Flyby Investigates: Is Snowport Worth It?

For undergraduates across the Northeast, the frosty threat of snow cover and 4 p.m. sunsets mean two things: it’s time to lock into your favorite library and prep for finals… and time to take every second away from your computer to savor the cusp of the holiday season.

In Boston, nothing says winter festivities better than the cookie-cutter Hallmark dreamscape bordering the Atlantic: Snowport Village. Snowport exists as the Boston legend of holiday cheer — just 40 minutes away on the Red and Green (festive!) lines, it promises rich, tangy hot cider, tempered-chocolate pianos, and kitschy bobbles of every holiday shape, color, and size. But beyond its Willy Wonka exterior, any visitor knows that each handcrafted stall and ornamental delicacy is bound to drain your wallet. So, are the wonders of Snowport worth the prolonged commute and colossal costs?

It was up to us to find out.

After taking our first round of finals, we hopped into an Uber to Snowport to reward ourselves with some trinkets and sweet treats… because what more could you ask for? Armed with $50 — more than any finals-depleted college student could hope to spend away on a random Thursday — and a dream, we wandered through the stalls, looking at their different wares and trying to see what we could get with our semi-generous budget (thank you Flyby!).

At 1 p.m., Snowport was pretty empty. However, there were still people milling about and purchasing treats and gifts for themselves and their loved ones. We came to the conclusion that Snowport’s real charm is experienced in the dark, with glittery LED arches bordering the stalls, so maybe that’s why entering felt a bit underwhelming.

Our first turn into the maze of stalls, tents, and trailers led us to the savory snacking area: specifically, a Mexican food truck. As starving academics, we felt much obliged to support the small businesses there, with which our stomachs were very much in agreement. Mirika got an avocado taco from the food truck, which was pretty filling at a reasonable price point ($5) especially compared to some of the other stands.

Avocado taco at Snowport! By Laasya N. Chiduruppa

After prudently filling our stomachs, we wandered around some of the other stalls to check out the sweet treats and dessert stands, which is when a cookie shop caught our eye. While all of the flavors were equally enticing, we ended up getting the Funfetti cookie, which brought back nostalgic memories with every bite.

Funfetti cookie STUNS in new photo. By Laasya N. Chiduruppa

Then it was time to turn our attention to the wares Snowport is arguably most famous for: their holiday beverages. Led to the Apple Cider Donut stand by the cinnamony smell wafting up from their fryers, we ultimately landed on a hot cider rather than the tried and tested hot chocolate (but come on, we already knew that was going to be good). This was the moment we began filing for bankruptcy. While it was one of the most delicious and spicy hot ciders this side of the Prime Meridian, the small sized drink (literally smaller than Laasya’s palm) rang in at a whopping $7.00: full dollars more than a large matcha at prime time Blank Street. Watch out, Nara Smith, we will be boiling and juicing our own apples from now on.

Small but mighty but SMALL cider. By Mirika J. Jambudi

Stomachs full, thirst quenched, and pockets in pain, it was time to weave through the wintery maze and window-shop for objects we couldn’t ingest. Luckily for us, every possible thing one would never need was up for sale. Don’t get us wrong, we wanted to buy every single one of the stained glass baubles and chopstick baskets, but unless we could switch out the $70 price tag for our weight in rocks or get rid of a zero, we simply had to put the objects back and move on. We were especially tempted to spend it all when we found an opportunity to spend “One short day in the Emerald City,” but unfortunately, its price tag was defying gravity.

We deserve each other, me and BOQ. By Laasya N. Chiduruppa

We did, however, end up making one final purchase from a stand that caught our eye for its mission. Refugee women crocheted/knitted beautiful ornaments for this nonprofit organization (Refugee Protection International), and proceeds went back to helping support these women and their families. We returned with a cute ornament for the Flyby office and the knowledge that our final dollars were spent to support a deserving cause, in line with the warm fuzzy holiday spirit of giving.

Shopping for a cause! By Mirika J. Jambudi

Ultimately, our afternoon in Snowport was a much needed respite from earlier hours spent in Lamont. The holiday cheer, endless supply of couples in matching Canada Goose parkas and fuzzy earmuffs, and aesthetic samplings of holly, wreaths, and colorful winter assortments kept our frowns away. But be warned, Snowport serves more as a museum with endless gift shops than as a holiday market. A worthy excursion for a walk through winter wonderland, but not to buy all of your entryway mates holiday presents.