Where to Stay Getting Around Activities Art & Culture Dining Suggestions Places of Worship

Welcome to Boston! The City of Boston is home to nearly 590,000 residents and the greater metropolitan area has a population of 4.4 million. This vibrant, thriving city is often called the “Athens of America.”

Greater Boston is renowned for its educational institutions—there are more than 100 colleges and universities—and is home to some of the world’s finest research and teaching hospitals. It also boasts champion sports franchises, as well as its place at the very forefront of American history. Tourism is one of New England's largest industries. More than 12 million visitors a year come here from across the country and around the globe. As the region's social and commercial "hub", Boston can accommodate and entertain you as few cities can.

Shoppers can stroll the length of Newbury Street in the Back Bay where they will find some of Boston’s most chic and fashionable stores. One block away and running parallel is Boylston Street, home to fine department stores and an entryway to the Shops at the Prudential Center. The “Pru” is connected to the Hynes Convention Center and also connects by walkway to Copley Place, a marble and brass enclosed mall full of upscale stores and restaurants. And in the midst of the bustling fast-paced financial district are the full range of national department stores, boutiques and pushcarts known as Downtown Crossing.

Those interested in sampling some of Boston’s famous cultural offerings will want to visit the theater district or enjoy a dance performance from the Boston Ballet, whose classical and modern works are known as some of the best in the world. The world renowned Boston Symphony Orchestra plays at Symphony Hall, together with the Boston Pops, which plays lighter, more popular classic and show tunes.

While in Boston, you can experience the city’s vibrant nightlife, world-famous museums and art galleries, visit such leading universities as Harvard and MIT which are located across the Charles River in Cambridge, see historic sporting landmarks like Fenway Park and sample the finest seafood in the world. For information on all Boston has to offer, go to: www.bostonusa.com or www.cityofboston.gov. There you will find points of interest, event listings and descriptions, family friendly things to do, and information you need to plan and book your trip to Boston and the Greater Boston area.

If you’re able to travel, Massachusetts stretches more than 200 miles from the tip of Cape Cod in the Atlantic Ocean across to the Berkshire Hills on the border of New York State. It is a state rich in cultural attractions, festivals, activities, arts, outdoor recreation, and sightseeing. It is a state where ocean views and mountain tops are a short drive away and contrasts -- from sophisticated urban Boston to quaint, historic villages -- are everywhere. The Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism provides useful information to help you make the most of your trip to the Bay State. To access the website, go to www.mass-vacation.com.

A little further from Boston, the entire six-state New England region offers a wide range of recreational opportunities, from stunning beaches of Cape Cod and the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket in Massachusetts, to the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Green Mountains of Vermont. In September, the beaches are less crowded and water is still warm; the spectacular fall foliage is reaching its peak in the northern parts of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Discover New England is the official tourism website for the region and provides the tools necessary for you to explore it. To access the website, click here www.discovernewengland.org.