The Beauty of Boston
Colonial history, coastal culture and the hunt for parking
The benefits of Beantown range from rich Colonial-historic roots to contemporary university-influenced culture but it's better not to drive.
Boston is known to a lot of people as a Colonial town where a boatload of tea got dumped in the harbor but it’s developed a wide range of community and culture in the few hundred years since then. Located about five driving hours north of the Big Apple, Beantown has it’s own distinctive flavors and experiences. Although most people think of New York as the big melting pot, Boston’s harbor has been an entry point for many who immigrated to America and the city has a wide range of ethnicity's and neighborhood flavors. For those traveling from other northeastern metropolitan areas, the train is a convenient transit option for getting to Boston.
The regional accent often turns “aw” sounds into “ah,” so if you drive, you’ll find yourself “pah-king yawa cah” when you get there. Speaking of parking, the city of Boston is notorious for not having enough of it. If you do decide to drive or rent a car in the city, allow a very generous amount of time to devote to finding a parking space or you may find yourself running very late for planned events. There is a stereotype of the Boston driver as being a bit fast and reckless and my own personal experiences are that in such a small city with so many cars and no place to park, they do tend to be a bit aggressive. Plus, the older streets were not laid out to accommodate modern cars and street parking along with moving traffic. If you are a pedestrian in Boston, always look both ways before crossing any streets or intersections, even if you have the right of way.
Boston has more than 100 universities and colleges scattered throughout the area, which encourages not only a strong youth population, but complimentary arts programs, events and music. Boston Common is a great spot to start your historical survey. The coastal location brings a lovely presence of fresh seafood to the regional cuisine, especially oysters, crab and lobster. The Boston nickname of “Beantown” comes from an early settlers dish of baked beans and molasses. And as I learned as a small child, if you order ice cream and want sprinkles on top, in Boston you ask for “jimmies.”
