Boston: What to Know Before You Go

Boston's streets were laid out by cows, the old joke goes, and in the centre it feels true. Roads curve, change names and meet at odd angles, and the map rarely matches the way the city looks from the pavement. The good news is that the centre is small enough to walk across in under an hour, so getting lost rarely costs much.

How the city is laid out

Boston Common, the country's oldest public park, is the anchor. East of it lie Downtown, the Financial District and the harbour, with the North End poking out into the water. North is Beacon Hill, all brick lanes and gas lamps. West is the Public Garden, then Back Bay, a Victorian grid of brownstones on filled-in marshland, and beyond it the Fenway, home of the Red Sox and the big museums. Cambridge is across the Charles River. Our 3-day itinerary takes them in order.

Entry rules and ESTA

If your country is in the Visa Waiver Program, you fly on an approved ESTA, applied for on the official US government site (esta.cbp.dhs.gov) at least 72 hours ahead. The fee roughly doubled in September 2025, and lookalike sites charge extra on top. Everyone else needs a visa.

The T

Bostonians call their transport system the T: four subway lines (Red, Orange, Blue and Green) plus buses, ferries and commuter trains. You can tap a contactless bank card or phone at the gates of every subway station and on buses. The Green Line runs as trams above ground in places and is the slowest. For short hops in the centre, walking often wins.

When prices peak

Boston is a university city, and hotel rates follow the academic calendar as much as the tourist season. They jump on Marathon weekend in April, during the graduation weekends of May and early June, for big university events and throughout October, when the autumn colour draws visitors from around the world. Book early for any of those dates.

Tipping and tax

Sales tax is added at the till, and restaurant meals carry an extra local tax. In sit-down restaurants a tip of 18 to 20 percent is expected. Cards are accepted almost everywhere.

Sockets take the American flat two-pin plug at 120 volts, and the tap water is fine to drink. Our best time to visit guide explains the seasons, which change the city more than most.