Boston 7th in Nightlife Nationwide?

KentXie

KentXie

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I'm kind of surprised since Boston closes down so early compare to many big cities in the US. However according to Bar & Nightclub Magazine, we are ranked 7th place in the US.

Shops and entertainment

The variety of stores, restaurants and nightclubs in places like Newbury Street, the Prudential Center, Downtown Crossing and the Theater District make Boston a prime entertainment city. Behind New York, Miami and Chicago, Boston comes in around number 7 for nightlife, according to Bar and Nightclub Magazine.
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http://www.boston.com/business/gallery/Bostontourism?pg=6
 
Well making the city (or at least Downtown Crossing) 24-hours could only help that image.
 
Just where else in the country (world) have you lived to say that?

Despite everybody's griping on this forum, I am so glad I grew up in Boston with the nightlife that I experienced. When I speak to friends who grew up in other cities all over the country, all they do is complain about the lack of a NYC-style or LA-style nightlife. (Then move to NYC or LA and shut up!) When you start traveling to other cities, you'll be surprised, comparatively, how dynamic Boston and its environs can be despite the 'early closing times' most of you find so lamentable.
 
garbribre said:
Just where else in the country (world) have you lived to say that?

Despite everybody's griping on this forum, I am so glad I grew up in Boston with the nightlife that I experienced. When I speak to friends who grew up in other cities all over the country, all they do is complain about the lack of a NYC-style or LA-style nightlife. (Then move to NYC or LA and shut up!) When you start traveling to other cities, you'll be surprised, comparatively, how dynamic Boston and its environs can be despite the 'early closing times' most of you find so lamentable.
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I'm thinking Las Vegas, San Francisco, Philly, LA could have been part of it. But if you include all those on top Boston will be 8th so they must have beaten one of those city out.
 
When I visited, I thought LV was a major disappointment in the nightlife department. I didn't realize it's just a lot of hype about a small city and that gaming is the only attraction along with washed up LA acts. Prostitution is illegal in LV so some of what happens in LV actually stays in the burbs.

LA closes at 2 AM same as Boston. There are some cool clubs if you can find them and don't mind driving 25-50 miles home after drinking. For those who like strip joints no alcohol in nude clubs.

SF also closes at 2AM.

If Boston had a 4 AM closing time in a section of town dedicated to entertainment it could have some of the best nightlife in the US. As it is, overall it's better than most but not great.
 
I find that most people who complain about Boston's night life don't really know what they're talking about. They go to Lansdowne Street and Union Street and they think they've seen it all. There is alot more.
 
I'd presume New Orleans would be near the top of any such list - but that was before Katrina.
 
Ron Newman said:
I'd presume New Orleans would be near the top of any such list - but that was before Katrina.
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I was in the French Quarter (1998) on a Wednesday night in July around 11pm and it was less "active" than Sixth Street/Red River in Austin is at that time during the summer when only a fraction of the 50,000 UT students are in town. I think New Orleans was lively on weekends and special occasions but other than that it was nothing out of the ordinary. Needless to say I was a little disappointed.

I found that most of the country closes at 2am, some do have a more active "after hours" nightlife but nothing like the all night type of activity that Miami does, that is pretty rare. The odd place was Leesville, Louisiana (Fort Polk), it closed at midnite on Saturday night, in convenience stores paper put up on the fronts of coolers and padlocked all day Sunday. There was a 24 hour frozen drink stand that was closed from midnite to midnite on Sunday, the only time that they were closed. That was bizarre.
 
bowesst said:
They go to Lansdowne Street and Union Street and they think they've seen it all. There is alot more.
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Are those even the major places to go anymore? I think a lot more bands play in Allston or in Central Square.
 
Yeah the nightlife isn't bad at all. It's not great but it's not bad all things considered.
 
i don't want to sound ignorant but, what exactly are the benefits of having a thriving night life in a city?
 
Promotion of local bands and creation of a fan base for them, more money spent in local restaurants and theatres, spillover into nearby retail stores -- it's all good.
 
What constitutes good night life? Can't be just the live music scene. Not everyone's a fan.

If someone like clubbing, they would say NYC or Miami Beach would be great. If someone likes gambling and theatrics, they might say Vegas. If going to bed early is your cup of tea, then Beacon Hill has an awesome nightlife.

My point is that it's purely subjective. Do you guys agree?

.
 
I think of "nightlife" and 'live music scene" as the same thing, unless you want to also throw in comedy clubs and theatre. What am I missing?

Obviously, the "Boston" music scene has to also include at least Cambridge and Somerville, maybe also Brookline and Quincy.
 
Ron, I think there are a lot of people whose idea of good night life involves going "clubbing," drinking massive amounts of alcohol, and going home with someone you just met. I'm definitely not one of them.
 
ZenZen said:
What constitutes good night life? Can't be just the live music scene. Not everyone's a fan.

If someone like clubbing, they would say NYC or Miami Beach would be great. If someone likes gambling and theatrics, they might say Vegas. If going to bed early is your cup of tea, then Beacon Hill has an awesome nightlife.

My point is that it's purely subjective. Do you guys agree?

.
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Yeah I would define good as an evening in which a situation arose resulting in a solid opportunity to meet women and take them back to your place. At the very least make some contact with the opposite sex. It'not even so much about the crowds like NYC. Crowds are usually good because they increase the odds, but sometimes the women are prude. I think it's fair to assume though, that women in Boston on a whole are less prude than say, Portland Maine. If i could rank nightlife by city it would have to be by the general attitude of the women. Sex and the City has done a lot in getting guys laid in Manhattan and other parts of the country. At this point i'm rambling but what i'm saying is basically correct.
 
bowesst said:
Ron, I think there are a lot of people whose idea of good night life involves going "clubbing," drinking massive amounts of alcohol, and going home with someone you just met. I'm definitely not one of them.
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That sounds like fun. But I think a city has a good night life if there are many options and something for everyone: movies, food, shopping, walking, music/theater/comedy, dancing, drinking, socializing, street performances and so on.
 
TheBostonian said:
bowesst said:
Ron, I think there are a lot of people whose idea of good night life involves going "clubbing," drinking massive amounts of alcohol, and going home with someone you just met. I'm definitely not one of them.
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That sounds like fun. But I think a city has a good night life if there are many options and something for everyone: movies, food, shopping, walking, music/theater/comedy, dancing, drinking, socializing, street performances and so on.
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I agree. I was just replying to Ron's comment about the live music scene being synonymous with night life because I think there are alot of people who view night life as synonymous with clubbing. I agree with you though. A city should have all of those things so you're not doing the same thing every week.

Personally, I constantly find myself wishing stores stayed open later. I think all of the shops on Newbury St. should stay open until at least midnight on Friday and Saturday.
 
bosdevelopment said:
Yeah I would define good as an evening in which a situation arose resulting in a solid opportunity to meet women and take them back to your place. At the very least make some contact with the opposite sex. It'not even so much about the crowds like NYC. Crowds are usually good because they increase the odds, but sometimes the women are prude. I think it's fair to assume though, that women in Boston on a whole are less prude than say, Portland Maine. If i could rank nightlife by city it would have to be by the general attitude of the women. Sex and the City has done a lot in getting guys laid in Manhattan and other parts of the country. At this point i'm rambling but what i'm saying is basically correct.
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Haha. That made me laugh. I agree though, that's the object when you go out. Unless your prude or have a girlfriend/wife. Or...have a girlfriend/wife and are faithful or don't want to cheat on them or don't want to listen to them if you get caught. Right?... Right?
 
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