Welcome to Boston
Boston is a bustling, world-class city with vibrant residential and commercial activity. The city is divided into many neighborhoods, each with its own character: Jamaica Plain, South End, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Allston/Brighton, Dorchester, Roxbury, SOWA, Roslindale, West Roxbury, East Boston…and more. Each has its own unique features and attractions that make it a special place to live, work, and play.
Boston Real Estate Market
Boston real estate is highly desirable. Contact the Boston agents & Real Estate Agents at Prism Real Estate Group to find condos, property, townhouses, houses & homes for sale in Boston, MA. You can find information on each of these here: Boston Neighborhoods & Services
What to Love
It’s impossible to describe all the ways Boston is a great city. But our friends at North Bennett Street School crafted a good list of reasons to love this city. We’ve adapted and shared it below.
From a history of innovation, educational excellence, to quality of life, arts vibrancy, and ample green space - Boston is one of America's truly special places.
1. A City of Firsts
Boston constructed the first public park, Boston Common in 1634; the first public school, Boston Latin, in 1635; and the first subway system in the nation, known as the Tremont Street Subway, in 1897. Then there’s the first inoculation, telephone, and industrial arts school. Newer firsts include the Big Dig, which set a precedent for smart urban planning around the globe, and of course there’s the first social media network (Facebook) too.
2. Innovation Galore
With all those firsts, it’s easy to understand that Boston ranked 4th in the world for innovation and 2nd for talent concentration in the World Economic Forum’s Innovative Geographies 2022 listing. Some of the “innovation friendly” factors include cultural assets, education centers, transportation, and biking or walking accessibility. Of course, the city’s world-renowned research institutions like MIT, Harvard, and Tufts add to this cutting-edge clout, as do the thousands of digital startups and entrepreneurs that have set up operations here.
Boston has been described as a place where you can have serendipitous connections, unlike some U.S. cities where you can’t get out of your car. It’s true—with its small scale, extensive public transit, network of bike paths, and abundant park space, Boston is a city built for meeting new people, sharing ideas, and collaboration. Which brings us to #3.
3. Healthy Hearts and Minds
All that innovation takes work, and Boston’s got plenty of options to keep you in tip-top shape. While there’s walking, biking, running, and a host of other exercise options here, the American College of Sports Medicine named the city in its top ten fittest U.S. cities noting that Boston has the largest percent of citizens strolling or biking to work and ranked 3rd in the percentage of locals utilizing public transport. This, combined with convenient access to some of the best teaching hospitals in the country, makes Boston a healthy, happy, and wise city to call home.
4. Green (and Blue) Space
In the 19th century, acclaimed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted laid out his plan for a sprawling Emerald Necklace surrounding the city. From original green space like the Esplanade on the Charles River, the Back Bay Fens, and Boston Common to newer iterations like the 15-acre Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, all Boston neighborhoods offer outdoor opportunities for fresh air and exercise without having to leave the city limits.
It doesn’t stop there. Need to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city anyway? Just a ten-minute drive north and you’ll find the Middlesex Fells Reservation, with over 100 miles of trails for hiking, biking or cross-country skiing.
5. Quality of Life
Boston is one of the healthiest cities in the country with a high quality of life to match. Boston is the sixth best city in the U. S. in terms of quality of life, according to walletgenius. It notes that there are great school systems, plenty of entertainment options, and a rich cultural history to explore. In short, Boston has something to offer for just about everyone — from young families to retirees. Additionally, Boston has a strong local economy, family activities such as The New England Aquarium, and highest per capita arts funding. Speaking of art.
6. Cultural Attractions
There are countless things to do in Boston but any time spent here must include a sampling of the city’s art, music, and theatre. Boston is a city deeply committed to supporting the arts. With world-renowned institutions like the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, The Boston Symphony Orchestra, Berklee School of Music, and Huntington Theatre Company all calling Boston their home, it’s no surprise that in 2020, the SMU DataArts Vibrancy Index listed Boston as #6 on their Top 20 Arts Vibrant Large Communities. Add to this a long list of art-fostering organizations such as the Boston Center for the Arts, and you begin to get a sense of just how vibrant Boston’s art, music, and theatre scenes are.
7. Boston is All About Learning
Boston ranked 9th in the entire world for Best Student Cities 2022 and is the only American City in the top 10. Because of its unusually high number of schools per capita, Boston’s old nickname as the Athens of America still rings true. With over 20 institutes of higher learning in the Greater Boston area, including Harvard, MIT, and Tufts, it seems fitting that the city’s mayors have described Boston as “the world’s capital of learning.”
8. Boston is North Bennet Street School
North Bennet Street School’s mission is to train students for careers in traditional trades that use hand skills in concert with evolving technology, to preserve and advance craft traditions, and to promote greater appreciation of craftsmanship. NBSS is the nation’s first trade school, at the forefront of innovative education, preserving craft and cultural traditions, and teaching students not only hand skills, but also how to have more meaningful, productive lives.
Local Lifestyle
Boston is a hip and vibrant urban city booming with youthful culture, history, and adventure. It balances its busy and electric vibe with a peaceful ambiance from its surrounding calm and tranquil coastal regions. The area presents the best of both worlds, as its serene oceanside environment attracts tourists and families, while its busy commercial district offers excellent employment opportunities for young professionals.
Jamaica Plain is recognized for its vast green space. Deciduous forests, lush vegetation, and calm waterways are found in Jamaica Pond and Emerald Necklace’s parks. South End is famous for its historic architecture, with jaw-dropping Victorian brownstone buildings tucked along bustling streets like Tremont Street, Columbus Avenue, Shawmut Avenue, Massachusetts Avenue and number cross streets..
SOWA, although technically a part of South End, has created an identity of its own over the last decade. This beloved sub-community is a central hub for artistic culture and shopping. SOWA streets are lined with artisan shops selling high-quality, handcrafted products such as jewelry, pots, paintings, apparel, and sculptures. Lower Roxbury is a Boston community known for its mixed residential and commercial properties, where Colonial-style, Georgian, Romanesque, and Greek Revival architecture are found around every corner.
Dining, Entertainment & Shopping
Boston has many dining, entertainment, and shopping centers that offer high-end products and services for families and adults. If you love Asian delicacies, consider visiting Myers + Chang at South End for a diverse menu comprised of Chinese, Korean, Indonesian, and Taiwanese dishes. Quality steak with classic side dishes, beer, and cocktails is found in South End’s Boston Chops.
If you are interested in a food tour featuring cuisine from various continents, consider visiting South End’s Barcelona Wine Bar, whose South American, Spanish, and Mediterranean dishes are out of this world. Treat yourself to pizza, salads, and crafted American beer at Sam Adams Boston Brewery in Jamaica Plain. They host weekly events, including trivia Tuesdays and live music Sundays. If you're looking for a more intimate experience, visit the site and schedule a tour.
Book a reservation at Ten Tables, located in Jamaica Plain, and enjoy an assortment of upscale wine and themed menus such as Burger Tuesday and Pasta Thursday within a refined and intimate location. If you love to explore African cuisine, you can visit the Blue Nile to try flavorsome Ethiopian dishes with vegan and vegetarian options.
Incredible Indian fare like meat and vegetable curry, mango chutney, and samosa can be found at the Indian Quality Restaurant in Kenmore Square. Afterward, treat yourself to live jazz music at Darryl's Corner Bar and Kitchen.
Newbury Street’s selection of luxury retail is a must-see. Here, shoppers can find upscale items inside Trident Booksellers and Café, Cartier, Valentino, Giorgio Armani, Chanel, and Burberry. The urban marketplace at Faneuil Hall offers a shopping experience like no other, where guests can peruse items inside popular stores like Coach and Sephora.
Things to Do
Families and adults can take a stroll, have picnics, ride on Swan boats, and explore exotic trees and beautiful scenery inside the Victorian-style Boston Public Garden. Enjoy bike rides, participate in cleaning projects, and attend baseball events at Fenway Park.
Artists visit the Jamaica Plain Open Studios to explore art exhibitions presented by local painters, jewelers, sculptors, and printmakers. Stop by the Institute of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Fine Art to learn about Boston’s history while exploring their featured displays. SoWa Art + Design District’s artist community hosts various contemporary art galleries, studios, fashion houses, and showrooms for guests to enjoy.
Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy bird watching, hiking, or taking bike rides along the trails surrounding the Emerald Necklace Conservancy. The Arnold Arboretum’s spectacular botanic gardens are home to a beautiful array of flora and fauna and make for an incredible day trip. Visit Boston Common and learn about Boston's oldest park. While there, take a leisure stroll along its walking paths or enjoy a picnic in one of its many fields.
Consider visiting the Boston Symphony Hall and Boston POPS to listen to glorious melodies of classical and popular music created by their professional orchestras.
Take part in one of Boston’s festivals or events. The Jamaica Plain PorchFest annually celebrates the history, art, and culture of Boston’s immigrants through live music, food, theater, and dance.
Schools
Boston is home to many distinguished colleges and the largest school district in Massachusetts: Boston Public Schools. Notable schools include:
- Boston College
- Boston University
- Northeastern University
- Emerson University
- Massachusetts College of Art
