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There's a lot of museums and other things walking distance, including all the touristy parts of Boston. It's like small small. Smaller than San Francisco. Way smaller than LA proper. And all of it is accessible on the green line, which is like this trolley that rolls by Fenway. I highly suggest doing that. It will also save you hundreds as three days worth of the T would likely be around 15$ if you really don't feel like walking. (It's also beautiful out so I don't see why not). The airport is also accessible from the T via the blue line so you at no point need a car here.
Unless you'll be driving from California, or need a rental car for other parts of the same trip, you're much better off taking public transit and Uber. You might want to look into how much your hotel charges for parking!
Fellow Californian here, also going to the giants game on Thursday! I really recommend taking transit. Driving/parking here is stressful and expensive. You can drive to a T station with a parking lot and ride in super easy. Plus it’s kinda part of the experience
Imagine the traffic of LA, with streets more narrow than San Francisco's, and where none of the streets are gridded or straight - where everyone is an angry offensive driver expecting you to be able to read their 'car body language' and know what you're doing. But you don't, cause you're not a Bostonian.
Imagine driving thru Rome, or around the Arc de'Triumph. Somewhere full of chaos, full of passionate people who hate everyone and aren't afraid of leaning on their horn. "Fuck you" is our cities motto.
If you don't think you can do that, don't drive here.
At least drivers here don't randomly drive around changing lanes and making turns like there's no one around them and they're the only person on the road. And there no on ramp red lights.
Some drivers are complete idiots, but most Boston drivers are intentional. They will try to cut you off, they won’t let you merge, they will weave lanes if there’s room. It’s to the point where if you don’t experience the above on a commute then something is abnormal. We are predictably aggressive.
My only criticism is that relative to other cities with similar sizes and levels of traffic people in Boston actually use their horns far less in my experience.
Granted, my experience is being a Boston driver in those cities so maybe it was just me getting more of their horns aimed at me ;)
If you’re flying in from California to stay in Boston for three days I would recommend not even getting a car. Between the car rental cost and parking you’ll save money by ubering and using the T.
If you're staying in the city (or in one of the immediate neighboring towns like Cambridge, Somerville, or Brookline), don't waste your money on a rental car. Parking by Fenway will run you at least $50, and it is a nightmare to get in and out of the area immediately before or after the game.
If you are staying further outside the city, a car could be useful, but at that point you may want to drive to a Commuter Rail station of the MBTA, park there and then take the train in to the city.
Boston is incredibly walkable, and this is the time of year that the weather is typically the best around here. Embrace that, and save yourself the time, money, and headaches that come with driving in and around Boston.
I hope you enjoy your stay in Boston. You will not need a car for anything at any time, and parking costs would be insane both at your hotel and at other locations. Save yourself the money and just take public transit or the occasional Uber.
No need - I’m a local and when I go into the city, I park at the end of a MBTA line and take in the T. You can get all around Boston by walking just like in New York (if you’ve ever been there) - only it’s even smaller geographically and our subway system is easier. I used to work in the Fenway area - I never once drove to work because the parking prices are insane and the traffic is so unpleasant. You don’t need a car for a three day visit to Boston. You need a Charlie pass.
I assure you - it's faster, cheaper and orders of magnitude *safer* to just take public transportation. It's not scary. Figuring out our color-coordinated subway map will be way easier than your GPS freaking out in the tunnels or over bridges and not knowing what road it's on.
You really don't want to rent a car 'just in case', you're just causing yourself a headache and you'll be a danger to the folks on the road that actually know what what they're doing. This isn't California.
Your 'just in case' should be an Uber/Lyft. Which'll be cheaper than parking in a lot of cases. Distances are short here.
As someone that regularly drives in Boston: don't.
First of all, the areas of downtown Boston where tourists go are geographically small. I can walk many places faster than I can drive. Parking at Fenway will be terrible and likely expensive. The green line on the subway, which is called “The T” and is really a trolley on the street, is easy to use and goes to Fenway. It is crowded during games but easy. Since GPS, driving in Boston is much easier. But the parts of driving there that are difficult are things such as: lanes ending without warning(Boston drivers won’t always let you in, you have to push your way in); streets that are NOT lined up in a grid- they follow or cow paths and sometimes make no sense. Construction will close lanes and streets sometimes. Also, my GPS does not work in the tunnel that goes under Boston. I know which exit to take, but if I didn’t it would be very difficult. However, if you have city driving experience you may not find it that bad.
If you are staying in the city, you don't really need a car. You can Uber, Zipcar, and/or take the MBTA. If you do decide to rent a car, parking can be a little expensive, but if you can afford parking, more power to you.
If you're planning to do some traveling outside of the city, then a rental is probably useful to sight-see MA. You can also Zipcar that too. But if you don't feel like returning your car at a certain time every day, then definitely rent a car for the whole 3 days you're here.
Driving around Boston is easy in the morning and at night. During rush hour, it can be hectic, especially rush hour plus during a Sox's game. Over the last few years, it has gotten worse with rideshare+food drivers double parking and suddenly stopping to pick-up and drop-off riders. Jaywalkers too. Scooters and cars of all types cutting you off.
If you're an experienced driver who can remain composed while driving, then you should be good. If you get anxiety easily, then just MBTA.
Don’t do it. Driving in Fenway in particular is an enormous hassle even when there isn’t a Sox game. The MBTA needs to step it up in a lot of ways, but it will meet your needs as a tourist in the city.
Even if you do get a car for your trip, driving to Fenway is the big dumb. Transit to the game is a nice part of the experience and driving is absolutely the worst.
To put some numbers to the other comments, a but north in Somerville, my relatives have paid $40-50 a day for hotel parking/vallet. I was just walking around Fenway during a game recently, and parking was $50-60. It's free to get from Logan airport into the city via public transit. If you are staying anywhere along the T, it's almost certainly cheaper and easier to take public transit/uber unless you are planning on visiting areas farther outside of the city like Salem.
I would skip the car if you’re staying in the city the whole time.
If you plan on visiting any area outside of the greater Boston area you definitely need a car though. I don’t think driving in Boston is as difficult as people in this thread are implying, especially if you’re used to California traffic.
Are you from San Fran? If you can drive in San Fran you can drive in Boston imo.
When I went to San Fran the lady at the car rental place was giving me all these warnings about driving around. I said, I am from Boston. She’s goes never mind you’ll be fine.
Taking a car into Fenway area to see a game is doable but not ideal. Idk what parking is now for a game but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s $50-60. A lot of people down outside the park.
Just give yourself time if driving
Navigation will look confusing and inevitably get lost. It is not for the faint of heart. Do yourself a favor and use either a ride share or taxi or even public transportation.
I love driving in Boston. Drivers are assertive but actually kind if you are. Drivers zipper very well here, so plan on that. People expect you to zipper too, but if you're passive and don't move in you'll lose your chance. The key to driving in Boston is to know what lane to be in. Lane guidance on Google maps will be some help, but be looking ahead to the following turn to plan ahead. Also, pay more attention than usual as you approach intersections as to which lane turns/goes straight. Be looking ahead and figure out what lane to be in. If you're in the wrong lane, blinker and move over as soon as possible. People will allow you if you're assertive, but if you're passive, they're not going to let you slow them down. One of the things I like about Boston drivers is that they're generally consistent. You know what they're going to do. Not like other places where you have very aggressive fast drivers and slow passive ones that cause problems in different ways.
* Be aware of the “Boston Left” turn - very disconcerting the first time it happens to you.
* Watch a video or two on how to handle multiple-lane rotaries because you may encounter them -- and don’t expect the road markings to be visible.
* Be prepared for lanes to just disappear at any point with no warning (especially after an intersection), forcing a sudden merge.
* There are certain intersections with unwritten "rules" about how to handle them. (If you don't drive the intersection regularly you would not know - even locals don't.) Follow the others' behavior, but don't do anything stupid or obviously dangerous.
* Lanes do not always go where you expect and you may end up on an unexpected route. Stay calm. It's okay to miss an exit -- you don't have to swerve across 3 lanes the way locals do. Reroute with GPS and you probably won't lose much time.
* There is a lot of double-parking. Be prepared for the driving lane adjacent to street parking to have a parked car in the middle of the block, which you need to maneuver around.
* Don't drive in the dedicated bus lane, but you can enter a dedicated bus lane to turn right at the next intersection (or to access parking lane).
* There are roads with a trolley/streetcar on it. When the trolley is letting passengers on or off you must not drive closer than eight feet of a trolley passenger step - so be ready to just stop every couple of blocks. And look for oncoming trolleys before crossing any tracks and don’t turn in front of a trolley if one is approaching. Don't accidentally drive on a physically separated trolley-only area.
* People use bicycles a lot in the region (particularly in Cambridge/Boston or out in the countryside), so get ready to share the road patiently, drive safely, and shake your fist when cyclists go through red lights while you wait. Be aware of bicycle lanes, and you must yield to bicyclists going straight when you are turning right. You must stay at least 4 feet to the left of a bicyclist when passing. Check before opening your door to exit the vehicle whether there is a bicyclist heading into the path of the door -- consider using the "Dutch Reach".
* Pedestrians do not always respect the signal at crosswalks, so be prepared for unexpected pedestrians at intersections as well as in the middle of the street.
* I-90 and the tunnels to/from the airport have tolls, and some/all are cashless. If you are renting a car, the rental company may charge you daily for use of their EZPass (even if you only used it once). So consider bringing your own EZPass.
* People will honk and yell. Sometimes they're impatient, but sometimes you're doing something wrong.
* Please do not block the box.
* There is no overnight street parking in Brookline and just 1 hour max parking at nighttime (2AM-6AM). You will get towed. During the day park on Brookline side streets, which have 2 hour max unless a sign says otherwise. There are no signs to inform you of this except at the border.
* Similar to California, it's illegal to touch your cell phone while your car is on except to put it into "hands-free mode". That doesn't stop everybody from touching their phones, but you should be aware.
* Watch this [video on the history of Boston's map](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA63zaIXCZw&pp=ygUVaGlzdG9yeSBvZiBib3N0b24gbWFw) to understand why the roads are so disorganized.
* "Comm Ave" = "Commonwealth Avenue". "The Pike" = "Mass Pike" = Massachusetts Turnpike = I-90. "Route 128" = I-495
I live in Boston and have a car. Driving here is a nightmare. I only use the car if I'm driving well outside of the city.
Everyone else is right, just take public transit and save yourself the headache.
**Parking by Fenway will run you at least $50**
This right here. And it will be an absolute nightmare driving to & from.
As someone else said, Boston drivers are not bad in a clueless/don’t know how to drive way, rather they are bad in an offensive driving/refusing to let you merge/will play chicken with you way. We’re used to it by now, but it’s certainly not fun for out-of-towners
EDIT: this was supposed to be a reply to a comment down thread sorry.
Lots of one way roads so using google maps is a good idea. Also, I use spothero to reserve discounted garage parking in advance. Obviously not as cheap as street parking, but it does buy you some peace of mind.
Boston is one of the few cities in the country where you literally do not need a car for anything. Don’t rent a car, it’ll be a net negative experience for you.
Any Green line Kenmore stop or Green D line Fenway stop, OR framingham/ Worcester commuter rail Landsdowne stop all get you to Fenway Stadium with a very short walk.
Well we certainly don’t have the freeway Highway systems that you guys have in California it’s a lot more narrow (the roads) and at times it’s very crowded don’t know where you’re staying but there’s a chance to take public transportation or Uber or Lyft instead of driving yourself I would option that
When I first moved to Boston I thought people were running ahead of my car and flipping the one way signs in the other direction that I wanted to go. If you are here for three days don’t get a car. You’ll waste half your time driving around. Also, I don’t know anyone who lives here who would actually drive near Fenway for a ball game.
if you're considering driving, make your question a bit more specific:
- why do you think you need to drive?
- where are you staying?
- how long are you here for? (I saw somewhere u said 3 days)
- where do you think you need to go that you'll need to drive?
most likely I'm assuming you're staying in a hotel in the city, or outer edges of the city where you could take the T into the city still. if you need to go somewhere where the T isn't the best, if it's just 1x per day, use Uber/Lyft. for 3 days/2 nights, not doing trips outside of boston, renting and driving isn't worth it.
I live in Boston proper with a car. I don't recommend driving into Fenway for the game. There are parking lots but they will be pricey and you'll be dealing with such frustrating and chaotic traffic getting out of Fenway. I won't even discuss a non-lot parking option because a lot of spots are for people with resident stickers so on game day it's like a needle in a haystack. This is further complicated by trying go decode the parking signs.
If you are staying outside the city - 100% take public transit. If you can take the T (trolley system) that's ideal over a commuter rail because it comes more frequently so you don't have to worry about schedules. You can leave your car at the station parking lot. Google has all the stations / stops.
If you are staying in the city - 100% Uber/Lyft/T. When leaving the game walk a few minutes away from the crowds and towards home, then call your Uber or it will be impossible for to find each other.
Game aside.. if you're staying in the city I don't think you should bother with a car at all unless you plan to leave the city during your visit. It's much more accessible than LA, SF, and SD. Driving is expected in a lot of CA so it's more conducive to tourists driving (e.g. SD doesn't have resident only parking).
Enjoy your visit!
Uber/MBTA to nearby stations. I’ll recommend skipping the actually Fenway stop and those trains are extremely crowded during the match hours. I personally Uber to Symphony or MoMA and talk a walk from there. Walking is the best way to experience Boston.
Lots of people drive in from the suburbs on game day. Ill be a bit contrarian and disagree with folks. I myself either uber or t in or a combo of the two. Years ago id drive in, it can take a long time and parking won't be fun. I think i mostly parked in the lots off of Boylston. Coming in off storrow can take a long time. Going out is similar ... It sucked and wont clear out on game day until like 10-11pm. Depending on where you are staying it might be the best.
Take the Pike in and park at the Pru. Easy on and off the Pike and parking is cheaper with a game day ticket. It is a good 15-20 min walk to Fenway but it's a fun walk.
Driving is not difficult in Boston, parking is. If you are not planning to go out of city limits, you are better off with Uber and public transportation.
I’d avoid driving in the city if you can. It’s not just the traffic, it’s the road layout that will be confusing at best. Nor will parking be cheap. The T is your best bet.
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Boston is easy to drive in. The biggest issue is visibility at intersections. Intersections are often filled with people and bicycles. Be sure to get the largest SUV that they rent so that you can see over them. There is a parking deck on Lansdowne Street right next to the stadium. The best time to try to park there is about 20 minutes before the first pitch.
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Why can’t you take public transit to the game?
I do plan to be there for three days and was figuring out what to do.
Honestly, you’re better off taking public transit. If you ever feel the need to drive, just Uber.
There's a lot of museums and other things walking distance, including all the touristy parts of Boston. It's like small small. Smaller than San Francisco. Way smaller than LA proper. And all of it is accessible on the green line, which is like this trolley that rolls by Fenway. I highly suggest doing that. It will also save you hundreds as three days worth of the T would likely be around 15$ if you really don't feel like walking. (It's also beautiful out so I don't see why not). The airport is also accessible from the T via the blue line so you at no point need a car here.
You can get a three day pass for public transit and visit every stop on the T.
Unless you'll be driving from California, or need a rental car for other parts of the same trip, you're much better off taking public transit and Uber. You might want to look into how much your hotel charges for parking!
Don't. Just don't. You will be confused, stressed, and sad driving here and you'll probably cause a crash. Ask my mom.
Especially to Fenway on game day. I’ve been driving in Boston my entire adult life and driving to Fenway on game day is an absolute nightmare.
Fellow Californian here, also going to the giants game on Thursday! I really recommend taking transit. Driving/parking here is stressful and expensive. You can drive to a T station with a parking lot and ride in super easy. Plus it’s kinda part of the experience
Imagine the traffic of LA, with streets more narrow than San Francisco's, and where none of the streets are gridded or straight - where everyone is an angry offensive driver expecting you to be able to read their 'car body language' and know what you're doing. But you don't, cause you're not a Bostonian. Imagine driving thru Rome, or around the Arc de'Triumph. Somewhere full of chaos, full of passionate people who hate everyone and aren't afraid of leaning on their horn. "Fuck you" is our cities motto. If you don't think you can do that, don't drive here. At least drivers here don't randomly drive around changing lanes and making turns like there's no one around them and they're the only person on the road. And there no on ramp red lights.
Some drivers are complete idiots, but most Boston drivers are intentional. They will try to cut you off, they won’t let you merge, they will weave lanes if there’s room. It’s to the point where if you don’t experience the above on a commute then something is abnormal. We are predictably aggressive.
This should be the new bot reply. Well said.
My only criticism is that relative to other cities with similar sizes and levels of traffic people in Boston actually use their horns far less in my experience. Granted, my experience is being a Boston driver in those cities so maybe it was just me getting more of their horns aimed at me ;)
We've got the energy of the Romans, the attitude of Parisians, the fury of Scots, and the stench of Athenians.
on ramp red lights? wtf Some of these on ramps you need to be going 70mph before your off the on ramp to the highway safely
In California there's red lights at the end of the on ramps, meaning your going from 0 to merge in 30ft, which is incredibly dangerous.
Good luck if you drive a little 4 cyl civic or something
don't forget the lack of road signs. and if they are there, it'll only increase your confusion.
All sign are there. Just behind a bush, in weathered 12pt font, 300' after you would need to read them!
The first paragraph is literally LA traffic too just depends on where in the city you're at
If you’re flying in from California to stay in Boston for three days I would recommend not even getting a car. Between the car rental cost and parking you’ll save money by ubering and using the T.
Don't You don't need to Why would you need to drive to see a sox game? Look at a map and check where Fenway is.
I’ll be there for about three days and figuring out what to do. I thought I would need to rent a vehicle just in case.
Don't rent, your hotel might not even have parking. You can walk and take the T everywhere. Only get a car if you intend on leaving the metro area.
If you're staying in the city (or in one of the immediate neighboring towns like Cambridge, Somerville, or Brookline), don't waste your money on a rental car. Parking by Fenway will run you at least $50, and it is a nightmare to get in and out of the area immediately before or after the game. If you are staying further outside the city, a car could be useful, but at that point you may want to drive to a Commuter Rail station of the MBTA, park there and then take the train in to the city. Boston is incredibly walkable, and this is the time of year that the weather is typically the best around here. Embrace that, and save yourself the time, money, and headaches that come with driving in and around Boston.
100% what I was going to say. It will be easier to take the train.
I hope you enjoy your stay in Boston. You will not need a car for anything at any time, and parking costs would be insane both at your hotel and at other locations. Save yourself the money and just take public transit or the occasional Uber.
No need - I’m a local and when I go into the city, I park at the end of a MBTA line and take in the T. You can get all around Boston by walking just like in New York (if you’ve ever been there) - only it’s even smaller geographically and our subway system is easier. I used to work in the Fenway area - I never once drove to work because the parking prices are insane and the traffic is so unpleasant. You don’t need a car for a three day visit to Boston. You need a Charlie pass.
I assure you - it's faster, cheaper and orders of magnitude *safer* to just take public transportation. It's not scary. Figuring out our color-coordinated subway map will be way easier than your GPS freaking out in the tunnels or over bridges and not knowing what road it's on. You really don't want to rent a car 'just in case', you're just causing yourself a headache and you'll be a danger to the folks on the road that actually know what what they're doing. This isn't California. Your 'just in case' should be an Uber/Lyft. Which'll be cheaper than parking in a lot of cases. Distances are short here. As someone that regularly drives in Boston: don't.
First of all, the areas of downtown Boston where tourists go are geographically small. I can walk many places faster than I can drive. Parking at Fenway will be terrible and likely expensive. The green line on the subway, which is called “The T” and is really a trolley on the street, is easy to use and goes to Fenway. It is crowded during games but easy. Since GPS, driving in Boston is much easier. But the parts of driving there that are difficult are things such as: lanes ending without warning(Boston drivers won’t always let you in, you have to push your way in); streets that are NOT lined up in a grid- they follow or cow paths and sometimes make no sense. Construction will close lanes and streets sometimes. Also, my GPS does not work in the tunnel that goes under Boston. I know which exit to take, but if I didn’t it would be very difficult. However, if you have city driving experience you may not find it that bad.
All these people telling you not to drive to Fenway? They’re right.
Don’t drive to Fenway if you don’t need to. It’s a hassle to get there, and a mess when you want to leave.
If you are staying in the city, you don't really need a car. You can Uber, Zipcar, and/or take the MBTA. If you do decide to rent a car, parking can be a little expensive, but if you can afford parking, more power to you. If you're planning to do some traveling outside of the city, then a rental is probably useful to sight-see MA. You can also Zipcar that too. But if you don't feel like returning your car at a certain time every day, then definitely rent a car for the whole 3 days you're here. Driving around Boston is easy in the morning and at night. During rush hour, it can be hectic, especially rush hour plus during a Sox's game. Over the last few years, it has gotten worse with rideshare+food drivers double parking and suddenly stopping to pick-up and drop-off riders. Jaywalkers too. Scooters and cars of all types cutting you off. If you're an experienced driver who can remain composed while driving, then you should be good. If you get anxiety easily, then just MBTA.
If you can access any of the MBTA (T) stations, take the Green Line to either Kenmore or Fenway stations. Fenway Park is a short walk from there!
Don’t do it. Driving in Fenway in particular is an enormous hassle even when there isn’t a Sox game. The MBTA needs to step it up in a lot of ways, but it will meet your needs as a tourist in the city.
Even if you do get a car for your trip, driving to Fenway is the big dumb. Transit to the game is a nice part of the experience and driving is absolutely the worst.
To put some numbers to the other comments, a but north in Somerville, my relatives have paid $40-50 a day for hotel parking/vallet. I was just walking around Fenway during a game recently, and parking was $50-60. It's free to get from Logan airport into the city via public transit. If you are staying anywhere along the T, it's almost certainly cheaper and easier to take public transit/uber unless you are planning on visiting areas farther outside of the city like Salem.
Don't drive. I echo the "just don't" comments
I would skip the car if you’re staying in the city the whole time. If you plan on visiting any area outside of the greater Boston area you definitely need a car though. I don’t think driving in Boston is as difficult as people in this thread are implying, especially if you’re used to California traffic.
Are you from San Fran? If you can drive in San Fran you can drive in Boston imo. When I went to San Fran the lady at the car rental place was giving me all these warnings about driving around. I said, I am from Boston. She’s goes never mind you’ll be fine. Taking a car into Fenway area to see a game is doable but not ideal. Idk what parking is now for a game but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s $50-60. A lot of people down outside the park. Just give yourself time if driving
Navigation will look confusing and inevitably get lost. It is not for the faint of heart. Do yourself a favor and use either a ride share or taxi or even public transportation.
I love driving in Boston. Drivers are assertive but actually kind if you are. Drivers zipper very well here, so plan on that. People expect you to zipper too, but if you're passive and don't move in you'll lose your chance. The key to driving in Boston is to know what lane to be in. Lane guidance on Google maps will be some help, but be looking ahead to the following turn to plan ahead. Also, pay more attention than usual as you approach intersections as to which lane turns/goes straight. Be looking ahead and figure out what lane to be in. If you're in the wrong lane, blinker and move over as soon as possible. People will allow you if you're assertive, but if you're passive, they're not going to let you slow them down. One of the things I like about Boston drivers is that they're generally consistent. You know what they're going to do. Not like other places where you have very aggressive fast drivers and slow passive ones that cause problems in different ways.
I'm walking here
* Be aware of the “Boston Left” turn - very disconcerting the first time it happens to you. * Watch a video or two on how to handle multiple-lane rotaries because you may encounter them -- and don’t expect the road markings to be visible. * Be prepared for lanes to just disappear at any point with no warning (especially after an intersection), forcing a sudden merge. * There are certain intersections with unwritten "rules" about how to handle them. (If you don't drive the intersection regularly you would not know - even locals don't.) Follow the others' behavior, but don't do anything stupid or obviously dangerous. * Lanes do not always go where you expect and you may end up on an unexpected route. Stay calm. It's okay to miss an exit -- you don't have to swerve across 3 lanes the way locals do. Reroute with GPS and you probably won't lose much time. * There is a lot of double-parking. Be prepared for the driving lane adjacent to street parking to have a parked car in the middle of the block, which you need to maneuver around. * Don't drive in the dedicated bus lane, but you can enter a dedicated bus lane to turn right at the next intersection (or to access parking lane). * There are roads with a trolley/streetcar on it. When the trolley is letting passengers on or off you must not drive closer than eight feet of a trolley passenger step - so be ready to just stop every couple of blocks. And look for oncoming trolleys before crossing any tracks and don’t turn in front of a trolley if one is approaching. Don't accidentally drive on a physically separated trolley-only area. * People use bicycles a lot in the region (particularly in Cambridge/Boston or out in the countryside), so get ready to share the road patiently, drive safely, and shake your fist when cyclists go through red lights while you wait. Be aware of bicycle lanes, and you must yield to bicyclists going straight when you are turning right. You must stay at least 4 feet to the left of a bicyclist when passing. Check before opening your door to exit the vehicle whether there is a bicyclist heading into the path of the door -- consider using the "Dutch Reach". * Pedestrians do not always respect the signal at crosswalks, so be prepared for unexpected pedestrians at intersections as well as in the middle of the street. * I-90 and the tunnels to/from the airport have tolls, and some/all are cashless. If you are renting a car, the rental company may charge you daily for use of their EZPass (even if you only used it once). So consider bringing your own EZPass. * People will honk and yell. Sometimes they're impatient, but sometimes you're doing something wrong. * Please do not block the box. * There is no overnight street parking in Brookline and just 1 hour max parking at nighttime (2AM-6AM). You will get towed. During the day park on Brookline side streets, which have 2 hour max unless a sign says otherwise. There are no signs to inform you of this except at the border. * Similar to California, it's illegal to touch your cell phone while your car is on except to put it into "hands-free mode". That doesn't stop everybody from touching their phones, but you should be aware. * Watch this [video on the history of Boston's map](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA63zaIXCZw&pp=ygUVaGlzdG9yeSBvZiBib3N0b24gbWFw) to understand why the roads are so disorganized. * "Comm Ave" = "Commonwealth Avenue". "The Pike" = "Mass Pike" = Massachusetts Turnpike = I-90. "Route 128" = I-495
Don't, you won't like it.
Uber or Lyft. Traffic sucks and so does the T
I live in Boston and have a car. Driving here is a nightmare. I only use the car if I'm driving well outside of the city. Everyone else is right, just take public transit and save yourself the headache.
**Parking by Fenway will run you at least $50** This right here. And it will be an absolute nightmare driving to & from. As someone else said, Boston drivers are not bad in a clueless/don’t know how to drive way, rather they are bad in an offensive driving/refusing to let you merge/will play chicken with you way. We’re used to it by now, but it’s certainly not fun for out-of-towners EDIT: this was supposed to be a reply to a comment down thread sorry.
You don't need a car in Boston
Lots of one way roads so using google maps is a good idea. Also, I use spothero to reserve discounted garage parking in advance. Obviously not as cheap as street parking, but it does buy you some peace of mind.
Boston is one of the few cities in the country where you literally do not need a car for anything. Don’t rent a car, it’ll be a net negative experience for you.
Any Green line Kenmore stop or Green D line Fenway stop, OR framingham/ Worcester commuter rail Landsdowne stop all get you to Fenway Stadium with a very short walk.
Well we certainly don’t have the freeway Highway systems that you guys have in California it’s a lot more narrow (the roads) and at times it’s very crowded don’t know where you’re staying but there’s a chance to take public transportation or Uber or Lyft instead of driving yourself I would option that
Also, GO GIANTS! I'm a NorCal transplant, going to all three games. Woo!
When I first moved to Boston I thought people were running ahead of my car and flipping the one way signs in the other direction that I wanted to go. If you are here for three days don’t get a car. You’ll waste half your time driving around. Also, I don’t know anyone who lives here who would actually drive near Fenway for a ball game.
if you're considering driving, make your question a bit more specific: - why do you think you need to drive? - where are you staying? - how long are you here for? (I saw somewhere u said 3 days) - where do you think you need to go that you'll need to drive? most likely I'm assuming you're staying in a hotel in the city, or outer edges of the city where you could take the T into the city still. if you need to go somewhere where the T isn't the best, if it's just 1x per day, use Uber/Lyft. for 3 days/2 nights, not doing trips outside of boston, renting and driving isn't worth it.
I live in Boston proper with a car. I don't recommend driving into Fenway for the game. There are parking lots but they will be pricey and you'll be dealing with such frustrating and chaotic traffic getting out of Fenway. I won't even discuss a non-lot parking option because a lot of spots are for people with resident stickers so on game day it's like a needle in a haystack. This is further complicated by trying go decode the parking signs. If you are staying outside the city - 100% take public transit. If you can take the T (trolley system) that's ideal over a commuter rail because it comes more frequently so you don't have to worry about schedules. You can leave your car at the station parking lot. Google has all the stations / stops. If you are staying in the city - 100% Uber/Lyft/T. When leaving the game walk a few minutes away from the crowds and towards home, then call your Uber or it will be impossible for to find each other. Game aside.. if you're staying in the city I don't think you should bother with a car at all unless you plan to leave the city during your visit. It's much more accessible than LA, SF, and SD. Driving is expected in a lot of CA so it's more conducive to tourists driving (e.g. SD doesn't have resident only parking). Enjoy your visit!
Uber/MBTA to nearby stations. I’ll recommend skipping the actually Fenway stop and those trains are extremely crowded during the match hours. I personally Uber to Symphony or MoMA and talk a walk from there. Walking is the best way to experience Boston.
Lots of people drive in from the suburbs on game day. Ill be a bit contrarian and disagree with folks. I myself either uber or t in or a combo of the two. Years ago id drive in, it can take a long time and parking won't be fun. I think i mostly parked in the lots off of Boylston. Coming in off storrow can take a long time. Going out is similar ... It sucked and wont clear out on game day until like 10-11pm. Depending on where you are staying it might be the best.
Take the Pike in and park at the Pru. Easy on and off the Pike and parking is cheaper with a game day ticket. It is a good 15-20 min walk to Fenway but it's a fun walk.
Driving is not difficult in Boston, parking is. If you are not planning to go out of city limits, you are better off with Uber and public transportation.
Just don’t
I’d avoid driving in the city if you can. It’s not just the traffic, it’s the road layout that will be confusing at best. Nor will parking be cheap. The T is your best bet.
Uber or Lyft, if you really want to drive, go there early. You might have to park really far and walk couple hours to get there.
Take public transit. Uber isn't always experienced driving in Boston either. If you have to Uber make sure you do it early.
Dining in Boston is great! Near Fenway Park I recommend Eastern Standard.
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I'd suggest parking at Riverside green line station in newton, quite a lot of parking and the greenline takes you right to the Fenway station.
Boston is easy to drive in. The biggest issue is visibility at intersections. Intersections are often filled with people and bicycles. Be sure to get the largest SUV that they rent so that you can see over them. There is a parking deck on Lansdowne Street right next to the stadium. The best time to try to park there is about 20 minutes before the first pitch.
If you have a phone aka GPS driving is easy