Boston: A Trip to the East Coast

Report by Christian S.

Are you sick and tired of the sunny weather in Southern California? Do you miss crooked streets? Do you like buildings that are older than 100 years? Boston is only a 5 hour flight away! All kidding aside, the famous city on the east coast of the United States is one of most vibrant and beautiful cities in the US. Old brick houses, historic roots and countless things to see and do are a perfect reason to travel from coast to coast. Once you land in Boston, the best way to get a good first look at the city is the inner harbor ferry that connects the airport and downtown through a quick 15 minute boat cruise. Boston has good public transportation, and for $18 you can purchase a weekly ticket for subway, busses and some ferries.

Boston – Must-See Sights

The first thing that pretty much every tourist does in Boston is the “Freedom Trial”, a 2.5 mile long trail that connects the historic roots of the city. The trail itself, a red brick line on the ground, starts in Boston Common, the oldest public park in the US, in front of the Massachusetts State House. From there, the trail takes you through the city and leads you to Boston’s historic roots and the roots of the American Revolution in the 1770’s. If you didn’t notice it before, you will now realize that Boston is very different from every other big city within the US. It looks like a European city with its old brick buildings, crooked streets and strong contrasts between old and new.  This contrast becomes especially visible at Copley Square, where the Trinity church is reflected in the mirrors of the John Hancock Tower, the tallest building in New England. Another skyscraper, the Prudential Center, with its observation deck on the 50th floor gives you the opportunity to get a good view over the city and the Back Bay area.

Boston – The Insider

If you want to avoid the hectic pace of a major city, a walk on the Esplanade, a walkway on the side of Charles River is a good way to relax and to get out of the city without actually leaving it. Boston and the neighboring Cambridge are also home to some of the most famous universities in the world. The MIT and Harvard have a global reputation for their education and research. Boston has 58 institutions that offer higher education (universities, colleges etc.) and therefore the demography of the city is very young. If you want to go to a bar or a club, neighborhoods like Allston in Boston or Central Square in Square in Cambridge are a safe bet. Mainly populated by students, these areas offer a wide variety of bars, clubs and live music venues.

If you’re looking for something to eat, you might want to check out Faneuil Hall and Quincy market in the city center. The old market building of Quincy market offers a wide variety of food and drinks from all over the world. If you have become a real Bostonian during your trip, you might even be able to pronounce “Faneuil Hall” correctly – the major hurdle that separates the tourists from locals.