doug_stallings

If you absolutely cannot afford Manhattan, then a hotel in Long Island City Queens is a superior location to the Meadowlands area because it's on a NYC subway line (no extra fare) and very close to Manhattan, and cheap by NYC standards (almost always under $200 per night). In the Meadowlands, it is indeed a relatively short bus ride if you are lucky and don't get stuck in traffic, but the commuter buses are geared to the needs of commuters, not tourists (you'd need to check to see how frequently there is weekend service, for instance). The trains there are very expensive relative to the bus costs.

I also don't recommend staying outside of Manhattan unless you can't afford anything else.

I think being from LA, you're probably used to driving, and a 30-minute drive seems like nothing. In NYC, Boston, and Washington, there is a huge disadvantage to staying in the suburbs. It's possible in all three cities, but it makes no sense. But all three places can be very expensive (especially NYC and Boston), with seemingly crazy hotel rates at times.

But NEVER stay at an airport hotel in any of these places. But realize you're coming in the high season for all three, and costs are going to be high. Stay America hotels in all of these are not going to be good for you since they are not in tourist locations.

You can definitely take BoltBus, but you have to board on the street, and that can be a bewildering process. It's easier and more comfortable to take the train and (for me) worth the extra expense. Boarding in NYC is a mess, however, so keep that in mind. In the other cities not so much. You can definitely see a lot in 2 weeks, however. If it were me, I'd fly into Boston and make my way south, return to LA from DC. Just be aware that most of the LA flights may leave from Dulles, which is not so close to DC. It's sometimes more convenient to fly out of Baltimore for DC. I don't think you'll find a huge difference in costs for an open-jaw flight. That's kind of a myth. One-way tickets aren't really that much more expensive than round-trips these days.

tenthumbs

Not only will knowing your budget be helpful in giving you recommendations, it's also helpful to know your priorities. Which is more important to you~saving money or saving time? Also, as has been mentioned upthread, sometimes just because you can get a "good" rate on a hotel in a suburb, you may end up spending that savings on transportation to get to Manhattan or Boston proper..............plus the extra time to get there.

Keep in mind that "cheapest" and "most convenient" are often mutually exclusive. For DC, Reagan is hands down most convenient, but it's often more expensive that flying into Dulles or Baltimore.

fun01960

Waltham is also a bad idea. According to Google maps, to get to Boston via public transportation would entail a 45 minute walk to a bus stop, 29 minutes on the #70 bus to a red line subway station, 12 minutes to transfer to the train and 6 minutes on the train.

There is commuter rail to Boston, but that is more expensive and I am not sure how you would get there. The Hotel location is geared towards travellers with a car.

Boston lodging in very expensive in October. It is a popular stop on foliage tours, a good time for conventions (thanks to the good weather) and mid-month You have the head of the Charles Regatta. It is a huge rowing race on the Charles River. It is Oct 18-19. It attracts lots of people who fill hotels... and this year is the 50th anniversary ... I Don't know if the anniversary will impact attendance or not. In any case, if you need to keep lodging costs down, avoid that weekend.

Www.lastminutetravel.com is good in Boston. It is easy to identify many hotels from photos. Also, sometimes on a tablet or using the mobile site on a phone (not the phone app) it "messes up" and shows the names of the "secret hotels". Be sure the hotel status is "available". If it is "on request", you may not get it. Cancellation policies vary, but most can be cancelled with little or no penalty as long as it is more than 48 hours before arrival. The only thing you need to know is they charge your card when you book ... and refund if you cancel.

If you post the dates you plan to be in Boston, how many people are traveling, the number of beds you need and preferred budget, you may get some specific suggestions.

Happy Planning!