is it feasible to do a couple days in boston without a car... just mass transit ? i know its not like nyc, but its just my wife & i & i'd sure love to save on a rent car... thanks...

A car in Boston is a major nuisance. There is no place to park it and much of the driving is "your can't get there from here" - lots of one-way streets without the NYC rid pattern. You are mch better off using feet and public transit.

what ny says. Totally feasible, and recommended.

You definitely don't want a car in Boston. It's a small city. Get a hotel near a T station and you'll be fine. If the T doesn't go somewhere, cabs are quite reasonable.

thanks so much... that really helps a lot... i never knew about these forums, what a great idea...
again, thanks !!!!!

Just got back from a three day trip to Boston. My first time there and only traveled on the T.
I bought the seven day card at the airport and used way more than the fifteen dollars worth.
Trains were frequent and comfortable and take you close to important sights.

logandog, exactly where at the airport did you buy the T pass?

There are TWO different T lines that serve Logan airport.

If you are taking the BLUE line, you take a free airport shuttle from the terminal to the BLUE line AIRPORT station. At the Airport station, there are machines where you can buy the 7-day T pass (or any other types of tickets).

If you are taking the SILVER line, the line stops at every terminal at the airport. At each terminal, walk towards the far end of the terminal where the SILVER line stop is. Right inside the terminal building adjacent to the stop, are T ticket machine where you can purchase your Tpass or any T ride tickets.

There are Charlie Card Fare Vending machines at all the terminals. Then you're all set to jump on the silver line outside all terminals or take a shuttle to the blue line

http://www.mbta.com/fares_and_passes/passes/

Ive looked at the website for the T & it is very confusing. Is the 7 day pass (the one I want) the same as a Charlie Card?

I took the shuttle bus to the Blue Line Airport Station.
There are several machines as you approach the gates to the trains.
I chose the 7-Day pass, scanned my credit card as was on my way.
I was able to use this pass on the Charlestown Ferry as well.

smcgown: no, the 7-day pass and the Charlie Card are two different things. The 7-day pass give you unlimited access to subway & bus. The Charlie Card is a stored-value card -- you add $20 to the card, and you get $20 worth of rides on subway/bus.

Boston screams to be explored on foot. I took a wonderful walk today, starting at the corner of Commonwealth and Clarendon: down the Commonwealth Avenue mall (a tree-line pedestrian path in the center of a major street), through the Public Gardens and a corner of the Common to Spruce St on the Hill, then over to Louisburg Square and back down the hill to Charles Street, back through the Public Gardens to Marlborough Street, and back to Clarendon. Took about 1-1/2 hours with stops for coffee, people-watching, etc.

Yeah we use MBTA quite a bit now having moved from Middlewest. A bus from near our apartment is 15 minutes to Harvard Square and then Red line into Boston and transfer wherever. We do drive as needed but parking and traffic truly a problem.

Thanks logandog for the clarification on the pass. Your directions were perfect. We will do exactly as you did including the ferry to Charlestown. Don Topaz, your walk sounds wonderful! I will make a note of your route. We have a centrally located hotel so we can do lots of great walks. I grew up in Newton but that was so long ago that I wont recognize any streets! We are going to do the Fenway Park tour....I will remember that!!! We are looking forward to seeing the BMFA and the Gardner and will use the T for those. You Fodorites are wonderful! Thanks