Shopping: Overview
Boston is a delightful shopping city!
- The city is compact and easily walkable, so that you can quickly and easily get from one area to the next.
- It’s full of charming neighborhoods, just right for strolling, browsing or serious shopping.
- Plus a couple good malls (handily located right in the city) if that’s more your style, or if you need to get out of the weather.
- There’s excellent public transportation, or you can usually find a taxi (helpful for sudden downpours, as I discovered!)
Overview of Boston Shopping by Neighborhood
1. NEWBURY STREET: Boston’s premier chic outdoor shopping street.
Eight blocks in the fashionable Back Bay provides an interesting mix of luxury designer shops, independent boutiques, cool salons, trendy galleries, plus good restaurants, sidewalk cafes, and fun people-watching.
Click here to go to my full page on Newbury Street shopping.
2. THE SOUTH END: Hip, diverse, delightful. My new favorite Boston neighborhood!
Just a few blocks south of the Back Bay, is the South End (not to be confused with South Boston, an entirely different area), a lovely neighborhood of leafy quiet blocks lined with Victorian brownstones. Home to a large gay and lesbian population as well as many families, artists, and young professionals. Look for fashion-forward boutiques, home furnishings, gifts, jewelry, and more. Plus tons of terrific restaurants.
Click here to go to my full page on South End shopping.
3. CHARLES STREET: Pretty retail and dining street in Beacon Hill.
Just north of Boston Common and Boston Public Garden, Charles Street offers a lovely, manageable short shopping stroll in beautiful Beacon Hill, the quintessential elite old Boston’ neighborhood. Antiques shops, a few clothing boutiques, classy gift shops; plus plenty of restaurants. A great choice if you want to spend an hour away from the hustle and bustle of the Back Bay or Downtown Crossing.
Click here to go to my full page on Charles Street Shopping.
4. Shopping Malls: Prudential Center and Copley Place.
As many of you know, I’m not a big fan of mall shopping on my city getaways. But a nice mall can come in handy sometimes, so click here for info on Prudential Center and Copley Place.
July 2008: I’m still working on the Boston shopping info, adding content daily. Coming soon: Cambridge.
