TD Banknorth Garden
Built in 1996 to replace the much loved original Boston Garden. The new Garden lies in the Bullfinch Triangle section of Boston. The building holds around 18,000 fans for Hockey and Basketball games. It has hosted NHL All Star game, NBA Finals and the 2004 Democratic National Convention. The new Garden is not just a indoor facility, it also is home to North Station and the New England sports museum. The Garden annually hosts the Bean Pot College hockey tournament .
Boston Bruins Culture
One of the first six Hockey teams in the NHL, the Boston Bruins have not brought home Lord Stanley’s Cup since 1972. Greats such as Bobby Orr and Cam Needly have all donned Bruins sweaters. The fans are as loyal as any in the NHL as this is one of the richest hockey regions in the country.
Bruin’s fans are mostly working class and expect a toughness out of their teams. Battles do occasionally occur in the stands especially when the Montreal Canadians and their large fan base come to town. Often the events in the stands are more entertaining the what goes down on the ice.
Hockey has once again become very relevant in the town as the B’s make their push into the playoffs. Ticket availability has slightly been effected but is still easier that getting a Red Sox ticket.
Boston Celtics Culture
The Boston Celtics are the most decorated franchise in the NBA. 17 green and white championship banners hang proudly from the rafters. Celtics greats such as Bob Cousy and Bill Russell still can be seen attending games.
The Celtics play on “Red Auerbach’s Parquet Floor” in front of local Boston celebrities. The fan base is a true cross section of all of Boston. You will see plenty of families at the games; however, during the playoffs all bets are off as the intensity increases on the court and in the stands.
The current Celtics team is battling to retain their championship that they won in 2008 after a 12 year absence for the team. Tickets are in high demand, especially if the team they are playing has someone with the name LeBron or Kobe.
Getting there
Getting to the Boston Garden is very simple if you are traveling by Public Transportation. Below the Garden floor itself lies Boston’s North Station. This is the end terminus for all the Commuter Trains that run north of the city as well as a major stop for both the Orange line and the Green Line in Boston’s subway system.
If you opt to drive into the game, the garden is shoehorned in as it lies between the newly constructed I-93 and the Cars-Only Storrow Drive. Garage Parking rates run a bit stiff around the Garden during events, however if you are willing to brave the Boston weather, garage rates in many of the downtown garages drop off significantly in the evening as the work force heads home.
Bars
The biggest problem with the bar scene in the Bullfinch Triangle is picking what bar to hit up. There are a ton of bars and most of them are Sports themed. Some offer classic Boston sports paraphernalia such as the Fours (rated best sports bar in the USA by Sports Illustrated). Others have gone high-tech, The Greatest Bar on Friend Street built a huge video wall behind their bar. Beer lovers will want to hit up the Boston Beer Works on Friend St. If you want an Authentic Irish bar, McGann’s and the Grand Canal are the real deals. Sullivan’s Tap and the Penalty Box represent the dive bar category.
If you wander toward Faneuil Hall you will run into Union Street, which is peppered with some of the oldest establishments this side of the Atlantic.
Food
Food around the Garden isn’t the best that this city has to offer. For a long time you were pretty much limited to Pub Grub and Dunkin Do’nuts. Things are slowly changing.
You can get a good meal and take in an interesting collection of Boston sports folklore at Johnny on the Sides. If you are just looking for something quick and easy, Halftime Pizza is the area’s most popular pre-game joint.
If you really want something good to eat, float on down toward Faneuil Hall, when you get to Union Street make a left and enter the North End. Salem and Hanover Streets are the epicenter of culinary greatness in Boston.
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