About Boston

Founded in 1630, Boston is one of the oldest and most picturesque cities in America and, arguably, the best college town in the country.

An International Hub

As an international center for education, technology, finance, architecture, and medicine, Boston maintains its reputation as a world-class city. Boston’s numerous historic attractions, vibrant ethnic neighborhoods, upscale shops and restaurants, and proximity to beaches, mountains, and lakes make it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. While nearly 4 million people live in the metropolitan area, Boston itself is a relatively small, manageable, and “walkable” city.

Learn more about Boston's cultural diversity, attractions, and accommodations and transportation.

Cultural Diversity

From downtown to nearby ethnic neighborhoods, Boston is rich in cultural diversity. You hear it in the voices and the music, taste it in the food, and feel it in the festivals and celebrations. Boston’s multicultural events add to the vitality of neighborhood life and create an environment in which all members of the community can thrive.
 

The Boston Common, right across from the Emerson College campus

Boston Attractions

Some of Boston’s noted attractions include:

Uniquely Boston

• Boston Common—Emerson’s “front lawn”
• Boston Duck Tours
• The Massachusetts State House—located directly across from the Emerson campus on Boston Common
• The Freedom Trail
• USS Constitution

Dining

Use the Boston Globe’s online restaurant guide to search for the cuisine you crave.

For great Italian food, try one of the many restaurants in the North End.

Museums

• Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
• Institute for Contemporary Art
• JFK Presidential Library & Museum
• Museum of Fine Arts
• Museum of Science
• New England Aquarium

Shopping

• Downtown Crossing
• Faneuil Hall
• Newbury Street

Emerson students window shop on Boston’s Newbury Street.

Sports

• Fenway Park—home to the Boston Red Sox
• Boston Bruins
• Boston Celtics
• New England Patriots

Theatre/Arts

• ArtsBoston—Greater Boston’s guide to arts and culture events
• Broadway in Boston
• Boston Globe’s Theater & Arts section

Boston Accommodations & Transportation

Accommodations

• The online Hotel Guide Network is a helpful resource for locating Boston-area hotels.

News and Information

• Boston.com—Home to The Boston Globe
• Boston Herald
• City of Boston Online

Transportation

• Directions to Emerson College
• Boston Logan Airport
• Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA)—subway, bus, train, and ferry information