Cheap Public Views of Boston from High Places (budget alternatives)

Arlington

Arlington

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Can you suggest a place, either a tall building or a high place, from which to view Boston from "up high?", and without an admission charge? Think of these as the cheap alternative to paying a tourist premium for Top of the Hub or the Pru Skywalk or the Cambridge Hyatt's rotating thing.

I'd prefer if they were buildings in the core--even if it were just the glass window that tall hotels have on upper floors at the end of the hall. But hills work too.

If free, it must be open to the "General Public" (not student dorms, not "buzz me in" apartments.

If cheap, it must be less than $6 (either in admission charge or in paying too much / implicit cover charge)

HILLTOP OPTIONS
Don Orione Shrine (East Boston / Orient Heights / Airport View)Sample View
Robbins Farm Park (Arlington / view over Cambridge to Boston)(Sample View

BUILDING OPTIONS
?
 
Marriott's Custom House - $4 donation to Children's Miracle Network, select times only. See for http://www.archboston.org/community/showthread.php?t=4548 more details and pictures.

It's a gem that every local and tourist alike should experience. There's nothing like it in Boston, especially in that area (not the Back Bay).

Also, the Boston Marriott: Copley Place has incredible views of Cambridge from the ends of the hallways on the 38th floor.

Similarly, the Boston Marriott: Cambridge Center has stunning/incredible views of Boston from the 26th floor elevator lobby.
 
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It's not all that tall or downtown, but I've never had an issue riding the elevator to the top of the Cambridge Hyatt. In fact you can usually get away with wandering around most hotels without questions.

Also what Data said ^
 
datadyne007 said:
Marriott's Custom House - $4 donation to Children's Miracle Network, select times only. See for http://www.archboston.org/community/showthread.php?t=4548 more details and pictures.
It's a gem that every local and tourist alike should experience. There's nothing like it in Boston, especially in that area (not the Back Bay).
Click to expand...
Thanks much!

CUSTOM HOUSE
I called (617) 310-6300 and they gave additional details (not from other thread). Call ahead to confirm they're open, but basically:
Afternoons Sat - Thu $4 Donation
Arrive by 1:55p. Visits last 2pm to 3pm

Sat -Thu $7 ~ $8 (for soft drink or alcohol drink...cheap enough ;-)
Arrive by 5:55. Visits last from 6pm to 7pm
 
datadyne007 said:
Also, the Boston Marriott: Copley Place has incredible views of Cambridge from the ends of the hallways on the 38th floor.
Click to expand...
This worked great! (Elevator geeks will also note that the BMCP is in the process of switching electronics to the Otis Elevonic dispatching--enter your destination floor, board cab by letter)
 
Arlington said:
This worked great! (Elevator geeks will also note that the BMCP is in the process of switching electronics to the Otis Elevonic dispatching--enter your destination floor, board cab by letter)
Click to expand...

Glad to hear. It's one of my favorite vantage points and partially because I am one of those elevator geeks. =)

FYI - The mod is actually ThyssenKrupp Destination Dispatch, not OTIS Compass (Elevonic is simply a high-rise controller based on traditional up/dn calls - the Prudential tower has Elevonic 411 controllers). Those are TKE panels at the Marriott. The fixtures in the cab are Blue MAD BS. This mod is so ridiculously overdue that it's not even funny. The Westinghouse controllers were so bad that Marriott eventually had to put up signs in the lobby apologizing for the terrible elevators. Wait times are often upwards of 15 minutes. I think it's funny how Marriott didn't go with Schindler PORT (formerly Miconic 10 -- the Marriott Marquis Times Square is an example of this), as Schindler bought Westinghouse (in 1989) and typically maintains Westinghouse elevators. Marriott was smart to drop Schindler for TKE.

The Sheraton also just completed an excellent ThyssenKrupp mod on their aging OTIS Autotronic elevators.
 
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^And I thought the rail nerds had a special focus!
 
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