Boston Neighborhoods

The Fenway / Symphony area is home to one of the widest varieties of culture and activity that you can find in Boston. This neighborhood consists of the area bound by Massachusetts Ave. to the east, the Mass Pike to the north, Huntington Ave. to the south and Louis Prang St. to the west. If you are looking for culture you can enjoy both the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, or a take in the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall. For education, you will find Northeastern University, Berklee College, New England Conservatory, Boston Conservatory, Wentworth Institute, Simmons College, Emmanuel, The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, and Mass. College of Art. You can visit our schools page to learn more about each individual university.

If you would like to spend some time outdoors, why not go to the Back Bay Fens. The Back Bay Fens is a part of Boston’s Emerald Necklace, a park system designed by Frederick Law Olmstead (also known for designing New York City’s Central Park). The Fens is a great place to go for a walk, sunbathe, or play any number of sports. You can also walk through Victory Gardens, where residents raise vegetables and flowers.

In the spring, summer, and hopefully the fall, Boston’s greatest fans converge on historic Fenway Park to watch their favorite team, the Boston Red Sox. The businesses in this area maintain excellent restaurants, bars, clubs, movie theaters and shopping year round. Within walking distance or a quick ride on the T, you will find yourself on Newbury Street, Boston’s best locale for upscale and moderately priced boutique shopping, hair salons and spas, restaurants and bars. If you are looking for some of Boston’s hottest nightlife, head to Lansdowne Street, located directly behind Fenway Park’s “Green Monster”. Lansdowne Street consists of Boston’s greatest concentration of nightclubs, with enough variety of music to suit any taste.

Ample public transportation in this area can be found on the along Huntington Ave. (E Train of the Green Line, or the #39 Bus), or at the Hynes Convention Center and Kenmore stations (B, C or D Trains of the Green Line) and Fenway Station (D Train of the Green Line), and Bus #55 serving West Fenway. Other access can also be found at the Mass. Ave and Ruggles Stops of the Orange Line T and the #1 Bus servicing Mass. Ave.

For maps and more details on Public Transportation in the Fenway/Symphony area, please visit MBTA.com.

This sub-section is also considered a part of Boston’s “Fenway”. Kenmore Square, the heart of this neighborhood, is the meeting point of three of Boston’s main throughways, Commonwealth Avenue, Beacon Street and Brookline Avenue. With this convergence comes a lively atmosphere of shops, restaurants, hotels and bars. Within walking distance or a quick ride on the T, you will find yourself on Newbury Street, Boston’s best locale for upscale and moderately priced boutique shopping, hair salons and spas, restaurants and bars.

Residents of this neighborhood have great access to the Charles River Reservation, a 17-mile linear park with endless recreational activities. It is here that you can walk, jog, roller blade or bike along the Charles River. If you prefer water sports you can try canoeing or sailing. Some great events in the Charles River Reservation include the 4th of July fireworks with the Boston Pops, the Head of the Charles (the world’s largest two day rowing event), and a number of free concerts and movies in the summer at the Boston Hatch Shell.

Public transportation gives area residents access to both downtown and Boston’s western suburbs. The B and C sections of the Green Line run underneath Kenmore square, carrying people from downtown to Brookline, Allston, Brighton and Newton. The Kenmore Square Bus Station services passengers to all points in the Boston area.

For information on public transportation in the Kenmore area, please visit MBTA.com.

In the South End, America’s largest landmark district, you will find beautiful Victorian brick buildings, fine dining and numerous art galleries. A renovation process began in the 1960’s and has resulted in an abundance of Victorian style buildings with modern amenities.

People from all over the Boston metro area come to the South End for its award winning fine dining. On the South End’s three main streets, Columbus, Tremont and Washington there is an abundance of restaurants, ranging from moderate to expensive in price. Cuisine styles circle the globe, including french, Italian, greek, thai, vietnamese, Ethiopian, and southern continental. In the summer months, many of these restaurants have outdoor seating, ideal for relaxed dining and people watching. For after dinner, the South End has a number of chic bars for martinis and fine wines.

Art and culture thrives in the South End.

Take a walk down the South End’s main and side streets to peruse its many art galleries. In the late summer is the South End Open Studios. During this time you can either walk from building to building or ride a shuttle bus to view the works of over 250 artists. At the corner of Clarendon and Tremont you can enjoy both the Boston Ballet and the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts. The Boston Ballet is one of the country’s largest and best-equipped dance studios. Its current performers are among the best in the world. There are a number of performances each season. The Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts is the site of exhibitions, performances and community events.

For information on public transportation in the South End, please visit MBTA.com.

Boston’s Back Bay is a hub of activity with residences, shops, bars, restaurants and hotels. This neighborhood is bounded by the Charles River to the north, the Boston Common to the East, Huntington Ave and the Christian Science Center to the South and Massachusetts Ave to the west.

One of the Back Bay’s most popular areas is Newbury Street. Newbury Street, which runs from the Boston Common to Massachusetts Avenue, is filled with boutique stores, art galleries, upscale hair salons, and fine dining (including seasonal sidewalk cafes). For more affordable dining and shopping head to the western end of Newbury Street. One block to the south of Newbury is the Prudential Center / Copley Square Mall. One of two malls in Boston proper, the Prudential Center / Copley Square Mall houses over 75 stores and restaurants, including three department stores and a movie theater.

Copley Square, located at the corner of Boylston and Dartmouth Streets, is a meeting place for people of all ages. Great for sunbathing and people watching in the summer, it is also a central location for Boston’s First Night ceremonies. Surrounding Copley are 19th century Trinity Church, the Hancock Tower (designed by I. M. Pei), and the Boston Public Library. The Boston Public Library was built in 1848 and was the first publicly supported municipal library. In addition to its massive collection of literature and reference, the BPL has an art gallery, two restaurants and hosts a number of free programs year-round.

Public transportation in the Back Bay can be found in almost every direction. The Green Line runs down Boylston Street from the Hynes Convention Center Station through Park Street on the Common. You can also pick up the E train near the Prudential Center. Bus service runs out of Copley Square to all corners of Boston and the suburbs. Other access can be found at Back Bay station (bus, T and commuter rail). For information on public transportation in the Back Bay area, please visit MBTA.com.

The Mission Hill neighborhood combines affordable housing with great views and close proximity to downtown Boston. This architectural landmark district was once dominated by its namesake the Mission Church. Today, the neighborhood is full of free-standing houses, traditional brick row houses and three floored apartment buildings. This area is popular among students and professionals who are looking to find affordable housing. While not located directly amongst the neighboring colleges and hospitals, Mission Hill is close enough for convenient access via public transportation.

For information on public transportation in Mission Hill, please visit MBTA.com.

The Longwood Medical Area is one of the most prestigious medical, research and educational centers in the country. Local institutions include Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital, Simmons College and Harvard Medical School, among MANY others. This area is very popular among students of the local colleges as well as employees of the local hospitals.

For information on public transportation in the Longwood area, please visit MBTA.com.