Boston Essentials | Plan Your Trip | Boston Discovery Guide

What are Boston travel planning essentials? In a nutshell: Everything you need to know when you're planning to visit Boston and once you get here.

Essential information for planning your trip includes:

Planning your trip - what to do and what to avoid
What to pack (and where to do affordable emergency shopping if you forget something)
How to get around once you're here (and what to avoid, such as driving)
Boston weather - not only what to expect each month, but also some tips about hurricanes, blizzards, and other quirky conditions
Where to get the best free maps, the most useful guidebooks, and even (because you're sure to fall in love with our food) cookbooks by Boston chefs
How to eat a lobster (without making a huge mess)
For Boston's Cruise Port visitors, everything you'll need to know to enjoy your shore excursion here - plus info about cruises departing from Boston to Bermuda, the Caribbbean, New England, Canada, and Europe

Top photo: Visitor Information Center on Boston Common (139 Tremont Street) - Where Boston's Freedom Trail begins, (c) Boston Discovery Guide

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Planning & Getting Ready for Your Trip

Here are all the planning tools and information you need:

More Planning Advice

What to Pack - Our best tips
Boston Events - Can't decide when to come? Find top events for each month
Boston History Timeline - Need a refresher when you're seeing Boston's historic sites? Our timeline covers the highlights of Boston history
Boston Travel Questions - Check out our answers.
Find deals, discounts, coupons, and other savings on Boston attractions & activities
How to save on your trip to Boston - or anywhere else - with Black Friday deals and discounts

More about Boston

Movies Filmed in Boston - Will you see glimpses of Boston in these movies? Here's where to look!

Cookbooks by Boston chefs - How to create a taste of Boston at home

Getting Around Boston

Here are our most popular articles about how to get around Boston, parking in the city, and easy ways to get to other key destinations:

Parking in Boston

See our Complete Guide to Getting Around Boston

Sightseeing Around Boston

Here three popular ways to see the city and top attractions:

Boston Duck Tours - See Boston by Land and by Water

More Sightseeing Tours & Cruises:

More Ways to Experience Boston:

Luggage Storage - Logan Airport & Cruise Port Visitors

Do you have an airport or cruise layover, and want to store your luggage for the day while you explore the city? Here is information about your best options:

Weather, Cruise Port Visitors, and Lobster Tips

How to Find a Cheap Boston Hotel

Boston hotel rates can be high - sometimes very high. How can you find affordable hotel rates for your visit?

The quickest way to find hotels with the cheapest rates is to enter your travel dates on this Boston hotel map from Booking.com. Zoom in with the + button if nececessary, and you should be able to see at a glance which hotel (and apartments and short-stay rentals) offer the lowest rates:

Booking.com

More about how to save on Boston hotels