Museums
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
@clurtravels
Student tickets - $13!! Book your tickets in advance to save time and save your spot. This museum also have tons of nice photo spots.
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Institute of Contemporary Art
@clurtravels
$15 student tickets, but the ICA also has FREE Thursday nights! Reserve your spots in advance online. You'll also get great views of the Boston Seaport from inside the museum.
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Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
@clurtravels
Free admission for many MA colleges! The largest art museum in the greater Boston area.
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Museum of Science
@clurtravels
no general student ticket pricing, but some universities in the area might have a special deal with them for free or discounted tickets. nice spot for when kids come to visit.
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Most museums in Boston have generous student pricing for all the colleges in the area. If you're a student, your specific college might offer even more discounted or completely free tickets.
Boston Public Library - Central Library
@clurtravels
not necessarily a museum, but well worth a visit for the beautiful architecture. The modern side of the library is also a fantastic place to check out library books and work.
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Where to Find Events
Berklee College of Music
@clurtravels
The Berklee College of Music has an ongoing calendar of events, many of them free. I've been to a flamenco concert at their performance center just off of Massachusetts Ave.
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American Repertory Theater
@clurtravels
On Harvard campus, the A.R.T. hosts shows, theater, music, and all of the above. Students with ID and visitors under the age of 25 may be eligible for discounts here.
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Other schools and campuses will have their own events too, including fairs, performances, and talks, and many events may be open to the public.
I only listed a couple of places I know to have events that are on the cheaper side, lots of times targeted to students in the area. Of course, there are a plethora of concert venues, theater shows (theatre district is downtown, near the Common), and classical music (especially at the Boston Symphony Orchestra).
Of course, one can't talk about Boston without talking about Boston sports!
The Boston Celtics (Basketball) and the Boston Bruins (hockey) play at...
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Hockey and basketball typically run between October and April. The seasons will go longer depending on how well the teams do and if they advance in the playoffs.
The New England Patriots (football) play at...
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Football season is in the fall, and playoffs go until early February.
The Boston Red Sox (baseball) play at...
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The Food Scene
A subset of the restaurants and cafes I frequented as a student.
Yume Wo Katare
@clurtravels
Some of the best ramen you'll get in Boston / Cambridge. This is kind of an interactive meal, where they'll go around to each person and ask you what your dream is and yell out "Perfect" if you finish your entire bowl of noodles. Also check out Yume Ga Arukara in the same neighborhood for udon.
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Flour Bakery + Cafe
@clurtravels
A local chain serving sandwiches, pastries, and coffee. A neighborhood classic, and always my first stop when I return to town. Try their ginger lemon scones and seasonal specials.
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Mike's Pastry
@clurtravels
A classic stop for cannoli's and other specialties. Take them to go and eat them by the waterfront in the North End. Another recommendation for cannoli's is Bova's Bakery, which is in the same neighborhood.
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Felipe's Taqueria
@clurtravels
Classic stop for students in Harvard Square for Mexican food.
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Toscanini's Ice Cream
@clurtravels
One of the staple stops for ice cream in Cambridge. Try their B^3 flavor - brownie, brown sugar, brown butter. It's a lot of flavor and sugar to pack into a flavor, but it is so so good.
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Amorino Boston
@clurtravels
Stop for gelato on Newbury St (yes, even if it's cold outside!)
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The Friendly Toast
@clurtravels
Classic brunch spot in Boston / Cambridge. Prepare for hefty portions - as a student, I used to love getting a brunch + leftovers for the price of one meal.
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J.P. Licks
@clurtravels
Another classic ice cream spot that originated in Boston! They also happen to be especially allergen-friendly, which is helpful for me :)
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Outdoors
During the pandemic, it was nearly impossible to spend any meaningful time with people indoors, so I rediscovered the many, many outdoors attractions that Boston / Cambridge has to offer.
Pro tip: Greater Boston is super easy to bike around using the Bluebike system. Students can often enjoy heavily discounted annual memberships through their schools. You can bike all the way from the Arboretum down near Jamaica Plain up to the North End, if you wanted to!
Boston Common
@clurtravels
kinda like the central park of boston. check out various monuments and art pieces throughout the park.
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Charles River Esplanade
@clurtravels
if you're looking for a nice stroll (or run) - its a 5 mile loop around the longfellow bridge all the way to the B.U. bridge, and then back around the other side.
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Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park
@clurtravels
best spot on the benches to look out at the water. if you pick up food in the north end, think about making the short walk over to this park for a grassy picnic
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Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
@clurtravels
a little bit farther out, but well worth it for the seasonal varieties of trees and flowers. great way to get out of the city while still ~in the city.
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Charles River Canoe and Kayak: Cambridge, Kendall Square
@clurtravels
one fun thing to do is to go kayak on the Charles River! Note that there's a good chance you'll get wet, so don't wear nice clothes out onto the river :)
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Revere Beach
@clurtravels
as students, this was our go-to beach during the summer because it was accessible by train. In the summers, there's a very large sand castle building competition.
There's also Carson beach which is south of Boston, which is also quite nice.
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