The Charles River Campus, which stretches from Packard\u2019s Corner to Kenmore Square, is almost two miles long. But beyond the University\u2019s borders, you\u2019ll find a diverse collection of neighborhoods, from student enclaves to quiet historic districts to vibrant cultural centers, each with its own flavor to sample and explore.<\/p>\n
(in alphabetical order)<\/em><\/p>\n Known as \u201cAllston Rock City,\u201d this Boston neighborhood is closest to the Charles River Campus and caters to a large student population. Not surprisingly, it has perhaps the city\u2019s highest concentration of music venues, hip cafes, and thrift shops. Many immigrants hailing from places like Russia, Eastern Europe, East and South Asia, and South America, particularly Brazil and Colombia, also call Allston home. The racial breakdown of the neighborhood, according to the US Census Bureau, is 62.8% white, 21.3% Asian, 12.7% Latinx, 6.2% Black or African American, 4% two or more races, and 0.3 % Native Americans\/Hawaiians. We wouldn\u2019t describe the place as quiet (especially Thursday\u2013Saturday nights), but its proximity to campus, more affordable rents, abundant bus and MBTA (T) stops, and amenities like the Shaw\u2019s and Super 88 Hong Kong supermarkets make Allston highly livable.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n This residential neighborhood is located just west of the Charles River Campus, and with the B branch of the MBTA\u2019s green line trolley snaking through the southern reaches of the neighborhood, the area is popular for commuters. According to the 2010 census, the population was 78% white, 12% Asian American, 3.5% Black or African American, and nearly 7% Latinx. Brighton is home to many Boston University and Boston College students, young professionals, and families, and offers a variety of pubs and restaurants, and the treelined Washington Street is packed with bakeries and cafes. Access to some of the world\u2019s greatest art is close by too. Boston College runs a small but excellent museum, the McMullen Museum of Art<\/a>, on the Brighton campus. It includes works by American artists John La Farge, William Trost Richards, Frank Stella, and Jackson Pollock, and has staged special exhibitions of work by artists such as Edvard Munch, Roberto Matta, Paul Klee, and Carrie Mae Weems. Admission is free and the museum is open to the public.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n One of the area\u2019s pricier neighborhoods, Brookline is attractive to families for its beautiful parks, charming community feel, gorgeous real estate, and access to the Brookline school system. The Village is centered around the town\u2019s civic center, but the neighborhood also includes a number of popular restaurants.<\/p>\n As of the 2010 census, the racial makeup of the town was 73.3% white, 3.4% Black or African American, 0.12% Native American, 15.6% Asian, 5% Latinx, and almost 5% from other or multiple races. The student body at Brookline High School<\/a> hails from more than 76 countries and, according to the Massachusetts Department of Education, approximately 30% of students come from homes where English is the second language spoken. Many students attend Brookline High from surrounding neighborhoods in Boston such as Mission Hill and Mattapan through the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO<\/a>) system.<\/p>\n Dating back to 1705, Brookline Village includes two houses that were stops on the Underground Railroad during the 19th century and the birthplace of John F. Kennedy in the 20th. There is no on-street, overnight parking available in Brookline, but the neighborhood offers easy access to public transportation, enabling most residents to live car-free.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n Part of Brookline, bustling Coolidge Corner and its surrounding residential environs are an easy, tree-lined walk from West Campus. The area is home to a beloved art deco movie theater, an excellent indie bookshop, and is the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, who lived in the neighborhood until he was six (the house is preserved, with tours run by the National Park service). The neighborhood has a significant Jewish population, including many one-time residents of the former USSR. Large synagogues are located on both Beacon and Harvard Streets. The northern portion of Harvard Street, near the border with the Boston neighborhood of Allston, is characterized by a cluster of Jewish-oriented shops, including a bookstore, gift shop, kosher butcher, and various other stores and eateries. The neighborhood may be the go-to destination for Jewish delis, but tacos, falafel, and Italian cuisine are all well represented too. Coolidge Corner is an easy T ride to many Boston city hotspots.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n The neighborhood stretching from the commercial hub of Kenmore Square to the lush, green Back Bay Fens has undergone a flurry of development in the past decade. Luxury condos top glossy new restaurants and storefronts along Boylston Street, but affordable studios in the area\u2019s plentiful townhouses are just as abundant. Fenway Park is an obvious attraction, but the neighborhood is also home to the House of Blues, and a whole host of tried-and-true local restaurants.<\/p>\n The racial makeup of the neighborhood, according to the 2010 census, is 71% white, 14% Asian, 8% Latinx, 7% Black or African American, 7% from other or multiple races. A little more than 21% of the population was foreign born.<\/p>\n Prior to the 1960s, Kenmore Square was part of Boston\u2019s Auto Mile, famous for more than 100 automobile dealerships. The 1970s ushered in a new era, when scenesters from all over the region thronged to the infamous Rathskeller, a punk-rock venue that helped launch the careers of the Ramones, R.E.M., and the Police, among others. During the 1980s, Kenmore Square fell into disrepair. By the 1990s, even the Red Sox were threatening to leave. But the 2002 opening of the Hotel Commonwealth, backed by Boston University, sparked a renaissance, helping transform the neighborhood into a dining and nightlife destination.<\/p>\n Bordering Kenmore to the north is the Fenway, where you can find the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Victory Gardens in the Fens, and a few \u201cjewels\u201d of the Emerald Necklace, a series of nine parks covering 1,100 acres, created in the late 19th century by legendary landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed New York City\u2019s Central Park.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n Across the Mass Pike from the Charles River Campus, slightly sleepier Lower Allston is home to Harvard Business School and the Harvard Stadium, and across the river from Harvard Square. The neighborhood is a mix of young professionals, blue-collar workers, members of the educational community, homeowners, and long-term residents. According to US Census Bureau information, the neighborhood is 65.5% white, 21.5% Asian, 10.2% Latinx, 7.5% Black, 4.2% two or more races, and 0.3% Native Americans\/Hawaiians. Unlike the rest of Allston, Lower Allston, at least for the time being, has far fewer students. While it is less accessible via public transportation, this neighborhood is a great option for families, thanks to its own supermarkets and the beautiful Charles River Reservation park.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n (in alphabetical order)<\/em><\/p>\n Once home to Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, then Irish and German immigrants, Roxbury is now the heart of Boston\u2019s African American community and boasts a large international population. Due to this rich cultural history (it\u2019s one of the city\u2019s oldest communities), the neighborhood hosts a variety of historic institutions and restaurants serving an array of cuisines. Roxbury comprises several districts, including the areas around Nubian Square, Fort Hill, Crosstown, Grove Hall, Egleston Square, and Blue Hill Avenue. Roxbury is also home to Franklin Park, the largest park in Boston, with 527 acres of public land. Designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Franklin Park is the crown jewel in the Emerald Necklace, the seven-mile stretch that begins at Boston Common.<\/p>\n During the 1940s and 1950s, Roxbury saw a major resettlement of southern Blacks migrating north. They were joined by immigrants from the Caribbean, especially Jamaica and Barbados. In the 1960s and 1970s, Roxbury underwent a decline, due to systemic exclusions, which resulted in severe unemployment and poverty. A wave of arsons didn\u2019t help matters. But city, state, and local grassroots efforts since have done much to transform the neighborhood. Several projects are currently underway, including a major overhaul of the Boston Public Library Roxbury Branch and development of the 1.2-million-square-foot Tremont Crossing, a multibuilding development that will include more than 700 apartments, office and retail space, and a new Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists.<\/p>\n As of 2016, Roxbury had a total population of 59,626 people, with the racial makeup comprising 56.9% Black or African American, 27.6% Latinx, 8.1% white, 2.9% Asian, and 2.3% identifying as multiple races.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n One of Boston\u2019s most beautiful neighborhoods, and one of its most culturally diverse, the South End has a rich history. In the mid-19th century, architect Charles Bulfinch designed the tree-lined streets, brick townhouses, and pocket parks that helped land the South End on the National Register of Historic Places as \u201cthe largest urban Victorian neighborhood in the country.\u201d Equal parts tony and gritty, it\u2019s now known as the city\u2019s brunch destination, home of the SOWA Open Market craft fair, and the site of seven-figure flats as well as several subsidized housing projects.<\/p>\n By the 1880s, many of its wealthy founding families had been replaced by waves of immigrants from Ireland, Lebanon, and Greece, and tenements and settlement houses were built to accommodate them. During the 1940s, the South End became home to a vibrant African American middle class. At the same time, it began to attract gay men and women drawn by the many single-sex rooming houses that provided them with social cover.<\/p>\n Up until the 1950s, the South End, and some of bordering Roxbury, was a jazz mecca featuring clubs such as the Royal Palms, Handy’s Grille, Tic-Toc, the Hi-Hat, The Savoy, and Wally\u2019s Paradise, among others. Wally’s (now called Wally’s Cafe) is the only venue to have survived. From 1915 to 1970, the offices of the Federation of Musicians Local 535 were located above Charlie’s Sandwich Shoppe, a restaurant that was known for serving African American jazz musicians during the era of segregated hotels. Local 535 was the top Black musicians\u2019 union in the country, representing musicians such as Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, and Chick Webb.<\/p>\n By the early 1960s, the South End had become synonymous with crime and poverty, but it underwent another gentrification beginning in the late 1970s, led primarily by gay men, and is still home to a sizable gay community, as well as a considerable Hispanic population, and has become a popular place to work for artists.<\/p>\n In 2015, about 25% of South End\u2019s population was foreign-born, almost the same as Boston as a whole (27%), according to the Boston Planning & Development Agency Research Division. That same year, the Asian\/Pacific Islander population was 16.4%, compared to 9% in the city in general. The racial breakdown of the South End in 2015 was 55% white, 16% Asian\/Pacific Islander, 14% Latinx, 12% Black, and 3% other.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n (in alphabetical order)<\/em><\/p>\n The aptly named Back Bay was an actual body of water until it was filled in the 19th century. Its gridded streets run from the Public Garden to Massachusetts Avenue and are lined with posh boutiques, trendy shops, and al fresco dining. The Back Bay is also home to the renowned Berklee College of Music, Boston Architectural College, and the New England Conservatory. The Back Bay Fens, a large, picturesque park on Back Bay\u2019s southern edge, forms part of Boston\u2019s Emerald Necklace. On the northern border, you\u2019ll find the Charles River Reservation, which includes the Esplanade, a popular running, walking, and biking path, and the site of Boston\u2019s annual Independence Day fireworks display. The iconic Prudential Tower looms above it all, with Copley Plaza and its high-end shopping nearby, but residential streets like Marlborough Street and Comm Ave offer a look at the area\u2019s gorgeous Victorian brownstones\u2014some of the city\u2019s most sought-after real estate.<\/p>\n In 2015, about 20% of Back Bay residents were foreign-born, compared with about 27% of Boston residents, according to the Boston Planning & Development Agency Research Division. And some 76% of neighborhood residents were non-Hispanic whites, a higher share than the city as a whole (46%). The racial breakdown of the Back Bay in 2015 was 76% white, 9% Asian\/Pacific Islander, 8% Latinx, 5% Black, and 2% other.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n Beacon Hill sits just above Boston Common and is perhaps the city\u2019s most iconic neighborhood\u2014you\u2019ll recognize its Federal-style row houses from picture postcards and B-roll from any movie set in the Hub. Its more resplendent residences once housed the elite Boston Brahmin, and are now home to their modern-day counterparts. A stroll down any of the narrow gaslit streets will recall the eras when architect Charles Bulfinch, author Louisa May Alcott, and Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., lived here. More recent residents have included poets Robert Frost (Hon.\u201961) and Sylvia Plath, former US Senator and Secretary of State John Kerry (Hon.\u201905), and actor Uma Thurman.<\/p>\n During the 19th century, Beacon Hill was home to both the richest and the poorest Boston residents. The less prosperous north slope was home to many African Americans, a center for Black and white abolitionists, and an important station on the Underground Railroad, while on the south side lived some of the Hub\u2019s patrician families.<\/p>\n The Boston African American National Historic Site is located just north of Boston Common. The buildings along today’s Black Heritage Trail were the homes, businesses, schools, and churches of the Black community. The Museum of African American History, New England\u2019s largest museum dedicated to African American history, is located at the African Meeting House, the oldest surviving Black church built by African Americans. The Robert Gould Shaw Memorial and the 54th Massachusetts Regiment Memorial are located at Beacon and Park Streets, opposite the Massachusetts State House.<\/p>\n Today, the population of the neighborhood is only 2% Black or African American, according to the 2010 census. The majority, 86.8%, is white. The remaining racial makeup is 5.3% Asian, 4.1% Latinx, and 1.8% other or multiple races.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n At six square miles, Dorchester is Boston\u2019s largest neighborhood and extends all the way down to the Neponset River Reservation. Due to its sheer size\u2014it\u2019s home to nearly a quarter of the city\u2019s population\u2014it\u2019s hard to characterize \u201cDot\u201d as one thing or another. A few pockets of the neighborhood have been hit by rising crime rates over the past few decades, but it is also home to some of the city\u2019s most beautiful, historic homes. And thanks to its large international population, with communities of residents from Vietnam, Poland, Ireland, Cape Verde, and the Caribbean\u2014the area also boasts an impressive array of international restaurants.<\/p>\n Dorchester officially became part of Boston in 1870, and by the early 20th century, immigrants from Ireland, Poland, Canada, and Italy began arriving, followed by a large influx of African Americans migrating from the Jim Crow South. Martin Luther King Jr. (GRS\u201955, Hon.\u201959) called the neighborhood home during much of the time he was a student at BU.<\/p>\n The neighborhood is home to a collection of museums, historical sites, outdoor trails, and beaches and parks, as well as UMass Boston, a public university that has educated countless city residents. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, dedicated to the nation\u2019s 35th president, opened in 1979 on Columbia Point and offers sweeping views of Dorchester Bay. JFK\u2019s parents, Joe and Rose, were one-time Dorchester residents.<\/p>\n In 2015, about 34% of Dorchester\u2019s population was foreign-born, compared with 27% for Boston as a whole, according to the Boston Planning & Development Agency Research Division. That same year, the Black and African-American population was 44%, compared to 23% in the city in general. The racial breakdown of the neighborhood in 2015 was 44% Black, 22% white, 16% Latinx, 11% Asian\/Pacific Islander, and 7% other.<\/p>\n Today, Dorchester also has a significant LGBTQIA+ population, with active political groups and the largest concentration of same-sex couples in Boston after the South End and Jamaica Plain. In recent years, Dorchester has seen a good deal of gentrification, including an influx of young residents and working artists. Dorchester today is a vibrant community that retains its melting-pot reputation.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n Just 15 minutes from BU\u2019s Charles River Campus by bike, bus, or T, Jamaica Plain is one of Boston\u2019s most diverse neighborhoods, comprising a sizable gay and lesbian population, as well as a robust Latinx community. \u201cJP\u201d is often described as artsy, hip, and politically far-left-of-center.<\/p>\n Once called the \u201cEden of America,\u201d JP evolved after the Civil War from a series of large farms to one of the country\u2019s first streetcar suburbs. The neighborhood includes a key part of the city\u2019s famed Emerald Necklace Conservancy<\/a> as well as the Arnold Arboretum<\/a>.<\/p>\n By the turn of the 21st century, the neighborhood had attracted college-educated professionals, political activists, and artists, and the community spirit was infused with environmental consciousness and an embrace of fair-trade commerce. Big-box stores and chain restaurants are few and far between. \u201cShop local\u201d is a way of life in JP. The neighborhood is chock full of food co-ops, coffee shops, galleries, bookstores, arts centers, and other locally run businesses.<\/p>\n Hyde, Jackson, and Egleston Squares within JP have significant Spanish-speaking populations mainly from the Dominican Republic but also from Puerto Rico and Cuba. The area also has a large number of Latinx-owned businesses and is the center of local festivals, churches, and activist groups, such as La Pi\u00f1ata, the \u00a1Viva! el Latin Quarter project of the Hyde Square Task Force, and nearby Vida Urbana. The newspaper El Mundo Boston<\/em> is based in Hyde Square. In 2016, the neighborhood between Jackson Square and Hyde Square was officially designated the “Latin Quarter” by the City of Boston, after years of informal recognition by residents, Latin activists, and local politicians.<\/p>\n As of 2010, the ethnic makeup of Jamaica Plain was 38% white, 33% Latinx, 20% Black or African American, 6% Asian, and 3% other.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n Sometimes called Boston\u2019s \u201cLittle Italy,\u201d this small enclave is the city\u2019s go-to spot for street festivals, bocce in the park, and, of course, authentic Italian cuisine. With a history of European settlement that stretches back to the early 17th-century Puritans, the North End is Boston\u2019s oldest residential area\u2014and among its smallest at one square mile, jutting into Boston Harbor.<\/p>\n Over the past 400 years, the area has been home to an early African American community and to waves of Irish, Eastern European Jewish, and, more recently, Italian immigrants.<\/p>\n From the 17th to the 19th century, a small community of free African Americans lived at the base of Copp’s Hill. Many were buried in the Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, where a few remaining headstones can be seen today. By the late 19th century, much of the community had moved to Beacon Hill. By 1930, almost all inhabitants of the neighborhood were Italian, earning its reputation as Little Italy. Today, the North End is a popular destination for Bostonians and visitors from across the globe who come for the vibrant food markets, the historical sites, or the neighborhood\u2019s summer street festivals honoring revered saints.<\/p>\n According to the 2010 census data, the majority of the North End’s residents are white, at 90.8%, followed by Latinx at 3.69%, Asian at 2.83%, Black or African American at 1.1%, and two or more races\/ethnicities at 1%.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n Located seven miles south of the Charles River Campus, this historic Boston neighborhood, once a draw for Transcendentalists in the mid 1800s, is considered more affordable than other nearby communities, though that may be changing.<\/p>\n First settled by Europeans in 1630, West Roxbury was originally part of Roxbury. It later seceded to become its own independent municipality but was annexed by Boston in 1874. Bordered by Newton, Brookline, and Dedham, West Roxbury today has a population of more than 30,000.<\/p>\n The neighborhood has historically been heavily Irish Catholic<\/a>, though recent decades have seen an increase in ethnic diversity. After World War II,\u00a0Syrian and Lebanese<\/a>\u00a0families bought homes in West Roxbury and the area saw an influx of Colombian families<\/a> who left Lowell after the decline of the textile industry in the 1980s.\u00a0Overall though, the neighborhood is less diverse when compared to Boston as a whole.<\/p>\n According to the 2010 US Census<\/a>, the racial breakdown of West Roxbury is white: 73.3%; Black or African American: 9.7%; Hispanic or Latino: 8.5%; Asian: 6.5%; American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.1%; Other Race: 0.4%; Two or More Races: 1.6%. West Roxbury also has the highest percentage of residents 65 years or older among Boston neighborhoods.<\/p>\n While less pricey than nearby communities like Brookline or Cambridge, reduced housing inventory and high demand has been pushing home prices up. West Roxbury also had the highest owner-occupancy rate of any Boston neighborhood as of 2010, meaning rentals are harder to come by, too.<\/p>\n West Roxbury is home to Brook Farm Historic Site<\/a>, one of the first sites in Massachusetts to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The experimental society of Transcendentalists lived on the farm in the 1840s. Members and visitors included renowned authors and philosophers Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Margaret Fuller, among others. Later, the farm served as a Civil War training camp and a Lutheran orphanage. Today, it features almost 180 acres of fields, woodland, and wetlands.<\/p>\n Millennium Park<\/a> is another draw for outdoor enthusiasts. A huge park on what used to be a city dump, it offers miles of paved walkways, backwoods trails, and an\u00a0annual kite festival<\/a>.<\/p>\n For lovers of Greek food, West Roxbury is home base for the Greek International Food Market<\/a>, stocked with everything from oils and specialty marinated olives to imported cheeses, honey, spices, and herbs, as well as freshly prepared foods, desserts, and treats.<\/p>\n Local history buffs will be pleased to live near the City of Boston Archives<\/a>, which houses and manages historic city records and documents that are no longer in active use, including photographs, plans, deeds, and maps.<\/p>\n Transportation<\/strong> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n (in alphabetical order)<\/em> Nestled across the Charles River from Boston, Cambridge is known as an intellectual and biotech hub<\/a>, a mix of the historic and the cutting edge. The city is home to Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, along with other colleges and universities, as well as a high concentration of successful tech start-ups. With a population of more than 105,000, Cambridge is the state\u2019s fifth-most populous city. The vibe is decidedly progressive. In fact, Cambridge has been ranked as one of the most liberal cities in America, often jokingly referred to as \u201cthe People\u2019s Republic of Cambridge.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s also known as the \u201cCity of Squares.\u201d They include:<\/p>\n Kendall Square<\/a> plays host to MIT and is known as \u201cthe most innovative square mile on the planet,\u201d thanks to an abundance of tech companies, big and small, including Moderna, BioGen, and Genzyme, as well as offices for Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Microsoft.<\/p>\n Central Square<\/a> sits between Harvard and MIT and represents an authentic urban center with a plethora of restaurants<\/a> and bars, and a rich history of racial and ethnic diversity, though gentrification is a pressing concern.<\/p>\n Harvard Square<\/a> is a major tourist draw because of its namesake university, along with tasty eateries<\/a>, eclectic shopping<\/a>, performance venues<\/a>, and historic sites<\/a>. The square also draws a number of people who are homeless. The discrepancy between the haves and have-nots can be pronounced.<\/p>\n Porter Square<\/a> is home to Lesley University, a commuter rail and a Red Line stop, and is a center to the city\u2019s Japanese community.<\/p>\n As for housing, by the end of the 20th century, Cambridge had one of the costliest markets in the northeastern United States. While class and race diversity remained a defining city characteristic, the end of rent control in the mid-\u201890s prompted a number of Cambridge renters, including many who had grown up in the city, to seek more affordable housing in neighboring cities or towns.<\/p>\n The racial makeup of Cambridge, according to census.gov<\/a>, was 60.8% white, 16.0% Asian, 11.0% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.1% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 4.1% from two or more races. The population for Hispanic or Latino people of any race was 9.2%.<\/p>\n Mass transit<\/strong><\/p>\n Cambridge is served by the MBTA, including the Porter Square Station on the regional Commuter Rail and the Red Line; the Lechmere Station on the Green Line, which is currently undergoing a significant expansion and relocation<\/a> and will connect to Union Square in Somerville and College Avenue in Medford; and the Red Line at Alewife, Porter Square, Harvard Square, Central Square, and Kendall Square\/MIT Stations. Alewife Station, the terminus of the Red Line, has a large multistory parking garage.<\/p>\n The Harvard bus tunnel, under Harvard Square, connects to the Red Line underground, providing many convenient options to access BU\u2019s campuses and virtually every other area of the city.<\/p>\n Cambridge is also one of the area\u2019s most walkable cities and bike-friendly<\/a>, with plenty of bike-share options, dedicated bike lanes, and paths along the river and rail beds, easily connecting the city to Boston and neighborhoods beyond.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n Central Square is indeed the very center of Cambridge, located almost squarely between MIT and Harvard. \u201cCentral\u201d is a diverse collection of neighborhoods with an eclectic array of ethnic eateries and retail shops, houses of worship, as well as upscale restaurants, bars, and a handful of legendary music clubs. Richard B. Modica Way, aka “Graffiti Alley,” has been described as a “hallmark of Central Square” and has served as the backdrop for many an Instagram post.<\/p>\n Between 1850 and 1890, the square attracted many Irish immigrants and others from throughout Europe. Later waves of immigration included people from the West Indies, South America, and Africa. Nearly demolished during the 1950s\u2014officials planned to build an eight-lane highway directly through it\u2014Central Square was spared, only to suffer from increasing crime and general decay through the 1970s and 1980s.<\/p>\n But the activist spirit of the community pervades, from the Women\u2019s Center, which fights all forms of oppression and provides crisis intervention and counseling for women of all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, to the Underground Railway Theater<\/a>, dedicated to creating performances rich in social content. Central Square retains a certain grittiness that lends it an air of unpolished authenticity\u2014precisely what makes it so appealing. Its own Red Line MBTA stop and a number of nearby supermarkets make it both vibrant and practical as a home base.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n Beyond iconic, Harvard Square is a must-see for any Boston-area visitor as well as a popular hangout for locals seeking a tasty brunch or eclectic shopping. The neighborhood\u2019s charming tree-lined streets wind through the wrought-iron gates to Harvard\u2019s stately campus and into some of Cambridge\u2019s most posh neighborhoods. By way of contrast, the square also attracts many of the city\u2019s people experiencing homelessness.<\/p>\n According to historian Charles Sullivan, the area that includes present-day Harvard Square was founded in 1630 and would become Cambridge a few years later. Many of the original streets still exist, including parts of Church, Story, Eliot, Arrow, and Mount Auburn Streets. And a few early 18th-century wood-frame houses on Winthrop, Dunster, and South Streets remain as well.<\/p>\n One notable landmark is the home of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, one of America\u2019s most renowned 19th-century poets. Prior to that, the house was George Washington\u2019s headquarters during the Revolutionary War Siege of Boston. Today, the home serves as a museum, administered by the National Park Service.<\/p>\n Further along Brattle Street, you can find the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), which has garnered many of the nation\u2019s most distinguished awards, including a Tony for best regional theater. Founded in 1980, the A.R.T. has seen a number of productions transfer to Broadway. Its theatrical club space OBERON serves as an incubator for local artists and hosts storytelling events like the Moth and Mortified.<\/p>\n Harvard Square also offers what may be the area\u2019s best people watching. For example, a sunken region next to the MBTA subway entrance (\u201cthe pit\u201d) is a prime venue for political activists, panhandlers, skateboarders, and street performers. Tracy Chapman, Martin Sexton, and Amanda Palmer all performed as Harvard Square buskers.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n One of Cambridge\u2019s emerging hotspots, Inman sits just north of Central Square and south of Somerville\u2019s Union Square, making it a trendy and somewhat affordable home for professionals, working people, and students from nearby MIT and Harvard, as well as young families.<\/p>\n With strong Brazilian and Portuguese influences, the East Cambridge neighborhood has vibrant flair, with a treasure trove of multicolored storefronts and restaurants. Abundant bars and hip restaurants line Cambridge Street, alongside holdouts from the neighborhood\u2019s past. The oldest Portuguese restaurant in the Boston area, Casa Portugal, has been serving authentic dishes since 1976.<\/p>\n Likely named for Ralph Inman, a wealthy 18th-century Boston merchant, the square is off the T\u2019s beaten track and so remains something of a hidden gem. Unlike the city\u2019s more famous squares\u2014Harvard, Central, and Kendall\u2014you can\u2019t get there directly by subway, but several MBTA buses pass through.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n Kendall Square has been called \u201cthe most innovative square mile on the planet.\u201d Home to MIT and inspired by the institute\u2019s penchant for innovation, the area has become a hub for tech start-ups to share coworking space with giants like Amazon and Google. The influx of biotech, pharmaceutical, and technology firms has also ushered in a boom of caf\u00e9s, restaurants, and plenty of new construction. About 50,000 people work in the area on a daily basis.<\/p>\n Originally a Charles River salt marsh, by the middle of the 19th century it was a bustling industrial center that housed distilleries, factories, and the expansive Kendall Boiler and Tank Company, which gave the area its name. After World War II, most businesses had shut down or moved, leaving much of the area deserted, except for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which had moved to Cambridge in 1916.<\/p>\n Kendall Square languished until Biogen arrived in the 1980s, beginning the area\u2019s transformation to what it is today: a thriving center for life sciences, biotech, pharmaceutical, and information technology firms. The Cambridge Innovation Center<\/a>, launched in the late 1990s, is home to more start-ups than any other building in the world. Industry giants like Amazon, Biogen Idec, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, and Novartis also have a presence there. The Broad Institute, Draper Laboratory, Forsyth Institute, Koch Institute, and the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council have made the area a premier research hub.<\/p>\n The square also has some of the highest commercial and residential rents in the Boston area, with luxury condos sprouting up along the square\u2019s perimeter as old mill buildings are converted into trendy loft spaces, but, for now, more affordable housing can be found deeper into East Cambridge.<\/p>\n The racial breakdown of Kendall Square, according to the City of Cambridge\u2019s 2019 \u201cNeighborhood Statistical Profile\u201d is 56.3.% white, 28.4.% Asian\/Pacific Islander, 5.1% Black, and 10.2% mixed\/other. As for residents of Latinx origin, 5% are nonwhite Hispanic and 5.2% white Hispanic.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n Bordered on three sides by water, Chelsea sits across the Mystic River from Boston. Two decades ago, the city was majority white, but today Chelsea boasts one of the region\u2019s most diverse communities, with the second-highest Latinx population in the state. At just 1.8 square miles with an estimated population of 39,690, Chelsea is the 26th most densely populated municipality in the country.<\/p>\n During the early to mid -1900s, Chelsea was a point of entry for Eastern European immigrants, and served as a Jewish enclave. In the 1950s and \u201960s, the city saw a growing Latinx community, comprising mostly Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, and Cubans. A wave of immigrants from Central America came in the 1980s seeking refuge from civil war, and another arrived in 1998, in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch.<\/p>\n According to census.gov<\/a>, the racial makeup of Chelsea is 21.5% white, 6.9% Black or African American, 3.2% Asian, .1% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 31% from two or more races. In addition, 66.9% of residents identified as Hispanic or Latinx. As of 2010, 38% of Chelsea residents had been born outside of the United States.<\/p>\n That international identity is reflected in the robust business and cultural investments of the Latinx community that helped revitalize Chelsea<\/a>, including an abundance of Central American restaurants, bakeries, and markets, as well as lively arts and theater programs. While Chelsea is not yet on the tourist path, development is pushing up home values and property taxes, especially since the Encore Boston Harbor<\/a> casino opened in nearby Everett. The City Council is trying to keep Chelsea affordable through initiatives such as first-time homebuyer programs.<\/p>\n But Chelsea has a history of adapting and rebuilding, proven by its resilience after two devastating fires consumed significant portions of the city in the last century. The more recent one, in 1973<\/a>, razed 18 blocks in the neighborhood\u2019s Rag District. Numerous homes burned and some streets were a total loss, but miraculously, nobody died. While the cause was never identified, the destruction ushered in a new era of fire prevention, including heightened enforcement of building codes and sprinkler installations.<\/p>\n Boston University also has a longstanding partnership with the city. In 1988, at the request of the Chelsea School Board, BU helped administer the struggling school district<\/a> for two decades. In 2008, the partnership ended and administration was successfully returned to local officials, where the district has since remained on solid footing.<\/p>\n Transportation<\/strong><\/p>\n To get to Chelsea from the Charles River Campus, take the Green Line to the Red Line and, at South Station, transfer to the Silver Line.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n Located on Boston\u2019s southwest border, Dedham sits about 10 miles from the Charles River Campus. And while the town of 25,000 is more affordable than other near-Boston communities like Cambridge or Wellesley, it is not particularly walkable or public-transit friendly. Anyone considering Dedham as a home will likely need a car.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n That said, the area is rich in history, from Puritan and Revolutionary eras to an eclectic manufacturing period that produced everything from silk, brooms, and shovels to vehicles, saddles, and marbled papers. Dedham broke ground on a national scale several times, boasting the first man-made canal<\/a>\u00a0and the first\u00a0exclusively taxpayer-funded<\/a>\u00a0public school in the United States. The town is also home to the oldest surviving timber-frame house in the country, the Fairbanks House<\/a>,\u00a0and the\u00a0Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse Thieves<\/a>, the oldest continuously existing horse thief apprehending organization in the United States (it continues to meet \u201cjust in case<\/a>\u201d).\u00a0In 1921, the historic Sacco and Vanzetti<\/a> trial was held in the Norfolk County Courthouse in Dedham.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n According to census.gov<\/a>, Dedham\u2019s racial makeup was 83.6% white<\/a>, 8.8% Black<\/a> or African American<\/a>, 0.2% Native American<\/a>, 3% Asian<\/a>, 0.1% Pacific Islander<\/a>, and 2.4% from two or more races. 9.2% of the population were Hispanic<\/a> or Latino<\/a> of any race.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Dedham Junior Women\u2019s Club<\/a> puts on cultural events throughout the year including summer concert series at the renowned Endicott Estate<\/a> (a popular setting for Hollywood cinematographers) and the Annual Craft Fair<\/a>, which features more than 80 local artisans. (Fun fact: Dedham has a pottery style named after it; Dedham Pottery<\/a>\u00a0is characterized by \u201ca distinctive crackle glaze, blue and white color, and common motifs of animals, particularly rabbits.\u201d) Dedham Community Theatre<\/a>, an independent 100-year-old cinema in Dedham Square, is considered a historic gem, and offers discounted shows. Plenty of restaurants, shops, and farmers\u2019 markets can be found in\u00a0Dedham Sq<\/a>uare<\/u> and at Legacy Place\u00a0<\/a>.<\/p>\n For those who like to get outdoors, Dedham offers Wilson Mountain Reservation<\/a>, a state-owned, public recreation area and protected woodland park. While not an actual mountain, the reservation features hiking trails, open space, and a summit view of the Boston skyline. With more than 200 acres, it is the largest remaining open space in Dedham and an important wildlife preserve.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Transportation<\/strong><\/p>\n Getting back and forth to Dedham from BU will require patience and time. Take the Green Line to Park Street, transfer to the Orange Line toward Forest Hills, and get out at Back Bay. Transfer to Commuter Rail, take the Franklin Line outbound, and get off at\u00a0Dedham Corp Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n Affectionately known as \u201cEastie,\u201d this vibrant Boston neighborhood has long been a haven for refugees and asylum-seekers, at one time serving as a regional immigration hub for the city and surrounding areas. Today, East Boston is home to 45,000 people and boasts a sizable Latinx population, as well as the highest percentage of foreign-born residents in the city.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A ship-building center in the 1800s, the area attracted a robust Canadian population, followed by Russian Jews and Irish, including John F. Kennedy\u2019s great grandfather. After World War I, Italians and Italian-Americans became the dominant ethnic group.\u00a0From 1920 to 1954, the neighborhood was the site of the East Boston Immigration Station<\/a> and has been home to Logan International Airport since 1923.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the 1980s, East Boston began resettling Latin American families fleeing civil war, drug-related violence, and economic turmoil. At the same time, refugees from southeast Asia arrivied, driven out by the Cambodian genocide and the aftermath of the Vietnam War. The 1990s and early 2000s saw groups from Mexico, Brazil, Peru, and Morocco relocate to East Boston.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Today, Latinx residents speaking Spanish or Portuguese make up 52.9% of the local population, followed by non-Hispanic whites (37.2%). Other races include Asian (3.5%), Black or African American (3.2%), biracial or multiracial individuals (1.5%), and other races (1.6%).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Not surprisingly, Eastie is known for its eclectic cuisine, from Colombian and Mexican to Salvadoran and Vietnamese. And, of course, Italian. Santarpio\u2019s Pizza<\/a>, owned and operated by the Santarpio family for more than 100 years, is considered a local landmark and claims to have the best pizza in Boston. Every year, the Taste of Eastie<\/a>\u00a0food festival celebrates the neighborhood\u2019s array of local flavors and dishes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mostly surrounded by water, East Boston offers plenty of fresh air and distractions. Enjoy the waves at Constitution Beach<\/a> while watching planes take off and land at Logan Airport. Or pick up the Harborwalk<\/a> that meanders along the coastline of Boston, with an especially scenic chunk through East Boston, featuring historical exhibits and an outdoor sculpture park.\u00a0Belle Isle Marsh Reservation<\/a>, Boston’s last remaining salt marsh, offers unique views of plants and wildlife as you follow paths to the observation tower. ICA Boston\u2019s Watershed<\/a>\u00a0is a popular summer attraction with a single artist creating a site-specific work or installation there, in the Boston Harbor Shipyard and Marina in East Boston. And be sure to check out the Madonna Shrine<\/a>, New England\u2019s tallest statue at 40 feet, and dedicated to our Lady of Fatima. The complex boasts a\u00a0collection of relics<\/a>\u00a0from recent saints, and the chapel hosts daily masses in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n With its proximity to Boston, Eastie has also seen an influx of young professionals, along with the gentrification of historically immigrant neighborhoods. Rents remain stable, but there are (pre-COVID) predictions of a\u00a0spike<\/a>. Housing prices, however, are already\u00a0climbing<\/a>, spurred by luxury developments.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Transportation <\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n Nestled along the Atlantic Ocean, about four miles north of Boston, Lynn has sported a number of different personalities over the years, from a national shoe manufacturing center to the purported \u201cCity of Sin\u201d (at least, according to a famous taunting rhyme<\/a>) to fashionable resort area to one of the most diverse cities in Massachusetts.<\/p>\n Today, Lynn is known for contemporary public art, its immigrant population, a growing LGBTQIA+ community, historic architecture, downtown cultural district, and open spaces, most notably the oceanfront Lynn Shore & Nahant Beach Reservation<\/a>, the Frederick Law Olmsted-designed Lynn Woods Reservation<\/a>, and High Rock Reservation<\/a>.<\/p>\n Russian and Polish Jewish families immigrated to the area in the 18th and 19th centuries, followed in the mid-to-late 20th century by Latinx residents, and, later, Cambodians. From 1990 to 2000, according to a Boston Globe<\/em> report<\/a>, the Vietnamese and Indian populations in the city swelled by 192% and 264%, respectively.<\/p>\n According to census.gov<\/a>, 94,299 people call Lynn home. The racial makeup of the city was: 36.5% white, 13.5% Black or African American, 7.5% Asian, .4% American Indian or Alaska Native American, and 6.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino were 41.5% of the population.<\/p>\n Despite its salt-of-the-earth vibe, Lynn is no stranger to gentrification, with many long-vacant industrial buildings turned into lofts, the restoration of historic homes, and the sprouting of luxury developments. A group called Lynn United for Change<\/a> is fighting to \u201ckeep Lynn affordable, diverse, and working class.\u201d<\/p>\n The arts scene in Lynn is vibrant, anchored by the Downtown Lynn Cultural District<\/a>. The city is also known for Arts After Hours<\/a>, Lynn\u2019s community theater, Raw Art Works<\/a>, a youth organization rooted in art therapy, and LynnArts<\/a>, which runs private studio space for contemporary artists, two galleries, and the Neal Rantoul Black Box Theater.<\/p>\n Lynn is also the final resting place of illustrious BU quarterback and legendary Red Sox first baseman Harry Agganis\u2014after whom the Agganis Arena on the Charles River Campus is named. \u201cThe Golden Greek\u201d is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, which also happens to boast the second-longest contiguous stone wall in the world, surpassed only by the Great Wall of China, according to Lynn Museum<\/a>.<\/p>\n Transportation<\/strong><\/p>\n To reach Lynn from the Charles River Campus, take the Green Line to North Station, switch to the Newburyport\/Rockport Line commuter train and get off at the Lynn train station. The trip takes Allston<\/h3>
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Brighton<\/h3>
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Brookline Village<\/h3>
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Coolidge Corner<\/h3>
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Kenmore Square and Fenway<\/h3>
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Lower Allston<\/h3>
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Close to BU Medical Campus<\/h2>\n
Roxbury<\/h3>
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South End<\/h3>
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Other Neighborhoods of Boston<\/h2>\n
Back Bay<\/h3>
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Beacon Hill<\/h3>
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Dorchester<\/h3>
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Jamaica Plain<\/h3>
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North End<\/h3>
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West Roxbury<\/h3>
\nFrom the Charles River Campus, take the Green Line to Downtown Crossing and switch to the Orange Line toward Forest Hills. At Forest Hills, transfer to commuter rail outbound on the Needham Line. Hop off in West Roxbury. (About 1 hour, 15 minutes<\/a>.<\/u>)<\/p>\nOther Towns and Cities<\/h2>\n
\nCambridge<\/h3>
Cambridge: Central Square<\/h6>
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Cambridge: Harvard Square<\/h6>
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Cambridge: Inman Square<\/h6>
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Cambridge: Kendall Square<\/h6>
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Chelsea<\/h3>
\nDedham<\/h3>
\nEast Boston<\/h3>
\n<\/strong>From the Charles River Campus, take the Green Line to Government Center. Change to the Blue Line outbound and get out at Maverick Square. (About 41 minutes<\/a>)<\/p>\n
\nLynn<\/h3>