Harvard University

Visit Report by Harvard05 (Member since April 17 2006 with 29 posts) Visit Date - July 2006

5 of 14 people found this visit report helpful
Visit to Harvard University in July 2006 by Harvard05 (Student, HS Class of 2000)
Visit Activities:
Campus Tour: Yes - http://map.harvard.edu/mapindex.cfm?mapname=camb_allston Classroom Visit: Yes - http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/experience/lectures/index.html
Harvard University Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 4 - Very Good Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 4 - Very Good Appearance of Campus: 4 - Very Good Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 4 - Very Good Dormitories: 4 - Very Good Security/Safety: 4 - Very Good - Safety Just how safe is Cambridge? Well, this area has a very low murder rate and attacks of people on the street are not very common. They do, however, happen occasionally, especially late at night. When you're walking around, particularly late a Overall Campus Impression: 5 - Excellent
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 5 - Excellent - http://www.boston.com/travel/boston/neighborhoods/harvard_square/ http://www.harvard.edu/community/transportation.html http://map.harvard.edu/mapindex.cfm?mapname=camb_allston http://wikitravel.org/en/Cambridge_%28Massachusetts%29 City/Town/Community: 5 - Excellent - http://www.boston.com/travel/boston/neighborhoods/harvard_square/ http://www.harvard.edu/community/transportation.html http://map.harvard.edu/mapindex.cfm?mapname=camb_allston http://wikitravel.org/en/Cambridge_%28Massachusetts%29
Campus Visit Notes for Harvard University:
Visit Description: http://www.boston.com/travel/boston/neighborhoods/harvard_square/ http://www.harvard.edu/community/transportation.html http://map.harvard.edu/mapindex.cfm?mapname=camb_allston http://wikitravel.org/en/Cambridge_%28Massachusetts%29 Getting to Harvard and MIT from Logan Airport Due to problems with the Big Dig's I-90 tunnel, use of public transportation to and from the airport is strongly advised. Silver Line and subway fare is $1.25; the subway fares are flat fees, independent of distance traveled. You will need exact change to board the Silver Line at the Airport. The trip from and to the airport by subway may take 45 minutes to an hour, including the time spent waiting for the trains. Taxicab A taxi ride from Logan Airport to Harvard Square will take about a half hour and cost about $35. Agents for unlicensed taxis sometimes (illegally) try to snare travelers walking through the terminal ("Excuse me, do you need a taxi?") Ignore them and look for signs saying "TAXI" to find the official taxi stand. Be warned that a taxi ride from Harvard Square back to the airport may take an hour or more, depending on traffic, because a recent Big Dig tunnel collapse has caused major bottlenecks. Traveling from South Station South Station is Boston's main terminal for intercity buses and trains (all Amtrak service, except from Maine, as well as commuter rail from the south and west). It is also a stop on the Red Line, which is the main subway line that goes through Cambridge. To get to Harvard Square from South Station, follow signs to the subway. The walk within South Station from the trains and buses to the subway is about five minutes, so plan your luggage accordingly. There is an elevator to the subway in the corridor behind the Amtrak information booth. Fare is $1.25. Take a train Inbound toward Alewife and get off at Harvard station. Travel time is about twenty to thirty minutes. Note that the MBTA has increased weekday and weekend commuter rail service between South Station and Providence, RI, effective July 24. Driving in Cambridge Public transportation is a much better option than coping with Cambridge's one-way streets and expensive parking Walking Cambridge and Boston are very walkable cities. Once you've arrived at your destination, you might find it easier to walk around than to try to take buses, the subway, or cabs. The Charles River has convenient shoreline paths and bridges near both Harvard and MIT. == Hotels == ''Contact information to come, costs given are non-discounted, per night per room'' * Sheraton Commander, Garden St (6 blocks NW, 3-star) : $200+ : Location: 16 Garden Street, Cambridge : Contact: (617) 547-4800 : Website: http://www.sheratoncommander.com/accommodations.htm : Directions: http://www.sheratoncommander.com/directions.htm Charles Hotel (8 blocks S, 4-star) : $200+ : Location: 1 Bennett Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge : Contact: 617-864-1200 : Website: http://www.charleshotel.com/visit.htm : Directions: http://www.charleshotel.com/directions.htm The Inn at Harvard (8 blocks SE, 4-star) : $200+ : Location: 1201 Massachusetts Avenue, Harvard Square, Cambridge : Contact: (617) 491-2222 : Website: http://theinnatharvard.com/ : Directions: http://theinnatharvard.com/Home.aspx?tabname=Directions The Harvard Square Hotel : $150+, Tends to be the cheapest of the 4 hotels in the square proper : Location: 110 Mount Auburn Street, Harvard Square : Contact: (617) 491-2222 : Website: http://www.harvardsquarehotel.com/ : Directions: http://www.harvardsquarehotel.com/Home.aspx?tabName=Directions '''Other Local (Cambridge Area) Hotel Options''' For information about public transportation between hotels & guest houses outside Harvard Square, see the MBTA Trip Planner, http://trip.mbta.com/cgi-bin/index.pl) Cambridge Marriott (in Kendall Square, 2 subway stops from Harvard Square) : 2 Cambridge Center, (Broadway & 3rd Street) : Cambridge, MA 02142 : 617-494-6600 Hotel at MIT, Cambridge (near Central Square, 1 subway stop from Harvard Square) : 20 Sidney St : Cambridge, MA 02139 : 617-577-0200 : ttp://www.hotelatmit.com * DoubleTree Guest Suites (a short cab ride from Harvard) : 400 Soldiers Fld. : Boston, MA 02134 : 617-783-0090 Hotel Marlowe : 25 Edwin H Land Blvd : Cambridge, MA 02141 : 617-868-8000 : http://www.hotelmarlowe.com * Hyatt Regency Cambridge : 575 Memorial Dr : Cambridge, MA 02139 : 617-492-1234 : http://www.cambridge.hyatt.com * Royal Sonesta Hotel : 5 Cambridge Parkway : Cambridge, MA 02142 : 617-491-3600 : http://www.sonesta.com * Days Inn : 1800 Soldiers Fld. : Boston, MA 02135 : 617-254-0200 Days Inn : 1234 Soldiers Fld. : Brighton, MA 02135 : 617-254-1234 === Bed & Breakfasts === ''Contact information to come'' A Friendly Inn (6 blocks East/ 10 minutes walk) : : 17 rooms, most available; $150 doubles w/priv bath, 8/1-7 : contact - afi.now@verizon.net Susan (mgr) : 中文 (Chinese) spoken; public swimming pool across the street : 1673 Cambridge St : Cambridge, MA 02138 : 617-547-7851 * Prentiss Inn, Prentiss St (5 blocks North) : : 4 rooms, 1-2 beds, $205-$250 (You can book with Expedia for $134/night, much less than calling the desk) Harding House (15+ blocks SE) : : : 10 doubles, private bath : $155 (with tax?) 8/1-7 * Irving House (15+ blocks SE, next to Harding House) : : 2 doubles, shared bath : $155 (with tax) 8/3-6 : 24 Irving Street : Cambridge, MA 02138 : 800-854-8249 * A Cambridge House (10 minutes bus ride to conference site on #77 mbta bus) : 2218 Mass. Avenue : Cambridge, MA 02138 : 617-491-6300 : http://www.acambridgehouse.com * Hawthorn Suites (15 minutes bus ride to conference site on #77 mbta bus) : 1 Massachusetts Avenue : Arlington, MA 02474 : (781) 643-7258 Cambridge Bed and Muffin : 267 Putnam Avenue : Cambridge, MA 02139 : 617-576-3166 : http://bedandmuffin.com Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments: http://www.harvard.edu/about/harvardsquare.html Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments: http://www.harvardstudentagencies.com/ug/restaurants/ http://www.harvard.edu/about/harvardsquare.html Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.): http://www.harvard.edu/about/harvardsquare.html
5 of 14 people found this visit report helpful