The Place for Government Per Diem Rate Hotels

City Overview

Government rate per diem hotels in Boston offer a wide range of facilities to suit your accommodation needs. There is a wide variety of choice for federal, state government and military travelers looking for great hotels with per diem rates.

As one of America's oldest cities, and the capital of Massachusetts, Boston's modern, vibrant streets echo its revolutionary past. Beyond being a historic milestone, Boston is also a thriving metropolis, rich with culture and hidden beauty.

Boston is a winding network of neighbourhoods and boroughs lining the sprawling Charles River. Each section has its own unique charm with great Italian food in the North end, Fenway Park in Kenmore Square, and Irish Pubs in Southie'. Like London, Boston is a fusion of old traditions and new arrivals that make it the cultural hub it is today.

One thing to keep in mind is that Boston is steeping with tradition, with none stronger than Red Sox baseball. For an authentic Boston experience, a visit to Fenway and a Fenway Frank will do the trick, just don't mention the New York Yankees.

Getting Around

Airport

Airlines flying directly to Boston from the UK include British Airways, American Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.

Logan International Airport (BOS)
Tel: 1 800 235 6426.
Website: www.massport.com  

Logan International Airport is New England's largest airport and conveniently located only 6km (4 miles) from the city centre, which is just across the bay.

Airportfacilities

Terminal D offers food, drink, newspaper, banking and internet facilities, while all other terminals have restaurants and a range of shops and services. Terminals B, C and E have duty-free facilities. There is no dedicated business centre, although all terminals offer internet access. On-site car hire is available from Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz and National.

Transport to the city
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority - MBTA (tel: (617) 222 5000; www.mbta.com) operates buses 448 and 459 to Downtown, while the Logan Express goes to the city suburbs of Framingham, Woburn and Braintree.

Trains to Downtown run about every 10 minutes (journey time - 15 minutes) from the Airport Station on the MBTA Blue Line subway. The MBTA Silver Line bus rapid transit system connects the airport with South Station.

Harbor Express (tel: (617) 222 6999; www.harborexpress.com) runs water shuttle services between Logan Airport, Long Wharf in downtown Boston, and Quincy and Hull on the South Shore. City Water Taxi (tel: (617) 422 0392; www.citywatertaxi.com) also operates from the Logan dock to several downtown Boston destinations (journey times - 7 to 25 minutes).

The Logan Shuttle connects all terminals with the Airport Station, Satellite Parking areas and the Water Transportation Terminal. The airport's free water transport bus 66 connects all terminals to the Logan dock.

Taxis are available 24 hours from all terminals. Rates are according to the meter within a 19km (12-mile) radius; beyond that there are flat rates.

Approximate flight times to Boston
From London is 7 hours 30 minutes; from Los Angeles is 5 hours 30 minutes; from Toronto is 1 hour 30 minutes and from Sydney is 22 to 24 hours.

Trains

Rail Services
Amtrak (tel: (617) 345 7460; www.amtrak.com) uses Boston's South Station at the junction of Summer Street and Atlantic Avenue, and Back Bay Station, at 145 Dartmouth Street. South Station has restaurants, newsagents and an information booth.

Rail Operators
The Northeast Direct service runs to Newport News, Virginia (13 hours) via New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, DC. The Lakeshore Limited service goes from Boston eastwards to Chicago (22 hours) via Albany, Rochester, Buffalo and Cleveland. Amtrak's high-speed train service, the Acela, reduces the Boston-New York journey to a mere 3 hours 15 minutes (from 4 hours 20 minutes) and the Boston-Washington, DC journey to 6 hours 45 minutes (from 7 hours 45 minutes).

Connections
From New York - 3 hours 15 minutes; Washington, DC - 6 hours 45 minutes.

By Road

In Boston, driving is on the right and the minimum driving age is 16 years. The speed limit on most major highways is 88kph (55mph). On sections of the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90), the speed limit is 104kph (65mph). Elsewhere, limits range from 32 to 80kph (20-50mph). It is possible to turn right at a red traffic light after stopping - unless otherwise indicated. Technically overtaking should only be done on the outside lane, although, in reality, cars on a five-lane highway regularly pass on both sides.

At crossroads without traffic lights, the four-way stop system means that it is first-come first-served; the car to the right proceeds first. While most non-US driving licences are acceptable, it is best to bring an International Driving Permit. The American Automobile Association (tel: 1 800 222 1134; www.aaa.com) can provide information, and may offer reciprocal benefits to members of automobile clubs in other countries.

Emergency breakdown services
AAA (tel: 1 800 222 4357/AAA HELP).

Routes to the city
There are two main road arteries leading into Boston. The I-93 (often called the 'Central Artery') cuts through central Downtown running north-south and keeping close to the waterfront. The I-90, known locally as the 'Masspike' (the Massachusetts Turnpike), comes into the city centre travelling west-east. These two roads meet the ring road arc of the I-95 (known locally as Route 128). Access to the downtown area from the northeast and the airport is via road tunnels. The Callahan Tunnel (no toll) is outgoing, but there is an incoming toll for the Sumner and Ted Williams tunnels.

Driving times to the city
From Hartford (Connecticut) - 2 hours; Albany (New York) - 3 hours 15 minutes; New York City - 4 hours 15 minutes; Montreal (Canada) - 6 hours 30 minutes.

Coach services
South Station, on the junction of Summer Street and Atlantic Avenue, is the central coach station. Greyhound (tel: (617) 526 1800; www.greyhound.com) operates services throughout the USA. Peter Pan Bus Lines (tel: 1 800 343 9999; www.peterpanbus.com) goes all over New England. Plymouth & Brockton Street Railway buses (tel: (508) 746 0378; www.p-b.com) go to the South Shore and Cape Cod. Bonanza Buses (tel: 1 888 751 8800; www.peterpanbus.com) covers western Massachusetts and southwards to New York.

Local Transport

Public Transport

The Massachusetts Bay Transport Authority - MBTA (tel: (617) 222 5000; www.mbta.com), operates four subway lines (blue, green, red, orange), which spread out from a central point at Park Street Station, at the northeast corner of Boston Common. The 'T' - as the system is known - began in 1897 and is the oldest in the USA.

MBTA also runs 13 commuter rail lines, three boat services and numerous bus routes. The public buses are cheaper and have more stops than the subway but bus routes can be more difficult to navigate.

The Boston Visitor's Pass is valid for one, three or seven days for travel on the subway, buses, and ferries. You can also pay as you go with a Charlie Card, available free at many 'T' stations.

Taxis

Taxis are plentiful and can be hailed on the street or reserved by telephone, but they are not cheap. Reliable companies include Bay State Taxi Service (tel: (617) 566 5000), City Cab (tel: (617) 536 5100), Green Cabs (tel: (617) 625 5000) and Metro Cab (tel: (617) 782 5500). Over the river in Cambridge, providers include Ambassador Brattle Cab (tel: (617) 492 1100) and Star Taxi (tel: (617) 876 8888).

An interesting way to get to know the inner city area is to use the water taxis, which run throughout the year both as commuter taxis and as ordinary water buses. City Water Taxi (www.citywatertaxi.com) operates 10 waterfront stops, seven days a week.

Driving in the City

A car is only necessary for locations outside the city as Boston is not on a simple grid plan, curving as it does to accommodate both the Charles River and the coastline. Traffic is congested and parking can be expensive and confusing with many areas having local residents' rules. Much of the central part of Boston was built before cars and so lends itself to exploration on foot, and public transport in and around Boston is good and inexpensive.

Car Hire

Car hire companies include Avis (tel: 1 800 331 1212; www.avis.com), Budget (tel: 1 800 527 0700; www.budget.com), Dollar (tel: 1 800 800 3665; www.dollar.com), Hertz (tel: 1 800 654 3131; www.hertz.com) and Thrifty (tel: 1 800 367 2277; www.thrifty.com). Note that most car hire companies require drivers to be over 25 years of age or impose hefty surcharges.

Bicycle Hire

Cycling in Boston is not for the faint-hearted. Only brave locals do so. There are scenic cycle paths, however, along the Charles River. Bike hire is available from Back Bay Bicycles, 366 Commonwealth Avenue (tel: (617) 247 2336; www.backbaybicycles.com).

General Information

Location

Massachusetts, northeast USA.

Time zone

GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 from second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November).

Electricity

110 volts AC, 50Hz; flat two-pin plugs or plus third round pin are used.

Things to do

Sightseeing Overview

In the beginning, Boston was a small settlement for puritan families originally called ‘Trimountain', given its location beside three hills on the mouth of the Charles River. The small settlement eventually became the capital of the original Massachusetts Bay Colony founded in 1630 where, following the Boston Tea Party in 1773, the Revolutionary War against British colonial rule was ignited. 

During the battle for independence, Boston was home to many historic figures such as Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere and John Quincy Adams. In 1638, America's first college, Harvard College later to become Harvard University, was established just across the Charles River in Cambridge.

As one of the oldest settlements in America, Boston has plenty of history to experience, yet, with a large, young student population and a coastal location, there are also plenty of other activities to enjoy.

The city features many walking tours like the Freedom Trail taking in the city's revolutionary past, and the Black Heritage Trail that highlights Boston's part in the America's anti-slavery history. Boston's oldest section, the North End, contains Boston's narrowest house, at 44 Hull Street, which is 2.9m (9.5ft) wide.

Boston Common and the Public Gardens are verdant escapes from the brick and concrete of downtown. To the north is Beacon Hill, historically the centre of power and wealth and there is also the golden dome of the Massachusetts State House. To the south side of the common are Chinatown and the Theater District.

Over the river is Harvard Square, which is actually a triangle. Its focal points are old buildings clad in Virginia creeper and the gamut of cafés, bookstores, shops and eating places, all the necessities for a thriving student community.

Toward the mouth of the river, Charlestown, a centre of the Irish-American community, is where shipbuilding used to be the major industry as well as the final resting place of the USS Constitution, better known as ‘Old Ironsides' open daily for tours.

For views of the city, with your feet still on the ground, go across the river to the Bunker Hill Monument. The best aerial view is at the Prudential Skywalk Observation Deck.

Tourist Information

Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau
2 Copley Place, Suite 105
Tel: (617) 536 4100.
Website: www.bostonusa.com  

Tourist information booths are located at Boston Common and the Prudential Center, 101 Huntington Avenue.

Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism
10 Park Plaza, Suite 4510
Tel: (617) 973 8500.
Website: www.mass-vacation.com

Passes

The CityPass (www.citypass.com) allows free admission to six attractions - Museum of Science, Museum of Fine Arts, New England Aquarium, John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Skywalk Observatory and the Harvard Museum of Natural History. It lasts for nine days and can be purchased from the attractions on the day or online in advance.

The GoBoston Card (www.gobostoncard.com) offers a one- to multi-day card for free admissions to over 70 attractions, plus shopping, restaurant and lodging discounts.

The Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau's website (www.bostonusa.com) lists further deals, including BostonUSA Specials discount coupons and the Family Friendly Pass.

Attractions

Boston Harbor Islands National Park
On a warm, sunny day, the Boston Harbor Tour is a pleasant way to while away three and a half hours. The 45-minute ride to Little Brewster Island is a lesson in history, lighthouses and shipwrecks. Along the way is Spectacle Island, with a past that runs the gamut from a home to an 18th-century quarantine hospital, a resort and even a garbage dump. Other interesting islands in the 34-island national park area include Long Island (not open to the public) and Georges Island. Its Fort Warren served as a Civil War jail. The first US lighthouse (1716) was built on Little Brewster Island. Although the British burned it when they left, it was rebuilt in 1783. Today it is manned (womanned, really) by a lady lighthouse keeper. Visitors can climb its 76 winding steps and two ladders for an amazing view of the ocean, the isles and the Boston skyline.

Umass Boston Campus Center next to JFK Library
Tel: (617) 223 8666.
Website: www.bostonislands.com  
Opening hours: Thurs 1000, Fri-Sat 1000 and 1400 (last week in May until first week in Oct).
Admission charge: Y.
Disabled access: Y.

New England Holocaust Memorial 
Representing the Jews killed in the Holocaust are six glass columns, each etched with a million names. During the winter, smoke rises from each, a grim reminder of the mass murders committed and the concentration camp ovens.
Carmen Park, Congress Street near Faneuil Hall, on the Freedom Trail
Tel: (617) 457 8755. 
Website: www.nehm.org
Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk.
Admission charge: N.
Disabled access: Y.

Prudential Skywalk Observatory & Exhibit
The best view of Boston is from the 50th floor of the Prudential Building. From a height of 213m (700ft) there is a 360-degree view of the city and its environs.
Prudential Tower
800 Boylston Street
Tel: (617) 859 0648.
Website: www.prudentialcenter.com
Opening hours: Daily 1000-2200 (Apr-Oct); 1000-2100 (Nov-Mar).
Admission charge: Y.
Disabled access: Y.

Public Gardens and Swan Boats
Explore the story of the Trumpeter Swan with an authentic swan boat tour or visit the famous bronze ducklings commemorating Massachusetts' official children's book, Make Way for Ducklings. The gardens themselves are a tribute to Boston's hidden beauty and were the first botanical gardens in the United States.
Public Gardens
Tel: (617) 522 1966.
Website: www.swanboats.com
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1600 (spring); Daily 1000-1700 (summer); Mon-Fri noon-1600, Sat-Sun 1000-1600 (fall).
Admission charge: N (charge for swan boat rides).
Disabled access: Y.

Restaurants

Expensive

L'Espalier
In an atmosphere of opulent refinement, diners are cosseted in three intimate dining areas within a grand 1880s townhouse. The food, considered by many to be the best in town, is French with a New England accent: beef tenderloin with morels; tomato fondue and rosemary polenta; foie gras torchon with Muscat gelée, pickled cherries and pistachio nuts; and halibut with ginger and lychees. There are also frequent wine tastings. No lunch. Closed Sundays.
774 Boylston Street
Tel: (617) 262 3023.
Website: www.lespalier.com

Taranta
The award-winning Taranta features southern Italian food and centuries-old family recipes. Italian antiques accent the comfortably rustic setting. The service is charming and the quality of food high. Dinner options, on the seasonally changing menu, might be pan-seared tuna served over braised leeks with a sauce of sweet roasted peppers, capers and rocoto (spicy red pepper), rack of lamb or pappardelle pasta with wild mushrooms and porcini. Cooking classes are also offered. It's not on the menu, but ask for the house speciality, spaghetti with sea urchin.
210 Hanover Street, North End
Tel: (617) 720 0052.
Website: www.tarantarist.com  

Tremont 647
Talented young chef Andy Husbands creates adventurous American cuisine in this delightful small bistro where intensely flavoursome dishes abound. Grilling is handled particularly well (with rubbed spices providing crusts). Andy's seasonal menu might include grilled clam and crab gnocchi. Even the starters are creative - the corn soup with lobster oil and candied bacon is a case in point. Don't miss the ‘almost famous just made donuts' for dessert. There are special events nights (tapas, harpoon beer diner or Polynesian) one Monday a month. Brunch Saturdays and Sundays (pyjamas encouraged), dinner daily. No lunch.
647 Tremont Street, South End
Tel: (617) 266 4600.
Website: www.tremont647.com

Moderate

The Barking Crab
For a waterfront picnic, it is hard to beat this establishment's steamed clams by the bucket, its award-winning clam chowder or the lobster awash in melted butter. Both the food and the setting are unpretentious, although there are yuppie touches (‘crab burgers', the music). While there is plenty more on the menu, seafood stars. It is fresh, plentiful and perfectly prepared. There is also a terrific range of local microbrews and a hearty Sunday brunch. Reservations suggested during the summer months. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
88 Sleeper Street, Harborside/Financial District
Tel: (617) 426 2722.
Website: www.barkingcrab.com  

The Elephant Walk
A cosy bar, wood tables, buttercup and burnt orange walls, and lots of elephants accent this casual, but sometimes less than quiet, favourite. Friendly service comes with the Cambodian, French and vegetarian cuisine. Prices are extremely reasonable for sophisticated dishes like Cambodian Amok Royal, a custard-like spicy mixture of seafood and Khmer seasonings steamed in a banana leaf cup; Alaskan black cod with mushroom-soy marinade and ginger coconut sauce; or peppercorn-encrusted filet de boeuf with a wine beef jus and red grapes. There is a good wine list and this place is justifiably popular. Reservations recommended for dinner (but not accepted Friday and Saturday).
900 Beacon Street, Kenmore Square, Fenway
Tel: (617) 247 1500.
Website: www.elephantwalk.com  

Union Oyster House
America's oldest continuously running restaurant (opened since 1826) serves excellent steamed or fried clams, oysters, broiled Boston scrod and the thickest, most delicious Boston clam chowder that ever slid past your lips. One of its five buildings is about 250 years old and a National Historic Monument. It is an experience just to walk through the place since each room is different. For example, one area depicts each of the Freedom Trail sites; another has portraits of famous patrons. Booth 18 was John F Kennedy's favourite. And a bit of trivia: the toothpick was introduced here.
41 Union Street
Tel: (617) 227 2750.
Website: www.unionoysterhouse.com

Cheap

Al's State Street Café
This venue serves a wide variety of hot and cold gourmet sandwiches on fresh French bread. This shop combines gourmet ingredients with home-style recipes to fit anyone looking for a solid lunch away from the local chain restaurants. Try the State Street special with prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, basil and plum tomatoes and ‘just enough' olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Located in the centre of the Financial District, it is ideal for a quick bite in between meetings or after a historic walking tour from the National Historical Park. The price and the café atmosphere make it the perfect spot to enjoy a lunch without breaking the bank.
110 State Street, Financial District
Tel: (617) 720 5555.
Website: www.alsstatestreetcafe.com

Betty's Wok & Noodle Diner
Tasty Asian-Latino fusion food is served fast in a vaguely 1950s-diner-gone-posh setting near Boston University. The signature shredded cucumber and seaweed with wasabi vinaigrette should not be missed, nor should the ‘Juan-tons' (beef won-ton with Cuban chilli-citrus dip) or the spicy shrimp rangoons with ginger, red chilli-jamarama and Chinese mustard. The choices of noodles, sauces, meats and vegetables offer endless possibilities. There are also bargain daily specials and hefty sandwiches.
250 Huntington Avenue, Kenmore Square, Fenway
Tel: (617) 424 1950.
Website: www.bettyswokandnoodle.com

Peach Farm
Chinatown has a sprawling selection of restaurants to choose from, but the best for authentic Chinese is Peach Farm. Popular among locals, Peach Farm is a small restaurant in the middle of Chinatown. Enjoy the tastes and smells scallion pancakes and wonton soup with patient and attentive service that can't be topped. To sweeten the deal, it's open until 0300, making it a great stop after a late night on the town, or if you can't shake that sweet and sour craving. Chinatown is a thriving neighbourhood with shops and bakeries and extremely good deals, a definite must see.
4 Tyler Street, Chinatown
Tel: (617) 482 1116.

Night Life

Boston is a lively place, make no mistake, yet there are still odd throwbacks to the Pilgrim Fathers, such as 0200 being the official closing time for bars, 21 years the minimum drinking age and smoking not being allowed in any Boston or Cambridge establishment.

There are some 24-hour diners, a few clubs that open beyond 0200 and some late-night restaurants in Chinatown. Student bars and clubs, of course, abound just over the river in Cambridge around Harvard and MIT but probably won't allow credit cards. The gay scene is centred on South End and Bay Village, although various clubs have a specific gay night. Most nightclubs are to be found on Lansdowne Street near Kenmore Square and Fenway at the south-western end of the city centre.

The Thursday editions of the BostonGlobe (www.boston.com/bostonglobe) and the BostonPhoenix (http://thephoenix.com), and the Friday edition of the BostonHerald (www.bostonherald.com) as well as the online guide Citysearch (http://boston.citysearch.com) have full listings.

Bars

Boston Beer Works
One of the joys of the USA now is the range of micro-brew (self-brew) pubs. Boston has several but one of the best is Boston Beer Works, where all the working 'gubbings' of the brewery are on show.

112 Canal Street and 61 Brookline Avenue, Kenmore Square
Tel: (617) 896/BEER and 536/BEER.
Website: www.beerworks.net 

Cantab Lounge
For an eclectic artistic experience, ranging from poetry nights to bluegrass music, in a student atmosphere, travel over the river to the Cantab Lounge.

738 Massachusetts Avenue
Tel: (617) 354 2685.
Website: www.cantab-lounge.com

Cheers
The ultimate TV-theme experience, if queues are not off-putting, is Cheers (formerly the Bull and Finch Pub), which was shipped over from England and became the inspiration for the TV series of the same name, although it doesn't look much like the TV bar inside. A replica of the TV Cheers bar opened at Faneuil Hall in 2001.

Hampshire House, 84 Beacon Street
Tel: (617) 227 9605.
Website: www.cheersboston.com

The Black Rose
If you can't resist the Irish legacy of Boston, there is a huge choice, often with live music. Try The Black Rose: voted one of America's top 10 Irish establishments, it's located in the historic Faneuil Hall-Quincy market area of Boston and is known for its friendly atmosphere, good hearty food and live Irish entertainment seven days a week.

160 State Street, Faneuil Hall
Tel: (617) 742 2286.
Website: www.irishconnection.com/blackrose.html

Clubs

Jillians
Jillians has 18+ nights and three floors of entertainment great for a bit of fun.

145 Ipswich Street
Tel: (617) 437 0300.
Website: www.jilliansboston.com

Royale
Royale, in the Theater District, is done out as a huge ballroom but has all kinds of theme nights plus dance and music from salsa to chart and even has magic shows.

279 Tremont Street
Tel: (617) 866 8933.
Website: www.royaleboston.com

The Middle East
The Middle East is an intense nightclub and restaurant with four main areas: an upstairs venue for small concert setting, a huge downstairs with DJ and dance floor, and the Zuzu bar with the Corner, both of which are restaurant areas.

474 Massachusetts Avenue
Tel: (617) 864 3278.
Website: www.mideastclub.com

Live Music

House of Blues
Experience state-of-the-art lighting, sound and tasty Cajun-style cuisine at the new House of Blues, a great venue for live jazz music.

15 Lansdowne Street, Fenway
Tel: (617) 960 8358.
Website: www.houseofblues.com

Les Zygomates
Some of Boston's best jazz, blues, Latin and funk are featured at Les Zygomates, one of the city's hidden treasures.

129 South Street
Tel: (617) 542 5108.
Website: www.winebar.com

Scullers Jazz Club
Check out Scullers Jazz Club for an intimate setting with world-class Jazz performers.

400 Soldiers Field Road
Tel: (617) 562 4111.
Website: http://scullersjazz.com

Shopping

A dedicated shopper will find the full range of quality and prices available in Boston and the bonus is that there is no sales tax on clothes under US$175. Inevitably, there is the usual plethora of chain stores, but there are still enough individual and idiosyncratic shops and boutiques to please all but the ardent purist.

Shopping centres
The Prudential Center, Huntington Avenue, is jam-packed with more conventional shops and restaurants. Moving towards the middle of town, another major shopping centre is the Faneuil Hall Quincy Marketplace. Originally built in 1826 as a meat and green grocery hall, it now contains over 100 shops, cafés and restaurants. The original Filene's Basement is at 426 Washington Street. The Basement is the place for committed bargain-hunters, while upstairs is a sensibly priced department store with the full range of products.

Key areas
Newbury Street, which runs the length of the Back Bay district from Boston Common to Massachusetts Avenue, is the high end of the market with expensive and designer shops, art galleries, book and antique shops and cafés. Nearby Copley Place is also good for browsing.

Shopping hours
In general, Boston shops are open Monday-Saturday 0900/1000-1800/1900, with malls and larger stores also open on Sundays 1200-1800. Different shops and areas will often have one late-night closing at around 2000.

Tax information
There is no sales tax on clothes under US$175 and only a 6.25% sales tax otherwise.

Annual Boston Wine Festival
January-April
Boston Harbor Hotel
Website: www.bostonwinefestival.net

Events

Patriot's Day
Mid-April
Recreation of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, when he and William Dawes warned everyone that the British army was on the march against the American rebels.
From North End to Lexington

Boston Marathon
April
From rural Hopkinton to Boston
Website: www.bostonmarathon.org 
 
Boston International Film Festival
April
Various venues
Website: www.bifilmfestival.com 
 
Arts First Cambridge
May
A celebration of theatre, dance and visual arts.
Harvard
Website: http://ofa.fas.harvard.edu/arts 
 
Scooper Bowl
June
All-you-can-eat ice cream festival.
City Hall Plaza

Cambridge River Festival
June
Street party with music, food and dancing.
Memorial Drive
Website: www.cambridgema.gov/cac

Boston Pops
4 July
Concert and spectacular.
Hatch Memorial Shell
Website: www.july4th.org

North End Italian Feast Days
August weekends
Dancing, music, games and parades.
North End

August Moon Festival
August
Dragon parades, fireworks and street markets.
Chinatown

Boston Globe Jazz and Blues Festival
September
Throughout the city

Head of the Charles Regatta
October
Boat race.
Charles River
Website: www.hocr.org  

Boston Tea Party Re-enactment
Sunday closest to 16 December
March from the Old South Meeting House to the Harbour.

History & Culture

Boston prides itself on being an extremely cultured city. Listings for the exhaustive number of cultural events can be found in the Thursday editions of the BostonGlobe (www.boston.com/bostonglobe) and the BostonPhoenix (http://thephoenix.com) and the Friday edition of the BostonHerald (www.bostonherald.com). The Boston magazine (www.bostonmagazine.com) has a monthly overview of the city's events.

Ticketmaster (tel: (617) 931 2000; www.ticketmaster.com) sells tickets for all cultural events. BosTix (tel: (617) 262 8632; www.artsboston.org), whose kiosks are located at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Chatham Street and Copley Square, sells 'same day' half-price tickets for cash, as well as the usual ticket sales.

Music
Hatch Memorial Shell
Perhaps the most widely known event is the 4 July Concert with the ‘Boston Pops'. The venue for the occasion is the Hatch Memorial Shell, at Esplanade off Storrow Drive, which often stages free concerts throughout the summer. 
1 David G Mugar Way
Tel: (617) 727 9547.
Website: www.hatchshell.com

Symphony Hall
The Boston Symphony Orchestra plays at Symphony Hall, one of the world's best concert halls featuring original seating and impeccable acoustics built in 1900. The Symphony Hall is also the base for the Boston Symphony Chamber Players.
301 Massachusetts Avenue
Tel: (617) 266 1492.
Website: www.bso.org

Theatre and Dance
Boston Center for the Arts
The Theatre District is on the south side of Boston Common, along Tremont, Boylston, Stuart and Washington Streets. The Boston Center for the Arts is a complex with three small theatres.
539 Tremont Street
Tel: (617) 426 5000.
Website: www.bcaonline.org

Citi Performing Arts Center
The Shubert Theatre in the Citi Performing Arts Center hosts theatre, dance and music performances throughout the year. Performers include the city's top classical dance company, the Boston Ballet (from September to May), as well as the Boston Lyric Opera.
270 Tremont Street
Tel: (617) 482 9393.
Website: www.citicenter.org

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