Driving to Boston. Hotels and Parking Suggestions

We are planning to drive to Boston on May 11th for a cruise starting May 12th. We will need a hotel for a night and then parking for the 7-day cruise. Any suggestions on a hotel and cruise option or is it better to just book a hotel and then park at the port?

Would like to spend upwards of $250 for the hotel.

We are planning to drive to Boston on May 11th for a cruise starting May 12th. We will need a hotel for a night and then parking for the 7-day cruise. Any suggestions on a hotel and cruise option or is it better to just book a hotel and then park at the port?

 

Would like to spend upwards of $250 for the hotel.

So you want to spend $250+ for a hotel? Or do you mean "up to $250"? What direction/route number are you coming in from? What time of day do you plan to arrive on a Friday? Do you have any Boston sightseeing or dining requirements?

One strategy we often recommend is to get a less expensive suburban hotel near route 128/I95 and drive and park at the port the following morning. There is a promo code Cruise18 for the Cruiseport parking on Congress St ($21 discount) which involves taking a shuttle to the port drop-off. Parking at the pier in the EDIC garage is $30/day. Hotel and cruise options are located in more fringe areas and can be similar in price to staying outside the city and parking at the pier.

If all you care about is a place to spend the night, there are many hotels outside of Boston that make more sense. Then, just park at the port.

Thanks for the responses. We have decided to nix the cruise and take a land vacation instead.

 

One strategy we often recommend is to get a less expensive suburban hotel near route 128/I95 and drive and park at the port the following morning.

We will be cruising from Boston on June 8th (last minute decision) and driving from New Jersey. We are not familiar with the Boston area. Would you be able to be a bit more specific on the areas/towns near 128/I95 that we should look at for hotel stay pre-cruise?

Thank you in advance.

Look at Framingham or Waltham - you can book a 3*+ blind hotel with at least an 80%+ approval rating in the $100 range. These are primarily suburban business travel hotels with easy access to route 128/I95 that have access to restaurants and services.

The strategy is to take I90 directly to the port the following morning.

Where exactly are you coming from in NJ? Do you have an Ezpass? What time of day are you leaving for Boston?

Thank you, Carol. Yes, I do have EZ pass and plan to begin our drive from NJ after the AM rush on the day before the cruise (Thursday).

My preferred route is the GW Bridge, first right from the upper bridge or first left from the lower bridge onto the Henry Hudson Parkway north ($6 toll), name change to Saw Mill River Parkway, exit 4 to Cross County Parkway, and Hutchinson River Parkway North to Merritt Parkway (name change at CT Line). At exit 68 get on I91 north to Hartford, exit 29 to Charter Oak Bridge and I84 east to Mass Pike (I90).

Thank you for the suggested route. I will compare it to the route I have previously used (over 5 years ago) from New Jersey. I don't recall all the details but I recall it involved the Tappan Zee Bridge instead of GWB.

In my opinion, if you're looking for hotels along I90 (Mass Pike) in Framingham / Waltham and you're coming over the Tap...... I recommend going Tappan Zee to I684 to I84 (through Hartford) and pick up I90..... which is a straight shot to Framingham / Waltham.

In my opinion, if you're looking for hotels along I90 (Mass Pike) in Framingham / Waltham and you're coming over the Tap...... I recommend going Tappan Zee to I684 to I84 (through Hartford) and pick up I90..... which is a straight shot to Framingham / Waltham.

Check the current construction zones on I84. Friends of ours arrived via I84 last night on their way to Maine and they complained about the construction backup on I84 near Danbury. IMO I84 is a two lane heavily traveled road with truck traffic between Danbury and Hartford. Also check the Merritt Parkway and I95. After you cross the Tappan Zee you can take I287 and easily get onto either of these roadways. If you choose I95, there is a 1 mile cutover to the Merritt/Wilbur Cross at exit 38, which will allow you to get to Hartford bypassing New Haven. The Merritt Parkway is two lanes, but no truck traffic.

Anyway it's construction season all over, so research into bottlenecks and bypasses is required.

We frequently drive to New England from Virginia. We would NOT drive that route without using WAZE. That app has saved us many hours in traffic around NJ, NY and CN.. We were actually on the GW Bridge when it beeped to change our route in less than 1/2 a mile to go on the Cross Bronx EXP. instead. Later, we heard about a fatal truck collision that occurred which closed all lanes. Many times WAZE has changed our route several times in one trip to avoid accidents and construction. Planning a route in advance without real time traffic info is just asking for delays.

 

One strategy we often recommend is to get a less expensive suburban hotel near route 128/I95 and drive and park at the port the following morning. There is a promo code Cruise18 for the Cruiseport parking on Congress St ($21 discount) which involves taking a shuttle to the port drop-off. Parking at the pier in the EDIC garage is $30/day. Hotel and cruise options are located in more fringe areas and can be similar in price to staying outside the city and parking at the pier.

How long will it take to get to the port from the Farmingham/Waltham area? Closer hotels are currently sky high for that time.

We are doing a repo cruise in the end of October out of Boston. So will rent a car to drive there and do not require parking. But will have to drop the car off either the same evening as we get in or on the morning of the cruise. Any suggestions?

How long will it take to get to the port from the Farmingham/Waltham area? Closer hotels are currently sky high for that time.

 

We are doing a repo cruise in the end of October out of Boston. So will rent a car to drive there and do not require parking. But will have to drop the car off either the same evening as we get in or on the morning of the cruise. Any suggestions?

On a Sunday it should take 30-45 minutes to get to the pier area. The easiest place to return a car will probably be Logan Airport.

It's still very early. I would make a cancellable reservation in the Framingham/Waltham area and monitor Hotwire for deals in the Seaport District.. There are only 3* and up hotels in the Seaport, so any "blind" hotel is going to be acceptable. If you find something you can live wth, just cancel your original reservation.

On a Sunday it should take 30-45 minutes to get to the pier area. The easiest place to return a car will probably be Logan Airport.

 

It's still very early. I would make a cancellable reservation in the Framingham/Waltham area and monitor Hotwire for deals in the Seaport District.. There are only 3* and up hotels in the Seaport, so any "blind" hotel is going to be acceptable. If you find something you can live wth, just cancel your original reservation.

Thanks.

I like the hotels in the Seaport area. We did a blind/secret hotel on Hotwire and got the Element(s?) for June. Previously we have had the ALoft and the Westin, $89 to $100 range more closer to the cruise. ALoft more frequently than the Westin, but currently these blind hotels are going at $189, $195 range. I will do as you suggested.