About Boston
As the capital city of Massachusetts, Boston is often recognized as the unofficial economic and cultural center of the New England region. While the city of Boston has a population of approximately 590,763, it is centrally located within America's eleventh largest metropolitan area, which serves as home to over 4.4 million people. With a total area of 89.6 square miles of which 48.4 square miles is land and 41.2 square miles is water, Boston is extremely compact. Other cities with equivalent populations have much greater square mileage such as Denver, Colorado at 154.9 square miles or Charlotte, North Carolina at 280.5 square miles.
Founded by English Puritans in 1630, Boston is a historically rich city with classic appeal, attracting over 16 million visitors a year. Boston has acted as the set for many major events including the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party and the Siege of Boston. It was also the site of America's first public school, college and subway. It is no surprise that many have referred to this remarkable city as the "Athens of America."
The majority of downtown Boston's architecture is constructed in the Federal style, consisting of low-rise buildings made of brick or stone. However, there are many more modern and contemporary structures beginning to spring up around the Financial District, the South Boston waterfront and Back Bay including the two tallest buildings in New England, the John Hancock Tower and the Prudential Center. The South End Historic District boasts the title of the largest surviving contiguous Victorian neighborhood in the nation. Commercial areas are scattered among single-family homes and row houses.
Home to the Charles River and numerous lush green areas, including Boston Common, the oldest public park in the United States, Boston is a wonderful place to enjoy the outdoors. In fact, the entire city is encircled by a string of parks known as the Emerald Necklace. Esplanade is a particularly lovely park located along the banks of the Charles River. Other parks are can be found near Castle Island, in South Boston, and along the East Boston shorelines, as well as dispersed throughout the city.
The Arts are alive in Boston giving the city its strong sense of cultural identity. Magnificent theatres such as the Boston Opera House and the Cutler Majestic Theatre are dispersed throughout the city. Several celebrated performing arts groups can be found here including the Boston Ballet, Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Handel and Haydn Society. This dynamic city also hosts numerous festivals such as First Night and Boston's weeklong Harborfest.
Why Boston?
While Boston has not always been a planner's first choice destination for meetings or events, recent developments within the city have caused tables to turn. Boston has served as host to several major conventions including the 35,000-delegate Democratic National Convention and the Macworld Conference and Expo in 2004. With four major convention centers in the area, including the recently opened Boston Convention and Expo Center, Boston offers a variety of venues to choose from.
The Boston Convention and Expo Center alone offers 516,000 square feet of exhibit space and 160,000 square feet of breakout space, as well as a 40,000-square-foot ballroom. Meanwhile, the existing Hynes Convention Center features 360,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space. The Bayside Expo Center hosts more than half of New England's top public and trade events with over 240,000 square feet of exhibit space. The Seaport Hotel & Conference Center boasts spectacular views of the Boston skyline and waterfront, extending across the Seaport Hotel and the Seaport World Trade Center with over 51,740 square feet of space.
Hotel inventory has drastically increased providing a range of properties and price points from boutiques to major chains; dozens of new hotels with more than 2,000 total guest rooms have opened in the last four years. Additionally, over 15 existing hotels have invested over $300 million in renovations since January of 2002. The Boston International Airport also just completed an over $4 billion renovation and modernization project including a parking garage with 2,880 new spaces.
Reaching out beyond Boston, there are many areas within a short driving distance that offer alternatives to the "city meeting." Salem, Gloucester and Rockport are smaller communities to the north of Boston offering affordable accommodations, restaurants, and activities. Several conference facilities can also be found to the West of Boston such as the Babson Executive Conference Center in Wellesley and the Warren Conference Center and Inn in Ashland.
Boston is ranked as one of the ten most popular tourist locations in the United States. As a result of the city's prominent role in history, there are many interesting sites to visit in the area including the Isabella Stewart Garner Museum, the Freedom Trail, the U.S.S. Constitution, and Boston Athenaeum. Boston also offers several other notable attractions such as Fenway Park
Fenway Park, the Boston Children's Museum, the New England Aquarium and Bull & Finch Pub.
Boston serves as the regional headquarters for several distinguished companies including Bank of America, Sovereign Bank, Mifflin, New Balance, Procter & Gamble, and Gillette. It is also home to many of America's top colleges and universities including Boston University, Simmons College, Boston College, Emerson College, and Northeastern University.
Boston Key Area Facts
Time Zone:
Convention Center: Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC)
Airports: Logan International Airport (BOS)
| Population | 590,760 | Destination Type Listings |
| Hotels | 660 | • Beach destination |
| Hotel Rooms | 30,000 | • Golf destination |
| Restaurants | 11,350 | • Smoke free restaurants |
Boston Climate Information
The weather in Boston is extremely varied with vast temperature swings often occurring over the course of only a few days. Summers are typically hot and humid, filled with sunshine and temperatures averaging around 82° during the warmest months. On the other hand, winters are bitter cold with heavy wind, rain and snow. Boston receives about 42 inches of snow a year, most of which is the result of north-easterly storms. With such drastic changes in the weather, it is important to select the best time to visit the city. Late spring or early autumn are ideal times to explore Boston as temperatures are pleasant and nature is at its finest.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec High -°F | 72 | 70 | 85 | 94 | 95 | 100 | 102 | 102 | 100 | 90 | 83 | 73 |
| Avg High -°F | 36 | 38 | 45 | 56 | 67 | 77 | 82 | 80 | 73 | 63 | 52 | 41 |
| Avg Low -°F | 22 | 23 | 31 | 40 | 50 | 59 | 65 | 64 | 57 | 47 | 38 | 27 |
| Rec Low -°F | -12 | -4 | 1 | 16 | 34 | 45 | 50 | 47 | 37 | 28 | 15 | -7 |
| Rainfall - in. | 3.8 | 3.5 | 4 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 4.4 | 4.2 |
