Shipping Up To Boston
When we were living in New Jersey, we planned to spend the winter in New England, but we weren’t sure where. Amity usually gets job contracts in compact states that recognize her home healthcare license, and at the time, New Hampshire was the only option. To expand her choices, she got licensed in Massachusetts as well. So, when we landed in New Hampshire, we had a strong feeling our next move would be to Massachusetts—the only question was where. But before figuring that out, I had a more pressing question: “Do you want to do St. Patrick’s Day in Boston for your birthday?!?” To my surprise, Amity said yes, and we even arranged her schedule so she’d have the whole week off between jobs. Looks like we’re SHIPPING UP TO BOSTON! Wish us luck!
MIle: 60,279
Quote of the Blog: “Boston is actually the capital of the world. You didn't know that? We breed smart-ass, quippy, funny people.” - John Krasinski
Song of the Blog: “Shipping up to Boston” - Dropkick Murphy’s
Before heading to Boston, we left Peterborough, NH, and drove south to our new home in Wareham, MA. This was the shortest move we’ve ever had—just two and a half hours. We’re so used to moving across multiple states, if not the whole country, that it barely felt like a move at all. Our new rental is great! We finally have our own house again, something we haven’t had since living in Arkansas. The best part? We’re just a six-minute walk from Swift Beach in Buzzards Bay. Wareham is called the “Gateway to Cape Cod” since it’s only 15 minutes from the Cape, but for now, that’s not our focus. We had one day to unpack, get some sleep, and then hit the road to Boston.
Boston is only an hour from Wareham, making it easy for us to come and go as we please. Our plan for St. Patrick’s Day was simple: hit the parade in South Boston and then see the Dropkick Murphys at a venue attached to Fenway Park. We booked a room at the CitizenM Boston hotel, close to the concert, and pulled into the city around 9 AM. That gave us plenty of time to park near the hotel and hop on the subway to South Boston.
Once we got to the T (Boston’s Subway System), we started seeing more and more people decked out in St. Paddy’s Day gear. We were no exception—I rocked a full leprechaun outfit while Amity wore every green layer she could find. Our research said to get on the T early to beat the crowds, and it worked. We made it to South Boston smoothly and even had time to casually walk both sides of the parade route to pick the perfect spot. The first thing we noticed was the overwhelming police presence—hundreds of officers lining the streets to keep the peace. Good luck with that!
We cheered on the runners in the 5K race that follows the parade route while waiting in line for Capo Restaurant & Supper Club to open. It was perfect—only a 15-minute wait, and we were among the first inside, making it easy to grab a seat at the bar. A brunch pizza for a snack and a few Guinness later, we were in the right mindset for the day.
We headed out just in time to find a great spot for the parade. The crowd had started filling in with loud, drunk people, but it wasn’t quite the shoulder-to-shoulder chaos we’d heard about. We even found a coffee shop nearby where we grabbed lattes to spike with the Jameson I had in my pocket. The parade itself was electric—tons of floats, live music, and people tossing out all kinds of swag.
Eventually, we had to leave to check into our hotel before the concert. That’s when we finally found the chaos we’d been warned about. We tried moving two blocks toward some bathrooms we had seen earlier, but the crowd was packed so tight that we were literally pushed along. When we finally reached the bathrooms, the line was so long I knew I wouldn’t make it. So, I became that guy and found a driveway. Bad idea. A local came out and blasted me with a squirt gun while yelling at me. I couldn’t do anything but laugh at a true Southie yelling at me—not sure that helped her mood. After that moment of hilarity, we hopped on the subway and headed back to the hotel.
The CitizenM Boston hotel is really nice. The rooms are compact but comfortable, with a modern, European design. Plus, we had a killer city view. After a quick nap, we got ready for the concert and made our way to Fenway Park.
I always knew I’d visit Fenway at some point, but I never thought my first time would be for a Dropkick Murphys concert! Before the show, we explored the area and grabbed dinner at The Eastern Standard—a mellow, upscale spot that was a total contrast to the madness of the parade. With some time to kill, we headed to the Bleacher Bar, which sits directly under the center field bleachers in Fenway.
As a lifelong Yankees fan, stepping into enemy territory was rough. The Red Sox memorabilia made me queasy, but I have to admit—the bar is awesome. A garage door opens up to a perfect view of the stadium, and despite my deep hatred for the Sox, I respect the history of Fenway. We had fun chatting with other concert-goers before making our way to MGM Music Hall, just around the block.
Security at the venue gave me grief for my bright green Eagles hat, and when they found out Amity was a Chiefs fan, one of the guards practically abandoned his post to trash-talk her about the Chiefs being cheaters. Funny coming from a Patriots fan. That set the tone for a high-energy, rowdy night.
Seeing Dropkick Murphys in Boston on St. Patrick’s Day is basically a rite of passage. They embody Irish culture in the city, and their whiskey-fueled, high-energy music had the whole place fired up. Amity and I have been listening to them since high school, so seeing them live—especially to celebrate both our move to Massachusetts and Amity’s upcoming birthday—was surreal. The night was full of fist-pumping, foot-stomping, and watching gigantic dudes smash into each other in the mosh pit. By the end, we were exhausted. We made our way back to the hotel and crashed hard.
The next morning, we barely woke up in time for checkout. We grabbed our stuff and went straight to Tatte Bakery & Café for breakfast. Hands down, the best café we’ve been to. The drinks were perfect, and the baked goods looked so good we wanted to order everything.
Fueled up, we walked about a mile to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, a place Amity had been wanting to visit. I didn’t know much about it, but once inside, I realized how special it was. The indoor courtyard was stunning, and the museum housed incredible art. Then we noticed an empty frame on the wall. Amity explained that this was the site of the largest art heist in U.S. history—on this very day, nearly 20 years ago. The stolen painting, The Storm on the Sea of Galilee by Rembrandt, has never been recovered, and security was tight. One guard told Amity to hold her umbrella closer, and another followed me when my jacket brushed against a hallway doorframe. The museum is a must-visit for anyone in Boston!
To wrap up our trip, we hopped back on the subway and explored downtown. We wandered through the harbor, saw a massive Irish flag at Rowes Wharf, and watched tourists at the Boston Tea Party Museum pretend to throw crates of tea into the water. One of the coolest finds was Trinity Church, built in 1733 and still holding weekly services. Living in New England really feels like living in old England—everything has history.
We made our way back to the car, and unlike New York City, navigating Boston was shockingly easy. Somehow, we spent a whole St. Patrick’s Day weekend there without getting lost or ending up in a bad part of town. The Yankee in me hates to say it, but Boston is a rad city. We had an unforgettable time celebrating St. Paddy’s Day in the best place to do it in the U.S. Guess the only way to top it is by going to Ireland! HAHAHA!
Now, back home to Wareham—Amity has the week off for her birthday, and we’ve got a whole list of things to explore. First up: Living Rad on Cape Cod!
Hope everyone had a WICKED AWESOME ST. PADDY’S DAY!