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Cultural Guide to Boston Today

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The ghosts of America’s colonial roots—Paul Revere’s ride, the Battle of Bunker Hill, and the infamous Tea Party—still linger among the cobblestone streets of Boston. But this is no Ye Olde Colonial Theme Park; alongside the art museums, heirloom buildings, and cultural landmarks you’ll find slick hotels, stylish shops, and cutting-edge restaurants rivaling those in New York and Chicago. Unlike those more sprawling cities, though, Boston is small enough to navigate with a pair of comfy shoes and a subway Charlie Card.

Our Picks

9 Hotels 8 Restaurants 20 Activities

Destinations: Boston · Cambridge · Jamaica Plain · Back Bay · Beacon Hill · South End · The Fenway · Waterfront · East Boston

Themes: Food + Drink · Hotels + Resorts · Shopping

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Hotels (9)

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1 - 9 of 9 Results

Clarendon Square Inn

· T+L Favorite

South End | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

Tucked along a quiet row of Victorian town houses in the arty South End, this 1868 brownstone has been meticulously reinvented as a three-room B&B.
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Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro

· T+L Favorite

Beacon Hill | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

Occupying two adjacent, refurbished 19th-century town houses on Beacon Hill’s best antiquing street, this hotel is a great choice if you prefer coz
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The Back Bay Hotel

· T+L Favorite

Back Bay | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

Masculine yet cozy, the 225-room Back Bay Hotel is laden with history: the 1925 limestone edifice with ornate friezes fronts one of Boston’s last I
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Nine Zero

· T+L Favorite

Beacon Hill | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

With its sleek, minimalist décor, Nine Zero brings modern chic to the historic area around the Freedom Trail. Yes, connecting to Wi-Fi from your er
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Eliot Hotel

· T+L Favorite

Back Bay | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

Small and traditional without being stuffy, this elegant Back Bay hotel welcomes guests like they were family—fitting, since it’s been owned and op
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Four Seasons Hotel, Boston

· T+L Favorite

Beacon Hill | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

This contemporary brick landmark offers a truly prime location: it’s literally across the street from the glittering and meandering walking paths o
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Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common

· T+L Favorite

Beacon Hill | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

Boston’s only Ritz (the Taj chain bought the famous Back Bay property in 2006) is an 11-story glass-and-steel monolith that looms above the Common’
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XV Beacon Hotel

· T+L Favorite

Beacon Hill | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

One of Boston’s first modern design hotels when it opened in 2000, the surprisingly homey 60-room XV (call it “Fifteen”) has a stylish, bold décor
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The Charles Hotel

· T+L Favorite

Cambridge | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

The hulking 294-room Charles, on the eastern edge of Harvard Square, is the best reason to stay north of the river. A low-key New England aesthetic
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1 - 9 of 9 Results

Restaurants (8)

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1 - 8 of 8 Results

Santarpio's

· T+L Favorite

East Boston | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

Open since 1904, this pizza parlor with its worn linoleum and no-nonsense waitresses is one of the only reasons to venture across the Charles to Ea
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Lock-Ober

· T+L Favorite

Boston | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts

Stodgy but beloved, this temple of tradition has undergone some gentle updates since chef Lydia Shire took over in 2001. Sure, dishes like “JFK’s l
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Great Bay

· T+L Favorite

The Fenway | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

A showpiece of the renovated Kenmore Square, this nightclub-slick seafood palace is the latest project of local restaurateur Michael Schlow (Radius
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East Coast Grill & Raw Bar

· T+L Favorite

Cambridge | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

The vibe at this always-packed Cambridge spot is boisterous and casual, but there’s serious food—and an ambitious mix of cuisines—being served up h
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Craigie Street Bistrot

· T+L Favorite

Cambridge | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

Hunting for the entrance to this unpretentious French restaurant—it’s hidden in the basement of an apartment building, a 10-minute walk from Harvar
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No. 9 Park

· T+L Favorite

Beacon Hill | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

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Oleana

· T+L Favorite

Cambridge | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

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Clio

· T+L Favorite

Back Bay | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

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1 - 8 of 8 Results

Activities (20)

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1 - 10 of 20 Results

OM Lounge

· T+L Favorite

Cambridge | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

Chef Rachel Klein gets a lot of attention for her global cuisine in the second-floor restaurant, but mixologist Jon Ross's herbal-infused cocktails
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The Middle East

· T+L Favorite

Cambridge | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

Hearty platters of falafel and hummus gave this Central Square club its name, but it’s the wide variety of live music that’s made its reputation. A
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The Enormous Room

· T+L Favorite

Cambridge | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

A rotating cast of top turntablists spins an ever-changing mix of hip-hop, rare groove, and mellow electronica in this ironically tiny space. The n
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Club Passim

· T+L Favorite

Cambridge | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

Back in the sixties, this 125-seat Harvard Square folk venue hosted some of the genre's biggest superstars—including Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. These
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The City Bar

· T+L Favorite

Back Bay | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

This clubby, sophisticated hotel bar is a singles hot spot—and Boston's best place to sample artisanal cocktails. Chef and sometime mixologist Robe
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B-Side Lounge

· T+L Favorite

Cambridge | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

This kitschy, retro faux-dive, where a giant model airplane hangs from the antique tin ceiling, is hugely popular with post-college hipsters and ot
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Brendan Behan Pub

· T+L Favorite

Jamaica Plain | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston | The Boston Area

Bostonians can argue for hours about the city's best Irish pub, but most agree that small, unfussy Behan's is in the top five. At the traditional,
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Louis Boston

· T+L Favorite

Back Bay | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

In an imposing Georgian mansion on Newbury Street, Louis Boston is a local institution with international import. With only four floors, the store
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Koo de Kir

· T+L Favorite

Beacon Hill | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

A collection of design-heavy, modern housewares makes Koo de Kir the hippest shelter shop in this antique-saturated neighborhood. The stylish, clea
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Globe Corner Bookstore

· T+L Favorite

Cambridge | U.S. and Canada | U.S. | Massachusetts | Boston

This Harvard Square bookstore has sparked countless travel dreams and plans. Now located in a bright, spacious store, the Globe's vast selection of
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1 - 10 of 20 Results

Similar Trips (4)

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1 - 4 of 4 Results

Christmas in Boston

Beacon Hill, Downtown Boston

Old-world ambience, cozy fireplaces, snow-dusted cobblestone streets and roasted lobster are a few of our favorite things that Boston offers at Christmas.
Green Travel in Boston

Boston, Brookline

This historic New England hub has undertaken some truly modern green initiatives—including hybrid-vehicle airport trams, a solar-powered visitor center, and a slew of environmentally conscious hote
...
Design Hunting from New York to Boston

Boston, Cambridge, New York City, Manhattan, The Bronx

Three days is all you need to check out the contemporary design highlights of Manhattan and Boston—and to stop along the way to visit pieces of iconic modern architecture in Connecticut.
Mini Guide to Five Cool Hotels in Boston, MA

Back Bay, Beacon Hill, The Fenway, North Station/TD Bank North Garden

For ages, Boston's hotel scene called to mind that old restaurant joke: not only were the properties outdated and uninspired, there weren't enough of them. But hold up: in just six years, the city
...

Cultural Guide to Boston Today

Our Picks

Hotels (9)

Clarendon Square Inn

Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro

The Back Bay Hotel

Nine Zero

Eliot Hotel

Four Seasons Hotel, Boston

Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common

XV Beacon Hotel

The Charles Hotel

Restaurants (8)

Santarpio's

Lock-Ober

Great Bay

East Coast Grill & Raw Bar

Craigie Street Bistrot

No. 9 Park

Oleana

Clio

Activities (20)

OM Lounge

The Middle East

The Enormous Room

Club Passim

The City Bar

B-Side Lounge

Brendan Behan Pub

Louis Boston

Koo de Kir

Globe Corner Bookstore

Similar Trips (4)

Christmas in Boston

Green Travel in Boston

Design Hunting from New York to Boston

Mini Guide to Five Cool Hotels in Boston, MA

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