Hello Fodors friends! I'm doing a day trip to Boston on a Wednesday and I need help and advise. My bus arrives at 445am from NYC via MegaBus. The next trip would be at 6:30am which gets me to Boston at 11:30 am already so I scatched that.

Where do I go to kill time until the stores open? Is it safe to be walking around the bus depot at that hour? Is there a 24 hour cafe nearby?

Thanks for all your help!

http://southstreetdiner.com/index.php

Very near the bus station. Decent diner food. The area is safe enough, I'd say, but that is super early...

My suggestion too, but I couldn't remember its name since it stopped being the Blue Diner many years ago. Right across from the bus station, lots of characters but safe.

Once it is light, you can take the T to Cambridge, Beacon Hill, or the Back Bay and walk around sightseeing. With regular time back, it should be light around 6:15 or so. Plenty of commuters about.

I would not walk along the Charles before daylight, but you can get a great sunrise over the harbor from Rowe's Wharf, not far from South Station.

Most museums etc should be up and running by 10.

I wish I had your energy!