Should I get a hotel in Boston or outside of it?

[isasir]

I'm planning to head to Boston in mid-August and I'm trying to figure out whether to stay in Boston (from what I can tell, hotels are more expensive and I'll have to pay parking) or stay close to Boston (free parking it seems) and take public transportation (?) into Boston. Which would you recommend? Does public transportation run late at night?

Was looking at this map http://www.mbta.com/traveling_t/schedules_subway.asp but is that just Boston I guess?

 

[booger711]

the T goes out into the suburbs

you could stay in cambridge area, its cheaper than in boston proper, still close to T stops, the universities, etc

 

[isasir]

Originally posted by: booger711
the T goes out into the suburbs

you could stay in cambridge area, its cheaper than in boston proper, still close to T stops, the universities, etc

I think MIT is in Cambridge? Or one of those other universities perhaps?

 

[Chronoshock]

Originally posted by: isasir

Originally posted by: booger711
the T goes out into the suburbs

you could stay in cambridge area, its cheaper than in boston proper, still close to T stops, the universities, etc

I think MIT is in Cambridge? Or one of those other universities perhaps?

Yes MIT is in Cambridge, I'll be going back there in a month
The T runs up until around 12ish, then it gets spotty. The last green line is ~12:45 and the red line runs a bit later, but you generally don't wanna be out past 1 since you might miss the T and get stranded

 

[isasir]

If I miss the T, is it easy to get a cab or some alternate form of transportation? I'm figuring I'll check out the Boston nightlife, but I don't know how parking is in Boston at my hotel or at any club/bar I choose to visit.

 

[rocadelpunk]

i stayed at the tage inn

only 70 bucks a night through orbitz

located in sommersville, the hotel is really nice especially for the price.

they give free shuttle to the T which is only about a 5-10min walk

they have parking too.

the shuttle stops taking you home from the T at 10 i think though, depending how late you stay out, since i wasn't of legal drinking age, this happened : P

get a week pass for the T asap.

note: do not drive in boston, otherwise you will die if you are a foreigner to boston driving.

 

[isasir]

Well I can handle driving in NYC, so I don't know exactly how Boston compares. I'm also used to NYC tho' in the sense that, at night, it's not too hard to find parking in a lot of places ('cept midtown). I didn't know if Boston was similar.

Edit: LOL, I just realized that I had an open Expedia window on the Tage Inn. Maybe it's a sign.

 

[rsd]

Parking in boston can suck a lot, but depends where you are. But likely if it is a fri/sat expect to pay $10-20 to a garage to park near somewhere happening.

 

[Doggiedog]

If you can drive in NYC, Boston should be a piece of cake.

Just remember, people in the rotary have right of way.

 

[kami333]

I stayed near in near Tremont last Thanksgiving and parked my car under the Commons. If you park during the weekend it's $20 until 10am the next morning so it's pretty convinient.

 

[isasir]

How's parking in Boston at night? I'm thinking I might stay in the outskirts of Boston, taking the train during the day, but drive in at night for nightlife.

 

[Doggiedog]

School's out so it shouldn't be so bad.

 

[Night201]

Gte one in Cambridge and take the T in. Real quick!

 

[Chronoshock]

Originally posted by: Night201
Gte one in Cambridge and take the T in. Real quick!

Yeah, there's actually a big Mariott hotel right outside the Kendall T stop on the red line.

 

[Lazy8s]

the T rocks, not using it would be missing out on a large part of life in Boston imho. If you miss it just wait for the next train it's fast.

 

[isasir]

Originally posted by: isasir
How's parking in Boston at night? I'm thinking I might stay in the outskirts of Boston, taking the train during the day, but drive in at night for nightlife.

Still hoping for an answer to this question.

Cambridge still seems up there in price ($149/night, as opposed to about $100/night in outskirts of Boston) and doesn't offer free parking (I guess like $15/daily maybe?) so I don't know if I want that.

 

[Lazy8s]

well I didn't find it a problem but I stayed with a female friend at BU. I would assume it's not aweful especially during the summer but it's probably pricey.

 

[isasir]

.

 

[SammyBoy]

Is this purely a recreational trip or do you have stuff you need to do in town? Getting from any of the surrounding towns into the city isn't a big deal with a T, busses, cabs, whatever. I can't think of a cheap hotel just outside the city, but just search around on the net.

Driving in boston isn't bad at all, I don't know what you people are complaining about. I have to drive to and fro Dorchester every day, which is a ghettoish but not bad town outside of boston, and lemme tell you those people cannot drive.

Good thing I am the supreme dictator of Dorchester traffic and I go where I please

Yea...Rotaries are fun. If you see a Green GTI, tires squeelin', flying through the rotary let me pass before you enter. I am also the self appointed supreme dictator of all rotaries within 5 miles of wherever I happen to be at the moment, I can think of 7 rotaries I'm ruling at this very moment