I will be in the Boston area this year during the Marathon and would like to see some of it. Any advice on the best areas to go to see it? I think I read that it finishes in the Copley Square area, how bad are the crowds there?

The official word is that they're expecting a million spectators. About half of them will be in Copley Square. You can find lots of info, including a link to a course map, at thie site:

http://www.bostonmarathon.org/Boston...thMarathon.asp

The crowds will be enormous throughout the whole Marathon route, but even larger closer to the finish line in Copley Square. However, there will be big screen tvs in that area. You might want to go out to Heartbreak Hill in Newton -- that's one of the most exciting places to watch the Marathon from. If you don't have hotel reservations yet, then you might want to stay at the Marriott in Newton or the Days Inn in Newton (which is at a T-stop).

Don't bother to go to the beginning of the route in Hopkinton unless you are planning on getting up at the crack of dawn. Besides, the streets will be blocked to traffic.

You might also consider anywhere on Route 135 in Framingham or Natick. Park on the north side of Route 126 so you can get out to Route 9 and the Mass. Pike. Downtown Wellesley will also be crowded.

Locate a relative in the area and hope they know where to go.

Fran, I live in Framingham, about a mile from the Marathon route. This is at about the 7 mile marker. If you'd like directions to Framingham, feel free to email me. The commuter rail stop in Framingham is also along the Marathon route.

Also, you can also take the commuter rail from either South Station or Back Bay into Wellesley, and see part of the Marathon from there.

Crowds are bad in Coply, but not that bad. ANd it makes the whole thing more exciting. If you walk a couple of blocks down to Kenmore the crowds thin out amazingly. I'd really recommend wathcing it in Back Bay.

I live in Boston and head off to the Marathon every year. The crowds stink but the finish line is still the best place to be, to enjoy the excitement of it all (I have watched it from BC and from Kenmore and it's just not the same). Get there early, eat lunch on Newbury street and deal with the crowds!! There is a great band at Dick's Last Resort from 12-5:30 that we stop by to see after an hour or so at the finish line.

Just got back from this year's marathon. My husband ran last year and this year, and both times I took the T to Newton Hospital (Woodland stop on the green line) - there's a large, friendly crowd there, and you can get a good view of the runners. As soon as my husband ran by, I hopped back on the T to downtown, where I caught him nearing the finish line. It's a blast - if you didn't do it this year, hope you can in 2003! If you go downtown for the finish, just be prepared to walk a lot, as many streets are blocked off even to pedestrians, and you must go blocks and blocks out of your way to get anywhere.