Visiting Boston on a Budget in Oct!

[lrfox]

Hotwire is excellent in major cities like Boston, New York, D.C., Chicago, etc where all you really need is a neighborhood and star rating. I stayed last month at the Algonquin Hotel on 44th Street between 5th and 6th ave on Manhattan for $90/night via hotwire. When I went to the hotel's website they were charging $269 for the same room. It's a dream to use these services and it's always a wonder why more people don't do it.

Congrats on booking your trip!

*Edit* It's worth noting that the closer you get to your departure date, the more money you can save as they hotels become more desperate to fill the rooms that have yet to be purchased. Waiting is only a bad idea if there's a major event in town which will fill hotel rooms (i.e. trying to book a hotel the week before the Superbowl in the host city).

[bostonguy1960]

Westin Copley is the best location in town, at a great rate for you! Good thing you're not driving, as parking is over $40 nightly for guests!

Two people I met last week used priceline for Westin Waterfront and Renaissance hotels for $90-$100 (new hotels in Seaport area).

I recommend a boat cruise up the Charles. But I think it ends after Columbus Day (charlesriverboatcompany.com?). Fantastic view. Boston Harbor may still have boats to George's Island on weekends (great 45-minute boat ride each way with skyline views in the distance). About $12-$14 per person roundtrip. Best part of Boston in summer! (Bostonharborislands.com?).

Maybe a boat ride to Provincetown (fast and slow boats...but costly). Again, you may be arriving too late in the season for these jewels. Maybe an inner Harbor tour at Long Wharf Marriott to Charlestown and Old Ironsides will be available.

Boston by Foot offers guided walking tours. Visitor Info Center is on Boston Common, at start of Freedom Trail.

Duck Tours are very popular and should be running when you're here...$30-$35.

Walk the Esplanade along the Charles. Fantastic! Hopefully sailboats are still in season, awaiting your camera. Great views from BU Bridge, Mass Ave Bridge (aka Harvard Bridge) and esp. Longfellow Bridge (from there a nice walk to the Museum of Science.

Best overall view in my opinion is from Memorial Drive in Cambridge bet. Longfellow and Mass Ave bridges.

Nice views from JFK library and walkway to Carson Beach, all the way to Castle Island (very neat fort along the Harbor). A secret to most visitors.

Ask for a river view room at the Westin.

You'll find a nice outdoor courtyard with a small fountain to find tranquility between the old and new Boston Public Library buildings -- and one or two restaurants converted from an old map reading room and similar spaces.

Fenway Park has tours every day.

You can buy a 3-day subway pass.

Stroll Commonwealth Ave, Newbury Street and Marlborough streets in the Back Bay between Arlington and Mass. Ave. It would be a shame to whisk by these gems in a trolley tour or car.

Louisburg Square, Mt. Vernon St., Chestnut, and Pinckney are the nicest Beacon Hill streets. (Acorn Street (an alley) is quaint and quintessential Boston, supposedly the most photographed steet in Boston. Union Square, Appleton, Montgomery and Chandler and Appleton streets are picturesque South End streets. Many visitors miss the South End and its great restaurants and architecture (some projects and shelters in the area). Many uninformed think South End is still a gay haven, but yuppies have descended in the past 10 years and diluted the gay male presence.

Most visitors love Boston (but not all). I think you'll love it.

[lz1982]

I second the rec for the Best Western in Brighton. Free continental breakfast, and you can walk literally a few hundred feet to a nice Thai place and tapas restaurant.

A great free thing to do in the fall is the Arnold Arboretum (orange line to Forest Hills, then follow the signs. It's just a couple minutes' walk). It's also nice to grab a cheap takeout lunch downtown and eat by the harbor.