It's not New York or Chicago, so quit comparing them and appreciate Boston for what it is. This city is charming and legitimately historic, from the cobblestoned streets of Beacon Hill to the authentic Italian restaurants and food purveyors of the North End. Its size and legacy bolster its appeal: The oldest ballpark in the MLB, Fenway Park is smack in the middle of the city, which even non-baseball fans can get excited about, and cozy Cambridge is as accessible to visitors as the sprawling waterfront. So many of its parts feel lost in time, plus there's a diverse food and drinks scene, a smart offering of places to stay, and more cultural activities than you might expect in a place this quaint. And that's why we love it.
Getty
Boston Travel Guide
Plan Your Boston Trip
Featured
Where to Eat, Stay, and Play in Cambridge and Neighboring Somerville, Massachusetts
Camberville—the local portmanteau for neighboring Cambridge and Somerville—offers a playful alternative to Boston’s brusque beauty.
Where Locals Go Along Boston’s Freedom Trail
Exploring the Boston of yesteryear through today’s best restaurants, shops, and outdoor scenery.
What’s New on Nantucket
Despite the rising crowds, this island is still a haven—with plenty to do in what's set up to be a comeback summer.
15 Best Hotels in Boston
This historic city has a great mix—of old and new.
Editor Recommendations
- The Envoy Hotel, Autograph Collection$$ | 70 Sleeper St., Boston, Massachusetts 02210Read full reviewA new hotel defining the new Boston seaport.
Readers Choice Awards - Fairmont Copley Plaza$$ | 138 St James Ave, Boston, Massachusetts 02116Read full reviewIf a snapshot of grand old Boston is what you're after, it's hard to find a better situated and more luxurious than the Fairmont.Readers Choice Awards
- The Langham, Boston$$ | 250 Franklin St., Boston, Massachusetts 02110Read full reviewIn the heart of the Financial District, truly opulent yet thoughtful digs.Readers Choice Awards
Hot List - XV Beacon$$ | 15 Beacon St., Boston, Massachusetts 02108Read full reviewThe vibe is sexy, but the ethos is undeniably Boston.Readers Choice Awards
Gold List - The Liberty, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Boston$$ | 215 Charles St., Boston, Massachusetts 02114Read full reviewThe old Charles Street jail transformed.Readers Choice Awards
- Boston Harbor Hotel$$ | 70 Rowes Wharf, Boston, Massachusetts 02110Read full reviewFive-star waterfront luxury, with wonderfully spacious rooms.Readers Choice Awards
- Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street, Boston$$$ | 1 Dalton Street, Boston, MassachusettsRead full reviewThe 724-foot-high, 61-story One Dalton is the third-tallest skyscraper in Boston.Readers Choice Awards
- InterContinental Boston$$ | 510 Atlantic Ave., Boston, Massachusetts 02210Read full reviewA picturesque waterfront option for comfort and location alike on downtown Boston's Fort Point Channel.Readers Choice Awards
- The Newbury Boston$$ | 1 Newbury St, Boston, Massachusetts 02116Read full reviewUltra-stylish boutique rooms and a sultry rooftop bar overlooking the historic Boston Public Garden.Hot List
- The Verb Hotel$ | 1271 Boylston St., Boston, Massachusetts 02215Read full reviewThis hotel pays homage to Boston's unique musical history—and its proximity to Fenway doesn't hurt.
- The Revolution Hotel$$ | 40 Berkeley St, Boston, MassachusettsRead full reviewA to-the-studs renovation of a former YWCA and hostel in Boston's South End.Readers Choice Awards
- The Whitney Hotel170 Charles St, Boston, Massachusetts 02114Read full reviewAn entirely new look in a very old cityReaders Choice Awards
__2018_LibertyHotel_Lobby.jpg)
%2520(1).jpg)
.jpg)
The Best Things to Do in Boston
- 12 Best Things to Do in BostonAspire to the Ivies, discover new neighborhoods, and feast like a local.
- 12 Best Museums in Boston You'll Want to VisitYou can nab a world-class education visiting these fine institutions.
- 4 Best Day Trips From BostonWhere to stay, eat, and drink—and what to do—in Provincetown, Newburyport, Salem, and Kennebunkport.
- The Best Weekend Getaways from BostonWhere to stay when you need a getaway—now.
-_2018_120117_Caitlin_Cunningham_005.jpg)
Editor Recommendations
- LandmarkSeaport DistrictBoston, Massachusetts 02210Read full reviewThe former no-man's land has quickly evolved into one of the coolest neighborhoods in the city.
- Parks & GardensArnold Arboretum of Harvard University125 Arborway, Boston, Massachusetts 02130Read full reviewOne of the world's most comprehensive and best documented collections of temperate woody plants.
- LandmarkSouth EndBoston, Massachusetts 02118Read full reviewThis neighborhood has the kind of charm that'll make you want to move to Boston.
- LandmarkHarvard Square18 Brattle St., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138Read full reviewEccentric and enlivening, Harvard Square feels like the quintessential college town plopped into a city.
- Parks & GardensCharles River EsplanadeCharles River Esplanade, Boston, Massachusetts 02116Read full reviewA paradise along the Charles.
- LandmarkThe Freedom Trail139 Tremont St., Boston, Massachusetts 02111Read full reviewWalk through history.
- Parks & GardensPublic Garden4 Charles St., Boston, Massachusetts 02116Read full reviewAlmost two centuries old, the Public Garden is a delight in every way.
- MuseumMuseum of Fine Arts, Boston465 Huntington Ave., Boston, Massachusetts 02115Read full reviewThe crown jewel of Boston's art scene.
- MuseumIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum25 Evans Way, Boston, Massachusetts 02115Read full reviewVenetian-style palazzo packed with one of the world's most impressive private art collections.
- National ParkMass Audubon Joppa Flats Education Center1 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport, Massachusetts 01950Read full reviewA natural education.
- BeachPlum Island BeachN Reservation Terrace, Newburyport, Massachusetts 01950Read full reviewClean, pristine, and a major draw for families.
- TourNewburyport Whale Watch54 Merrimac St., Newburyport, Massachusetts 01950Read full reviewResponsible whale watching at its finest.
- National ParkParker River National Wildlife RefugeRefuge Rd., Newbury, Massachusetts 01951Read full reviewThis is a great stop to learn about local wildlife and see what this coastline looked like before the Pilgrims arrived.
- MuseumBoston Children's Museum308 Congress St., Boston, Massachusetts 02210Read full reviewOne of the biggest children’s museums in the world, with a permanent collection that includes some 50,000 items.
Where to Eat, Stay, and Play on Cape Cod
From the Bourne Bridge to the tip top of Provincetown.
The Best Places to Eat and Drink in Boston
- 19 Best Restaurants in BostonLobster rolls and clam chowder barely scratch the surface.
- 15 Best Bars in BostonA prelude to you belting Sweet Caroline while waiting for your Uber driver.
- 11 Best Seafood Restaurants in BostonShucking and cracking its way to seafood immortality since 1630.
- 10 Best Places for Brunch in BostonThese spots stand out for mastering the classics—and for breaking rank to bring something different to the table.
- 10 Best Pizza Spots in BostonThis New England city has pies that can compete.
Editor Restaurant & Bar Recommendations
- RestaurantSeason to Taste$$$ | 2447 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140It might be way up in North Cambridge, but eclectic eating experience here competes with the best restaurants across Boston.
- RestaurantNeptune Oyster$$$ | 63 Salem St., Boston, Massachusetts 02113Small but charming North End raw bar that obsesses over fresh oysters and lobster rolls.
- RestaurantTawakal Halal Café$ | 389 Maverick St, Boston, MassachusettsA tiny family-owned Somali cafe in East Boston is one of the city's great culinary gems.
- RestaurantSaloniki Greek$ | 4 Kilmarnock St, Boston, MassachusettsFreshly made Greek food with locally-sourced ingredients.
- RestaurantBistro du Midi$$$ | 272 Boylston St., Boston, Massachusetts 02116Provençale food that is simply perfectly executed.
- RestaurantShojo$$ | 9 Tyler St., Boston, Massachusetts 02111Chinatown gastropub with small plates of Asian street food flecked with global influences.
- RestaurantUni$$$ | 370A Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215Chopping and screwing your ideas about sashimi.
- RestaurantBar Mezzana$$$ | 360 Harrison Ave., Boston, Massachusetts 02118Coastal Italian cuisine and killer cocktails.
- RestaurantJames Hook & Co.$$ | 440 Atlantic Ave., Boston , Massachusetts 02110Boston Lobster in all its iconic forms.
- RestaurantMenton$$$ | 354 Congress St., Boston, Massachusetts 02210The crown jewel of Barbara Lynch's culinary empire.
- RestaurantFox & The Knife$$$ | 28 W. Broadway, Boston, Massachusetts 02127Inspired by Karen Akunowicz's time in Modena, Italy, the menu offers subtle takes on classic Emilia Romagna cuisine.
- RestaurantO Ya$$$ | 9 East St., Boston, Massachusetts 02111Sushi, sashimi, nigiri, and Japanese small plates carried poetically outside convention in the Leather District.
- RestaurantNo. 9 Park$$$ | 9 Park St., Boston, Massachusetts 02108If you're going to invest in one big dinner while you're in town, this is a prime candidate.
- RestaurantGrand Tour$$ | 314 Newbury St, Boston, MassachusettsFrench without the fuss in the heart of Newbury Street
.jpg)
.jpg)
13 Best Things to Do in New England in the Fall
Foliage makes a fabulous backdrop for hiking and pumpkin patches and everything in between.
More from Boston
Places to Stay
The Best Airbnbs in Boston, From a Beacon Hill Townhouse to a Historic Charlestown Apartment
Plus, a studio that dates back to 1789.
.jpg)
Destinations
Where to Watch the July 4 Fireworks in Boston
From the iconic Boston Pops Spectacular to a rented kayak on the Charles.
News & Advice
Currently Obsessed With: The Weekend-Only Donuts at the Fairmont Copley Plaza
You need these impossibly light crullers in your life.
Destinations
Where to Watch Fourth of July Fireworks in Boston
From glitzy rooftops to self-guided canoes.
More Destinations
- Chicago Travel GuideThe greatest city on the Third Coast
- Charleston Travel GuideWhere Lowcountry meets high charm
- Miami Travel GuideWarm temperatures—and hotter beaches
- Key West Travel GuideWarm temperatures—and hotter beaches
- Los Angeles Travel GuideWelcome to the West Coast's cultural epicenter
- Yellowstone National Park at 150Wonderland: The early nickname of America’s first national park is as apt today as when Yellowstone was founded, in March of 1872. On its sesquicentennial, we celebrate this miraculous place—while exploring a history that has too often excluded its original stewards—and consider how to ensure its survival for generations to come.
- San Francisco Travel GuideDon't forget to pack an extra layer
- Dallas Travel GuideHard to crack. Easy to love.
