Hotels Near Fenway Park: In Boston for a Red Sox Game? Smart tips for stay near Fenway Park

The 2022 Boston Red Sox season opener against Tampa Bay Rays on March 31 marked the Sox’ 111th season at Fenway Park, the oldest stadium in the major leagues – and consistently ranked one of its most beautiful and unique. Watching a game at Fenway is one of the most American – and truly Bostonian – experiences a sports fan can have, and staying nearby at Newbury Guest House will help you make the most of it.

We love our Bosox, but Fenway Park is in the middle of the city and game day traffic is heavy, making parking difficult, to put it mildly. Not to mention expensive – stadium lots and those nearby can cost you up to $60 – so book a hotel within walking distance. And you’re in town to watch a legendary Boston team, after all, so stay in a legendary Boston neighborhood: Newbury Guest House is a short walk from Fenway Park in the Back Bay’s historic 1800s residential brownstone district. Our boutique hotel is more than just convenient to the stadium; it’s full of authentic old-Boston charm with all the modern amenities – at a terrific value. Some additional tips for making the most of your day at Fenway:

Before you walk to the ballpark: Day games can be hot, and night games humid. We recommend light layers, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a bottle of water (the stadium allows bottles up to 16 ounces – grab one in our lobby before you head out). One thing you can’t bring into Fenway Park is food, so don’t start the day hungry. You’ll find great breakfast and brunch spots on the walk from Newbury Guest House to Fenway Park. Two of our favorites are Trident Booksellers and Café and Stephanie’s on Newbury (you’ll need a reservation, which our staff is happy to make for you).

When you get there: Walking from Newbury Guest House, you’ll be closest to Fenway Park’s Gate A at the corner of Jersey Street and Brookline Avenue. Gates open 90 minutes pre-game, so you may find yourself with some time to kill. There’s usually plenty of pre-game activities outside the stadium (music, stilt-walkers, balloons for the kids), but you’ll also be close enough to Boston landmarks like Museum of Fine Arts, Kenmore Square, and the beautiful Back Bay Fens to take them in before the opening toss. For full Red Sox immersion, book a 60-minute Fenway Park guided tour for the history and legends of our storied ballpark; the last tour begins four hours before the start of the game.

Hopefully you’ve saved some stomach capacity from breakfast because baseball’s not baseball without ballpark snacks. Fenway Park offers a truly impressive selection of everything from Bacon on a Stick to lobster BLTs, but if you’re only here for one game, what you want is the Fenway Frank – your classic pork and beef dog on a steamed New England roll (just mustard, okay? – this isn’t Chicago).

Should you strike up a conversation in the hot dog line with a member of the Red Sox Nation (and in case you didn’t have time for the Fenway Park tour) it’s helpful to know some trivia:

● “Red Sox Nation” was coined by The Boston Globe feature writer Nathan Cobb in 1986 and has been used to describe Red Sox fans ever since.

● In 1919, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold star player Babe Ruth to the Yankees, and the Sox didn’t win a World Series for the next 86 years. It led to the superstitious “Curse of the Bambino” and our famous rivalry with the Yanks.

● Wally the Green Monster is the team’s official mascot, named for the giant green 37- foot wall in Fenway Park’s left field.

● The lone red seat in the right field bleachers (section 42, row 37, seat 21) marks the longest home run ever hit at Fenway Park. Hit by Ted Williams on June 9, 1946, it was officially measured at 502 feet.

Post-game, you’re steps away from celebrating (or, heaven forbid, drowning your sorrows) at some of the best sports bars in a town that’s known for them: Bleacher Bar (with a great view of the field), Eventide (get the brown butter lobster roll), Tony C’s Sports Bar, and Cask N’ Flagon.

If, on the other hand, you’re ready for fewer decibels, you’re in for a short walk back to your hotel. Enjoy a leisurely spring or summer stroll past the crowds waiting to board the T or exit choked parking lots – not your problem! – and enjoy a quiet French dinner at our intimate La Voile bistro.

There’s no better day in baseball than a day at Fenway Park – especially when you make Newbury Guest House home plate.