I've read alot about going to Pax but specifically I wanted to know about arrival and departure. Are there usually goings on prior to PAX for the public? I know the GB crew will do something for after hours stuff, but in general? Events look like they go until sunday evening (5-7pm) and I assume that staying until monday is customary. The places i'm looking at staying (condo) are around freedom trail. Any advice there?

I've also never been to boston, so is it safe to assume that public transportation is a viable option when staying within 5 or so miles of the convention center? The city i live in has next to no public transport (including taxi) making it a requirement to have a way around. Unlike chicago where theres transport everywhere.

Public transportation is easy to get to and available. Last year the crew did an after hours meetup on Saturday that went pretty late, so plan for a taxi if you are going to stay out late. The T shuts down around midnight.

@Brewmaster_Andy said:

Public transportation is easy to get to and available. Last year the crew did an after hours meetup on Saturday that went pretty late, so plan for a taxi if you are going to stay out late. The T shuts down around midnight.

I REALLY hope they are able to find a larger bar this year. Man was that packed. I felt bad for the locals that got caught in that maelstrom.

Giant Bomb also had a Rock Band night on Thursday night which apparently was one of the highlights from last year. Super bummed that I didn't arrive until Friday. This year I get in on Thursday, I'm hoping something similar gets planned.

Lucky for me I booked a hotel near where all the bars would be this year. I can easily stumble back. Although last year I did hike it back from where we were at back to the waterfront. Only like a 20-30 minute walk. It was actually a pretty pleasant stroll that gave me a chance to sober up.

I've been asking coworkers that travel to clients in Boston this same question.
I still need to book a room and figure out travel plans.

@James_ex_machina said:

I've been asking coworkers that travel to clients in Boston this same question. I still need to book a room and figure out travel plans.

You should book immediately. All hotels surrounding the convention center are booked full, hotels near by across the water are going fast as well.

@pigmartyr said:

Events look like they go until sunday evening (5-7pm) and I assume that staying until monday is customary.

And to answer this, I would NOT stay until Monday. Things die down rapidly by Sunday night. I stayed until Monday last year and will not be this year. There's no reason to.

also, dont forget that boston's anime convention is happening the same weekend when you are booking hotels and the like. i heard they will be running transport between cons all weekend as well.

@DougCL said:

also, dont forget that boston's anime convention is happening the same weekend

Mother of god. Prepare yourself for symphony of questionable odors, Boston.

@Mahonay said:

@DougCL said:

also, dont forget that boston's anime convention is happening the same weekend

Mother of god. Prepare yourself for symphony of questionable odors, Boston.

Totally not looking forward to the smell on the MBTA that weekend.

@Murtaug said:

I have done plenty of drunk stumbling in the wrong direction in cities I do not know; why not add Boston to that list?

You've got the right idea!

@Murtaug: You're going to be about 4 miles from downtown. But you have a red line subway station right by your hotel that will get you to and from downtown (likely South Station) pretty easily. They stop running a little after midnight, so you may get stuck wandering (or cabbing it) to get home.

@Matt said:

@Murtaug said:

I have done plenty of drunk stumbling in the wrong direction in cities I do not know; why not add Boston to that list?

You've got the right idea!

I did this last year, was not too bad so I can recommend it. Thought I am at an advantage of living in Boston my whole life so try and avoid the shady back alleys when you can.

@Mahonay said:

@DougCL said:

also, dont forget that boston's anime convention is happening the same weekend

Mother of god. Prepare yourself for symphony of questionable odors, Boston.

Oh christ. I should have flown home for that weekend

@pigmartyr said:

I've read alot about going to Pax but specifically I wanted to know about arrival and departure. Are there usually goings on prior to PAX for the public? I know the GB crew will do something for after hours stuff, but in general? Events look like they go until sunday evening (5-7pm) and I assume that staying until monday is customary. The places i'm looking at staying (condo) are around freedom trail. Any advice there?

I've also never been to boston, so is it safe to assume that public transportation is a viable option when staying within 5 or so miles of the convention center? The city i live in has next to no public transport (including taxi) making it a requirement to have a way around. Unlike chicago where theres transport everywhere.

I was there a couple of years ago looking at law schools, and from what I remember is that there is a subway, but that the map of the routes is almost impossible to figure out. I seem to remember that it was color coded by route, but that none of the routes had any street names on them, so FYI that if you're not from Boston, you might have trouble figuring it out.

Also, don't try to drive anywhere. The streets twist around everywhere and the one-ways are laid out in no discernible order. The entire time we were driving around out GPS was going "please turn le...recalcuating route. Make the next available U-tu...recalulating route." (This might not be so bad for other people. I'm originally from MN, and we Norwegians like our streets in a grid, preferably in alphabetical order. We find the chaos of Boston distressing.)

@LawGamer said:

@pigmartyr said:

I've read alot about going to Pax but specifically I wanted to know about arrival and departure. Are there usually goings on prior to PAX for the public? I know the GB crew will do something for after hours stuff, but in general? Events look like they go until sunday evening (5-7pm) and I assume that staying until monday is customary. The places i'm looking at staying (condo) are around freedom trail. Any advice there?

I've also never been to boston, so is it safe to assume that public transportation is a viable option when staying within 5 or so miles of the convention center? The city i live in has next to no public transport (including taxi) making it a requirement to have a way around. Unlike chicago where theres transport everywhere.

I was there a couple of years ago looking at law schools, and from what I remember is that there is a subway, but that the map of the routes is almost impossible to figure out. I seem to remember that it was color coded by route, but that none of the routes had any street names on them, so FYI that if you're not from Boston, you might have trouble figuring it out.

Also, don't try to drive anywhere. The streets twist around everywhere and the one-ways are laid out in no discernible order. The entire time we were driving around out GPS was going "please turn le...recalcuating route. Make the next available U-tu...recalulating route." (This might not be so bad for other people. I'm originally from MN, and we Norwegians like our streets in a grid, preferably in alphabetical order. We find the chaos of Boston distressing.)

No I'm from Boston.

None of the streets make any sense