Boston/Downtown

Downtown Boston is really the heart of the city. Boston City Hall is here, and many powerful companies and agencies are headquartered in the area. Since urban planning was done here before the advent of the automobile, this area of town has secured a decidedly European flavor. Here you'll find pedestrian focused streets, large public green spaces, street performers, and historic sites all connected by an efficient public transit system. If you're looking for the adjacent Italian American neighborhood with great food, head on over to the North End. If you want the Boston Common, the State House and the tallest buildings in the city instead, start exploring Back Bay & Beacon Hill.

Understand
Boston's nickname as the "Hub" makes more sense once you visit downtown. The population balloons during the day as hundreds of thousands of office workers and tourists descend on the area. The Massachusetts State Government maintains its seat in nearby Beacon Hill, but most state employees work out of office buildings around Government Center, where City Hall is also located. Downtown is home to major shopping areas, many of Boston's most famous historic sites, and plenty of major private employers. The financial and legal industry in the city is still largely based here, although some have decamped to nicer and newer space in the Seaport.

The area now known as Downtown used to comprise most of the City of Boston, aside from the North End and Beacon Hill. Places like Charlestown and Dorchester were originally separate towns. Boston was founded in 1628 on a head of land sticking out into the harbor, connected to the mainland only by a thin strip of land which is today called Washington St. Other Boston neighborhoods were created through filling in marshland or annexing neighboring towns. Boston was a hotbed of the American Revolution, being home to now famous patriots like John Adams, Sam Adams, and John Hancock. Important pre-revolutionary events like the Boston Tea Party and Boston Massacre happened in what is now Downtown.

After the war, Boston continued to be an important seaport and trading center. Until the 1860s and 70s, Downtown was pretty much all there was to the city. During this period, it expanded dramatically and outgrew its old borders, but Downtown remained the hub. Much of Downtown burned down in the Great Fire of 1872, tragically taking some of the city's older buildings with it. This area is now the main financial district and is mostly modern skyscrapers. In the 1950s the Central Artery, an elevated highway, was built through downtown, cutting off the waterfront from the rest of downtown. At a cost of $15 billion, it was buried during the "Big Dig" in the 1990s and early 2000s and Downtown is now reunited with its waterfront.

Chinatown
Chinatown was built on a landfill, though this is no longer apparent; what now identifies this area is the truly mixed uses of land. Residential properties co-exist with family owned and operated businesses and local institutions.

Bay Village
One of the smallest neighborhoods in Boston, about 6 square blocks around Piedmont Street east of Arlington. After the original mud flats were drained in the early 1800s, many craftsmen involved in the construction of Beacon Hill's premier residences built their own modest but well-crafted houses here. Consequently, there are many architectural similarities between these two neighborhoods. It wasn't until the Prohibition years (1920s) that Bay Village got its bohemian ambiance. It has now become the center for Boston's gay community.

Leather District
Bounded by Chinatown to the west, South Station to the east, the Financial District to the north, and Kneeland Street to the south, this neighborhood was the home of leather production and sales during the 19th century. It consists of a series of buildings constructed in the Classic Revival and Romanesque styles, largely between 1880 and 1920. Visually similar to SoHo, New York, it has been used for numerous films and advertisements as a stand-in location. The Leather District is a mixed use community, home to loft apartments, ramen joints, and French bistros. The As South Station, a major bus, commuter rail, train, and subway terminal, defines its eastern boundary, it is often visited by people entering or exiting the city.

By foot
Walking is by far the preferred way to get around this area, as most everything you'd want to see is relatively packed in together. The train stations are usually only separated by a few minutes walk, and you'll find it's often faster to just walk directly to your destination without heading underground. Walking also affords the opportunity to explore the variety of urban parks, architecture, and quirky street patterns that have gracefully developed over time. Walking around downtown is in many ways what visitors come here to experience in the first place.

By public transit
Downtown is easily the best connected area in the city. Boston operates on a "hub and spoke" philosophy, and this is clearly the hub for a variety of modes of transport. Amtrak makes two stops here, the massive South Station offers connections to NYC, Chicago, and beyond. Also featuring rail connections is North Station, serving coastal points within Maine and New Hampshire. See Boston for details. These two stations are also the termini for all Commuter Rail travel within the region, see Boston for more detailed descriptions.

By subway
The Green line is perhaps the most helpful for visitors, running close to much of the Freedom Trail and the North End. Stops include North Station, Haymarket, Government Center, Park Street, and Boylston. The Orange line is a great alternative, because it closely parallels the Green line while downtown. Stations include: North Station, Haymarket, State, Downtown Crossing, Chinatown, and Tufts Medical Center. The Red line is also quite popular, if you're near it, it can be great for getting across town. Red stops include: Charles/MGH, Park Street, Downtown Crossing and South Station along the way. The Blue line is good for getting to the Aquarium, but it is primarily used by residents and not tourists. This line begins at tiny Bowdoin, then visits Government Center, State, and Aquarium stations before diving under the harbor.

Almost every station downtown serves more than one line, and transferring between them is quick and painless. Walking between the Green, Orange, and Red lines is pretty easy, an underground walkway connects Park Street and Downtown Crossing stations. Much to the displeasure of Bostonians, there is no direct connection between North and South Station. It can take 20-30 minutes to transfer between the two, so take that (along with your luggage) into account. You'll also find the Blue and Red lines are similarly disconnected, and will need to use the Orange or Green lines to transfer between them.

By bus
There are a few options for buses downtown, but the narrow and congested streets render this option "not great". The Silver line SL4 and SL5 routes are the most popular as far as buses go. Think of the Silver line as a handy way to reach downtown, but it's not great for moving around within the area. Both lines visit Tufts Medical Center and Chinatown, while the SL4 continues on to South Station and the SL5 loops around Downtown Crossing.

The routes #4, #7, and #11 all serve the area, but don't run frequently and have to compete with everyone else for what little space is available. Haymarket is the main terminal for local busses downtown. The #92, #93, and #111 routes head into Charlestown and then keep going into Somerville and Chelsea. Another handful of busses: #424, #426, #428, #434, and #450, all leave Haymarket bound for various points along the North Shore. Still more buses depart from South Station; the #448, #449, and #459 all roll towards either the Airport or other destinations along the North Shore.

By boat
There are two main wharves that provide public transport by sea to key locations around town. Long Wharf is the most popular; offering MBTA connections to the Charlestown Navy Yard, Logan Airport, Hingham and Hull, as well as a seasonal ferry to Salem. Boston Harbor Cruises offers other seasonal ferries, decamping to the Boston Harbor Islands, or heading out to Provincetown. They also provide harbor cruises, whale watch tours, and others that all depart from Long Wharf.

Rowes Wharf offers a few additional options. There is another ferry from here to Hingham, and a seasonal one to Winthrop. There are also more private boats and other pleasure craft available for rent that dock here.

Water taxis are plentiful all along the waterfront, servicing 28 different points between downtown, South Boston, East Boston, and Charlestown.

By car
You'll find a car to be more liability than boon here. Do not drive downtown unless you know exactly what you're doing, where you're going, and how you're parking. Traffic is horrendous, parking barely exists, and the streets aren't even designed for cars in the first place. There are a few garages in the area, most scattered between Government Center and the Aquarium. Garaged parking is expensive, it can be around $12-15/hour and $40-50/day (when it's available). Those figures could double or even triple in peak season or during special events.

Quincy Market


Dating from 1825, Quincy Market was built during a growing economy as a way to increase the number of shops and markets available to Bostonians. The market space available in Faneuil Hall just wasn't enough, so the small pier behind the building was filled in to create land for a larger new market. Quincy Market has been used as a marketplace for produce and foodstuffs throughout its life, and was beautifully restored in the 1970s. The original hall is today a glorified food court, while the North Market and South Market buildings hold a variety of little shops. Replete with performance artists, this is clearly the center of tourist activity in the city. Even if it's not your cup of tea, Quincy Market is still worth a visit just to soak up the history.

The central original brick and granite building contains two enormous hallways packed with food stalls, with a central atrium tying the wings together and providing two levels of seating. If you are eating here there is unfortunately little high quality fare to be found, but you do have a few options. Gourmet India is the spot to go for a quick Indian fix. Something called Mmmac N' Cheese is great if you're looking for something with a few more carbs. Also, Boston Chowda Co serves an acceptable clam chowder for a chain.

If you can splash out a little more or want to sit down, try the Japanese inspired Wagamama by the south entrance. Flagship of tourism Cheers Boston is here too, because well, where else would it be? This is the location where the interior looks like the TV show. Check out the original one on Beacon Hill for the exterior look. For something completely different visit JJ Donovan's. This old-school Irish tavern is cash only and can be an oasis of calm for those looking to escape the crowded marketplace. Family owned, they routinely refuse million dollar buy out offers. It's not fancy, it's traditional, and the owners like it that way.

For shopping, you'll move to the North and South Market buildings. Check out 1630 for gifts made by artisans using techniques known to the first European colonists. You'll also find antiques and collectables, sourced from around New England so you can own a piece of the history. For all of your Boston sports paraphernalia needs investigate Lucys League to find officially licensed clothing for your favorite team. The usual suspects found in any respectable mall are here as well, like Banana Republic, Urban Outfitters, and Yankee Candle. Popular streetwear shop Uniqlo also occupies the second floor of Quincy Market.

Itineraries

 * The Freedom Trail — A major tourist draw of significant historical sites in Boston. These 17 locations spread over 2½ miles (4 km) are crucial to understanding revolutionary era America. Many are located here.

Events

 * Lantern Festival is celebrated during the Chinese New Year, which is first day of the first month on the Chinese calendar, and lasts until the 15th day. Throughout the celebration, there are more street and food vendors than usual, fireworks and firecrackers. There are also several performances including the Lion dance and or parade, students of the local schools, and musical performances. This event takes place in the main streets of Chinatown.
 * August Moon Festival, also called the Autumn Festival, takes place during 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese calendar. It’s the largest festival of the year. Performances, music, arts and crafts will sometimes be available. Every year varies. Also takes place in the main streets of Chinatown.

Eat
Downtown is not Boston's culinary epicenter. Truly exciting restaurants tend to be located in outlying neighborhoods due to the high costs of real estate downtown and the weird demographics (filled with office workers and tourists during the day, deserted at night). Because of this, visitors to the city who mostly stay Downtown may think that Boston is living up to the tired New England stereotype of bland cuisine. This couldn't be further from the truth, so leaving Downtown to eat is a must when visiting. While there are a lot of truly forgettable places to eat Downtown, it's not all bad. With a little research you should be able to find a quality meal at whatever price point you're seeking.

Downtown's budget restaurants tend to be geared towards the horde of office workers who descend on the city during the week so many of them are only open for weekday lunch. If you do happen to visit during a weekday, save some money and follow the be-suited crowds to a place that will have better food for much less than tourist-oriented spots.

For authentic Chinese cuisine, you can't do better than Chinatown. Also known for having a number of restaurants that stay open late on weekends (3 or 4AM). Many of these restaurants have been cutting back their late night hours, so call ahead to confirm closing times.

Splurge
Many of Boston's swankiest restaurants are located Downtown. Be sure to do some research before embarking on a Downtown fine dining adventure. There are some truly world-class restaurants here, but also a lot of overpriced places catering to tourists and expense account lunches.

Coffee
When downtown, you're probably within sight of a Dunks' or a Starbucks, if not try turning around. But you didn't come here to drink national chain coffee did you? Try one of these (sort of) local options instead. They almost always offer free Wi-Fi too, if that sweetens the deal for you.

Sleep
Go ahead and take a quick glance at the price points on offer here. Yeah. Sorry about that. Before you throw up your hands in total disgust, however, just know that a lot of these price points are only the quoted rack rates. For many of the spendier items here, try a hotel consolidator website or calling the hotel directly. You might see prices fall by 50% or more, especially if you can be flexible with your dates. Still, there's no way around the fact that you're looking at spending $300 and up for this area. To the rate you're quoted will be added roughly 20% for taxes, fees, and surcharges. Try looking into the Fenway or Allston if you need to bring costs down.

Go next

 * You're steps away from the North End, dripping with old world Italian charm.
 * Pay a visit to Charlestown and the USS Constitution, oldest commissioned warship still afloat.
 * Investigate more historic sites in Quincy at Adams National Historical Park, one time farmstead and home to two presidents.
 * Head down to the wharf and take a ferry out to the Boston Harbor Islands. It's a great way to beat the heat in summertime.
 * Storied Fenway Park is just a few stops away in Fenway. If the B's aren't playing today, try the Museum of Fine Arts instead.