scoutmedicken

My wife and I are interested in a 3-5 day getaway and have tickets that fly into Boston. We'd like to fit in a dayhike, some sightseeing, and shopping. Nightlife is ok, but not necessary. We'd prefer not to stay in Boston proper, but the outskirts would be ok. Keeping thing on a budget, any recommendations?

yk

With such a short time, I'd suggest you stay IN Boston. Staying in outskirts will make it difficult for you to commute into and out of the city. Are you thinking of renting a car? Please DON'T. You DO NOT need nor want a car IN Boston, as parking is expensive and limited, and you'll spend most of your time stuck in traffic OR lost.

There aren't any real mountains in the Boston area for hiking, with the exception of Blue Hills. You can reach Blue Hills by public transport: http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/metroboston/blue.htm

For cheaper hotels in Boston, look into:
Hampton Inn in Cambridge
Holiday Inn Express and suites on Friends Street
John Jeffries Guest House
Park Plaza Hotel
Hotel 140 on Clarendon
Harborside Inn
Constitution Inn
Kendall Hotel

When in October will you be here? If you come during the last week of the month, you may find hotels more affordable. There are lots of parents weekends during October, and mid-Oct is Columbus weekend which is peak time for foliage, and 3rd weekend of October is Head of the Charles Regatta. All this means that demand for hotel rooms is high and rates won't be low.

Ackislander

Good advice.

If you like to hike, the Boston Harbor Islands are a National Something or other, and they are desperate to encourage people to go there. The ferry rides are fun, and except for poison ivy, there isn't much not to like.

When I lived in Boston, I hiked, snowshoed, or XC skiied every foot of every trail in the Blue Hills. The views are great and the trails can be surprisingly challenging but getting there by public transportation can be challenging.

Cyanna

Take a look at the "Cheapest area to stay near Boston" to get some pertinent comments about staying "outside Boston proper." It really doesn't get you much, unless you particularly want to see outside-of-Boston sights (and only them), such as Lexington/Concord, Walden Pond, Wayside Inn or - yeah - the Blue Hills are great, but unless that's your main destination, staying in the suburbs doesn't make sense.

The Boston area goes fairly quickly from walkable urban to green-lawn suburban; there aren't many areas that "skirt" Boston but still have hotels, cafes, shopping, etc. If by "outskirts" you mean areas like Brookline or Watertown, you will find hotel pickings slim. If you mean Cambridge, you might as well stay in Boston.

Cyanna

If you mean Cambridge, you might as well stay in Boston." Actually it's fine to stay in Cambridge - I usually do - but what I meant was that it's often not all that different from staying in Boston "proper" in terms of expense and accessibility.

yk

The Harbor Islands is a good idea - I was just there 2 weeks ago. There are trails on both Georges Island and Spectacle Island, and you get a great view of Boston skyline as well as the outer harbor from both islands.

HOWEVER, the ferry to the Harbor Islands is seasonal. I looked at their current schedule and it's only valid until Spet 6. From the FAQ section, it says the ferry service goes through October. So, double check the schedule before you plan this to make sure the ferries are still operational when you come.

scoutmedicken

Thanks for the replies. My wife and I typically avoid overly-crowded areas as we come from areas with more livestock than people. However, we are active people and enjoy taking in the sites and sounds of new places.

Our trip may get moved to the first week of November. If so, would Salem be good for a daytrip?

Clothing. Coming from South Texas, cool weather clothing consists of jeans and a long sleeve shirt. What clothing is best for this time of year?