Best Time to Visit Boston

Boston has four very distinct seasons, and they change what you can do. The best months are late May to June and September to October, when the weather is mild and the city is at its prettiest.

Spring

Spring arrives late. March can still bring snow, and April is cool and changeable. The Boston Marathon runs on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April, and fills every hotel in the city. By late April the magnolias along Commonwealth Avenue are in bloom, the swan boats are back on the Public Garden lagoon and the first outdoor tables appear. University graduations in May and early June push hotel prices up again.

Summer

June to August is warm and can be humid, often in the high 20s °C (the low 80s °F), with the odd hotter spell. It's the easiest season for sightseeing: harbour ferries run to the islands, the Red Sox are at home, and Independence Day brings the Boston Pops and fireworks on the Esplanade. Many students leave, so the city feels a little quieter.

Autumn

September and October are Boston at its best, with crisp days, clear light and changing leaves. The colour usually peaks in the city in mid to late October, a little later than in the mountains of northern New England. The Head of the Charles, a huge rowing regatta, fills the riverbanks in October. This is also the most expensive and heavily booked time of year, so reserve early.

Winter

December to March is cold, with snow and the occasional nor'easter, a coastal storm that can shut the city for a day. The Common and the Public Garden look lovely under snow, the Frog Pond becomes a skating rink, and hotel prices fall to their lowest outside the holidays.

A local curiosity: on 1 September, when many apartment leases end, the streets fill with moving vans, and driving becomes even harder than usual. Check our what to wear guide for each season, and our day trips guide for autumn trips to Salem and the countryside.