Boston City Guide

Boston City Guide Greater Boston as a commuting region is home to 7.6 million people, making it the sixth-largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States.

Boston is the capital and largest city of the US state of Massachusetts, officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; Boston also serves as county seat of the state's Suffolk County. Boston (pronounced Listen/ˈbɒstən/) is the capital and largest city of the US state of Massachusetts, officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; Boston also serves as county seat of the state's Suffolk County. The

largest city in New England, the city proper, covering 48 square miles (125 square km), had an estimated population of 626,000 in 2011, making it the 21st largest city in the United States. The city is the anchor of a substantially larger metropolitan area called Greater Boston, home to 4.5 million people and the tenth-largest metropolitan area in the country. One of the oldest cities in the United States, Boston was founded on the Shawmut Peninsula in 1630 by Puritan colonists from England. It was the scene of several key events of the American Revolution, such as the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Siege of Boston. Through land reclamation and municipal annexation, Boston has expanded beyond the original peninsula. Upon American independence from Great Britain, the city continued to be an important port and manufacturing hub, as well as a center for education and culture. Its rich history helps attract many tourists, with Faneuil Hall alone attracting over 20 million visitors. Boston's many "firsts" include the United States' first public school (1635), and first subway system (1897). The area's many colleges and universities make Boston an international center of higher education and medicine, leading many to dub the city "The Athens of America", and the city is considered to be a world leader in innovation for a variety of reasons. Boston's economic base also includes finance, professional and business services, and government activities. The city has one of the highest costs of living in the United States, though it remains high on world livability rankings.

Boston's Holiday Season! 🎄✨​There is something so peaceful about the city on Christmas night. Whether you’re walking off...
12/26/2025

Boston's Holiday Season! 🎄✨

​There is something so peaceful about the city on Christmas night. Whether you’re walking off a big North End dinner or cozying up at home, we hope your day was full of joy and maybe a little bit of "Boston magic."

​Quick Poll: What’s the most iconic "Christmas in Boston" spot?
1📍 The Frog Pond
2📍 The Beacon Hill Gas Lamps
3📍 The Seaport Snowport

​Let us know in the comments! 👇

​ ​

Boston's Back Bay Fens
11/13/2013

Boston's Back Bay Fens

Boston Red Sox Celebrating around the city.
11/02/2013

Boston Red Sox Celebrating around the city.

Perfect Fall day in Boston!
10/09/2013

Perfect Fall day in Boston!

Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as t...
10/01/2013

Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball team since it opened in 1912 and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium in use.

WELCOME AUTUMN
09/22/2013

WELCOME AUTUMN

09/22/2013
The area that's sometimes called downtown loosely describes a collection of sub-neighborhoods to the east of the Boston ...
09/14/2013

The area that's sometimes called downtown loosely describes a collection of sub-neighborhoods to the east of the Boston Common -- Government Center, Faneuil Hall, and the Financial District. To some extent, each has its own distinct vibe.

Much of the Waterfront's prime real estate along the city's eastern periphery is taken up with condominiums and a smattering of hotels, but very few commercial properties. To get the best access to the scenic views, stroll along the Harbor Walk, a wooden pedestrian boardwalk that runs along the water, from small, leafy Christopher Columbus Park down to Central Wharf, which is home to the New England Aquarium. Farther south is Fort Point Channel, the site of the Boston Tea Party.

The Back Bay offers a little bit of everything, from luxury shopping to historic churches to the finish line of the Bost...
09/10/2013

The Back Bay offers a little bit of everything, from luxury shopping to historic churches to the finish line of the Boston marathon. Once a submerged swampland, it was created in the mid-1800s by filling in the tidal flats of the Charles River. Today, it's a heavily developed, upscale commercial and residential area just west of the Boston Common, the city's central park. Office workers toil away in the area's high-rise buildings, some of Boston's tallest, while business travelers convene for conferences at the Hynes Convention Center, which is connected to not one but three hotels and a two-storey shopping mall. But the area isn't all business and skyscrapers. The Back Bay also has some of the city's best shopping, gorgeous 19th-century churches, and beautiful treelined avenues. Along charming Newbury Street, upscale chain stores, boutiques, and restaurants mingle with Victorian brownstones, and even the Dunkin' Donuts strives to appear quaint. Further spending opportunities abound within the Prudential Center, a hugely popular mall at the base of a 52-story office building.

Situated to the northeast of Boston, just across the Charles River, Cambridge seems at once part of and distinct from th...
09/08/2013

Situated to the northeast of Boston, just across the Charles River, Cambridge seems at once part of and distinct from the city. Cambridge provides much of the classic and academic --- some would say dowdy --- imagery for which Boston is known: stately red-brick townhouses; the sight of rowers launching from ancient boathouses on the banks of the Charles; the almost colonial atmosphere that envelops Harvard, the nation's oldest university. And yet Cambridge virtually buzzes with energy; biotech companies, entrepreneurial startups, and the studious whir of college town activity combine to make it one of the country's most vibrant intellectual centers. Cambridge is also home to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and just as Harvard exudes a musty air of American influence and success (Kennedys, Roosevelts, Obama).

The North End and Beacon Hill are two of Boston's oldest areas -- the North End actually is the oldest Boston neighborho...
09/06/2013

The North End and Beacon Hill are two of Boston's oldest areas -- the North End actually is the oldest Boston neighborhood, settled in the 17th century -- and their long histories as early residential communities for Boston's wealthy result today in some of the most picturesque, charming neighborhoods in America. Both are great, relaxed areas to stroll in and out of shops and cafes, or sit by the neighborhood's respective waters: There are lovely parks along the bank of Beacon Hill's Charles River, and the views from the Longfellow Bridge, which leads to the campuses of MIT and Harvard, are breathtaking. Or you could cruise along the North End's section of Boston Harbor Walk, which features an endless, unobstructed view of the beautiful harbor. Both neighborhoods are rich in history -- many of the most important episodes of the Revolutionary War took place in these precincts.

Boston Harbor Cruises' high-speed catamarans are the fastest, most comfortable way to view the ocean’s most fascinating ...
09/05/2013

Boston Harbor Cruises' high-speed catamarans are the fastest, most comfortable way to view the ocean’s most fascinating and magnificent creatures. Getting you to and from the whales in less time means you to spend more time actually watching them.

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