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May 20th, 2009 by admin
Driving; Image taken by Flickr user
There are many components to a successful visit to Boston. Where to stay, what to see, how to get around. We’ve always been of some help on where to stay and the Go Boston Card has what to see nicely covered. But on how to get around, we traditionally haven’t offered as much.
So here’s a tip for a handy way to get a good deal on car rentals when visiting Boston. Its called Vroom Vroom Vroom, and they have a dedicated Boston page on their site that will let you shop across all the top car rental companies.
While new to the U.S., Vroom Vroom Vroom has been around since 2002, when they were founded in Australia. They are the top online site for car rentals there, and in addition to their expansion into the U.S. in 2008, they also cover Canada, the U.K. and New Zealand.
They also have embraced the Green movement by paying more than just lip service to a concern over Global Warming. The company offers its customers free carbon offsets for car rentals booked on the site. Combine that with their low price guarantee and you can be green while saving green. Not bad!
Planning a trip to
Boston?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Boston Card.
May 7th, 2009 by admin
Companies typically think highly of their own products. If it were left to them, most companies would give all their products a five star review all the time. That’s why most people thinking about buying something tend to trust what customers say about a product. Increasingly, companies are following suit.
Last Summer, Smart Destinations hired KRC Research to interview over 1,300 people who had bought and used Go Cards and Explorer Passes. The customers were asked a variety of questions about their experiences with the cards and what they thoughts about the product.
The results that came back were overwhelmingly positive. 94% of the customers said they were either “satisfied” or “extremely satisfied” with the product (with most selecting “extremely satisfied”).
Perhaps even more impressively, Smart Destinations “Net Promoter Score” came in at 8 given that 91% of the people surveyed said they would recommend the product to someone else (many thanks to a reader for pointing out an earlier error in the calculation). Studies have show that the willingness to recommend a product shows a much stronger level of satisfaction than any other measure.
So if you are thinking about buying a Go Boston Card or one of the other destinations that are covered by Smart Destinations’ cards, it is reassuring to know that previous customers have been happy with their purchase and are willing to tell others that they should buy the product. You can read more about using the Go Boston Card on About.comwhere a reviewer has written about one family’s experience using the card.
Planning a trip to
Boston?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Boston Card.
April 21st, 2009 by admin
The Go Boston Card web site has a completely new look. The old site has been replaced with a new site that offers a number of improvements for customers.
First, the site has been folded in under a new top navigation bar that allows customers see all of the Go Cards and Explorer Passes offered by Smart Destinations. Previously, each Card had its own separate site which meant most customers were not even aware they could get Cards in other destinations.
Second, more information has been placed at customers’ finger tips. They can learn how the card works, where it is accepted, read reviews by other customers, and see all the VIP extras on the same page.
Images and descriptions have been upgraded, navigation streamlined and improved, and other changes have also been made to the site to help customers plan their trip and get the right Card.
Smart Destinations reports that demand for the company’s attraction passes has not only been strong, but actually accelerating in 2009 as more and more people are looking to travel smarter. The fact that Go Cards and Explorer Passes let people into the top museums, tours, and attractions for a single money saving price makes sense in any economy. The expectation is the new site will further contribute to strong growth.
Planning a trip to
Boston?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Boston Card.
February 10th, 2009 by admin
Shepard Fairey, “Obama Hope,” 2008
Shepard Fairey, the street artist who sprang on the national consciousness as the creator of the Barack Obama “Hope” poster, is having his first solo museum exhibit. Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art is hosting ”Shepard Fairey: Supply and Demand” from February 6th to August 16th.
The exhibition will cover all aspects of Fairey’s career and the different mediums he has used for his art. Fans of his art — as well as fans of pop-art and political art in general – will be sure to enjoy this first of its kind exhibit.
The ICA, in its stunning new building on the Boston waterfront, is an included attraction for the Go Boston Card, so be sure to use your card for free admission!
Planning a trip to
Boston?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Boston Card.
December 4th, 2008 by admin
Once again the Boston Mayor Thomas Menino has rallied a wide variety of the best of Boston to insure locals and visitors alike have plenty of reasons to spend time in Boston this Holiday Season. The Go Boston Card is pleased to once again support this program by providing access to all of Boston’s best attractions for a single price.
To see all of the participating attractions, see the Go Boston Card attractions page. And be sure to check out the Mayor’s site to see additional savings on shows, hotels, and restaurants.
Special thanks to the Holiday Special’s generous media partners, the Metro
and Magic 106.7FM, for their in-kind contributions!
Planning a trip to
Boston?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Boston Card.
July 17th, 2008 by admin
If you are in Boston for an extended vacation and are looking for something “off the beaten path” to do while you are in town, be sure to check out the Boston Harbor Islands national park area. This year, park visitors are able to explore the islands with the help of a new book: Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands: A Guide to the City’s Hidden Shores . Written by Christopher Klein and including a foreword from Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, the 224-page book provides readers with historical vignettes and present-day portraits of each of the 34 islands in the national park area.
Out of countless recreational opportunities, Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands highlights the following ten experiences that visitors shouldn’t miss on the Boston Harbor Islands this year:
1. Scale Boston Light. Take a guided tour of the oldest light station in the country and climb the seventy-six spiral steps and two short ladders for a spectacular view.
2. Take a dip. Grab your bathing suit, towel, and suntan lotion and head to the sand and surf at Spectacle Island’s new life-guarded beach.
3. Wander Fort Warren’s dark passages. Explore the spooky tunnels of this historic fort that once held Confederate prisoners during the Civil War.
4. Pitch a tent. Camp out on the islands and catch unforgettable sunrises and sunsets in the shadows of the city skyline. Spend a night on Grape Island for the most bucolic setting.
5. Grab a paddle. Beginning kayakers can spend the afternoon exploring the Hingham Harbor islands, while experienced kayakers can brave the outer harbor to visit the Brewsters.
6. Scale Thompson Island’s ropes and climbing walls. Participate in one of Outward Bound’s programs and challenge your limitations by conquering the ropes course and climbing towers.
7. Pack a lunch. There are fantastic spots to picnic on all the harbor islands, but the picnic areas on Bumpkin and Great Brewster Islands offer unparalleled vistas.
8. Brush up on your fish tales. Fish populations are rebounding along with the harbor’s water quality. Striped bass, bluefish, flounder, and cod are among the fish that are biting.
9. Follow your feathered friends. Grab a pair of binoculars and try to spot some of the more than one hundred species of birds that frequent the Boston Harbor Islands.
10. See Boston in a new light. There’s no better view of the city and harbor than from Spectacle Island’s north drumlin. Private boaters can stay overnight at the marina—bring a chair for the Saturday night movies on the pier, or a blanket for the bonfire on the beach.
Those interested in learning more about the harbor islands should attend the author event on Spectacle Island on July 20, 2008. Christopher Klein will sign books and talk about the fascinating history of the harbor islands. Think: pirates, pilgrims, shipwrecked sailors, and prisoners of war. The public is welcome to attend this event, hosted by the Island Alliance on the beautiful Spectacle Island. Talks will be held at 1pm or 3pm, but make sure you stick around for the live jazz on the porch, or relax on the beach.
Date: Sunday, July 20, 2008
Time: 1pm and 3pm
Place: Visitor Center, Spectacle Island
Directions: Take Boston Harbor Islands ferry from Long Wharf to Spectacle Island. From the South Shore, take the ferries departing from either Quincy Shipyard or Hingham Shipyard. Check ferry schedules for times.
Contacts:
Spectacle Island: Park Ranger, 617-223-8666, Ext.205
boha_information@nps.gov
Ferry information:
www.bostonharborislands.org
Union Park Press: 617-423-0840
www.unionparkpress.com
Planning a trip to
Boston?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Boston Card.
