Boston Introduction
Boston, in Suffolk County, is the capital of Massachusetts. It is considered to be the cultural capital of New England and is home to Harvard University and many fine museums and galleries. Boston is in the top ten of America’s tourist destinations with visitors spending millions of dollars there each year. Boston has many claims to fame including having the first public school, the first public library and the first subway system. It is also proud of its role in the American Revolution.
Boston is a compact city making it easy for tourists to explore its clean streets where skyscrapers sit alongside colonial churches and town houses. There are many attractions in and around the city, and together with good shopping, excellent restaurants and a lively nightlife, a Boston holiday is guaranteed to satisfy the majority of visitors.
Why Go To Boston
Boston is an inviting place with many pedestrianised areas. The city is compact, enabling tourists to explore the many sights in just a few days. With a variety of architectural styles, interesting museums and galleries, beautiful parks, golf courses, and shops galore it is no surprise that so many people choose a Boston holiday.
Who Is Boston Popular With
A Boston holiday has wide-ranging appeal. It is popular with couples of all ages. The city is a shopper’s paradise with its endless number of good quality department stores, boutiques and speciality shops. Golfers will find a range of nine and eighteen hole courses in and around Boston.
When To Go To Boston
A Boston holiday can be taken at any time of year although the summer months are the most popular. Winters are cold and windy with snow with temperatures near or below freezing, and in the summer the mercury can soar to over one hundred degrees with fairly high humidity.
Boston - The Place
Boston began as the Massachusetts Bay Colony when one thousand Puritans arrived from England escaping from religious persecution. The first governor, John Winthrop who came from Lincolnshire, named the settlement after his home town Boston.
The city is divided into distinct neighbourhoods. Back Bay has excellent galleries and some of the best boutiques and shops in the city. Boston is ethnically diverse and nowhere is this more evident than in the south end of Back Bay which is home to more than forty nationalities.
Beacon Hill is tree-lined with top class restaurants and historic sites including the State House. There is also a large Chinese neighbourhood with a huge number of restaurants as well as theatres and Downtown Crossing with its pedestrianised shopping facilities.
Boston Common, near Beacon Hill, is the oldest public park in the country. There are a number of parks encircling Boston, known as the Emerald Necklace. The largest of these is Franklin Park which houses a zoo.
Boston Nightlife
Nightlife in Boston, although fairly lively, does not continue until the early hours of the morning. Most bars and clubs close around two but until that time you can enjoy yourself drinking and dancing in a smoke-free environment. Many people enjoy the late night restaurants where they can relax and chat without having to shout over the noise of dance music.
Shopping is one of the reasons many people travel to Boston. There are so many malls and shopping outlets, department stores, boutiques and specialist shops that even the most ardent of shoppers will be satisfied. The best areas for shopping are Newbury Street with eight blocks of retail heaven and Downtown Crossing, a pedestrianised area. The Faneuil Hall Marketplace with its charming stores is the place to go for holiday souvenirs. It is easy to get carried away in Boston shops and forget that everything has to return home in a suitcase.
Boston Eating
A Boston holiday offers a broad range of eating experiences catering for most tastes. Sea food is very popular with clams and lobster featuring widely on menus. Boston is renowned for its baked beans and hot roast beef sandwiches. Boston is also famous for its lagers, particularly Samuel Adams brewed by the Boston Beer Company.
Tipping in America is expected and is calculated at twice the local tax rate, roughly fifteen to twenty percent.