Boston neighborhoods are fairly close together, have lots to see, and are potentially walkable if you enjoy walking around.
The main city is about 5 miles in length.
Other transportation options include:
Subway or bus - www.mbta.com
Bluebikes - www.bluebikes.com
Pedicab - bostonpedicab.com
Taxi - bpdnews.com/authorized-taxi-companies
Uber - www.uber.com
Lyft - www.lyft.com
Turo - www.turo.com
Tours:
Duck Tours - www.bostonducktours.com
Old Town Trolley Tours - www.trolleytours.com/boston
Turo - www.turo.com
Tours:
Duck Tours - www.bostonducktours.com
Old Town Trolley Tours - www.trolleytours.com/boston
Historical Tours - www.thefreedomtrail.org/trail-sites/massachusetts-state-house
Pedicab Tours - www.bostonpedicab.com/tours
Boston Harbor Cruises - www.cityexperiences.com/boston
Charles Riverboat Tours - www.charlesriverboat.com/tours
Urban Adventure bike rental/tour - www.urbanadventours.com
Segway tour - www.segwayinboston.com
_________________________________________________________________________________
Top things to see:
✭ Copley Sq., Newbury St. & Public Garden
✭ Faneuil Hall & North End
✭ Esplanade
✭ Harvard Sq.
Also interesting:
✭ Downtown Crossing, Theatre District & Beacon Hill
✭ Allston or Brookline (Coolidge Corner), or a little farther out Somerville (Davis Sq)
✭ Harbor Islands - seasonal
Why these areas? Interesting architecture, Boston history, tourist areas, things we think would give you a
good overview of our city - and you just might see some other interesting things along the way!
_________________________________________________________________________________
Neighborhoods & Attractions
✭ North End
✭ Faneuil Hall Marketplace - shopping, restaurants, bars, dance clubs
• Christopher Columbus Park
• Rose Kennedy Greenway - Greenway Open Market (May-Oct on Sun)
• Freedom Trail
• Old State House
Boston Harbor Cruises - www.cityexperiences.com/boston
Charles Riverboat Tours - www.charlesriverboat.com/tours
Urban Adventure bike rental/tour - www.urbanadventours.com
Segway tour - www.segwayinboston.com
_________________________________________________________________________________
Top things to see:
✭ Copley Sq., Newbury St. & Public Garden
✭ Faneuil Hall & North End
✭ Esplanade
✭ Harvard Sq.
Also interesting:
✭ Downtown Crossing, Theatre District & Beacon Hill
✭ Allston or Brookline (Coolidge Corner), or a little farther out Somerville (Davis Sq)
✭ Harbor Islands - seasonal
Why these areas? Interesting architecture, Boston history, tourist areas, things we think would give you a
good overview of our city - and you just might see some other interesting things along the way!
_________________________________________________________________________________
Neighborhoods & Attractions
✭ North End
✭ Faneuil Hall Marketplace - shopping, restaurants, bars, dance clubs
• Christopher Columbus Park
• Rose Kennedy Greenway - Greenway Open Market (May-Oct on Sun)
• Freedom Trail
• Old State House
• Custom House Tower (Boston's first skyscraper)
• New England Aquarium (can see seals out front for free)
• Haymarket Farmer's Market (Fri & Sat days)
• Boston Public Market
• Italian restaurants & cafés
• Feasts & festivals (Jun-Sep)
• Improv Asylum - improvisational & sketch comedy
• Holocaust Memorial
• TD Garden - concerts, events, sports:
Calendar of Events www.tdgarden.com/calendar
Bruins bruins.nhl.com/club/schedule.htm
Celtics www.nba.com/celtics/schedule
Back Bay
✭ Newbury St. & Boylston St. - shopping, restaurants, bars, people-watching & Commonwealth Ave. - green park, monuments, brownstones.
✭ Public Garden - green park, monuments, Swan Boats & Boston Common - park, monuments, Frog Pond.
✭ Esplanade - green park along the Charles River, Hatch Shell (events & shows Apr-Oct).
✭ Copley Square - green park, monuments, Trinity Church, Hancock Tower, Boston Public Library (enter on the Dartmouth St entrance to see some beautiful art, architecture, and the courtyard -- free and no tour necessary), Copley Place Mall & Prudential Center Mall (connected - shopping, restaurants, bars, hotels), Farmer's Market (May-Nov on Tue & Fri).
• Christian Science Center - outdoor reflecting pool, Mary Baker Eddy Library Mapparium Globe. (While you're there, maybe check out the Bodega secret sneaker store.)
• Berklee College of Music, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, New England Conservatory & Emerson College - performances.
• Emerald Necklace - green park system that extends from Boston Common to Franklin Park in Jamaica Plain.
• Southwest Corridor Park - bike/walking path that follows the subway (Orange) line above ground from Back Bay to Jamaica Plain.
• Mass Ave (Harvard/MIT) Bridge into Cambridge - great view of city, especially from the Cambridge side. Check out the annual 4th of July celebration from there.
Fenway/Kenmore
• Kenmore Square - iconic Citgo sign, restaurants, bars, shopping & movies all the way down to 401 Park (aka Landmark Center / The Fenway).
• Fenway Park - tour, get day-of Red Sox tickets outside the park or via: mlb.com/redsox/tickets/game-day, or order tickets through StubHub, Ace Ticket or mlb.com/redsox/tickets.
• Museum of Fine Arts & Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (free if named Isabella) - both near Northeastern University.
Other Boston Neighborhoods
✭ Theatre District - theaters, restaurants, movies, bars & dance clubs (near Emerson College and Suffolk University).
✭ Downtown Crossing - shopping & financial district.
✭ Beacon Hill - shopping & dining on Charles St., brownstones, State House.
• Chinatown - restaurants & shopping.
• South End - restaurants, bars, brownstones, SoWa Open Market (Apr-Oct on Sat & Sun).
• West End - Museum of Science, Longfellow "salt & pepper" Bridge into Cambridge.
Boston Suburbs
• Cambridge - ✭ Harvard Square (shopping, restaurants & bars, Harvard University, Natural History Museum), Central Square (restaurants, theater, comedy, bars & music venues), Kendall Square (restaurants, movies, MIT), Inman Square (restaurants), Cambridgeside Galleria Mall (shopping, restaurants & Charles Riverboat Tours).
✭ Allston - shopping, restaurants, bars & music venues on Harvard Ave. between Comm. Ave & Brighton Ave. (Boston University is located along Comm. Ave. as you head towards Allston.) The common day when annual leases begin/end is September 1 - because so many people are moving, traffic is chaotic and you will see a lot of free stuff on the sidewalk, known as "Allston Christmas."
• Brookline - ✭ Coolidge Corner (shopping, restaurants, bars & movies, including JFK Birthplace), Washington Sq. (restaurants & bars), Cleveland Circle (restaurants & bars). Restaurants, bars & brownstones are also located along Beacon St. as you head towards Coolidge Corner to Harvard St. There are more restaurants along Harvard St. which connects to Harvard Ave. in Allston.
• South Boston - Institute of Contemporary Art (free Thur after 5pm), Castle Island, JFK Library & Museum, Lawn on D, Broadway (restaurants & bars). If you are here towards the end of March check out the St. Patrick's Day Parade. If you are here towards mid-May check out Fort Point Open Studios.
• Jamaica Plain - shopping & restaurants on Centre St., Jamaica Pond/Olmsted Park, Arnold Arboretum, Franklin Park Zoo.
• Somerville - restaurants & bars in Davis Square, Porter Square & Union Square.
• Charlestown - Bunker Hill Monument, USS Constitution (can take T ferry from Long Wharf).
• Newton Centre - shopping & restaurants.
✭ Boston Harbor Islands - green parks open May-Oct (take ferry from Long Wharf).
_________________________________________________________________________________
Activities
• Boat Rentals & Lessons - Community Boating, Charles River Canoe & Kayak, Boating in Boston & JP Pond
• Beaches - Revere Beach, Carson Beach & Wollaston Beach are all easily accessible by the T and others are accessible by Commuter Rail with a little research and planning
• Brewery & Chocolate Factory Tours - Harpoon Brewery, Sam Adams Brewery, Dorchester Brewing, Downeast Cider House, Bantam Cider & Taza Chocolate Factory. Everett's "fermentation district" a little farther out has Night Shift Brewery, Short Path Distillery, and Bone Up Brewing Co. And up in Salem there's Notch Brewing.
• Bowling - Kings, Lucky Strike
• Theater & Event Tickets - BosTix (discount tix), TheaterMania
• Used & Vintage Clothes - Buffalo Exchange (Brookline, Somerville), Goodwill (Allston, Cambridge, Somerville, Jamaica Plain, South Boston), The Garment District (Cambridge), Urban Renewals (Roslindale)
• Concerts, Music Venues & Dance Clubs - some of the popular ones include: Paradise, Sinclair, Middle East (Upstairs, Downstairs, Sonia, Zuzu, Corner), Cantab Lounge, Lizard Lounge, Club Passim, Toad, Lily Pad, Lucky's, Middlesex Lounge, Royale, House of Blues, Pavilion, Sally O'Brien's, Union Tavern, Brighton Music Hall, Great Scott (currently relocating), O'Brien's, Scullers, The Red Room at Cafe 939, Wally's, Beehive
• Cheap Places to Stay - Couchsurfing, Hostels, MidTown Hotel, Airbnb, Hotels.com
Finding Things To Do
www.downtownboston.org
www.boston.gov/departments/tourism-sports-and-entertainment#things-to-do-around-boston
https://www.boston.com/things-to-do
digboston.com/listings
• New England Aquarium (can see seals out front for free)
• Haymarket Farmer's Market (Fri & Sat days)
• Boston Public Market
• Italian restaurants & cafés
• Feasts & festivals (Jun-Sep)
• Improv Asylum - improvisational & sketch comedy
• Holocaust Memorial
• TD Garden - concerts, events, sports:
Calendar of Events www.tdgarden.com/calendar
Bruins bruins.nhl.com/club/schedule.htm
Celtics www.nba.com/celtics/schedule
Back Bay
✭ Newbury St. & Boylston St. - shopping, restaurants, bars, people-watching & Commonwealth Ave. - green park, monuments, brownstones.
✭ Public Garden - green park, monuments, Swan Boats & Boston Common - park, monuments, Frog Pond.
✭ Esplanade - green park along the Charles River, Hatch Shell (events & shows Apr-Oct).
✭ Copley Square - green park, monuments, Trinity Church, Hancock Tower, Boston Public Library (enter on the Dartmouth St entrance to see some beautiful art, architecture, and the courtyard -- free and no tour necessary), Copley Place Mall & Prudential Center Mall (connected - shopping, restaurants, bars, hotels), Farmer's Market (May-Nov on Tue & Fri).
• Christian Science Center - outdoor reflecting pool, Mary Baker Eddy Library Mapparium Globe. (While you're there, maybe check out the Bodega secret sneaker store.)
• Berklee College of Music, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, New England Conservatory & Emerson College - performances.
• Emerald Necklace - green park system that extends from Boston Common to Franklin Park in Jamaica Plain.
• Southwest Corridor Park - bike/walking path that follows the subway (Orange) line above ground from Back Bay to Jamaica Plain.
• Mass Ave (Harvard/MIT) Bridge into Cambridge - great view of city, especially from the Cambridge side. Check out the annual 4th of July celebration from there.
Fenway/Kenmore
• Kenmore Square - iconic Citgo sign, restaurants, bars, shopping & movies all the way down to 401 Park (aka Landmark Center / The Fenway).
• Fenway Park - tour, get day-of Red Sox tickets outside the park or via: mlb.com/redsox/tickets/game-day, or order tickets through StubHub, Ace Ticket or mlb.com/redsox/tickets.
• Museum of Fine Arts & Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (free if named Isabella) - both near Northeastern University.
Other Boston Neighborhoods
✭ Theatre District - theaters, restaurants, movies, bars & dance clubs (near Emerson College and Suffolk University).
✭ Downtown Crossing - shopping & financial district.
✭ Beacon Hill - shopping & dining on Charles St., brownstones, State House.
• Chinatown - restaurants & shopping.
• South End - restaurants, bars, brownstones, SoWa Open Market (Apr-Oct on Sat & Sun).
• West End - Museum of Science, Longfellow "salt & pepper" Bridge into Cambridge.
Boston Suburbs
• Cambridge - ✭ Harvard Square (shopping, restaurants & bars, Harvard University, Natural History Museum), Central Square (restaurants, theater, comedy, bars & music venues), Kendall Square (restaurants, movies, MIT), Inman Square (restaurants), Cambridgeside Galleria Mall (shopping, restaurants & Charles Riverboat Tours).
✭ Allston - shopping, restaurants, bars & music venues on Harvard Ave. between Comm. Ave & Brighton Ave. (Boston University is located along Comm. Ave. as you head towards Allston.) The common day when annual leases begin/end is September 1 - because so many people are moving, traffic is chaotic and you will see a lot of free stuff on the sidewalk, known as "Allston Christmas."
• Brookline - ✭ Coolidge Corner (shopping, restaurants, bars & movies, including JFK Birthplace), Washington Sq. (restaurants & bars), Cleveland Circle (restaurants & bars). Restaurants, bars & brownstones are also located along Beacon St. as you head towards Coolidge Corner to Harvard St. There are more restaurants along Harvard St. which connects to Harvard Ave. in Allston.
• South Boston - Institute of Contemporary Art (free Thur after 5pm), Castle Island, JFK Library & Museum, Lawn on D, Broadway (restaurants & bars). If you are here towards the end of March check out the St. Patrick's Day Parade. If you are here towards mid-May check out Fort Point Open Studios.
• Jamaica Plain - shopping & restaurants on Centre St., Jamaica Pond/Olmsted Park, Arnold Arboretum, Franklin Park Zoo.
• Somerville - restaurants & bars in Davis Square, Porter Square & Union Square.
• Charlestown - Bunker Hill Monument, USS Constitution (can take T ferry from Long Wharf).
• Newton Centre - shopping & restaurants.
✭ Boston Harbor Islands - green parks open May-Oct (take ferry from Long Wharf).
_________________________________________________________________________________
Activities
• Boat Rentals & Lessons - Community Boating, Charles River Canoe & Kayak, Boating in Boston & JP Pond
• Beaches - Revere Beach, Carson Beach & Wollaston Beach are all easily accessible by the T and others are accessible by Commuter Rail with a little research and planning
• Brewery & Chocolate Factory Tours - Harpoon Brewery, Sam Adams Brewery, Dorchester Brewing, Downeast Cider House, Bantam Cider & Taza Chocolate Factory. Everett's "fermentation district" a little farther out has Night Shift Brewery, Short Path Distillery, and Bone Up Brewing Co. And up in Salem there's Notch Brewing.
• Bowling - Kings, Lucky Strike
• Theater & Event Tickets - BosTix (discount tix), TheaterMania
• Used & Vintage Clothes - Buffalo Exchange (Brookline, Somerville), Goodwill (Allston, Cambridge, Somerville, Jamaica Plain, South Boston), The Garment District (Cambridge), Urban Renewals (Roslindale)
• Concerts, Music Venues & Dance Clubs - some of the popular ones include: Paradise, Sinclair, Middle East (Upstairs, Downstairs, Sonia, Zuzu, Corner), Cantab Lounge, Lizard Lounge, Club Passim, Toad, Lily Pad, Lucky's, Middlesex Lounge, Royale, House of Blues, Pavilion, Sally O'Brien's, Union Tavern, Brighton Music Hall, Great Scott (currently relocating), O'Brien's, Scullers, The Red Room at Cafe 939, Wally's, Beehive
• Cheap Places to Stay - Couchsurfing, Hostels, MidTown Hotel, Airbnb, Hotels.com
Finding Things To Do
www.downtownboston.org
www.boston.gov/departments/tourism-sports-and-entertainment#things-to-do-around-boston
https://www.boston.com/things-to-do
digboston.com/listings
do617.com
Free (and mostly free) events - www.boston.gov/departments/tourism-sports-and-entertainment/things-do-around-boston
_________________________________________________________________________________
Walking Tour
Here's an example of a walking tour that will take you through much of the city (2-3 hrs not including stops).
Take the Green or Red Line subway inbound to Park Street station (A).
Walk along the Boston Common down Tremont St through the theater district (B).
Turn left on Stuart St to head into Chinatown - the Chinatown archway gate is located on the end of Beach Street (C).
Walk up Washington St through Downtown Crossing (D) and the Financial District.
Walk past the Old State House at 206 Washington St (E) where the Declaration of Independence was read from the balcony in 1776, and walk through Faneuil Hall (F) where there are indoor and outdoor markets and food stations inside.
I like the Christopher Columbus Park (G) by the waterfront and Boston Harbor. Take Richmond St (or any side street) into the North End (big Italian neighborhood). The main street in the North End is Hanover St and there are also a lot of restaurants on Salem St. The famous place to go here is Mike's Pastry at 300 Hanover St (H) where there's usually a huge line to get a cannoli.
Another famous place to stop back near Faneuil Hall is the Union Oyster House "America's Oldest Restaurant" (especially if you like oysters or raw bar seafood) at 41 Union St across from the Holocaust Memorial (I).
Walk up the stairs past City Hall Plaza and to the MA State House at 24 Beacon St (J), which you can go inside to see the marble floors, murals, statues, paintings, and the Senate and House of Representatives' chambers.
Take a side street detour to see some of the brownstone apartments in the historic Beacon Hill neighborhood (K) with real gas street lamps.
The Public Garden (L) is always really pretty (in the summer especially) and a nice place to take a picture is usually on the bridge over the pond. From here, Boylston St, Newbury St, and Commonwealth Ave are all nice to walk down.
Boylston St has a lot of restaurants and will take you past Copley Square (M) where you'll see the John Hancock Tower, Trinity Church, and Prudential Center Tower (there's a large indoor mall that goes between Copley Sq. and the Prudential Center). Newbury St has a lot of shops, and Commonwealth Ave has a greenway down the middle of it with a nice walking path and statues.
You'll also want to make your way over to the Esplanade by the Charles River (N) - there will be a pedestrian walking bridge over Storrow Drive that you should be able to see at the end of the street behind the apartments, and maybe walk out onto the Mass Ave bridge a little bit for a view of the city (O).
From here you could take the #1 bus up Mass Ave into Cambridge and Harvard Square, or explore more around the city, perhaps to Fenway Park, the Christian Science Center Plaza Reflecting Pool (if it has water in it) and Mapparium (inside Mary Baker Eddy Library).
Free (and mostly free) events - www.boston.gov/departments/tourism-sports-and-entertainment/things-do-around-boston
_________________________________________________________________________________
Walking Tour
Here's an example of a walking tour that will take you through much of the city (2-3 hrs not including stops).
Take the Green or Red Line subway inbound to Park Street station (A).
Walk along the Boston Common down Tremont St through the theater district (B).
Turn left on Stuart St to head into Chinatown - the Chinatown archway gate is located on the end of Beach Street (C).
Walk up Washington St through Downtown Crossing (D) and the Financial District.
Walk past the Old State House at 206 Washington St (E) where the Declaration of Independence was read from the balcony in 1776, and walk through Faneuil Hall (F) where there are indoor and outdoor markets and food stations inside.
I like the Christopher Columbus Park (G) by the waterfront and Boston Harbor. Take Richmond St (or any side street) into the North End (big Italian neighborhood). The main street in the North End is Hanover St and there are also a lot of restaurants on Salem St. The famous place to go here is Mike's Pastry at 300 Hanover St (H) where there's usually a huge line to get a cannoli.
Another famous place to stop back near Faneuil Hall is the Union Oyster House "America's Oldest Restaurant" (especially if you like oysters or raw bar seafood) at 41 Union St across from the Holocaust Memorial (I).
Walk up the stairs past City Hall Plaza and to the MA State House at 24 Beacon St (J), which you can go inside to see the marble floors, murals, statues, paintings, and the Senate and House of Representatives' chambers.
Take a side street detour to see some of the brownstone apartments in the historic Beacon Hill neighborhood (K) with real gas street lamps.
The Public Garden (L) is always really pretty (in the summer especially) and a nice place to take a picture is usually on the bridge over the pond. From here, Boylston St, Newbury St, and Commonwealth Ave are all nice to walk down.
Boylston St has a lot of restaurants and will take you past Copley Square (M) where you'll see the John Hancock Tower, Trinity Church, and Prudential Center Tower (there's a large indoor mall that goes between Copley Sq. and the Prudential Center). Newbury St has a lot of shops, and Commonwealth Ave has a greenway down the middle of it with a nice walking path and statues.
You'll also want to make your way over to the Esplanade by the Charles River (N) - there will be a pedestrian walking bridge over Storrow Drive that you should be able to see at the end of the street behind the apartments, and maybe walk out onto the Mass Ave bridge a little bit for a view of the city (O).
From here you could take the #1 bus up Mass Ave into Cambridge and Harvard Square, or explore more around the city, perhaps to Fenway Park, the Christian Science Center Plaza Reflecting Pool (if it has water in it) and Mapparium (inside Mary Baker Eddy Library).
