edit Boston Travel Guide

• Enjoy some seafood - Boston has excellent seafood from the nearby New England coast
• Visit a museum - Boston has dozens of interested and exciting museums. Plan on visiting at least two!
  

Boston is a city of neighborhoods, many of which were originally towns in their own right before being assimilated into the city. These neighborhoods still go by their original names and people will often tell you they are from "JP" (Jamaica Plain), "Southie" (South Boston), "Dot" (Dorchester) or "Eastie" (East Boston) rather than from "Boston." If in doubt, you can look for "Resident Parking Only" signs which will tell you what neighborhood you are in.

Boston's nicknames include "Beantown", "The Hub" (shortened from Oliver Wendell Holmes' phrase 'The Hub of the Universe'), "The City of Higher Learning" (due to the plethora of universities and colleges in the Boston area) and - particularly in the 19th century - "The Athens of America," on account of its great cultural and intellectual influence. If you don't want to stand out as a tourist, don't refer to Boston by any of these nicknames.

By plane

Logan International Airport (IATA: BOS) - the main gateway to Boston and New England.

By train

Amtrak arrives at South Station, which intersects with the MBTA's Red Line and the waterfront branches of the Silver Line. You can take the Amtrak Northeast Corridor or Acela Express from South Station all the way to Washington D.C. and beyond. Average Acela time from Boston to New York City is 3 1/2 hours, while a trip to Philadelphia takes about 5 hours. Another popular Amtrak train is the Lake Shore Limited service between Boston and Chicago (requiring a layover in Albany). This isn't as high quality or high speed as the Acela, but at around $75, the price is right (note that in order to get the low-low fare, you have to purchase your ticket a few weeks in advance). All trains to South Station also stop at Back Bay Station, which is much smaller, but more convenient to Back Bay, Beacon Hill and the South End. It is on the Orange Line on the subway and most of the Commuter Rail lines that terminate at South Station.

Amtrak also uses North Station at the TD Banknorth Garden (previously called the Fleet Center) for their Downeaster service to Haverhill, Peabody, and Maine.

Remember, Boston's North and South stations are not linked, and are over a mile from one another. In order to travel in between, hop on the Red Line subway at South Station and switch to the Orange Line to North Station. You could always take a cab, but the subway (known locally as the "T") is significantly cheaper. Your best option is to go between North Station and Back Bay station, since they are directly linked by the Orange Line.

If you have a first class Acela ticket, you may use the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge in the historic, renovated South Station. There is no lounge at Back Bay Station. You may use Quik Track machines to buy your ticket without standing in line, or to pick up tickets you have reserved online.

Arriving by train has the advantage of putting you within easy reach of most downtown destinations by public transit.

By car

By bus

Greyhound and Peter Pan Bus serve many cities from South Station but are generally much more expensive than the Chinatown buses, with Greyhound and PPB averaging $30 to New York. However, eSaver fares available online make the Greyhound fare between Boston & NYC as low as $15 each way. The Chinatown buses (AKA Dragon Buses) now use South Station also and serve Hartford, Connecticut and New York City. Fares are competitive, but not as low as they once were (for example, Fung Wah was $10 each way and is now $15). Some significantly lower quality Chinatown buses average $12.50 one way.

By boat

By Car

As in any big city, try to avoid this if you can.

By Mass Transit

Public transit in Boston is convenient and relatively inexpensive, and can take you directly to most points of interest. A single public transit agency serves the Boston Metro area, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority ("MBTA", or "the T" for short). The MBTA is the fourth-largest transit system in the U.S. For complete schedules, maps, and other information, see their official website at: http://www.mbta.com/

By Foot

Boston's downtown core is very compact and easily walkable. Most major tourist attractions can be visited on foot, although visiting some neighborhoods will require rail and/or bus connections. The climate is rather cold from December to April, and the city, contrary to another city's slogan, is actually the most windy in America. Snow can also be an obstacle.

New England weather is very unpredictable and becomes moderately cold in the winter (average low in January is 22F), as well as rather humid in the summer. Late May through late September, you'll be comfortable in a t-shirt.

Emergency

Dial 911 for police, ambulance, etc.

Crime

Low for a major American city. Like in any big city, avoid certain neighborhoods and public parks at night.

Smoking

Museums

• Boston Children's Museum: http://www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org/index.html
  
• Boston Museum of Fine Arts: http://www.mfa.org/
  
• New England Aquarium: http://www.neaq.org/index.nonFlash.html
  

Events

• March: St. Patrick's Day
• April: Boston Marathon/Patriot's Day
• Summer: The Cow Parade

Sports

• Fenway Park
• Gillette Stadium

The biggest shopping areas in the inner Metro are the Back Bay and Downtown Crossing. In addition, there are two large malls in and near the center of the city.

• The Cambridgeside Galleria This shopping mall includes department stores, a Best Buy, clothing stores, bookstores, a food court, and a Cheesecake Factory restaurant, all at mainstream retail prices. Accessible on the Green Line at Lechmere station, or the Red Line at Kendall/MIT station via a free shuttle van ("The Wave").

• Copley Place and Prudential Center These malls are connected via pedestrian walkway over Huntington Av. They house department stores, clothing stores, bookstores, upscale shopping, a food court, many restaurants, and connect to several large hotels. Accessible on the Green Line at Copley, Hynes/ICA, and Prudential stations, and on the Orange Line at Back Bay station.

More local color can be experienced outdoors at any of several popular commercial areas:

• Newbury Street This shopping street runs the length of the Back Bay neighborhood. Often called "the Rodeo Drive of the East," Newbury St. is a wonderfully dense avenue colored by historic brownstones and lots of shops and restaurants. Extremely expensive near Boston Common, but gradually becoming more affordable as you move toward Massachusetts Avenue. One block north from Boylston St., which is similar but less so. Vehicular traffic can be very slow on Newbury St. itself; take parallel streets unless you have time to see the sights from your car. Accessible on the Green Line from Arlington, Copley, and Hynes/ICA stations.

• Downtown Crossing, Washington St. at Winter St. area. This shopping district is in Downtown Boston, just steps from Boston Common. It is obligatory to visit the world-famous Filene's Basement. Unlike most other stores of the same name, this flagship outlet is actually underground. Bargain Alley has the distinctive feature of the Automatic Markdown plan - every week, the items in this area get 25% cheaper, until they are either sold or donated to charity. Many excellent deals can be found on merchandise floating down from the larger department store upstairs. The aisles here are narrow, and the store is usually busy, so avoid bringing lots of shopping bags in by stopping here first. The rest of Downtown Crossing features large Macy's and Borders, music stores, souvenirs, general retail, and lots of street vendors and quick food. Accessible on the Red and Orange Lines at Downtown Crossing station, and with a brief walk, from the Red and Green Lines at Park St. station.

• Harvard Square This historic and always-active square is located across the river in the city of Cambridge. Take a tour of Harvard University and the Yard, visit the historic cemetery, shop around. Several excellent bookstores, plenty of restaurants and cafes. See the famous chess tables outside Au Bon Pain where a scene in Good Will Hunting was filmed. Walk past the offices of Dewey, Cheatem & Howe, and say hello to the punks. A short walk down to the scenic Charles River. Street musicians often play near the famous Out of Town News. For a good burger stop in a Bartley's, a Harvard landmark. For a fantastic margarita and cheap Mexican food, be sure to hit up the Border Cafe. The nonprofit Brattle theater shows classic and independent films. Accessible on the Red Line at Harvard station.

• Coolidge Corner, Harvard St. at Beacton St, Brookline. This shopping area is located in the neighboring town of Brookline. A little less urban, more like your local village shops and restaurants. The Coolidge Corner Theater is known for showing interesting independent and art house films. Beacon Street has interesting shops along much of its length, generally concentrated near areas such as St. Mary's, Washington Sq., etc. One can also walk north from Coolidge Corner along Harvard St. (which becomes Harvard Av.) towards Allston-Brighton (and the B branch of the Green Line) for additional shopping and dining. Accessible on the C branch of the Green Line at the Coolidge Corner stop.

• Charles St., from Beacon St. to Cambridge St. One of the more quaint shopping neighborhoods in Boston, starting just north of Boston Common. The mix of shops lends itself to window-shopping as well as ticking items off a shopping list. Multiple options for lunch or coffee make this a pleasant place to stroll for a couple hours. Accessible from the Charles St./Mass. General Hospital station on the Red Line.

Boston makes an excellent starting point for any tour of New England.

• Take a ferry from the harbor in the summer or one of several daily Cape Air flights from Logan year-round to Provincetown (also known as P-town) to see some of the best entertainment and fun on Cape Cod.
• Drive south to Falmouth and take the ferry to either Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket for a peaceful, scenic time on these small, charming islands.
• Drive south or take the $7 commuter rail to Providence, Rhode Island, which is home to its own share of art and culture, excellent Italian food, and a charming downtown area.
• Also take a road trip to the North Shore, New Hampshire Seacoast and Southern Maine. All are easily accessible by car, and less than a 90 minute drive without the awful Cape Cod traffic in the summer months.