Whether you're history buff wanting to see textbooks and biographies come to life, a foodie hoping to dig in to some local grub, or just have the travel bug, Boston is the perfect destination. At the top of this page, a travel guide can be found. It was designed for a college student hoping to see the city in a week or less on a budget, but can easily be adapted to fit a wide range of travellers. This post will also cover some of my favorite aspects of the city and some things to look out for. I do not claim to be an expert on Boston, but I can tell you what I have seen in three visits. I have experienced the winter where the weather was bitter cold and overnight the city gained a foot of snow. I have experienced summer where one day resulted in a heat index of over 100 degrees. I am currently experiencing late spring where the weather is warm and fairly pleasant. From a tourist point of view, the differing seasons pose advantages and disadvantages.
I think that the biggest drawback from my winter visit was the bitter, and I mean bitter, cold. Even though most of the trip was free of snow, it was difficult to want to be outside. When the snow did hit, it hit hard and ruined the plans I had for that day. I would like to say that the trip was not all bad; I had a great time. If the winter is more mild or you happen to love cold weather, I'd recommend going for it. Many attractions are less crowded, but be aware that some are closed because of the weather. One tip is to check out the Boston Public Library and other event calendars to find special events. I was able to see The Great Poe Debate between Philadelphia. Baltimore, and Boston to find out where Edgar Alan Poe considered home. It was very interesting and entertaining and I still can't decide where I would pick.
Warmer weather seems like the perfect time for you to travel. Unfortunately, the rest of the world seems to agree and wait times will be increased. Boston transforms in the sunshine just like any other coastal town. Approximately a third of the dine-in restaurants have walls that fold up to allow for street access, there are more and more street vendor, and people are everywhere. Travelling to Boston in July was an experience with an extreme heat wave, but allowed for some good water side activities. The Boston Harbor Islands are nice relaxing getaways and supplies great views of the city. Another for of cooling off is taking a ride on Codzilla, a 40 mph, wet adventure that is not to be missed.
So far, the city in May has meant hoards of children. In the summer time, it seemed to be a lot of families around, but May is something else. There seem to be many school groups taking class trips and it can be a little crazy. It requires patience for the 10-14 year old crowd and a willingness to go with the flow. On the plus side, the employees of most places will try extra hard to accommodate you. The weather is quite pleasant for my trip so far as well.
Many tips will be covered in the next couple posts, like where to get the best chowdah and how to find unadvertised attractions, but here's a couple starter tips.
1. Learn to navigate the 'T' and you will have a much more pleasant trip.
I was unaware that the silver line from the airport was a bus and an unmarked stopped right outside the Charlie Card kiosk. Lets just say it ended in a lot of dragging my suitcase around. So, know where you need to go to get to your first destination before trying to get there.
2. Don't be afraid to get LOST
While it seems contradictory to my last tip, once free of baggage, roaming around is a lot more pleasant. I travel around by myself half the time in Boston and don't really mind. It's a city where I can feel generally safe as long as I am aware of my surroundings. The scariest thing I have seen is a lady following behind her husband yelling at him. Not too bad. I have not travelled in the city in the dark, so I can not attest to that, but the daylight is quite fine.
3. Take an introductory tour when you first get to Boston.
Whether it be the trolley tour (great for winter), the duck tour (which I haven't done in Boston yet, but I hear good things), or just a guided tour along the freedom trail, this will help you get acquainted with the city. Another solution is just to follow the red bricked road. The freedom trail is marked with a red line to every site, so finding all the major attractions is a breeze.
As I said, more tips to come shortly, along with what I'm doing on this trip!
I think that the biggest drawback from my winter visit was the bitter, and I mean bitter, cold. Even though most of the trip was free of snow, it was difficult to want to be outside. When the snow did hit, it hit hard and ruined the plans I had for that day. I would like to say that the trip was not all bad; I had a great time. If the winter is more mild or you happen to love cold weather, I'd recommend going for it. Many attractions are less crowded, but be aware that some are closed because of the weather. One tip is to check out the Boston Public Library and other event calendars to find special events. I was able to see The Great Poe Debate between Philadelphia. Baltimore, and Boston to find out where Edgar Alan Poe considered home. It was very interesting and entertaining and I still can't decide where I would pick.
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| Spectacle Island view |
Warmer weather seems like the perfect time for you to travel. Unfortunately, the rest of the world seems to agree and wait times will be increased. Boston transforms in the sunshine just like any other coastal town. Approximately a third of the dine-in restaurants have walls that fold up to allow for street access, there are more and more street vendor, and people are everywhere. Travelling to Boston in July was an experience with an extreme heat wave, but allowed for some good water side activities. The Boston Harbor Islands are nice relaxing getaways and supplies great views of the city. Another for of cooling off is taking a ride on Codzilla, a 40 mph, wet adventure that is not to be missed.So far, the city in May has meant hoards of children. In the summer time, it seemed to be a lot of families around, but May is something else. There seem to be many school groups taking class trips and it can be a little crazy. It requires patience for the 10-14 year old crowd and a willingness to go with the flow. On the plus side, the employees of most places will try extra hard to accommodate you. The weather is quite pleasant for my trip so far as well.
Many tips will be covered in the next couple posts, like where to get the best chowdah and how to find unadvertised attractions, but here's a couple starter tips.
1. Learn to navigate the 'T' and you will have a much more pleasant trip.
I was unaware that the silver line from the airport was a bus and an unmarked stopped right outside the Charlie Card kiosk. Lets just say it ended in a lot of dragging my suitcase around. So, know where you need to go to get to your first destination before trying to get there.
2. Don't be afraid to get LOST
While it seems contradictory to my last tip, once free of baggage, roaming around is a lot more pleasant. I travel around by myself half the time in Boston and don't really mind. It's a city where I can feel generally safe as long as I am aware of my surroundings. The scariest thing I have seen is a lady following behind her husband yelling at him. Not too bad. I have not travelled in the city in the dark, so I can not attest to that, but the daylight is quite fine.
3. Take an introductory tour when you first get to Boston.
Whether it be the trolley tour (great for winter), the duck tour (which I haven't done in Boston yet, but I hear good things), or just a guided tour along the freedom trail, this will help you get acquainted with the city. Another solution is just to follow the red bricked road. The freedom trail is marked with a red line to every site, so finding all the major attractions is a breeze.
As I said, more tips to come shortly, along with what I'm doing on this trip!
