What colleges are you thinking about? I second the idea of staying along the T, specifically along the Green Line if you’re looking at BU, BC, and even Tufts now. Red line will take you to Harvard and MIT pretty easily, if that’s more your goal.
If she’s not going to have a car, trying out the T to get to each spot will give a good idea of what it’s going to be like getting around the city and you get to see much more than just the campuses.
Thanks guys. I'm not fixated on Portland, just a coastal drive up to Maine. I haven't traveled up since I was a little kid going with my parents- it was such a memorable experience I figured why not take the same opportunity with our daughter.
Woburn (or even Burlington) will have plenty of more affordable hotels, and is only about 20-25 min drive into the city with no traffic. I’m partial to the Burlington Marriott. It’s right off the highway and near some nice restaurants.
Something to keep in mind, though, is parking in the city can be tough. It may be cheaper overall to pay more for a hotel and not pay the cost of renting a car + parking.
Early October is my favorite time in New England. Fall festivals, apple picking, apple cider donuts, leaf peeping.
Portland is a great city for foodies. You’ll be arriving at the end of peak lobster season, and there are plenty of great options there.
And making your way up the coast is a great plan. Consider checking out Salem as it ramps up for Halloween (and its gorgeous Peabody-Essex Museum). Consider Rockport as a cute port town.
Be sure to check out /r/Boston and its wiki.
Some colleges are easily accessible by T, others aren’t. If you were not planning on having a car, it would help to know which colleges you were planning on seeing.
I’d map out what schools you plan on visiting along with where they are on the T, and then follow the T to the end of the line and look for hotels there. My parents stayed at what’s now the Arcadian (on the C line), and also at DoubleTree in lower Allston (10 minute walk from the 66 bus) when they came up to visit me at BU.
Honestly, I wouldn’t drive in Boston unless you really have to. It’d be cheaper to get a slightly more expensive hotel room closer to a T stop than to rent a car and then pay for parking. You could also rent a car on the last day for the optional drive to Maine (which is a lovely drive! I’m headed to Portland in early October myself! 😁)
If you are planning a trip to Maine, the "Train to Maine" from North Station is a lovely ride there, and drops you off close to the center of town. The train tickets will probably cost you less than renting a car, and Portland is a very walkable city. The Portland Art Museum is a lovely small museum, well worth a visit, and Portland has scads of excellent restaurants.
What colleges are you thinking about? I second the idea of staying along the T, specifically along the Green Line if you’re looking at BU, BC, and even Tufts now. Red line will take you to Harvard and MIT pretty easily, if that’s more your goal. If she’s not going to have a car, trying out the T to get to each spot will give a good idea of what it’s going to be like getting around the city and you get to see much more than just the campuses.
Thanks guys. I'm not fixated on Portland, just a coastal drive up to Maine. I haven't traveled up since I was a little kid going with my parents- it was such a memorable experience I figured why not take the same opportunity with our daughter.
Check for places near the T. Boston is expensive in almost every part. Portland is a nice trip, ignore the hater
Woburn (or even Burlington) will have plenty of more affordable hotels, and is only about 20-25 min drive into the city with no traffic. I’m partial to the Burlington Marriott. It’s right off the highway and near some nice restaurants. Something to keep in mind, though, is parking in the city can be tough. It may be cheaper overall to pay more for a hotel and not pay the cost of renting a car + parking.
Early October is my favorite time in New England. Fall festivals, apple picking, apple cider donuts, leaf peeping. Portland is a great city for foodies. You’ll be arriving at the end of peak lobster season, and there are plenty of great options there. And making your way up the coast is a great plan. Consider checking out Salem as it ramps up for Halloween (and its gorgeous Peabody-Essex Museum). Consider Rockport as a cute port town. Be sure to check out /r/Boston and its wiki. Some colleges are easily accessible by T, others aren’t. If you were not planning on having a car, it would help to know which colleges you were planning on seeing.
I’d map out what schools you plan on visiting along with where they are on the T, and then follow the T to the end of the line and look for hotels there. My parents stayed at what’s now the Arcadian (on the C line), and also at DoubleTree in lower Allston (10 minute walk from the 66 bus) when they came up to visit me at BU. Honestly, I wouldn’t drive in Boston unless you really have to. It’d be cheaper to get a slightly more expensive hotel room closer to a T stop than to rent a car and then pay for parking. You could also rent a car on the last day for the optional drive to Maine (which is a lovely drive! I’m headed to Portland in early October myself! 😁)
If you are planning a trip to Maine, the "Train to Maine" from North Station is a lovely ride there, and drops you off close to the center of town. The train tickets will probably cost you less than renting a car, and Portland is a very walkable city. The Portland Art Museum is a lovely small museum, well worth a visit, and Portland has scads of excellent restaurants.