Boston travel guide
Boston Tourism | Boston Guide
You're Going to Love Boston
With a population of 617,594, Boston is the largest city in Massachusetts, United States by the number of inhabitants. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Boston deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
Where to Eat in Boston
South Boston is the neighbourhood with the most restaurants in Boston. These include popular favourites such as Moonshine 152 (152 Dorchester Ave), Mooo SEAPORT (49 Melcher St) and Row 34 - Boston (383 Congress Street). If you’re looking for affordable options, Maggiano's - Boston (4 Columbus Avenue) and Island Creek Oyster Bar - Boston (500 Commonwealth Avenue) are great picks. Families with children usually love to dine at Tony's Place (188 Baker St), while couples can enjoy the romantic atmosphere of Servia (126 State St), in South Boston. For delicious green meals, Cafeteria Boston (279a Newbury Street) and Moxies - Boston Seaport (899 Congress St) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Boston.
When to visit Boston
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Boston in July, when the average temperature is 23 °C, and the highest can go up to 28 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as -5 °C, with an average temperature of -1 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in March, when precipitation is around 101 mm. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Boston, with an average rainfall of 78 mm.
How to Get to Boston
Plane
Boston is served by 2 airports: Boston Harbor SPB (BNH) and Boston Logan Airport (BOS). The closest to downtown Boston is Boston Harbor SPB, which is located 1 km from the city centre. Further away is Boston Logan Airport, 4 km from the centre of Boston. Boston Logan Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Air Canada, Emirates, Scandinavian Airlines and other airlines departing from Canada. The shortest flight to Boston from Canada departs from Toronto and takes around 1h 35m.
Train
Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Boston, followed by Acela. The train journey from Boston to Providence takes 0h 42m and costs around C$ 15 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Wells, expect to pay about C$ 25 for a 1h 51m trip. Located 2.0 km from the city centre, Boston Back Bay is the busiest station in Boston. Another popular train station is Boston South Station, located 1.0 km from the centre.
Car
Another option to get to Boston is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 302 km from Boston. You’ll find branches of Budget and Thrifty, among others, in New York.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Boston, including CoachRun, OurBus and Concord Coach Lines. From Providence, the bus ride to Boston takes 97 km and will cost you around C$ 15. From Springfield, the ticket costs about C$ 49 for a journey of 193 km. The most popular bus station is Boston 39 Dalton Street, located 2.7 km from downtown Boston. Boston Allston is also a commonly used station, and is 6 km from the city centre.
Airlines serving Boston
Where to stay in Boston
From 5-star hotels such as the Four Seasons Hotel Boston to great affordable options like the Hyatt Place Boston/Seaport District, Boston offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around C$ 364 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to C$ 746 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Holiday Inn Express Boston and Hi Boston Hostel. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Boston, with prices from C$ 205 to C$ 1,060 per night. Back Bay is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Boston are about 30% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.
Downtown - In Boston’s most popular neighbourhood to stay, recommended hotels include Canopy by Hilton Boston Downtown, W Boston and Marriott Vacation Club at Custom House, Boston.
Back Bay - Here you’ll find travellers’ favourites such as Newbury Guest House, The Eliot Hotel and Mandarin Oriental, Boston. The average nightly price for a double room in Back Bay is C$ 223.
Fenway–Kenmore - Hotel Commonwealth, The Verb Hotel and Residence Inn by Marriott Boston Back Bay/Fenway have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in Fenway–Kenmore will cost you about C$ 304 per night.
Where to stay in popular areas of Boston
Most booked hotels in Boston
Renting a car in Boston
Renting a car in Boston costs C$ 99 per day, on average, or C$ 199 if you want to rent it for 2 days. National, Alamo and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Boston is the Sixt branch at 100 Tomahawk Dr, which is 2 km from the downtown.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 6% cheaper than airport locations in Boston.
Expect to pay C$ 1.41 per litre in Boston (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 16.91 and C$ 22.55. Compact (Jeep Patriot or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Boston, while also 57% cheaper than other types, on average.
Best car rental deals in Boston
Intermediate
5 adults, 3 Bags
C$ 58/day
Standard
5 adults, 3 Bags
C$ 58/day