When to Go

Where the weather is concerned, it's best to visit Boston in late spring and in September and October. Yet the city is not without its pleasures during other seasons. In summer there are concerts on the Esplanade, harbor cruises, and sidewalk cafés. For a classic shore vacation, summer is the only time to go, but make your reservations early in the year. In winter there's Christmas shopping, First Night festivities on New Year's Eve, and the music season. And a lot can be said for winter afternoon light on red brick.

Each September, Boston and Cambridge welcome thousands of returning students, and each May and June, the city bids its graduates farewell. Accommodations and restaurant reservations are hard to come by in the college neighborhoods during move-in and move-out weekends, but a trip to Boston during term time lets you take advantage of numerous concerts, lectures, and other events put on by the universities. Autumn is also a fine time to visit the suburbs. The combination of bright foliage and white church steeples will never become trite.

Climate

Like other northeastern American cities, Boston can be uncomfortably hot and humid in summer and frigid in winter. Yet the saying here is "if you don't like the weather, just wait a moment." A gray, overcast day can quickly turn sunny and warm -- or vice versa. Hence, it's best to come prepared for unseasonable spells at anytime of year.