Ever Want to Stay ALL Day at Fenway?
We did and you can too! Check out our accidental full day at Fenway.
The day started as expected – NO RUNNING. After all, one of us just did a marathon and the other one did a 7 mile run followed by 7 miles of chasing her favorite runner to the finish line. We left our room early and headed to Fenway to get tickets for the 4pm pre-game tour.
The Morning at Fenway
No sooner had we taken the receipt from the ticket booth than a tour guide gave us the inside scoop on the Tours. We thought they would all be the same but it turns out that the earlier tours let you go behind the scenes to areas that are off limits to visitors closer to game time. Weighing this new information for about 30 seconds, we quickly turned around and bought tickets to the 10am tour as well.
Our next task? Finding somewhere close by for a quick breakfast.
Where to Eat When You’re in a Hurry in Boston
In fine Boston tradition, we had Duncan Donuts. The look on Stephen’s face seems to be saying, “I ran 26 miles and all I got was this lousy donut.” but it was actually a good donut.
The Morning Tour
Back at Fenway, we sat in the oldest seats in the Major League. We also got to tour the halls behind the press box and look at all the photos and newspaper articles about the big events in Red Sox history.
In the press box, we got to sit in the reporters seats and enjoy a GREAT view of the field. Did you know that the windows to the press box are hurricane proof? Did you further know that they open them during games? We postulated that having open windows doesn’t do much to protect the press from an errant fly ball!
Up the stairs, we got a peek at Fenway Farms. This newly installed green space grows vegetables that will be used in meals at the ball park and for local foodbanks. As an added bonus, this roof garden cuts down on their heating and cooling bills.
And the last stop for the day…the Green Monster (pronounced monsta)!
Cheapskate tip – This tour is fantastic and runs $25 a person. In addition, they offer discounts to veterans and seniors. I’ve been to several games at Fenway but this tour really let’s you experience the park.
Afternoon Repast
Since we had some time to kill before our next tour of Fenway, we headed down to Boston Harbor for lunch.
That is the corner of a building we saw free floating in the Harbor. We had NO idea what it was so we took a picture. Turns out, it’s a floating art installation called “Polarity”. It was made to look like a luxury condominium fell over into the water. Maybe it was some sort of commentary on luxury or maybe taxes, since it was in Boston Harbor.
Where we ate – We sat at the spacious, hipster bar and had a great meal at City Tap. The pizza was marvy and the salad was amazingly yummy though it was spicy. It had sport peppers on it and we each made it to half way before we were slightly regretting our choice, though not enough to stop eating them.
Where we drank – We walked over to Harpoon Brewery and enjoyed some adult beverages in their giant warehouse / manufacturing facility / taproom. Not only was the beer delicious, their ladies’ room was super well lit and warm. I know this is sort of a weird thing to note but I’ve been a lot of great restaurants whose bathrooms will make you want to grab a parka and a lantern before you enter.
Afternoon at Fenway
Did I mention the Fenway tour starts in the giftshop? This is NOT a cheapskate tip. I got the sweatshirt and hat shown above after the first tour. I hadn’t dressed in ball game clothes as our original plan had us heading back to the room to change in the afternoon. This leads me to this helpful bit of information:
Low Stress Tip – When you’re spending time with Stephen, best to be ready for all eventualities! Dress for dinner at breakfast and wear comfy shoes!
What we did – Time to head back to Fenway for the afternoon tour! This one started in the oldest seats in baseball, went down to the warning track and then back up to the Green Monster to watch batting practice.
Where we ate and drank – After the tour, we had a little time to grab dinner so we headed over to the Cask and Flagon. The place was PACKED but we managed to weasel a couple spaces at the bar.
Evening at Fenway
What we did – Before the game we went back to Fenway and walked around the concourse. This is one of my very favorite things to do at any ball park.
Cheapskate tip – You can get very inexpensive tickets for a major league baseball game and walk around the stadium concourse for free. If you’re short on cash, most ballparks sell refillable cups for soft drinks and the hot dogs aren’t usually too expensive.
We had the best time sitting on the Green Monster. It was not unlike being in a suite in that we had a small group of people seated with us that we could socialize with and we had a table in front of us for food and the ability to get up and move around. The ability to get up and down was really helpful for the marathoners in attendance whose aching legs required movement from time to time.
As the day went on, the sky became more gray and the temperature dropped. By game time, it was somewhere around 40 degrees and was raining on and off. Regardless of the weather, we made it to the 8th inning and stayed for Sweet Caroline before heading out.
Where we drank – We decided ending the evening with a nightcap sounded like the perfect way to thaw out so we headed back to the North End and indulged in some adult beverages at The Point Bar.
Check our last day in Boston at Quincy Market and the new Sam Adams Tasting Room!
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