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Boston on a budget: How to cut the cost of a visit to New England’s largest city
The capital of Massachusetts has a reputation for being one of America’s pricest destinations, but there are numerous ways to enjoy a more affordable break, finds Tamara Hinson
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New England’s largest city Boston has it all, from a fantastic seafood scene and more historic buildings than you can shake a stick at, to quaint streets and a bustling harbour. December marks 250 years since the Boston Tea Party took place, and today the thriving capital of Massachusetts is known for its gorgeous architecture and endless green spaces, including America’s first public park, Boston Common. Plus, there’s also plenty on offer for sports fans, who can take in a baseball game at Fenway Park, the oldest Major League Baseball stadium and home of the Red Sox.
Whether you’re looking to visit the Boston Tea Party Museum, fancy surveying the city after climbing the 221ft-high Bunker Hill Monument or are interested in learning more about the American Revolution by following The Freedom Trail, this is a city to suit all kinds of traveller, and even the tree-lined neighbourhoods are a notable sight to behold as autumn arrives.
Despite its reputation as one of America’s priciest destinations, there are numerous ways to enjoy an affordable break in Boston. Keep reading for the ultimate guide to seeing the city on a budget.
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Where to stay
If you don’t mind sharing, the Found Hotel is set in a beautifully restored building dating back to 1877 and it’s just a short walk from Boston Common. A one-night stay in a four-bed dormitory starts from £45pp, while single rooms start from £86 per night.
For a downtown base, it’s hard to beat Causeway Street’s CitizenM Boston North Station hotel, which is found opposite the North Station subway stop. The compact rooms in this funky, art-filled hotel have huge windows for making the most of the view, and there’s a small gym, too. We’re particularly keen on the lobster sculpture, as it honours the city’s seafood heritage. Doubles start from £139 per night.
Where to eat
Boston is famous for its oysters, but you don’t need to spend a fortune to enjoy this delicacy and a top tip is to keep an eye out for the city’s popular happy hours; several of the city’s restaurants make it easy to save on your seafood fix with deals on certain days. The historic Warren Tavern in the Charlestown neighbourhood, for example, sells $1 (79p) oysters on weekdays between 3pm and 6pm, while State Street Provisions on Boston’s Long Wharf offers $1 oysters on weekdays between 3pm and 5pm. For food with a view, Sullivan’s Castle Island is a South Boston restaurant famous for its hot dogs and seafood. A cup of clam chowder starts from just $5.95 (£4.72) and you can eat at picnic tables overlooking the water. Just keep an eye out for the cheeky birdlife, unless you want your seafood served with a side order of seagulls.
Prone to indecisiveness? Consider the Time Out Market Boston in Fenway, where you can mix and match dishes from 15 outlets – most of which are concessions of independent Boston restaurants such as Taqueria El Barrio, a legendary spot for fish tacos.
Where to drink
Start with a pint at America’s oldest continually operating pub, the Bell in Hand, next to the city’s Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Expect vast expanses of wood panelling, plenty of Americana and wallet-friendly prices for both food and drink. Boston is a university town, with MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in the city centre, and Harvard University on the outskirts. That gives you a local reason to think like a student, and experience one of the city’s quirky dive bars, including Pearl Street’s Biddy Early’s, an antique-stuffed Irish pub where you can enjoy cheap pitchers of beer. We’re also big fans of Paddy’s, a drinking spot founded by Irish immigrants in the 1930s and the oldest family-owned pub in the Greater Boston borough of Cambridge, which is a 20-minute drive from the city itself. Fans of the Boston-based US sitcom Cheers should head to the location that inspired the series, Beacon Street’s Cheers Bar. It’s filled with cardboard cut-outs and the sitcom’s theme tune plays on repeat. Oh, and drinks are ridiculously cheap, too.
How to travel
Boston is incredibly walkable and this is a city where strolling from A to B will almost always involve passing a beautiful landmark or wandering through a squirrel-filled park. There’s also a brilliant bike share scheme called Bluebikes, while the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) subway is a slick system which is cheap and easy to use, with single fares starting from $2.40 (£1.87). Additionally, all-day travel passes covering the subway and bus network start from $11 (£8.57). Short on time? Book an Uber or a Lyft, after taking a second to find out which service is offering the best fare at that particular time.
Free things to do
Copley Square’s Boston Public Library tops the list of free things to do in Boston. Look upwards before you head inside, to see the words “free to all” carved into the stone as a nod to merchant banker Joshua Bates, who donated $50,000 towards its construction in 1852 on the condition that the library would remain free to enter. Listed as a National Historic Landmark and regarded as one of America’s most spectacular examples of Renaissance Beaux-Arts classicism, the library’s highlights include the McKim Lobby, with its Italian mosaics and vaulted ceilings. Meanwhile, the courtyard boasts vast expanses of white marble surrounding a pond with a beautiful bronze sculpture in its centre.
The city is filled with beautiful parks to discover, and most notably Boston Common, which dates back to 1634 and is America’s oldest park. It has a carousel, splash pool and various sculptures, including The Embrace – a structure depicting two clasped hands and paying tribute to Martin Luther King Jr, who went to school in Boston. During the summer months, there’s free outdoor theatre performances courtesy of the Shakespeare on the Common programme. The Charles River Esplanade is 2.5 miles away and, as well as having a network of walking and cycling trails, here you can watch free outdoor movies on an enormous screen every Friday throughout June, July and August.
An excellent way to admire Boston’s stunning architecture and beautiful buildings is by exploring the city’s Freedom Trail, a self-guided 4km route lined with some of Boston’s most important landmarks. Some, such as the Paul Revere House, which was built in 1680 and was later the home of patriot and founding father Paul Revere, require an admission fee, but many sites can be explored for free. These include the Bunker Hill Monument, Park Street Church and the Granary Burying Ground. The latter is the final resting place of Boston’s most famous residents, including Samuel Adams and Paul Revere, who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
How to get there
Norse Atlantic Airways launches a new route between Gatwick and Boston on 2 September, with returns starting from £370. Another cheap way to get to Boston is to fly via Reykjavik in Iceland with budget carrier Play Airlines. Returns from London Stansted to Boston start from £466. Other airlines which fly direct to Boston from the UK include British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, and fares are generally lowest between October and February.
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