Traveling from Boston to Gordon College

You can travel from Boston to Gordon College in two easy steps:  1) first use cheap public transit (Logan Express or MBTA Trains), and   2) then use a cheap shuttle van provided by ASA.

Or you can join an ASA Field Trip in Boston — for a Red Sox Game (Thursday night) or MIT Laboratories Tour (Friday morning) — that includes transportation back to Gordon College.

Step 1 — If you are at Logan Airport, travel to Peabody or Beverly:

        Logan Express goes to Peabody once each hour, takes 30-45 minutes, costs $12, or $22 round trip, $20 for seniors 65+.
        MBTA Trains go into Boston — information about "Silver Line to and from the Airport [free to South Station]" and "Blue Line to and from the Airport"* — and to North Station and then out to Beverly Depot.     { For details, use MBTA's Trip Planner — e.g. South Station to North Station costs $2.75 and typically takes 17-21 minutes (or you can walk), and North Station to Beverly Depot takes about 35 minutes, costs $8.25. }
        * comparing two options:  MBTA Trains (or buses,...) are useful if you arrive early and want to explore the city.  If not, Logan Express is quicker & easier, and — because this probably will be the most popular way to move from Boston to Gordon — you can find traveling partners to “start the conference early” with interesting conversations.

Step 1 — If you are at a station — South Station or North Station, after traveling by Amtrak or Megabus or Greyhound or plane and Silver Line — or you're in another part of Boston, travel to Beverly:

        MBTA Trains go throughout Boston and to Beverly Depot, as described above.

        another option:  You can take Silver Line to Logan Airport ($2.75 in this direction, not free) and then, as described above, ride Logan Express to Peabody.

Step 2 — Travel from a depot (in Peabody or Beverly) to Gordon College:  During the meeting, ASA will operate a shuttle to take you from either depot to Gordon College (Thursday & Friday), and back to a depot (Monday).   To reserve a shuttle, and add $5 to your registration, tell Kristen Broughton – kristen@asa3.org – where you'll be (Peabody or Beverly) and when.

MBTA – Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority

MBTA has – as described above – local Subway Trains (map) and long-range Commuter Trains (map), plus ferry and buses & other options – Fares (or click "Fares" tab at top of a page) – Trip Planner – Maps – Stations – Destinations (BOS Airport, Fenway Park, TD Garden,...) include Logan Airport* with free Massport Shuttle – and more.   /   * Logan Airport also has private transportation options.

For ASA's Annual Meeting, the most useful Commuter Train is Newburyport/Rockport Line:  its timetable shows that all trains begin at North Station and go to Beverly (in the Trip Planner type "beverly depot") where the line splits, with half of the trains continuing on the Newburyport Line, and half on the Rockport Line.  Trip time varies from 30-39 minutes, depending on the number of stops.

Travel Forums — for Drivers/Riders and Flyers & Riders

ASA has two forum-threads to help you with your traveling:  to Gordon by Driving (or Riding), and from Airport to Gordon (actually it's from Boston to Gordon, whether you arrive by plane or train or bus).

WHY should you use these forums?

The Airport Forum could be useful if...  1) you want to "find traveling partners to start the conference early with interesting conversations" during Step #1, in addition to enjoying the beautiful scenery, or   2) you will rent a car in Boston, and you offer a ride to Gordon College,* or   3) you offer a ride from MHT Airport.     { A common reason to use the Airport Forum seems less important for this meeting, because the excellent options for traveling from Boston to Gordon College are not (as with hiring a private shuttle van) cheaper with a group. }

The Driving Forum could be very useful IF drivers post their plans, and they do this ASAP.  Why?  Here are two reasons:

Why share?  Sharing a ride is cheaper when you split the costs, is more planet-friendly (conserve resources, reduce emissions), and you can “start the conference early” (and make it last longer on the way back) with interesting conversations during your trips.     {* If you will rent a car in Boston, or can offer a ride from MHT, you can post in the Airport Forum. }

Why ASAP?  Because posting in the Driving Forum might help others make their plans.  How?  If they frequently check the forum and discover they can ride with you, they may do this instead of buying a ticket for a plane or train or bus.  But they must know that you're driving before they buy their ticket — and usually the sooner a ticket is purchased the cheaper it is, and more scheduling options are still open — so if you post your “ride offered” information ASAP this may help someone make their plans.  Thanks!    :<)

HOW can you use a forum?  Go to ASA's Meetings & Conferences and read what's posted in the forums, for traveling to Gordon by Driving and/or from Airport to Gordon.  To write a post, Sign In (as a member of ASA, or register for free), read a forum's first post (about "how to post") and other posts, then "Reply" by writing what you want.

LODGING and MEALS

Both are available at Gordon College, in various Conference Packages for Lodging & Meals, or — if you choose off-campus lodging (here are some options) — just Meals.

Social Benefits of On-Campus Lodging & Meals:  ASA's Annual Meetings are my favorite conferences, and one reason is their meal policy because we all eat together.  This is a great way for everyone to meet and get involved with informal conversations, 3 times each day. (in addition to discussions between talks and at night)   Most people stay on-campus, which also makes meeting-and-talking easier, as I (Craig, the writer of this travel-page) explain here.

Contact Us if you have questions:
about this page or travel forums, Craig Rusbult (craigru178-att-yahoo-daut-caum),
about registration & other info, Kristen Broughton (kristen@asa3.org).

Tourist Information  —  Having Fun in-and-around Boston

ASA Field Trips include a Geology Walk, Whale Watch, and – in Boston – a Red Sox Game (Thursday night),* MIT Laboratories Tour (Friday), Harvard Museum of Natural History + Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology (Monday)   /   * or earlier in the day, Fenway Park Tour

Web-Information for Boston:  Discovery Guide - Visiting Boston - The Freedom Trail - TripAdvisor (atractions - museums - nature - to do - tours) - Boston Sports Museum - TravelChannel - activities to do - and more, plus many ways to Explore Massachusetts including Gordon College and a Juggler's Convention & Basketball Hall of Fame.   {map of time zones}

The section for Megabus & Greyhound has tourist-overviews for Boston & Boston & New York & Philadelphia.

Tips and Stories — Tips for Exploring, and Stories about Traveling — from local experts and me, and others.     { I've enjoyed two adventures in Boston and Gordon, 2000 & 2009, and will write about Fenway Park non-Tours, running 9 miles around Boston before running out of time, State Houses & MIT Tour, Boston drivers, a Juggling Convention in MA, and more.  And a local expert, Kristen, shares ideas about exploring the North Shore.  And later (i.o.u.) hopefully others also will share what they know. }

To get around the city, you can use MBTA or walk:  for example, from South Station to North Station thru Boston Common & Massachusetts State House is 1.3 miles [map];  or if, after State House, you also walk thru Boston Public Market & Paul Revere House (on The Freedom Trail) it's 2.2 miles [map].

Two Scenic Stations — if you take a Train or Bus to Boston, or use MBTA and arrive there, or walk there, or if you go out of your way to visit — are:

South Station — served by Trains and Buses — is a historic landmark (slideshow) described in Wikipedia (South Station's architecture & Bus Terminal), with local connections for MBTA;  also, information from Amtrak & Greyhound.

North Station is located below TD Gardens (aka Boston Garden, The Garden) that is home for Boston Celtics & Boston Bruins.

Also, Back Bay Station is an option (should you choose it, or South?) for some Amtrak Routes and it's a closer walk to Fenway Park (1.2 miles) or MIT (1.9 miles).

Here is travel-and-tourism information about previous meetings:

2017 - Golden, CO    2016 - Azusa (near Los Angeles)    2015 - Tulsa, OK    2014 - Hamilton, ON    2013 - Nashville, TN    2012 - San Diego, CA    2011 - Chicago, IL (suburbs)    2010 - Washington D.C.    2009 - Waco, TX    2008 - Newberg, OR (near Portland)