If you are heading to the beautiful city of Boston in Massachusetts, you are in luck! We are headquartered here so we are armed with all of the best Boston travel tips you should know. The city is full of history, winding cobblestone streets, museums, breweries, beautiful architecture, amazing restaurants and some of the best sports teams in the country. The energy in the city is contagious (especially if you are here during a sports game) and there is plenty to do.
We recommend taking a duck tour, a swan boat ride, going to a game at Fenway park, taking a walk or picnic in the Boston Commons, walking the Freedom Trail, shopping on Newbury Street, going out to eat in the North End (aka Little Italy *make sure to get a cannoli at our famous bakeries!), try our famous seafood… the list goes on. However, with so many guidebooks telling you where to go and what to see, we wanted to provide information that is more likely to help you navigate the city during your visit. Here are our best Boston travel tips:
Don’t rent a car
If you are flying into the city, you will be pleased to know that the airport is in the actual city and there is no reason to rent a car. In fact, renting a car will only cause you headaches. There is rarely any street parking, tons of traffic and parking garages cost a fortune. Boston is an extremely walk-able city and there are no shortage of cabs, buses or T’s (what we call the subway). The T is a very inexpensive way to get around the city and highly recommended.
Bring a GPS
If you have a smartphone, make sure you use it. Boston streets were not created in a grid pattern and they can be very confusing. It’s best to have back up directions in case you get lost.
Know Where You are Going
Along with being more expensive overall, some cab drivers will try to go a longer route to raise the price. First, make sure you get into a Hackney licensed cab (there will be a medallion on the back bumper) – especially if you are a woman traveling alone. Second, know exactly how to get from A to B and tell the cab drive the route you want to take. If you don’t, they may take advantage of your ignorance and you will end up paying more at the end of your ride. Even locals will occasionally look up the best route before they hop into a cab.
Use Lyft or Uber
If your city has Lyft or Uber, you’re in luck because Boston does too! If you already have the apps on your phone, use these services instead of cabs. They are much more affordable.
All Taxis Must Allow Credit Cards
This is another reason why we recommend getting into a licensed cab instead of an escort car. If they are licensed by the city of Boston, they must allow credit cards. Some cab drivers will pretend their machine isn’t working in the hopes you will pay with all cash. Don’t believe them. However, if you do have a few dollars on you, use that for the tip. This is the only reason they lie about their machine not working anyway.
Double Check Public Transportation
There are often numerous trains that come through one platform but are going to different destinations, make sure you double check which one you are taking and which one you are stepping on. If you get on the wrong train or go in the wrong direction, you could end up in a pretty rough area of Boston. Also, public transportation doesn’t run as late as other cities so check the schedule before you go out on the town. On weekdays, they often stop running around 2:30 a.m., on Saturdays around 2 a.m. and Sundays around midnight.
Bike through Boston
Boston is a very bike friendly city as well. Want to bring your personal bike along for the trip? No problem! We can actually ship your bike from your home directly to your hotel. Learn more about our bike shipping service.