Quick Links

Vacationers travel to Boston for different reasons. Some are food junkies seeking to explore the city’s food, some for history, and others for culture. Then there is a special caliber of travelers arriving to embrace the city’s walkability trait.

But how walkable is this city? Dubbed as a walking city, Boston is indeed a place where pedestrians are respected. Vacationers arriving here must be ready to respect the culture and act more like locals. After all, it is a small city whose length can be navigated easily by foot.

The following is a description of Boston’s walkability score and top neighborhoods to embrace.

How Walkable Is Boston?

Boston is an incredible city to explore on foot, and that's why the American walking community falls in love with it. It doesn't take much for vacationers to realize how much of a convenience this city can be. Boston's walking trait has nothing to do with the lack of enough transport. It is all by design.

Related: Boston, Massachusetts: Planning The Perfect Weekend

The walkability score of Boston comes as a surprise to many vacationers. Those who are familiar with the region’s topography have doubts about the walkability aspect of the city. However, this city’s walkability trait is more about infrastructure than the topography.

For the past six years or so, Boston has been ranked among the 10 most walkable cities in the U.S. With an average score of greater than 80, most errands in Boston can be run on foot. Boston has done incredibly well for its size. In fact, it is considered to be the largest walkable city in the U.S. Vacationers don’t need to worry about moving from one neighborhood to the next. After all, cycling and biking are noble options to consider whenever the time factor is at stake.

Related: 10 Fun Things To Do This Summer At Boston's Seaport

Top Neighborhoods To Embrace In Boston

Even with Boston’s high ratings among the best walkable cities, not all neighborhoods are equal to the task. Most lack pedestrian-friendly infrastructure and are a no-go zone for vacationers willing to stroll around.

North End

The North End neighborhood typically refers to the northernmost section of the city. Painted with multiple waterfronts, the thrill in this part of the city is limitless. North End has a bit of everything thus accommodating a wide range of vacationers.

Apart from being a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood, it is the best place to soak up after an eventful day in the city. Also, adventurers have the chance to sample some of the region’s staples, especially the iconic clam chowder.

Chinatown

Even with the trade wars existing between China and the U.S., Boston has still chosen to embrace sanity. Chinatown has remained intact even in the heat of the moment. In fact, it is one of the region’s most toured neighborhoods. With less than 30 blocks, Chinatown is compact enough for the average vacationer to stroll around it effortlessly.

It is one of those neighborhoods where hiring a taxi doesn’t make sense. Every other store is within the periphery and vacationers don’t need any transportation approach to connect between them. Also, it is the best place to sample Asian cuisine with staples such as noodles and stir-fries.

Back Bay

Vacationers arriving in Boston for the first time find Back Bay to be a good place to kickstart the whole experience. True to these words, it is a jampacked neighborhood whose appeal automatically excites visitors. It is the best place to witness Boston’s history unfold.

With plenty of rivers cutting across the neighborhood, vacationers have a lot of nature walks to do. Same way, vacationers can go on an adventure by casually strolling around the streets to admire its versatility and unique architecture.

Downtown

Everything in Boston seems to be set around Downtown. It is the business hub of the city, which explains why other neighborhoods are designed around it. Just because Downtown is the city’s economic hub doesn’t mean that it is a no-go zone for tourists. If anything, this neighborhood is lined with neatly manicured streets where vacationers freely stroll and admire the city’s beauty.

Why Vacationers Need To Embrace Boston’s Walkable Trait More

The walk score ratings provided by respective organizations are not meant just to rank cities. No, they are a great way to encourage tourists to tour the region. With Boston, vacationers have more reasons to stick around than leave.

Although Boston has been publicized as a walking city, it doesn’t mean that other means of transport are any lesser. After all, the city has one of the best public transport systems. With this diversity, vacationers have quite a wide range of options to consider when walking around is not feasible. Also, strolling around Boston is the best approach for exploring the region's culture. Food is a crucial component of this culture. Strolling around gives vacationers the freedom to hope from one eatery to the next freely.

Even with the congestion menace that most American cities face today, Boston has managed to keep its sanity as a walking city. Strolling around the streets of Boston has nothing to do with the vacationer's social or economic status. It is more about adventure.