For me, Boston was a revelation, I always wanted to visit it and it exceeded my expectations!…read more It is big, with so many things to do and see. I packed a lot in four days. I wanted to stay longer but hotels are so expensive! The only downside! Public transportation is pretty good, it makes it easy to get around everywhere you need to go! Weather could be iffy even in the summer, so be flexible. The vibe of the city is more European with lots of history around, many firsts in US- public park, subway system, botanical gardens, etc. I loved the famous campuses in town - BU, Harvard. Stayed in Cambridge area. Lots of historical sites, did the Freedom Trail, loved it, learnt a lot (I've been reading more history books since then). Loved the parks and public spaces - Boston Common and Public Garden among them. Major sites - Newbury street, Kenmore Square, Copley Plaza, Back Bay are great to visit. Loved Beacon Hill old area. Great views over the Boston Harbor and the Esplanade on Charles River! Great art museums- Isabella Gardner Museum was a joy to visit and MFA is rich in art offering! Chinatown is a great neighborhood to visit and so is the historic North End. Great food, lots of cafe-s, restaurants, breweries. Didn't have time to shop, but there are some nice bookstores and loved the visitor centers! And I feel like I barely scratched the surface! Sports aren't my thing, but there are famous venues around. I'd love to come back one day, dig deeper, visit more. Lots left to be explored. My husband lived here in college and was a bit down on Boston, but this visit improved his perception. Lively, clean, easy to get around and orient yourself, not very crowded. Lots of American history with an European vibe and esthetic. Unique city that has lots to offer to visitors!

I've wanted to go to Boston for a while and we booked a trip in May 2020, but Covid put a stop to…read morethat, and Harvard graduation thwarted our attempts in May 2022. In 2025, Alison Krauss and Union Station were touring (no Vancouver dates, sadly), and it was an excuse to finally go to Boston. I went with my sister and husband and we were in Boston for a full week, flying in on Saturday September 13 and flying out on Saturday September 20, 2025. (Yeah, I am behind on reviews!) We stayed in Sonder Pierce Boston, a luxury condo-style hotel near Fenway Park. We arrived the evening of September 13, so all we did was go to the nearby Target to purchase some groceries and grab dinner at Time Out Market, which was across the street from our hotel. Sunday September 14, our first full day in Boston, we went to Boston Common and walked along the Freedom Trail. We went to the Granary Burying Ground and passed by the Old City Hall and Boston Irish Famine Memorial. We had lunch at Hub Hall, walked through the New England Holocaust Memorial, had a drink at Durty Nelly's, walked through the Paul Revere Mall, stopped at the Old North Church for a bathroom break, walked along the William Felton "Bill" Russell Bridge, and saw the USS Constitution. Monday September 15, we walked around the financial district, stopping for some gluten-free donuts at Kane's Donuts, and had lunch at James Hook & Co. We walked along the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway and the Long Wharf, went to the Boston Public Market where we had a cider flight from Red Apple Farm and bought several bags of yummy nuts from Q's Nuts. We had a drink at The Bell in Hand and walked through Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market where we had a drink and quick bite to eat at Ned Devine's. We went to Boston Public Garden where we saw the "Make Way for Ducklings" sculpture and had dinner at Faccia a Faccia. Tuesday September 16, we walked around the Harvard Medical School campus which was near our hotel and walked over the Boston University Bridge into Cambridge. In Cambridge, we walked through Fort Washington Park, had lunch at Miracle of Science Bar and Grill, went to Pandemonium Books and Games, and visited Harvard University. At Harvard, we saw a free exhibit on Edward Gorey at the Houghton Library and the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments. We had dinner at Eventide and went to a Red Sox game at Fenway Park. Wednesday September 17 was the night of the Alison Krauss concert, so we stayed close to our hotel during the day. We went to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, walked past the Back Bay Fens, and had lunch at Time Out Market. While my husband spent the evening relaxing at the hotel, my sister and I had dinner at Legal Sea Foods Harborside before going to the Alison Krauss concert at Leader Bank Pavilion. Thursday September 18, we went to Salem by boat with Boston Harbor City Cruises. We went to the House of the Seven Gables, had lunch at New England Soup Factory, stopped for a drink at Village Tavern, went to the Salem Witch Trials Memorial, Charter Street Cemetery, and Salem Witch Museum. We shopped at Black Cat Curiosity Shoppe and Wicked Good Books, and had dinner at Turner's Seafood. We then spent the evening further walking around Salem, stopping for drinks at East Regiment Beer Company and Far From the Tree Cider. Friday September 19, we spent the day walking around Boston. We went to the Massachusetts State House, Commonwealth Museum, and walked along the waterfront. We browsed in Brattle Book Shop, stopped for lunch in Elephant and Castle and Union Oyster House, and went to Boston Public Garden again before going Trader Joe's. Saturday September 20 was our last day in Boston. Our flight was at 7pm, so we had time to see more of Boston. We saw the Boston Massacre Memorial, had a drink at Margaritaville, lunch at Legal Sea Foods - Long Wharf, walked through the Central Burying Ground in Boston Common, and walked through Boston Public Garden. It was a fantastic trip, and I hope to go back one day! [Yelp collections: Boston, MA 2025; Cities]