I am riding with a friend to Amherst on Thursday for an interview Friday morning, after which we are thinking of heading over to Boston for Friday night, to leave early-ish Saturday. As a result we will not have a great deal of time, although we will be looking to drink too much Friday night and generally have a good time.

What I need from you, the wolfweb, source of infinite wisdom, is this:

1) Advice on routes. I'm currently going by the google maps recommendation, which has us driving right through some heavy traffic areas near DC, Philly, and NYC. If you have a better idea, let me know.
2) Cheap or interesting places to stay/eat/drink in Amherst or Boston itself.

Your help, as always, is greatly appreciated.

3/8/2010 3:10:17 AM

^any Garmin with traffic nav is going to save you at least 30 minutes coming through DC. I turn the service back on any time I'm traveling through there - it's nuts.

When in doubt in Boston head toward MIT. Closer you get, better the establishments get.

[Edited on March 8, 2010 at 10:15 AM. Reason : .]

3/8/2010 10:06:44 AM

Boston is wretched.

Don't even waste your time.

[Edited on March 8, 2010 at 10:10 AM. Reason : s]

3/8/2010 10:10:40 AM

Boston is one of the top three cities in the country IMO. San Francisco and New York are the only two better that I've been to, but I'm also biased.

I know that city inside and out so if you have anything specific feel free to PM me.

Amherst? Middle of nowhere. Maybe Marcus Camby can you hook you up with some blow and some hookers though.. I'm sure he has connections up that way.

[Edited on March 8, 2010 at 10:47 AM. Reason : x]

3/8/2010 10:47:40 AM

Quote :

"Boston is wretched. Don't even waste your time."

Maybe you are the wretched one and Boston is just fine the way it is

3/8/2010 11:29:10 AM

Quote :

"which has us driving right through some heavy traffic areas near DC, Philly, and NYC."

leaving what time on thursday?

if you hit DC around rush hour be prepared to add at least an hour maybe two to the estimated time.

3/8/2010 11:30:15 AM

Don't have a GPS, sadly, Garmin or otherwise.

We're leaving here around 7 or 8 in the morning, so assuming that google maps and my brain can be trusted, we should roughly hit...

DC around 12
Philadelphia around 3
New York/Newark around...4-5. This one worries me.

For all intents and purposes the route is I-95 all the way to New Haven. If this is an atrocious idea let me know, I haven't been north of DC since I was five or so.

3/8/2010 1:34:02 PM

Go over the Tappan Zee, wave to my sister, hook up with I-684 to I-84 and you skip the mass of NYC traffic.

3/8/2010 1:36:23 PM

i've been to many a place in boston when i've visited, but i haven't been able to remember a single one

<3 boston

3/8/2010 1:43:27 PM

3/8/2010 1:51:58 PM

TUNA!

3/8/2010 1:54:34 PM

^^^ I'm the same way

I can describe like 10 places in detail, just don't expect any names

Also, I'm that asshole that will find the coolest hole in the wall bar with all sorts of crazy local beers I never heard of...and then order a Coors Light

[Edited on March 8, 2010 at 1:54 PM. Reason : x]

3/8/2010 1:54:37 PM

If you make it over to Cambridge, it's got some to fun spots to check out.

This is the one place whose name I can remember after taking a trip there years ago: http://www.mideastclub.com/

3/9/2010 7:22:21 PM