party.

Take a walk thru the area which is very historical. Our first tour was the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library which was one of I.M. Pei’s great buildings.  Sitting right on the harbor it is a magnificent setting.  It was very interesting to see the history of the Kennedy family.

The Isabella Stewart Garner Museum and the Museum of Arts is within walking distance to enjoy. The Berklee College of Music is just two blocks from the Oasis and we enjoyed concerts there as well.

A walking tour of downtown Boston requires at least two or three days.  The Freedom Trail is a must see for any visitor to Boston.  You can either walk it yourself, take a guided tour or hop on a tour bus.  Very simply, just follow the red brick or red painted trail which covers about 2 and a half miles and you stroll thru the old parts of the city, visiting cemeteries, buildings, churches and wonderful architectural sights as well.

Actually you pass 16 of the famous and historical buildings.  At the visitor’s center you can pick up a program and take the walk yourself which really is the best way. You end up in Little Italy which is great place to have lunch.  Don’t order any dessert but instead walk down to Mike’s Pastry shop at 300 Hanover Street and pick out something there.  They have been in business for years and they make the best pastries ever.

Another aspect of taking a self tour is that you can stop whenever you want to and go into the dozens of different shops along the way.  We HATE almost all tours anyway.

The next day, go to downtown Boston and just walk around visiting the wonderful and interesting shops on Newbury Street which has eight blocks filled with salons, boutiques, clothing and high fashion shops as well as fabulous dining.  The architecture of downtown Boston is unlike any city in the country and is truly unbelievable.  The old churches abut newer buildings and they all fit in wonderfully.

There are so many different sections of Boston so if you have the time, visit each of them including Chinatown which is also downtown.  Whether you are into sports, the arts, architecture, history or just enjoying the sights and sounds of a beautiful city, you will not be disappointed with Boston.

 Boston is full of gay bars and includes leather, high-tech dancing, neighborhood cruise bars and piano bars. Check out www.gaycities.com and www.funmaps.com to find about the bar scene in Boston. Other websites to check are: www.boston.com and www.bostonusa.com.

Always remember to have fun when traveling, meet new people and talk to everyone!