Traveling Around Boston Can Be Tricky for a First Timer

Having never been to Boston Massachusetts (MA), it seemed like a great time to venture into the unknown for the first time. A world traveler I am not, but a North American traveler I am. I have personally visited major cities across the USA and Canada over the years on both business and pleasure trips but one city I never had an opportunity to enjoy was Boston. The Boston Red Sox and Fenway park became my excuse to spend a weekend in the Boston area. Today's best bet for hotel reservations are the do-it-yourself websites, of course. Select your arrival and departure dates and simply browse through the available choices. It's then as easy as bringing out the old credit card and reserving a room.

Hotels in the area of Fenway Park were high priced which leads a value traveler to look outside the general area of the field and simply commute to the game. Would we drive to the game and find parking, take a taxi, or ride the subway? The choice was ours but the hotel staff made it perfectly clear that driving to Fenway and scavenging for parking was not a good idea. They also weren't impressing on us that a cab was the way to go either. Traffic in downtown Boston is unpleasant and a cab fare could get costly if you find yourself bumper to bumper with thousands of other motorists trying to navigate their way through city streets. That leaves the subway system, called the "T", as the most recommended form of transportation around the city. Hotel staffers were adamant in recommending the cheap public transportation as the most cost effective and quickest route to our destination.

The Boston subway was no more dirty or scary than any other train system we had ever ridden including New York City and Chicago but at times it was a bit confusing. Buying tickets to ride the "T" was simple... that is, right after we received assistance from a security guard at the station. initially I couldn't figure the self-service ticket dispenser out, but watching the security guard breeze through made the process seem simple and even as if it were designed for a child. Once on board, the trains are colored to ease transfers if required and everything seemed under control. This was fine until we boarded a train that stopped one station ahead of our destination. An announcement over the sound system declared that all passengers must exit the train. Standing at the map in the station totally perplexed, a polite Boston native offered assistance without even requesting it. The advice proved priceless because the next train came along as expected and we finished our tour underneath Boston successfully.

The traffic in the city is just one reason driving your car through the city streets unpleasant. The Charles River cuts the city into sections and of course none of them are rectangular shaped for simplicity. The odd twists and turns of the roads and highways make it a prime location for first-time driver confusion. The age of the city, which also is one of its strong points from a tourism standpoint, is partly to blame for the unusual layout of roads. Our country's forefathers apparently weren't overly concerned with the chore of maneuvering motor vehicles through downtown Boston.

I would gladly bet a Fenway Frank and a cold beer that the city's tricky streets and elaborate subway system aren't so bad once you've taken some time to become a little more familiar with the local environment. We can't forget the friendly Bostonians who are also eager to help answer questions and point first-time travelers in the right direction as well.