BU can seem like its own town (the Charles River Campus alone is nearly 2 miles long), but from vibrant student enclaves to quiet, historic neighborhoods, there are lots of places to investigate nearby. Boston is a city of neighborhoods, each with its own unique flavor to explore.
Close to Charles River & Fenway Campuses
Allston
Known as “Allston Rock City,” the Boston neighborhood closest to the Charles River Campus (CRC) has perhaps the city’s highest concentration of music venues, hip cafes, and thrift shops, as well as a large international population, and, of course, plenty of undergrads. We wouldn’t call it a quiet place (especially Thursday-Saturday nights), but its proximity to campus, lower rents, abundant bus and MBTA (T) stops, and amenities like the Shaw’s and Super 88 supermarkets make Allston highly livable.
- Proximity to CRC: 10 to 20-minute walk, 8 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 35-minute walk, 20 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to BUMC Campus: 58 minutes via MBTA
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Very walkable
- Public transportation: Green line MBTA and buses
Lower Allston
Across the Mass Pike from the Charles River Campus, the slightly sleepier Lower Allston is home to Harvard Business School and the Harvard Stadium, and across the river from Harvard Square. 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 along the river.
- Proximity to CRC: 40-minute walk, 25 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 55-minute walk, 42 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to BUMC Campus: 45 minutes via MBTA
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Walkable
- Public transportation: Buses, accessible from Boston Landing Commuter Rail
Brighton
This quiet residential Brighton is located just west of the Charles River Campus, making it a great option for graduate students looking for an affordable and convenient home base. The tree-lined Washington Street is packed with bakeries, cafes, and Irish pubs that range from somewhat to highly authentic. The B branch of the MBTA’s green line trolley snakes through the southern reaches of the neighborhood, making it popular for commuters.
- Proximity to CRC: 55-minute walk, 25 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 50-minute walk, 25 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to BUMC Campus: 60 minutes via MBTA
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Very walkable
- Public transportation: Green line MBTA and buses
Brookline Village
One of the area’s 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’s civic center, but the neighborhood also includes a number of high-caliber restaurants. There is no on-street, overnight parking available in Brookline, but the neighborhood is very transit friendly, enabling most residents to live car-free.
- Proximity to CRC: 30-minute walk, 25 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 20-minute walk, 12 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to BUMC Campus: 27 minutes via MBTA
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Very walkable
- Public transportation: Green line MBTA and buses
Central Square
Central Square is indeed the very center of Cambridge. It’s a buzzing haven of coffee shops, thrift stores, trendy restaurants, cocktail spots, dive bars, and a handful of legendary music clubs. Its own red line MBTA stop and a number of nearby supermarkets make it both vibrant and practical as a home base.
- Proximity to CRC: 20 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to BUMC Campus: 27 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 22 minutes via MBTA
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Very walkable
- Public transportation: Red line MBTA and buses
Coolidge Corner
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 and an excellent indie bookshop, and is an easy T ride to many Boston city hotspots. The neighborhood may be the go-to destination for Jewish delis, but tacos, falafel, and pizza are all well represented, too.
- Proximity to CRC: 25-minute walk, 13 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 19-minute walk
- Proximity to BUMC Campus: 35 minutes via MBTA
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Very walkable
- Public transportation: Green line MBTA and buses
Kenmore Square & Fenway
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’s 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.
- Proximity to CRC: 13-minute walk, 15 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 9-minute walk
- Proximity to BUMC Campus: 20 minutes via MBTA
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Very walkable
- Public transportation: Green line MBTA and buses
Close to BU Medical Campus
Roxbury
Once home to Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, then Irish and German immigrants, Roxbury is now the heart of Boston’s African American community and boasts a large international population. Due to this rich cultural history (it’s one of the city’s oldest communities), the neighborhood hosts a variety of historic institutions and restaurants boasting a diverse array of cuisines. The Tremont Crossing project is set to change the profile of the neighborhood by adding 1.2 million square feet of shopping, dining, and living space.
- Proximity to BU Medical Campus (BUMC) Campus: 30-minute walk, 20 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 26-minute walk, 23 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to CRC:
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Walkable
- Public transportation: Orange line MBTA and buses
The South End
Equal parts tony and gritty, the South End is known as the city’s brunch destination, home of the SOWA Open Market craft fair, and the site of seven-figure flats as well as several subsidized housing projects. In the mid-19th century, Charles Bulfinch designed the tree-lined streets, brick-front townhouses, iron gates, and pocket parks atop the landfill that fleshed out the city to support the area’s burgeoning population.
- Proximity to BU Medical Campus (BUMC) Campus: 5- to 10-minute walk
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 40-minute walk, 35 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to CRC:
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Walkable
- Public transportation: Orange line MBTA and buses
Other Neighborhoods of Boston
Back Bay
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, hip shops, and a fair amount of al fresco dining. The iconic Prudential Tower rises above it all, with Copley Plaza and its high-end shopping huddled nearby, but residential streets like Marlborough and Comm Ave. offer a look at the area’s gorgeous Victorian brownstones—some of the city’s most sought-after real estate.
- Proximity to CRC: 15 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to BUMC Campus: 20 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 30 minutes via MBTA
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Very walkable
- Public transportation: Orange and Green line MBTA and buses
Beacon Hil
Beacon Hill sits just above Boston Common and is perhaps the city’s most iconic neighborhood—you’ll 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. More affordable lofts, studios, and garden-level flats can be found tucked above and below the historic buildings.
- Proximity to CRC: 27 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to BUMC Campus: 25 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 30 minutes via MBTA
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Very walkable
- Public transportation: Red line MBTA and buses
Dorchester
Boston’s largest neighborhood, Dorchester is situated south of Boston and extends to the east of Roxbury all the way down to the Neponset River Reservation. Due to its sheer size, it’s hard to characterize Dot 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’s most beautiful, historic homes. And thanks to its large international population, with communities of residents from Vietnam, Poland, Ireland, Cape Verde, and the Caribbean—the area also boasts an impressive array of international restaurants.
- Proximity to CRC: 50 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to BUMC Campus: 40 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 50 minutes via MBTA
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Varies
- Public transportation: Red line MBTA and buses
Jamaica Plain
JP owes its epic green spaces to the neighborhood’s history as a collection of large farms that later became a key part of the Frederick Law Olmsted-designed Emerald Necklace Conservancy. The tight-knit, artsy community is relatively free of big box stores and chain restaurants, but chock full of food co-ops, coffee shops, and other locally run businesses. A little hip and very liberal, the neighborhood is a popular nesting ground for young families (a stroller and a dog are seemingly de rigueur).
- Proximity to CRC: 50 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to BUMC Campus: 40 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 40 minutes via MBTA
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Walkable
- Public transportation: Orange and Green line MBTA and buses
The North End
Sometimes called Boston’s “Little Italy,” this small enclave is the city’s go-to spot for street festivals, bocce in the park, and, of course, authentic Italian cuisine. Just across the Greenway from tourist-attracting Faneuil Hall and close to downtown, the North End has its own brand of bustle thanks to winding, narrow streets, chic boutiques, vibrant food markets, and plentiful historic sites. Housing in the neighborhood can be cramped or outdated, but the charming location and proximity to downtown may make it worth the search to find a real gem.
- Proximity to CRC: 35 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to BUMC Campus: 35 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 45 minutes via MBTA
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Very walkable
- Public transportation: Orange and Green line MBTA and buses
Other Neighborhoods of Cambridge & Somerville
Davis Square
Somerville is a city of squares, and Davis is perhaps its most beloved. Once a blue collar community, the area has been transformed over the past few decades to accommodate students from nearby universities and residents moving further from Boston for more affordable rents, as well as young families. Today, the square buzzes with bars and restaurants, street performers and a long-standing indie theater. Fun fact, Somerville is the most densely packed municipality in New England.
- Proximity to CRC: 37 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to BUMC Campus: 47 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 47 minutes via MBTA
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Very walkable
- Public transportation: Red line MBTA and buses
Harvard Square
Beyond iconic, Harvard Square is a must-see for any Boston-area visitor as well as a popular hang out for locals looking for topnotch brunch, stellar shopping, or what may be the area’s best people watching. The neighborhood’s charming tree-lined streets wind through the wrought-iron gates to Harvard’s stately campus and into some of Cambridge’s most posh neighborhoods.
- Proximity to CRC: 30 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to BUMC Campus: 30 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 45 minutes via MBTA
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Very walkable
- Public transportation: Red line MBTA and buses
Inman Square
One of Cambridge’s more up-and-coming hotspots, Inman sits just north of Central Square and south of Union Square, making it a trendy and somewhat affordable home for the students and young families. Abundant bars and restaurants line Cambridge Street alongside holdouts from the neighborhood’s past as a hub for the area’s robust Portuguese-speaking population (and the Brazilian barbecue can’t be beat).
- Proximity to CRC: 25 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to BUMC Campus: 40 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 30 minutes via MBTA
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Walkable
- Public transportation: Buses
Kendall Square
An influx of biotech, pharmaceutical, and technology firms have brought activity to this once-sleepy square, ushering in with them a boom in cafes, restaurants, and plenty of new construction. Building on MIT’s penchant for innovation, the area has become a hub for tech startups to share coworking space with giants like Amazon and Google. Luxury condos have sprouted up along the square’s perimeter, as old mill buildings are converted into trendy loft spaces, but more affordable housing can be found deeper into East Cambridge.
- Proximity to CRC: 20 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to BUMC Campus: 30 minutes via MBTA
- Proximity to Fenway Campus: 25 minutes via MBTA
- Walkability (groceries, etc): Very walkable
- Public transportation: Red line MBTA and buses