Flights to Boston (BOS)

As the birthplace of a nation, Boston is a historic introduction to America, even as the city presents a thoroughly modern aspect with science museums, sports arenas and shopping malls. Visitors can wander sites suffused with history such as the Old North Church or Salem, grab a cup of the city's famous "chowdah," explore the campus of Harvard University or catch a game at Fenway Park.

Attractions

Boston's Freedom Trail combines 16 sites famous for their place in America's early history. Boston's Theater District often highlights Broadway shows. Boston Common is one of the oldest parks in the country and features charming swan-shaped boats. For a change of pace, visitors can wander through Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, a historic marketplace with street performances, food stalls and shops.

Hints and tips

Travelers can fly to Boston Massachusetts via Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). Boston's climate varies between warm, humid summers in the 80s or 90s and winters that are cold and often snowy, with temperatures in the 20s and 30s. Boston has ample public transportation. Its subway system is called the "T" and covers most points of the city and surrounding suburbs. There's also a bus system and plenty of taxis. Boston celebrates many events, such as its eponymous marathon and the St. Patrick's Day Parade in March.

After those long winter months in hibernation, Boston comes back to life in spring. Patriots’ Day, the third Monday in April, commemorates the battles of Lexington and Concord that started the Revolutionary War; it’s also the date for the annual Boston Marathon. The Red Sox play an 11 A.M. game that day, too, so that fans can pour out of the stadium and cheer the runners at the finish line. Baseball season continues through September, if not October, if the Sawx can beat the Yanks into the playoffs.

May calls the tulips in the Public Garden to stand tall, and there’s a buzz along the strip of stores, galleries, and restaurants that line Newbury Street in the Back Bay. When the relatively humid summer arrives in June, many locals happily escape to the beaches of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket. But Boston is still at its busiest in the summer months. July 4th weekend brings the crowds to catch the Boston Pops concert on the Esplanade and see the fireworks display over the harbor.

Early fall is another glorious time of year, when collegiate crew teams paddle up and down the Charles River against a backdrop of foliage color.

Arrive in Boston in winter, and the blustery winds will force you inside, perhaps to the cozy confines of the new $500 million Art of the Americas Wing at the Museum of Fine Arts or The Shops at Prudential Center. But if you’re looking to cut costs, hotel rates dip in winter. One note of warning, however: Beantown’s hotel rates always trend high, usually coming in just behind New York City and Washington, D.C., for the most expensive rooms in the country.