Best Time to Visit Boston

Your ultimate guide to Beantown

Steeped in lore and architecture dating from before the Revolutionary War, Boston is a history buff's dream vacation. Retrace the footsteps of Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Paul Revere and other notables on the city's Freedom Trail. You might even meet meet characters playing them along the way. Know the best time to go to make the most of your experience. Tourist crowds, weather and hotel costs can all factor into choosing the best time for you.

Independence Day insights

Although Boston sees the most visitors during July, this isn't the best time to visit the city. Sure, you'll enjoy listening to the Boston Pops on the Esplanade on the Fourth of July and watching fireworks over the Charles River. But you'll be elbow-to-elbow with other tourists on the Freedom Trail in humidity levels that can make temps in the low- to mid-80s feel uncomfortable.

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Best time to visit

Wait until after the first week in August, and you'll see temperature, humidity and crowd levels drop to more comfortable levels. As families head home to get the kids ready for the school year, hotel prices take a slight dip. Free concerts and movies at the historic Hatch Shell are still in full swing during August, and you'll enjoy a wide range of weekend festivals through the end of the month.

Best time for fall foliage

Summer tourist season isn't when you'll pay the highest premiums on hotel rooms. Fall foliage peaks in mid-October, and you'll discover hotel prices peaking right along with it. The display starts as early as September. You'll save a little money and have fewer crowds to deal with by doing your leaf peeping in late September.

Best time to save money

Heading to Boston between November and March will save you significant money on your hotel bill. Rates decline in November and stay low until weather warms up in April. You'll see the last of autumn foliage in early November. December brings free festivities such as ice skating at Kendall Square right across the river in Cambridge and the Santa Speedo run. Avoid the harshest winter months if you don't like snow: January and February snowstorms can bring as much as a foot of snow.