Destinations : United States : Boston

About Boston

Located in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States, Boston is the capital and largest city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The city has a total area of 232 km² (89.6 square miles), but only 54% of it is land and 106.7 km² (46.0%) is water.

Logan International Airport, located in the East Boston neighborhood, handles most of the scheduled passenger service for Boston.

Downtown Boston's streets are not organized on a grid, but grew in a meandering organic pattern beginning early in the seventeenth century. They were created as needed, and as wharves and landfill expanded the area of the small Boston peninsula.

General info

Boston is a center of higher education and a center for medicine, with many colleges and universities within the city and surrounding area. The city's economy is also based on research, finance, and technology, principally biotechnology. Boston has been experiencing gentrification and has one of the highest costs of living in the United States.

Boston's reputation as the Athens of America derives from the teaching and research activities of more than 100 colleges and universities located in the Greater Boston Area, with more than 250,000 students attending college in Boston and Cambridge alone.

Boston has a continental climate, as it is very common in New England. Summers are typically hot and humid, while winters are cold, windy and snowy.

The city of Boston is one of the ten most popular tourist locations in the United States. We recommend to go to the 50th floor of The Prudential Tower where is the highest public vantage point of the city, the Prudential Skywalk, with an observation deck opened seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., except for occasional private functions.

When visiting Boston, you'll discover neighborhoods with distinct character, quaint brownstone-lined streets, the beloved Red Sox (baseball), and big-city entertainment.

Visiting Back Bay, you will find Copley Square, the Prudential Center,  the Public Library, Newbury Street, Commonwealth Ave.  Downtown Crossing is an eclectic mix of historic sites, shopping, and hip restaurants and clubs; sift through the bargain shelves of the Brattle Book Shop, watch musical street performers, visit the Old South Meeting House.  Walking through Faneuil Hall you will notice the waterfront, Government Center, Haymarket and the North End and sidewalk performances during the summer.  Do not forget to visit on Fenway the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum or the Museum of Fine Arts. Interesting center of activity is  the Harvard Square which embodies all that is Cambridge. On North End the streets are narrow and compact, and there is history - Old North Church, Paul Revere's house, burial grounds. Instead, South End is home of elegant Victorian brick row houses, many dating from the 1800s and the arts shine at the Calderwood Pavilion and the Boston Center for the Arts.

If you are searching for a different camping experience, look no further than the Boston harbor. Three of the Boston Harbor Islands, Bumpkin, Grape, and Lovells have campgrounds, all with an unparalleled location within sight of the Boston skyline - across the water!

Traditionally in the middle of June when summer seems to begin, participate in the Strawberries Picking, for four weekends. Pick your own berries in the different farms and fill up your basket with these tasty fruits of summer.  Every event includes crafts, games, a banjo band, and homemade strawberry shortcakes.

Shopping

Surely by crossing downtown you will experience a shopping time on an eclectic ambient of historic sites,  boutiques and hip restaurants. On Beacon Hill visit Charles Street to spy pricey antique shops and swanky clothing boutiques. Also the neighborhood of Faneuil Hall is known for its huge shopping area.

After 60 years of Filene's Basement hosting the "Running of the Brides", every June, the event moved to Hynes Convention Center in 2008. People from all the States lined up as early as 3 a.m. to snag wedding gowns for bargain prices, from $249 to $699.

The time to see how Bostonians truly express themselves is during the summer party season. At the beginning of June, the sartorial rules of party style are temporarily suspended and a melange of seersucker, sundresses, and - oh dear - lightweight black cocktail dresses, begin to invade well-manicured lawns and billowy-white party tents. During the rest of the year, always chic.

Eating and Drinking

Locke-Ober, one of Boston's most exclusive restaurants, made its name behind closed doors. John F. Kennedy frequently met with politicos in the private room seen here. At Back Bay you can find local lively bars or restaurants.

On Charles Street (Beacon Hill) go to enticing cafes; but crossing downtown of Boston you will enjoy a fine meal at one of the numerous award-winning restaurants in the neighborhood. A bustling center of activity is Harvard Square where students and academics mix with tourists and locals to crowd the sidewalks and restaurants on weekends and evenings, while the streets are more relaxed during the week. North End neighborhood is packed with restaurants, virtually all of them Italian, and the locals carefully maintain their deeply-rooted ties to Italian culture. Some of the city's finest dining can be found lining Tremont Street on South End.

By Night

Even though there is an annual influx of young people, Boston is not known for its throbbing nightlife. Most clubs close their doors at 2am, and as smoking is not possible inside locals, many people often congregate on the sidewalk rather than inside. However, you can find what you want, from boisterous dance clubs to upscale wine bars to comfortable beer-and-oyster dives. In funky Kenmore Square, there are lounges great for conversation, or others which features live music. Otherwise, enjoy pubs which offer Internet access, publications, and televisions. On Lansdowne Street there are places which hosts theme nights, including reggae, swing, and techno. While the club scene may be skimpy, some restaurants keep late hours and become gathering spots as the night wears on. Check out the scene at the Italian-flavored North End.

Climate

Boston has what may basically be described as a continental climate, such as is very common in New England. Summers are typically hot and humid, while winters are cold, windy and snowy. Prevailing wind patterns that blow offshore affect Boston, minimizing the influence of the Atlantic Ocean.

Boston's coastal location on the North Atlantic, though it moderates temperatures, also makes the city very prone to Nor'easter weather systems that can produce much snow and rain. Fog is prevalent, particularly in spring and early summer, and the occasional tropical storm or hurricane can threaten the region, especially in early autumn.

Hotels in Boston

The Best Boutique and Design hotels in Boston : Hotel Commonwealth,