Sights

Orientation

Boston’s [1] quirky geography has caused more than a few headaches to visitors trying to keep its twisting roads straight. The bulk of the downtown still takes up the Shawmut Peninsula, with Boston Common [2] as its beating green heart. The downtown neighborhoods are organized around the Common, with Beacon Hill [3] and North End [4] to the north, the Financial District [5] and Downtown to the east, and the Back Bay [6] and South End [7] to the south.

East Boston [8], along with Logan International Airport, is across Boston Harbor to the northeast, while South Boston [9] and the new Seaport District [10], meanwhile, form a peninsula to the southeast. Farther to the south are the city’s ethnic residential communities, including Roxbury [11], Dorchester [11], and Jamaica Plain [12]. Even farther south is the separate city of Quincy [13], while west of the Fenway [14] is the chic Brookline [15], a separate town despite being almost completely surrounded by Boston. Across the river to the north are intellectual Cambridge [16] and hip Somerville [16].

Safety

Once upon a time it was foolhardy to walk around downtown Boston [1] at night—especially in the blocks between Downtown Crossing [17] and Chinatown [18] colorfully known as the “Combat Zone.” Now the Combat Zone is home to a luxury hotel, and with a little common sense it’s safe to walk downtown at any hour.

Keep in mind that because of Boston bars’ early closing times of 1 or 2 a.m. the streets can seem somewhat empty during the early morning hours. It’s probably a good idea to avoid crossing Boston Common [2] after midnight.

Most of the outlying neighborhoods are also safe to walk in at night, with the exception of parts of Roxbury [11] and Dorchester [11], including Dudley Square, Grove Hall, Upham’s Corner, and Franklin Park (though these areas are safe enough during the day). Most subway lines and stations are safe until closing at 12:30 a.m.; however, use caution for the stations on the Orange Line between Massachusetts Avenue and Forest Hills.