We are coming to Boston from Central New York for 3 nights in August(Sun-Wed).We are looking for a hotel near the Boston T or would it be easier to drive in and then back out for 2 days(Monday and Tuesday).We would like to go the the Science center,Quincy markets,aquarium and whale watching.Thanks

It would never be easier to drive in and out.

To aid your search for info here and elsewhere, some clarifications for your destinations.
Boston T = MBTA (website is mbta.com)
Science Center = Museum of Science
Quincy Market - is in Faneuil Hall area and is on part of Freedom Trail, something you should include in your itinerary
Aquarium = New England Aquarium

By hotel near the T, make sure how close it is. Ideally stay in downtown/back bay/copley area, but I know that that is very pricey

While it is always easier to stay in the city , you can stay outside of the city for less and take public transportation in (the T).

Your options are get a hotel in the city, pay for parking while you do not use your car (averages 28 per day, although someone recently on here listed a discount thru their hotel and was paying 8 or 10 less than that, but that is unusual I think) -

Or, pay less for a hotel outside of the city, and have to take the T in and out, probably averaging 30 minutes each way at the least and not having to pay to leave your car in the parking lots suburban hotels have.

If you put into the search bar here things like
"boston hotels" and "lodging, boston, ma" and "parking, boston, ma" you will see lots of threads on this with some goo dinfo.

escargot - you are starting to take typing lessons from me - "goo dinfo" - I really like that.

gail
since everyone already makes fun of our Bahston accent, why not typing skills too !!
goo dnight

Thanks for the help..I'm still searching and searching and searching..

If you want to stay in the city, look at the Radisson, it gets good reviews for the room, view, location and in August a friend just booked it for 200 a night, - don't know your price range - but you can also check on the web, the hotel web sites - for Westin Copley Place, Sheraton- just remember to add to the hotel cost, the cost of parking your car for that time period.

If you want to stay a 30 minute T ride out of the city, look at hotels in Braintree, MA or Rockland, MA - you can then drive the 10 minutes to the T, park and take the T into town - there are T stops at all the places you want to visit. (look on that web site Gail gave you - mbta.com)

YOu coudl go in one day and do the aquarium and whale watch and the second day the Museum and Faneuil Hall - if that is all you are interested in- easily in two day trips

Since where only planning two days of activities.Would it be easier to come to Boston on the weekend then during the week.More crowds,more parking(weekends) or less crowds,less parking).Planning for end of August and the Redsox's are not in town..

Thanks escargot...I've been searching all the major websites for hotels..But most of the hotels seem to be north or south..We are coming from New York via I-90E(mass turnpike).I'm trying to get a hotel farther west of the city and then driving to a MBTA parking lot or shuttle.I believe the green line is the closest to the Mass Turnpike..

This time every year travelers wanting to come to Boston start asking for suggestions of convenient, inexpensive and nice hotel. Unfortunately, those 3 things do not exist together in Boston - you have to compromise on at least one.

Do a search here using terms such as Boston lodging and Boston budget. Others have made suggestions, and since I live here, I have not stayed in many of the hotels.

August is one of the lightest traffic times in Boston - but it is still insane. However, end of August college students start returning and it gets zoo-y again. On-street parking is never easy and unless you get extremely lucky if you drive in you will end up paying for parking.

Syrnytravel sorry I'm jumping in on your thread.
I'm arriving in Boston this weekend for two night. Rate quote from Marriott residence inn boston harbor tudor wharf $189.00 a night including breakfast. Looking just to walk around and explore the city. Is this a good location?

I've seen reviews of Sheraton Newton that look good, and I believe they have a shuttle either into the city or at least to the T. Weekends definitely best.

Tudor Wharf is in Charlestown neighborhood of Boston - and it is about 1/2 mile from downtown. While I can not place in my mind the exact location of this hotel (it is fairly new), it might be a good compromise between being right in tourist/sightseeing area and out in the boondocks.

The Marriott in Newton often has good weekend deals including free parking, and has free shuttle to the T. Check on the hours...though driving and parking at the T station is possible as well.

The Residence Inn in Charlestown is a good location. If the weather is nice you can walk to the North End and Faneuil Hall. The big drawback is that it's not near a T stop.

As I was doing research on Boston Hotels so was DH. He found the Clarendon Square Inn on West Brookline. The reviews I've read on trip advisor were very good. Has anyone stayed there and how is the location?

The Clarendon Sq Inn is in the South End, which is lovely. Another poster was going to stay there so maybe they'll do a trip report. From the photos on the web, it looks pretty nice.

Here is that link I think Wyatt is referring to about the Clarendon Inn - which might give you some more info on it.
Also often mentioned is the Newbury Street Guest House and the College Club of Boston -

nice if I included the link

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...1&tid=34919963

I think the location of the Residence Inn in Charlestown is great and we love Charlestown (lived there for 7 years before kids).

Another thought is to stay at the Quincy Marriott which is very close to the Quincy/Adams T stop. Personally, I think the Red Line is much quicker than the Green...but others may know better. A ride into South Station from Q/A on the T would take about 30 minutes. Bet it's much longer on the Green line from Newton as that line runs above ground.