Boston/South Boston

Honor. Tradition. Loyalty. If you're familiar with South Boston as presented on the silver screen, these values might spring foremost to your mind. You wouldn't be wrong, but a lot has changed since mob boss Whitey Bulger controlled his criminal underworld from here during the 1970s. The identity of "Southie", as it's known to locals, is being reshaped.

Understand
Originally, South Boston was known as "Dorchester Neck", a small isthmus in northern Dorchester. Once all but disconnected from downtown, acres of land were created throughout the 19th century physically bringing the two towns together. This was a burgeoning area for maritime industries, and was first annexed by Boston in 1804, and then again in 1870. Southie really distinguished itself with the arrival of the Irish after the Great Famine in the mid 19th century.

The quintessential triple decker homes and their occupants of Irish decent remain. Neighbors still greet one another on the street as they go about their daily routines. But things are different now. Money abounds in this area so close to downtown Boston. Real estate developers make million dollar offers to long time residents, sight unseen. What does it matter what the insides look like when you'll be tearing the whole thing down anyway.

These trends will continue into the foreseeable future, as more of Southie has been rezoned to resemble the Seaport. In spite of these challenges, pockets of the old-time community spirit persist. Some shops and restaurants have remained popular with new residents. The St. Patrick's Day Parade continues each year. The Neighborhood character evolves as ideas from newcomers mix with the best from the old guard.

Neighborhoods

 * The Seaport: No other neighborhood in Boston (and few in America) have undergone so much change in so little time. Back in 2004, the area was nothing more than acres of windswept parking lots. By 2014 those lots had been replaced by a convention center, an art gallery, scores of office and residential towers, and a mass transit system. Over a trillion dollars (yes with a t!) of new real estate washed onto the market during that decade, and continues to do so. Debate continues about whether the redevelopment of the Seaport is succeeding in turning the area into a real community. There are no grocery stores or public schools here yet, but the area and the idea is still new. Give it time to see what Boston's newest incarnation develops.
 * Fort Point: Nuzzled in below the Seaport, think of Fort Point as its older, smaller brother. When the manufacturing industry collapsed, many beautiful brick factories along the channel were simply too big and expensive to tear down. What was bad news at the time has turned out great for today's Bostonians, as many large industrial spaces were preserved and live on today as fantastic hotels and restaurants. Just check out the cluster of interesting points around Congress and A streets.

By public transit
Red Line stations in the area are Broadway and Andrew. JFK/UMass station is in neighboring Dorchester, but is very close as well. Silver Line bus routes SL1 and SL2 run rapid transit service run between South Station and through the seaport district. The Courthouse, World Trade Center, and Silver Line Way stations are served by both routes. The SL2 route continues its loop through South Boston stopping at Harbor St, Tide St, 23 Dry Dock Ave, 88 Black Falcon Ave, and Design Center. While the SL1 branch veers off and heads away to Logan airport.

For those trying to get deeper into South Boston, you'll need to ride the bus. Routes #5, #7, #9, #10, and #11 all start near City Point and connect to Red Line stops: South Station, Broadway, and Andrew. It's hard to overstate the impact of all the construction, and the neighborhood has been welcoming scores of new residents every month for years. While the number of commuters increases, the number of busses has not been able to keep pace with the demand. Beyond normal rush hour traffic, it can be quite difficult to board busses headed downtown in the morning, and leaving the city at night. The MBTA is working on addressing this issue, but for now plan on riding late, crowded busses.

By boat
There are actually quite a few services available along the waterfront in Southie. One of the most popular and frequent are Water Taxis. These little boats run all year round and service points of interest like The Children's Museum, the ICA, World Trade Center, and more. You'll have to call ahead in less popular locations and times. Hop aboard a real ship and take the Bay State Cruise Company's Provincetown Fast Ferry, running from the pier with the Seaport Hotel during the summer months.

Additionally, over 20 cruise lines dock their mega ships at Black Falcon Pier. During the warmer months they may arrive from ports as far as Europe and the Caribbean. Local taxis know these schedules, so you should have no problem transporting yourself and your luggage to the hotel. Smaller boats can be found at the EDIC Pier and provide service to and from the Boston Harbor Islands. Keep your eyes peeled, because this pier can easily be overlooked. It's right next to the bridge, don't walk too far down towards the enormous Black Falcon area.

By car
Many parking lots have been replaced by luxury condos, so think before you drive, especially in the seaport. There is some on street parking in the remaining industrial-feeling areas towards the center of the neighborhood, but much of it isn't any more convenient than walking from a T station. Some two way roads were converted to one way during the "snowpocalypse" events of 2015, so know your GPS directions may be incorrect. Watch for cars coming to a stop in the middle of the road, as some residents feel entitled to double park wherever they please, especially on Broadway. Don't bother trying to find parking out at Castle Island during the summer, but you might luck out if you go at odd times. In wintertime you may find "space savers" placed in shoveled out parking spots. You are legally allowed to move these items and park, but by doing so you place your vehicle at risk of being vandalized. Exit 25 of Interstate 90 and Exit 16 of Interstate 93 serve the area and are found at the extreme western edge.

Itineraries

 * Boston Harborwalk — A public walkway that follows the edge of piers, wharves, beaches, and shoreline around Boston Harbor. When completed it will extend a distance of 47 miles (76 km) from East Boston to the Neponset River.

Do




Buy
Southie is not the city's premiere shopping destination. No matter what changes it has undergone, at its heart, the neighborhood exists to serve its residents. The missing tourist shops and places to find goofy t-shirts speak volumes about the character of this locale.



Eat
Due to the current state of gentrification, the amount and variety of price points in South Boston is immense. You will find the more expensive, trendier bistros in the seaport district to the north. As you get away from the T stations and further into the center of the neighborhood, prices begin to decrease.

Sleep
Get your wallet out! South Boston is a desirable location to spend the night due to its closeness to downtown and the convention center located here. If an event is in town, hotel prices will be correspondingly astronomical. The city is aware of this issue and they are trying to reduce costs by increasing supply. There are a few hotels under construction (as of Nov 2016) with more on the drawing boards, but unfortunately for you they are not available yet. The best way of mitigating the damage is to book far in advance, and to coordinate your calendar with the convention center's. You can also look at hotels in other areas of the city or try booking online with popular room-rental services.

Connect
There are several chain coffee shops in Southie that offer free wi-fi facilities, they may restrict access during peak hours however.

Go next

 * Most visitors will be able to simply walk back across the Fort Point Channel and return Downtown.
 * Stretch your legs and walk to the South End from here, but that gets a little tricky because of the interstate highway that cuts off most pedestrian access points.
 * Ride the Red Line to the People's Republic of Cambridge and explore Harvard Square.
 * Get off the tourist trail entirely and head south to Dorchester, with a comparatively more suburban feel.
 * Unless you're a great swimmer, you won't be going much further east. But boats are available to ferry you to the Boston Harbor Islands seasonally.
 * If you have 100 bucks and 90 minutes, climb aboard the fast ferry to Provincetown.
 * With a little advance planning and a love of ocean liners, you could depart for Quebec City, Montreal, or even as far as Bermuda.