- For other places with the same name, see Boston (disambiguation).
Greater Boston is a region in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in the United States of America.
Roughly bounded by the Route 128/I-95 beltway and Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay, Greater Boston is home to over 3 million people, making it the most populated region in New England.
Cities
42°24′0″N 71°6′0″W
Map of Greater Boston| “ | Boston State-house is the hub of the solar system. You couldn't pry that out of a Boston man if you had the tire of all creation straightened out for a crow-bar. | ” |
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table (1858) | ||
- 1 Boston — The Hub of the Universe
Inner Core
Directly abutting Boston proper, these cities offer years of communal history and a multitude of shared transit options. To the casual visitor, it can be difficult to tell when you've left one town for another. Visitors can easily fill itineraries with just the offerings found here.
- 2 Brookline — a suburb tucked inside the city, ranging from urban bustle to peaceful streets and birthplace of John F. Kennedy
- 3 Cambridge — highly urbanized city across the Charles River from Boston; home to prestigious universities such as Harvard and MIT
- 4 Somerville — Working Class city with a vibrant community of Blue Collar workers, immigrants, students and artists.
Near Northeastern Suburbs
Connected to public transit, these destinations have expanded in popularity as rising housing prices push folks further and further from the city. You won't find many "must see" tourist sights, but reclaimed industrial spaces and the closeness of the ocean do offer options.
- 5 Chelsea — working class city across the Mystic River from Boston
- 6 Everett — working class city much like Chelsea, home to Encore Casino
- 7 Malden — suburban city along the Northeast Expressway, similar to Everett
- 8 Medford — home to Tufts University.
- 9 Revere — home to Revere Beach
- 10 Winthrop — across the harbor from Logan Airport
Far Northeastern Suburbs
- Salem - This is the tourist hub of the northern suburbs, home of the infamous Salem Witch Trials. It is a must for a day trip.
- Lynn - This immigrant community is an urbanized hub, home to the Lynn Woods Reservation
- Peabody and Danvers - These closely knit suburbs along Route 128 and I-95 have two shopping malls and a few historic monuments and plazas
- Beverly - Opposite the Danvers River from Salem, this port suburb has historic oceanfront mansions and a thriving culinary scene
- Marblehead - Formerly a shipyard, now a commuter suburb with a thriving tourism scene
Northwestern Suburbs
Similar to the Northeastern Suburbs", this collection of towns is also feeling the squeeze of the increasing Boston metro population. These places are generally much wealthier, and are rooted in more of an agrarian heritage instead of an industrial background.
- 11 Arlington & Belmont — residential communities along Route 2 and close to Cambridge
- 12 Lexington — historic town, site of the first battle of the American Revolution
- 13 Waltham — center of the Route 128 technology corridor, and home to Brandeis University and Bentley College
- 14 Watertown — home to an Armenian immigrant community
Northern Suburbs
The main attractions in this area are its many large parks and lush green spaces.
- 15 Burlington - home of the Burlington Mall and other retail development along Route 128/Route 3
- 16 Reading - similar to Burlington, but further up 128
- 17 Saugus - north of Malden, home to a lengthy commercial strip along Route 1 with anything you could ever want
- 18 Stoneham & Melrose — a good zoo and some nice countryside here
- 19 Wakefield — a commuter suburb along 128 with a 4 mile walking trail near the town center
- 20 Winchester & Woburn — wealthy suburbs along Route 3/Route 128/I-93
Southern Suburbs
Thoroughly suburban, this collection of towns boasts a proud colonial past. Today, their transit connections to Boston put these locations on the radar of many recent arrivals.
- 21 Dedham — lower middle class suburb
- 22 Milton — home to Milton Academy, the Blue Hills Reservation, and former home of George H. W. Bush
- 23 Quincy — "City of Presidents", home to the Adams family
- Norwood — Along I-95, home of the Automile
- Braintree (Massachusetts) — A portside suburb on the harbor with a large regional shopping center
- Randolph/Holbrook - Two working class suburbs along Route 24, contains part of the Blue Hills
- Brockton — dense working class suburb with over 90,000 people
Western Suburbs
These leafy, exclusive, suburbs are primarily residential. There are some options here for fine dining and entertainment; however, some travellers may find these locales beautiful but dull.
- 24 Needham — middle class residential suburb
- 25 Newton — upscale suburb directly west of Boston.
- 26 Wellesley — wealthy suburb, home to Wellesley and Babson Colleges
- Natick and Wayland - retail destination, home to the Natick Mall, Lake Cochituate and a bustling town center
- Framingham - nearly identical to Natick, but with a larger immigrant population
Other destinations
- 1 Boston Harbor Islands — Where you can remove yourself from civilization without having to give up good cell phone reception.
- 2 Minute Man National Historical Park — The birthplace of the American Revolution is partly in Lexington.
Understand
- Over three million people live in the cities and towns immediately surrounding Boston, or "Greater Boston".
- Greater Boston is home to more than 110 institutions of higher education, including Harvard University in Cambridge, the nation's oldest.
- Greater Boston has some of the oldest and most visited historic sites in the country.
Get in
- From South Station in Boston: Acela Express - Boston/New York/Philadelphia/Washington, D.C.
- From North Station in Boston: Downeaster - Boston to Portland, ME.
- Mass Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), [3]. Commuter rail service to Worcester, Providence, RI and most of the Boston suburbs. Bus and subway service throughout Boston and bordering cities.
- Masspike The Massachusetts Turnpike, Interstate 90, begins in the western part of the state at the border with New York and travels all the way to Logan National Airport. It’s an easy route from the New York Thruway or from Connecticut, by traveling through or around either Springfield or Worcester.
- Route 128/I-95 is the 70 mile beltway that surrounds the Greater Boston region, separating the region from the rest of the state.
- Other major highways in the area radiate from Boston in almost every direction. Route 2 in the northwest suburbs, Route 1 in the northeastern suburbs and Interstate 93 to the north and south.
Get around
- See also: Boston#Get around
See
- Museum of Science, Science Park, ☏ 1 617-723-2500. Daily 9AM-5PM (Summer until 7PM). $21 (adult).
- Holocaust Memorial, 126 High Street. Free.
- Boston Public Garden, 9 Arlington Street. Free.
- New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf. Adult - $19.95; Child (3-11) - $11.95.
- Fenway Park, 4 Yawkey Way. $20-$125.
- The Prudential Center, 800 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02199. This place has it all, shopping food and sites. Located in the heart of the City, within walking distance from the T station you can enjoy the beauty of this miraculous building. At the very top of this building is a view and a restaurant that is worth the flight of stairs or elevator ride. Even just to window shop this place is a must see for anyone traveling in or just through the city.
- Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St. Boston Ma, ☏ 1 617-536-5400. This is the very first library in the United States to be opened to the public for borrowing books and other materials. The library is home to over 8 million books and is considered one of the largest libraries in the nation. Anyone who is an avid reader or loves some good history would appreciate this wonderful place. The library still holds true to most of its original structure and has beautiful marble staircases. There is also a great courtyard for outdoor reading and there are staff available for tours or questions.
Do
- Boston Duck Tour, 100 Huntington Avenue. Adult - $29.95; Child (3-11) - $20.00.
- Freedom Trail. Free.
- Boston Childrens Museum, 308 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210, ☏ 1 617 426-6500. Wonderful for kids and people who are kids at heart! So Many exhibits, and fun activities. A must do is the bubble room where you can put you or your child into a huge bubble!
- Frog Pond, Boston Common. Boston Common a beautiful park, in the summer or the winter. During the winter Frog Pond is iced over and is a wonderful place to learn to skate, or just have fun. In the hot days of summer Frog Pond is a fun wading pool to cool off or just dip your feet in.
Eat
- Top of the Hub, 800 Boylston Street #52. $$$$.
- Spike's Junkyard Dogs, 1076 Boylston St. Boston, MA, ☏ 1 617 266-0909. This is a New England tradition, eating a spikes junkyard hot dog at least once in your life. There are many locations throughout New England, and the recommended hot dog is the “Sinatra dog” in honor of frank you can have it your way, with any toppings you want. The toppings range anywhere from standard mustard and ketchup to bacon and chives.
Drink
- [dead link]Gypsy Bar, 116 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116-4606, ☏ 1 617 482-7799. This is a hot spot for drinks and dancing located in the theatre district. It’s a must do for those over 21 and it’s just an all around good time. There is a cover charge or usually 10$ but it is well worth it! Music is great and the scene is something to just take in.
- Samuel Adams Brewery, 30 Germania Street Jamaica Plain neighborhood Boston, MA 02130, ☏ 1 617 368-5080. Sam Adams Brewery is a great place to eat drink and see a little bit about beer making. Tours are given every day and you can sit and enjoy good food and good beer. This place is for beer loves and those who just love to try new things. Samuel Adams beer has a flavor for everybody and you can buy their beer anywhere but it’s much more fun to see where it’s made and how they do it.