Thinking about going to Boston, US (solo)

[LeaveTheClocksAlone]

It's so, so expensive. Ideally I'd like to go in early October 2025 because Autumn is my favourite season and I love Halloween. They're proper into it aren't they? I would probably go for 5 nights and like to day trip over to Salem and Cape Cod too. I'll be using public transport though as I don't want to hire a car.

It's looking like the cheapest way is to book flights and hotel separately (hotels.com)

Any tips on either booking or things to do are very welcome! Visited NYC earlier this year so have already travelled to America.

I didn't feel particularly safe on NYC public transport but am getting the impression Massachusetts is a lot more reassuring...

Following! I have a work trip coming up and haven’t found much worth doing yet during downtime. But agree it’s SUPER expensive!

Salem during Halloween is fantastic but seriously crowded. I would check out hostels and Airbnb to cut down on costs. Fanuleuil Hall in Boston is a must do. There’s also a ferry that runs from Salem to Boston. Walk around Harvard campus, eat clam chowder, sit by the water and people watch.

I quite enjoyed catching a boat from the airport to the city centre one time I went there.

Day trip to Salem at Halloween is great, although if you take the boat you may not have enough time to do many things in Salem; and it's worth doing all the Salem Witch Trial stuff.

I'd recommend all the historical tours about the American Revolution, and some of the literary tours as well.

I went to Boston on my own in 2014 for a week. It's very walkable, I hardly used public transport. I stayed in an AirB&B in Back Bay. I did get flashed on Boston Common on my first morning!

If you can get the fast boat (possibly a hydrofoil, cant remember) then a day trip to Provincetown is good. Due to bad planning, I didn't get to Concord (home to various famous writers) but I did want to. The Freedom Trail walking tour was really good. The duck tour was fun. Some amazing stained glass windows (Burne Jones, from memory) in the cathedral. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (got the bus back). Fountain on Christian.Science Plaza. Subway to Harvard for a tour by the students.

Brilliant shout about air BnB I have never considered it before but as long as I'm staying with a female I will definitely look into this. I could be saving well over a grand!

Burne-Jones windows in Trinity Church in Copley Square.

Boston is very walkable. North Boston has the Italian quarter, which feels quite different from the rest.

And Boston's sports teams (American Football, Baseball, Ice Hockey, Basketball) have all had tremendous success in this century. I think there's a sports museum that covers all of the teams at once, as well as the individual stadiums.

Certainly Harvard is worth a look.

Not a fan of Logan airport though.

USS Constitution is also worth a look!

You can pick up a leaflet and do a historical walk that takes in most of the centre of Boston and about 23 historical sites. We thought Salem was a great disappointment and not worth doing. It was nice to see Harvard. Take the metro out to the university and visit the J F J Library which gives you a history of his life and Presidency. If you ever watched Cheers, it used to be possible to go to the real bar and also to a copy of the real bar.

I stayed in an airbnb in seaport, wasn’t too expensive. Cross the bridge back towards town and walk up to the lobster rolls carts mmmmm

Alcohol happy hour is banned so to get round it they do food happy hour. Brilliant.

if you are getting the train out to Salem you might as well go on a few stops to Rockport because it’s just lovely. They do special offers, we paid something like $4 each on the commuter line.

Been to Boston loads of time and solo a few times
I would fly in- do a few days in Boston and then hire a car and up to Maine or a New England tour- why dont you want to drive?
I wouldn't airbnb. The hotels are great and central. Boston is a 5 day max city

I agree with the others who say that salem is mobbed at Halloween. It is also quite a long trek from Boston down there and then out to the cape. I would have hated driving in Boston and it is easy to uber around and also it is very walkable.

Halloween is a Thursday so if you just go into Cambridge to Harvard square there are bound to be a load of people in costume, bar themes, etc.

Besides that you can check out the State House, Beacon Hill which is (hilly) but a delightful neighborhood of expensive townhomes that will be a decorated for Halloween. North End for some good Italian pasta and pastries. The Common is free and will be chilly at the end of October. Bring some sweaters to layer.

Get the train to Salem (if you must, it’s tacky beyond belief) from North Station. The T (underground train) feels very safe and is easy to use. Taxi drivers are always rude and unfriendly, use Uber or Lyft instead. Don’t even think about driving in Boston, it’s horrible. I second the suggestion of the Constitution but remember to take your passport or they won’t let you on. I also really like the Tea Party ship and the audio tour at the top of the Prudential Tower. For pastries in the North End go to Modern Pastries, not Mike’s, that’s a tourist trap.