{"id":1306425,"date":"2026-10-12T11:27:46","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T11:27:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/?page_id=1306425"},"modified":"2026-10-12T13:57:30","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T13:57:30","slug":"massachusetts","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/north-america\/usa\/massachusetts\/","title":{"rendered":"Massachusetts"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":200,"featured_media":0,"parent":1306307,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"hw-hub-state","meta":{"footnotes":"","hw_hub_hero_eyebrow":"","hw_hub_hero_h1":"","hw_hub_hero_intro":"","hw_hub_hero_image":"","hw_hub_hero_overlay":"","hw_hub_hero_cta":"","hw_hub_why_title":"","hw_hub_why_body":"","hw_hub_why_link_label":"","hw_hub_why_link_url":"","hw_hub_why_cards":"","hw_hub_stats":"","hw_hub_countries_title":"","hw_hub_countries_intro":"","hw_hub_featured":"","hw_hub_regions":"","hw_hub_hostels_title":"","hw_hub_hostels_intro":"","hw_hub_hostels_cta_label":"","hw_hub_hostels_cta_url":"","hw_hub_hostels_source":"","hw_hub_hostels_location_type":"","hw_hub_hostels_location_id":"","hw_hub_hostels_currency":"","hw_hub_hostels_count":"","hw_hub_hostels_cache":"","hw_hub_hostels":"","hw_hub_when_title":"","hw_hub_when_intro":"","hw_hub_seasons":"","hw_hub_costs_title":"","hw_hub_costs_body":"","hw_hub_cost_rows":"","hw_hub_cost_note":"","hw_hub_money_reads":"","hw_hub_rail_title":"","hw_hub_rail_body":"","hw_hub_rail_link_label":"","hw_hub_rail_link_url":"","hw_hub_rail_image":"","hw_hub_routes":"","hw_hub_events_title":"","hw_hub_events_intro":"","hw_hub_events_source":"","hw_hub_events_continent":"","hw_hub_events_count":"","hw_hub_events_cache":"","hw_hub_events_cta_label":"","hw_hub_events_cta_url":"","hw_hub_events":"","hw_hub_events_pills":"","hw_hub_reads_intro":"","hw_hub_article_rows":"","hw_hub_show_read_time":"","hw_hub_all_title":"","hw_hub_all_body":"","hw_hub_all_cta":"","hw_hub_trips_title":"","hw_hub_trips_note":"","hw_hub_trips":"","hw_hub_faq_title":"","hw_hub_faq_note":"","hw_hub_faqs":"","hw_hub_cta_title":"","hw_hub_cta_body":"","hw_hub_cta_buttons":"","hw_hub_newsletter_title":"","hw_hub_newsletter_body":"","hw_hub_newsletter_shortcode":"","hw_hub_hub_term":"","hw_hub_scope_rows":"","hw_hub_country_hero_eyebrow":"","hw_hub_country_hero_h1":"","hw_hub_country_hero_intro":"","hw_hub_country_hero_image":"","hw_hub_country_hero_overlay":"","hw_hub_country_hero_cta":"","hw_hub_country_stats":"","hw_hub_country_intro_title":"","hw_hub_country_intro_body":"","hw_hub_country_facts":"","hw_hub_country_cities_title":"","hw_hub_country_cities_intro":"","hw_hub_country_cities_live":"","hw_hub_country_cities":"","hw_hub_country_trips_title":"","hw_hub_country_trips_intro":"","hw_hub_country_trip_types":"","hw_hub_country_do_title":"","hw_hub_country_do_body":"","hw_hub_country_do_points":"","hw_hub_country_do_tag":"","hw_hub_country_do_more":"","hw_hub_country_food_title":"","hw_hub_country_food_body":"","hw_hub_country_food_points":"","hw_hub_country_food_tag":"","hw_hub_country_food_more":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_title":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_body":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_points":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_tag":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_more":"","hw_hub_country_transport_title":"","hw_hub_country_transport_body":"","hw_hub_country_transport_points":"","hw_hub_country_transport_tag":"","hw_hub_country_transport_more":"","hw_hub_country_money_title":"","hw_hub_country_money_body":"","hw_hub_country_money_points":"","hw_hub_country_money_tag":"","hw_hub_country_money_more":"","hw_hub_country_safety_title":"","hw_hub_country_safety_body":"","hw_hub_country_safety_points":"","hw_hub_country_safety_tag":"","hw_hub_country_safety_more":"","hw_hub_country_entry_title":"","hw_hub_country_entry_body":"","hw_hub_country_entry_points":"","hw_hub_country_entry_tag":"","hw_hub_country_entry_more":"","hw_hub_country_season_title":"","hw_hub_country_season_intro":"","hw_hub_country_season_note":"","hw_hub_country_season_rows":"","hw_hub_country_budget_title":"","hw_hub_country_budget_intro":"","hw_hub_country_budget_note":"","hw_hub_country_budget_rows":"","hw_hub_country_budget_currency":"","hw_hub_country_events_title":"","hw_hub_country_events_intro":"","hw_hub_country_events_source":"","hw_hub_country_events_country":"","hw_hub_country_events_count":"","hw_hub_country_events_cache":"","hw_hub_country_events_cta_label":"","hw_hub_country_events_cta_url":"","hw_hub_country_events":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_title":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_intro":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_cta_label":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_cta_url":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_source":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_location_type":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_location_id":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_currency":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_count":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_cache":"","hw_hub_country_hostels":"","hw_hu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guide","hw_hub_state_hero_h1":"Things to do in Massachusetts","hw_hub_state_hero_intro":"Where the American Revolution began: Boston's Freedom Trail and university towns, Cape Cod's dunes and fishing villages, the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, and the hills of the Berkshires.","hw_hub_state_hero_image":"1307955","hw_hub_state_hero_overlay":"light","hw_hub_state_hero_cta":"See the main cities | #cities\r\nWhat it costs | #money","hw_hub_state_live_stats":"1","hw_hub_state_stats":"4\u20135 | Days to do it properly","hw_hub_state_intro_title":"History, harbours and New England coast","hw_hub_state_intro_body":"Massachusetts is small by American standards, but it packs in a lot. Boston, its capital, is one of the oldest cities in the country, compact and walkable, where the first battles of the American Revolution were fought. Across the river, Cambridge is home to Harvard and MIT, and the student population keeps both cities young and lively.\r\n\r\nOutside Boston, the state is classic New England. Salem, half an hour north, trades on its 1692 witch trials, and is mobbed in October. Cape Cod curls into the Atlantic with beaches, dunes, lighthouses and seafood shacks, ending at Provincetown, an artists' town and one of the best-known LGBTQ+ destinations in the USA. The islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket are a ferry ride away, and in the west, the Berkshires have hiking, music festivals and autumn colour.\r\n\r\nGive Massachusetts four or five days: two or three for Boston and Cambridge, and the rest for Cape Cod or Salem. Summer is the season for the coast, and late September and October are the best months for the leaves.","hw_hub_state_facts":"Main airport | Boston Logan\r\nTime zone | Eastern Time\r\nSales tax | 6.25%\r\nTipping | 18\u201322% in restaurants\r\nGetting around | The T in Boston, trains and ferries\r\nEmergency | 911\r\nTap water | Safe to drink\r\nID | Carried and checked in bars\r\nHow long to stay | Four to five days\r\nBest months | June to October","hw_hub_state_areas_title":"Regions of Massachusetts","hw_hub_state_areas_intro":"Boston is the base, the coast is the summer draw, and the west is for hills and autumn colour.","hw_hub_state_areas_zoom":"6","hw_hub_state_hostels_pins":"1","hw_hub_state_areas":"Greater Boston | History, nightlife, first-timers | Boston and Cambridge, with the Freedom Trail, universities, museums and the T. | 42.3601 | -71.0589 | \nThe North Shore | Witch history, seafood | Salem, Gloucester and Rockport, with coastal towns and fishing harbours north of Boston. | 42.5800 | -70.8000 | \nCape Cod | Beaches, dunes, summer | A hooked peninsula of beaches, lighthouses and seafood shacks, ending at Provincetown. | 41.7500 | -70.1000 | \nMartha's Vineyard and Nantucket | Islands, beaches | Two summer islands of shingled houses and beaches, reached by ferry. | 41.3500 | -70.4000 | \nPioneer Valley | College towns | The Connecticut River valley around Northampton, with college towns and hiking. | 42.3200 | -72.6300 | \nThe Berkshires | Hills, art, autumn colour | Wooded hills in the west, with MASS MoCA, summer music and autumn leaves. | 42.4500 | -73.2500 | ","hw_hub_state_itin_title":"","hw_hub_state_itin_intro":"","hw_hub_state_itin":"","hw_hub_state_do_title":"Things to do in Massachusetts","hw_hub_state_do_body":"In Boston, walk the Freedom Trail, a red line in the pavement linking 16 historic sites from Boston Common to the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned warship afloat. Explore the North End, the city's Italian neighbourhood, Beacon Hill's brick streets and the Public Garden. Catch a Red Sox game at Fenway Park, the oldest ballpark in the major leagues, and visit the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum or the Museum of Fine Arts.\r\n\r\nCross to Cambridge to walk through Harvard Yard and the MIT campus. Take a whale-watching trip from Boston harbour, from spring to autumn, to the feeding grounds of Stellwagen Bank. Visit Salem for the witch trial history and its maritime museum, the Peabody Essex.\r\n\r\nOn Cape Cod, cycle the Cape Cod Rail Trail, walk the dunes and beaches of the Cape Cod National Seashore and spend a night in Provincetown. Ferries go to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. In the Berkshires, hike Mount Greylock, the state's highest point, and visit MASS MoCA, a huge contemporary art museum in old factory buildings.","hw_hub_state_do_points":"Freedom Trail | 16 historic sites on a red line\r\nFenway Park | The oldest ballpark in the majors\r\nWhale watching | From Boston, spring to autumn\r\nCape Cod National Seashore | Dunes, beaches and lighthouses","hw_hub_state_do_tag":"things-to-do","hw_hub_state_do_more":"All things to do in Massachusetts","hw_hub_state_free_title":"And what it costs nothing to do","hw_hub_state_free_body":"Walking the Freedom Trail is free, though some sites along it charge entry. Boston Common, the Public Garden and the Charles River Esplanade are free and beautiful, and Harvard Yard and the MIT campus are open to walk around.\r\n\r\nThe beaches of the Cape Cod National Seashore are free to walk onto, though parking charges apply in summer. Some Boston museums have free evenings or free days.\r\n\r\nIn summer, the Boston Pops play free concerts on the Esplanade, including on Independence Day.","hw_hub_state_free_points":"Freedom Trail | Free to walk\r\nBoston Common | And the Public Garden\r\nHarvard Yard | Open to visitors\r\nEsplanade concerts | Free in summer","hw_hub_state_free_tag":"free","hw_hub_state_free_more":"All free things to do in Massachusetts","hw_hub_state_food_title":"Eating and drinking","hw_hub_state_food_body":"Seafood is the thing: clam chowder, lobster rolls, fried clams and oysters. The Boston Public Market and the seafood shacks of Cape Cod are good places to try them. The North End is famous for Italian food and pastries, especially cannoli.\r\n\r\nBoston baked beans gave the city the nickname Beantown, and Dunkin' was founded in Massachusetts, so you will see it on every corner. Craft breweries are everywhere, and Boston has a lively food truck scene.\r\n\r\nLobster is expensive. Eat it at a seafood shack rather than a restaurant, and remember to add tips and tax.","hw_hub_state_food_points":"Clam chowder | The local classic\r\nLobster roll | Cheaper at seafood shacks\r\nNorth End | Italian food and cannoli\r\nBreweries | Everywhere","hw_hub_state_food_tag":"food","hw_hub_state_food_more":"All food guides for Massachusetts","hw_hub_state_nightlife_title":"Going out","hw_hub_state_nightlife_body":"Boston's nightlife is shaped by its students and its Irish pubs. Faneuil Hall and the area around it have pubs with live music, Allston and Cambridge have student bars, and the Seaport and South End have cocktail bars and rooftops.\r\n\r\nBars close earlier than in New York, usually by 2am, and the subway stops running soon after midnight.\r\n\r\nIn summer, Provincetown has one of the liveliest nightlife scenes on the East Coast. Always carry ID: it is checked everywhere, whatever your age.","hw_hub_state_nightlife_points":"Irish pubs | Around Faneuil Hall\r\nCambridge | Student bars and live music\r\nClosing time | Usually 2am\r\nID | Checked everywhere","hw_hub_state_nightlife_tag":"nightlife","hw_hub_state_nightlife_more":"All nightlife guides for Massachusetts","hw_hub_state_transport_title":"Getting around","hw_hub_state_transport_body":"Boston is very walkable, and the T, the subway, covers the city and Cambridge. Tap a contactless card or phone at the gates, or buy a CharlieCard. Trains stop running soon after midnight.\r\n\r\nLogan Airport is close to downtown; the free Silver Line bus from the airport and the Blue Line subway connect it to the city. Amtrak runs to New York and beyond from South Station, and buses to New York take around four to five hours.\r\n\r\nCommuter trains reach Salem and other towns, and in summer the CapeFLYER train runs to Cape Cod. Ferries run from Boston to Provincetown in summer, and from Woods Hole and Hyannis to the islands. A car helps for the Berkshires and much of the Cape.","hw_hub_state_transport_points":"The T | Subway across Boston and Cambridge\r\nLogan Airport | Free Silver Line bus to the city\r\nTo Salem | Commuter train, about 30 minutes\r\nFerries | To Provincetown and the islands","hw_hub_state_transport_tag":"transport","hw_hub_state_transport_more":"All transport guides for Massachusetts","hw_hub_state_money_title":"What Massachusetts costs","hw_hub_state_money_body":"Massachusetts is expensive, and Boston and the Cape are among the priciest places in the country in summer. Dorm beds in Boston start around $50. Cape Cod and the islands have very few hostels, and prices rise sharply in July and August.\r\n\r\nSales tax is 6.25 per cent, and meals carry a slightly higher tax in some towns. Tip 18 to 22 per cent in restaurants.\r\n\r\nSave with free sights, the Boston Public Market, food trucks and seafood shacks rather than restaurants.","hw_hub_state_money_points":"Dorm bed | From around $50 in Boston\r\nSales tax | 6.25%\r\nSummer | Prices peak on the Cape\r\nTipping | 18\u201322% in restaurants","hw_hub_state_money_tag":"budget","hw_hub_state_money_more":"All budget guides for Massachusetts","hw_hub_state_safety_title":"Safety and scams","hw_hub_state_safety_body":"Boston is one of the safer big cities in the USA. Take normal care with belongings on the T and in crowds, and use common sense late at night.\r\n\r\nOn the coast, the Atlantic is cold and currents can be strong; swim at beaches with lifeguards. Ticks carrying Lyme disease are common in grass and woods, so check yourself after walks.\r\n\r\nWinter brings snowstorms that can stop transport. Health insurance is essential in the USA. In an emergency, call 911.","hw_hub_state_safety_points":"Emergency | 911\r\nTicks | Check after walks\r\nBeaches | Swim with lifeguards\r\nWinter | Snowstorms stop transport","hw_hub_state_safety_tag":"safety","hw_hub_state_safety_more":"All safety guides for Massachusetts","hw_hub_state_layout":"cities","hw_hub_state_cities_title":"Where to base yourself","hw_hub_state_cities_intro":"Boston for most of the trip, with nights on the Cape or in Salem.","hw_hub_state_cities_live":"1","hw_hub_state_cities":"Boston |  | A compact, walkable historic city and the state's hostel base. | Freedom Trail; Fenway Park; North End; Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum; Boston Common | 1306592\nCambridge |  | Across the river from Boston, with Harvard, MIT and a student buzz. | Harvard Yard; MIT Museum; Harvard Square; Charles River | 1306593\nSalem |  | A harbour town known for the 1692 witch trials, half an hour from Boston. | Salem Witch Museum; Peabody Essex Museum; House of the Seven Gables; Halloween events | 1306595\nProvincetown |  | An arty, lively town at the tip of Cape Cod, busiest in summer. | Cape Cod National Seashore; Pilgrim Monument; Commercial Street; Whale watching | 1306594","hw_hub_state_cities_tag":"","hw_hub_state_cities_more":"","hw_hub_state_season_title":"When to go","hw_hub_state_season_intro":"Summer is warm and the best time for Cape Cod and the islands. Late September and October bring autumn colour and Salem's Halloween season. Winter is cold and snowy, and spring is short and changeable.","hw_hub_state_season_note":"Average highs for Boston, rounded.","hw_hub_state_season_rows":"January | 2 | 2 | Cold, snow\r\nFebruary | 4 | 2 | Cold\r\nMarch | 8 | 2 | Cool\r\nApril | 14 | 4 | Boston Marathon\r\nMay | 20 | 3 | Spring\r\nJune | 25 | 4 | Summer begins\r\nJuly | 28 | 5 | Peak on the Cape\r\nAugust | 27 | 5 | Busy, warm\r\nSeptember | 23 | 4 | Warm, quieter\r\nOctober | 17 | 5 | Autumn colour, Salem crowds\r\nNovember | 11 | 3 | Thanksgiving\r\nDecember | 5 | 3 | Cold, festive","hw_hub_state_events_title":"What is on while you are there","hw_hub_state_events_intro":"Marathons, Independence Day and Halloween in Salem.","hw_hub_state_events_source":"api","hw_hub_state_events_count":"8","hw_hub_state_events_cache":"24","hw_hub_state_events_cta_label":"All events in Boston","hw_hub_state_events_cta_url":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/events\/north-america\/usa\/boston\/","hw_hub_state_events":"Boston Marathon | Patriots' Day, third Monday in April | Hopkinton to Boston | The world's oldest annual marathon. |  | \nIndependence Day | 4 July | Boston | The Boston Pops and fireworks on the Esplanade. |  | \nHaunted Happenings | October | Salem | A month of Halloween events. Book far ahead. |  | \nHead of the Charles Regatta | October | Boston and Cambridge | The world's largest two-day rowing race. |  | ","hw_hub_state_budget_title":"What your trip will cost","hw_hub_state_budget_intro":"Per night, for one person, based on Boston prices.","hw_hub_state_budget_note":"Treat these as a guide. Cape Cod in summer costs more.","hw_hub_state_budget_rows":"Shoestring | 55 | 35 | 10 | 15\r\nMiddle of the road | 90 | 65 | 20 | 40\r\nComfortable | 200 | 110 | 40 | 80","hw_hub_state_budget_currency":"$","hw_hub_state_hostels_title":"Where to stay","hw_hub_state_hostels_intro":"The highest-rated hostels across Massachusetts' main cities, straight from Hostelworld. Prices and availability are live on each property page.","hw_hub_state_hostels_cta_label":"All hostels in Boston","hw_hub_state_hostels_cta_url":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/hostels\/north-america\/usa\/boston\/","hw_hub_state_hostels_source":"api","hw_hub_state_hostels_count":"12","hw_hub_state_hostels_cache":"12","hw_hub_state_picks":"","hw_hub_state_hostels":"","hw_hub_state_faq_title":"Massachusetts questions","hw_hub_state_faq_note":"The ones we get asked most.","hw_hub_state_faqs":"How many days do you need in Massachusetts? | Four or five: two or three for Boston and Cambridge, and the rest for Salem or Cape Cod.\r\nIs Boston walkable? | Very. Most sights are within walking distance, and the T covers the rest.\r\nWhen is the best time to visit Massachusetts? | June to October: summer for the coast, and late September and October for the leaves.\r\nHow do I get to Cape Cod without a car? | By the summer ferry from Boston to Provincetown, the seasonal CapeFLYER train, or buses.\r\nIs Salem worth visiting? | Yes, especially for the history and the museums. October is the busiest month.\r\nIs Massachusetts expensive? | Yes, especially Boston and the Cape in summer. Free sights and seafood shacks help.\r\nHow do I get from Boston to New York? | By Amtrak, around four hours, or by bus, around four to five.","hw_hub_state_cta_title":"Say yes to hostels, meet the world","hw_hub_state_cta_body":"Compare hostels across Massachusetts: live prices, real reviews and free cancellation on most bookings. Then meet the people already there in the app.","hw_hub_state_cta_buttons":"Find hostels in Boston | https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/hostels\/north-america\/usa\/boston\/\r\nGet the app | https:\/\/hostelworld.onelink.me\/IdiK\/f5a50nhd","hw_hub_state_newsletter_title":"Get the good stuff monthly","hw_hub_state_newsletter_body":"New city guides, deals and route ideas. 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