Boston is the largest city in New England, the capital of the state of Massachusetts, and one of the most historic, wealthy and influential cities in the United States of America. Its dozens of museums, 62 historical sights, nearly 2000 restaurants, and wealth of live performances all explain why the city gets 16.3 million tourists a year, making it one of the ten most popular tourist locations in the country.
Although technically not part of Boston proper, the cities of Cambridge (just across the Charles River, home to Harvard and MIT), Newton, Brookline and Somerville are in many ways an integral part of the larger city and are an essential component to any visit to Boston.
Districts
Boston is a city of diverse neighborhoods, many of which were originally towns in their own right before being assimilated into the city itself. These neighborhoods still go by their original names and people will often tell you they are from "JP" (Jamaica Plain), "Southie" (South Boston), "Dot" (Dorchester) or "Eastie" (East Boston) rather than from "Boston". Alternatively, people from the suburbs will tell you they are from Boston when in fact they live in one of the nearby (or even outlying) suburbs. If in doubt, you can look for "Resident Parking Only" signs which will tell you what neighborhood you are in.
These distinctions can cause problems when trying to send mail or when using directory assistance to search for phone numbers. When sending letters to residents, zip codes will often be valid for several different neighborhood labels. "Boston" will work, but so will "Dorchester", or even sub-neighborhoods such as "Neponset", "Uphams Corner" and "Fields Corner." Residents still use them with pride.
To this day, if you dial 411 to search for a phone number, the listing may not be found under "Boston," but in the neighborhood where the person/business is located.
Also be aware that geographic references tend to mean little. For example, South Boston is different from the South End, which is actually west of South Boston and north of Dorchester and Roxbury. Some other confusing notables: East Boston and Charlestown are further north than the North End. The West End is in the northern part of town (bordering the North End and Charles River). Dorchester Heights is located well within South Boston.
Each neighborhood and neighboring city has more specific listings than what's on this page.
City of Boston
Among Boston's many neighborhoods, the historic areas of Back Bay, Bay Village, Beacon Hill, Chinatown, Downtown, the Fenway, the Financial District, Government Center, the North End, and the South End comprise the area considered "Boston Proper." It is here where most of the buildings that make up the city's skyline are located.
Boston neighborhoods (nicknames in parentheses):
Allston and Brighton are abutting neighborhoods. Brighton is rather suburban, large and home to the largest population of Asians in the City...
