December Overview
- High temperature: 42°F (6°C)
- Low temperature: 28°F (-2°C)
- Hours daylight/sun: 5 hours
- Water temperature: 9°F (0°C)
Visiting Boston in December will make you feel really Christmassy. There are 9 inches (33cm) of snowfall on average and temperatures hobble around the freezing point. The sun shines for 5 hours per day on average and the Atlantic Ocean water measures 47°F (8°C).
Winter is a great time to explore Boston on a bus tour- you will stay nice and warm and get a great overview of the city. A must for anyone into America’s history is the Boston Tea Party Re-enactment. You might also enjoy one of the fantastic theatre shows. Check out the Timeout guide on what to do for Christmas in Boston.
Best Time to Visit Boston
The best time to visit Boston is probably between May and October. You can expect highs in the 70s°F (20s°C). Summers are busier and more expensive but the lovely and warm weather will make your explorations of this great city even more enjoyable.
Early fall still offers great sightseeing conditions and is less crowded. Winters are very cold and snowy. It is the best time to visit if you are after some winter-snow-fun. But make sure to pack warmclothes and boots with temperatures hovering around the freezing point.
Things to know about Boston
If you still think of Boston as this very old fashioned place full of people with cylinder hats and snobbish students, you really must go and see for yourself that things have changed. Nowadays you will find a modern, happy and colorful city which still has a lot of history to offer too. Below you find a guide taking you through the historic Boston as well as its modern twists.
Beacon Hill to Chinatown
- North of the Public Garden you will find probably the most beautiful district of Boston, Beacon Hill. Walking along old cobblestone pavements you will be passing some stunning old mansions. You will find many little shops, delicatessen counters, old pubs and quirky restaurants. A little hidden in the West Street you will find one of the oldest book resale shops: The Bratte Book Shop. If you are a fan of comedy sitcoms you must check out the ‘Cheers Bar’ which inspired the producers of this fantastic show!
- Boston’s Chinatown is relatively small and not hugely inviting. However, if you are nearby and would like to eat a lot of great cheap food you must come to one of the restaurants. Highly recommended is the Kaze Shabu (1 Harrison Avenue).
Faneuil Hall to Harvard
- The Faneuil Hall Marketplace is one of the most important historic sights in Boston’s old town. It consists of different market halls. The oldest hall, the Faneuil Market dates back to 1742. Here you will find any souvenir you can possibly think of. The Quincy Market Hall dates back to 1826 and is host to all sorts of delicious food stands. In between the market halls you will find countless restaurants, pubs and coffee shops and you will be entertained by many street artists.
- The Freedom Trail is a tour through historic Boston following the traces of the american revolution. The trail is around 2.5 miles long and takes you past 16 attractions including historic houses and churches. It will take you past the ‘Paul Revere House’ and the ‘Old State House’ (find more details below) as well as the Old North Church, Old South Meeting House and the Old City Hall. Most of the sights can be visited for free. If you feel like it, you can also book a guided tour where historians explain all the details along the trail.
- In the middle of the centre of town in between all the skyscrapers you will find the Granary Burying Ground. The oldest graves date back to 1660. Reading the grave inscription you will find names such as Paul Revere, Peter Faneuil as well as Benjamin Franklin’s parents.
- Bordering Boston, in the small town of Cambridge, you will find the oldest university in the United States- Harvard. Harvard was founded in 1636 by English colonists. The list of famous alumni is endless- Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Mark Zuckerberg,... The campus is located just on the other side of the Charles River, just 15 minutes by car from Boston’s town centre. It is a great experience walking along the perfectly mowed lawns in between the old university buildings thinking of all the famous people who studied here.
‘Little Eataly’ to Paul Revere House
- ‘Little Eataly’ is an indoor market on the first floor of the Prudential Center shopping mall. You will find absolutely everything regarding Italian cuisine here. From Italian wine-tasting to a restaurant where chefs will prepare your special order directly in front of you- it’s definitely worth a stop!
- The Old South Church is located in the center of town on Copley Square. It was erected in 1884 in the neo-gothic style. You can visit the richly decorated church during the day and if you are lucky you will even be able to listen in on an organ concert.
- The Old State House is one of the oldest and most important public offices in the United States and the birthplace of the American Revolution. The old brick building dates back to 1713 and was where the ‘Boston Massacre’ happened in 1770. From its east balcony, the Declaration of Independence was read in 1776. Today it hosts a great museum.
- Next on the list is another famous building dating back to the American Revolution - Paul Revere’s house. His professions were blacksmith and book printer but he became famous as one of the horsemen during the legendary ‘Midnight Ride’. It was when they were riding from Boston to Concord to warn citizens that ‘The British are coming’.
Public Garden to Trinity Church
- The botanical gardens aka ‘Public Garden’ and the public park of ‘Boston Common’ together form a green laguna in the center of Boston. Boston Common opened in 1634 and is the oldest park in the United States. The Public Garden opened in 1859 as the oldest Botanical Garden in the United States. It’s the perfect place to relax and recharge after a long sightseeing tour!
- After Washington’s and New York’s public libraries, Boston’s is the third largest in the United States and holds around 23 million books as well as other media. For many, Boston’s library is also the most beautiful with its stunning wall and ceiling frescos. Most impressive is the ‘Bates Hall’ on the second floor. Very beautiful is also the courtyard with its fountain and flower beets. In the library’s café you can enjoy an original English ‘High Tea’.
- Some time ago in our history classes, we all learned about when the ‘Tea Party’ in 1773 at the beginning of the American Revolution threw the whole load of a British ship’s tea overboard as they were fed up with the tariff regulations of the British colonial rulers. At the very same place you will find a reconstruction of the ship today which also hosts an interactive museum that is of particular interest to children. After the museum visit, you should treat yourself to a cup of the famous English Tea at Abigail’s Tea Room - the museum café.
- The last Boston travel tip here takes us to another church- the Trinity Church. The church was designed by the famous American architect Henry Hobson Richardson and built in 1877. He combined the Roman style with other diverse styles which he encountered during his travels through Europe. It’s a great piece of architecture!
