Where to stay, how to get around, and what to do while you’re in town.
Hotels
The Gilded Age does not have a room block or a specific hotel that we recommend to visitors. However, we want to share general information about the best locations to stay if you are visiting Boston for the event and staying overnight. There are two main areas with hotel options convenient to the event – Downtown Boston and Waltham.
Downtown Boston
There are a wide variety of hotels in downtown Boston close to a myriad of attractions and activities. We recommend staying at a hotel with easy access (via walking or a train line that connects) to North Station, as North Station is directly connected to Waltham via the Fitchburg commuter train line. The Gilded Age’s schedule dovetails with a Sunday outbound train from North Station to Waltham in the morning and a Sunday inbound train from Waltham to North Station in the late afternoon.
For travelers who don’t intend to rent a car, we think that a hotel in Downtown Boston will be the best fit given the many public transportation options as well as proximity to Logan Airport, Amtrak, and the South Station bus terminal. Many hotels in Downtown Boston do have parking, so there are options for drivers as well.
Waltham
Several hotels and motels are located in Waltham, where The Gilded Age will be held at The Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation. Most of those hotels are conveniently located next to I-95, next to exits 43A and 43B. These hotels are roughly 15 minutes away from the museum by car. Rideshares, such as Uber and Lyft, are available around this area as well.
Some of these hotels are located near the Totten Pond & 3rd Ave bus stop on the 61 bus route. However, the bus runs infrequently on Sundays (roughly once an hour). If you choose to take the bus, please check the bus schedule beforehand.
There is one hotel within walking distance of the museum, the Crescent Suites Hotel. It is approximately 22 minutes away by foot and 5 minutes away by car.
We recommend staying in Waltham if you are driving to the Boston area. While it’s possible to stay in Waltham without a car, access to other areas of the Boston metro area will be more challenging.
Public Transportation
There are several forms of public transportation run by the MBTA, including the commuter rail, subways, and buses. You will have the most options in downtown Boston.
In Waltham, there are two local bus routes, 61 and 70, which will transport you within Waltham, as well as to North Waltham, Watertown, and Cambridge. However, service in Waltham is infrequent during the weekends, and the buses only run every 40-60 minutes.
In addition, there is a commuter rail station in Waltham across the river from the museum, located on the Fitchburg commuter line, and North Station is the last stop in downtown Boston. Inbound trains from Waltham to North Station run every two hours, as well as outbound trains from North Station to Waltham. There are no subway stations in Waltham.
Things to Do In Waltham
Boston and Cambridge feature many historic attractions and museums – too many to highlight them all! Here are some specific recommendations for things to do closer to our venue in Waltham.
Moody Street
There are many restaurants and shops located on Waltham’s central downtown street, Moody Street. You can get boba (at Kung Fu Tea), dinner, and many other treats! We’ve enjoyed visiting Game Underground, which hosts a retro arcade and sells secondhand games. The Outer Limits is a comic shop that also carries pop culture memorabilia. There are many vintage and antique shops in Waltham – we especially like the well-curated Downstairs at Felton Antiques, located nearby.
Museums
Visit the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University, which features “an extensive collection of modern & contemporary art focused on ’60s & ’70s, plus rotating exhibitions.” The Rose Art Museum has free admission for all.
Gore Place “is a historic country house, now a museum, located at 52 Gore Street, Waltham, Massachusetts. It is owned and operated by the nonprofit Gore Place Society. The 45-acre estate is open to the public daily without charge; an admission fee is charged for house tours.” Gore Place is closed on Sundays and Tuesdays.