Saving Money in Boston
As the start of a year-long adventure around the world with our kids, we had a great 3 night trip to Boston and found some great ways to enjoy the city at great savings. If you are visiting with kids in tow, check out our top 5 recommendations for visiting Boston with kids post. If you need to figure out how to AFFORD a trip with (or without) kids, read on! Here are the top 5 tips our family used to save nearly $1,000 in Boston:
1. Water – It was really hot, and we did a lot of walking. So we took several refillable water bottles with us at all times and easily found water fountains. The water from public fountains was clear, clean-tasting, and cool. We found that using these colapsible water bottles were fantastic.
* Pro-tip: when searching for water, head to one of the many parks in downtown Boston – we found water fountains at all of them.
** Total savings versus buying bottled water for a family of 4: $60.
2. Public transportation – We stayed in Malden, north of Boston, and managed to do the entire 4 days without needing to use a single UBER/Lyft/taxi. This involved getting from the airport during rush hour and each day transporting in/out of downtown, but it was all very manageable and inexpensive. Google Maps does a nice job of helping to plan out your route with very clear instructions, and connecting between buses and “the T” (subway) is really easy. If you have never utilized public transportation, give it 1-2 routes under your belt and you’ll feel like an expert. Kids are free and just walk through the gate at the same time as the adult.
* Pro-tip: the Charlie-ticket (paper) does not allow transfers, the Charlie-card (plastic) gives you a free transfer with each tap so get the plastic card if possible, or choose the 24 hour or full week unlimited pass option.
** Total savings over 4 days versus using an XL ride service: $250
3. Lodging – Sorry to throw a curveball, but this one isn’t a savings tip but a spending tip. We definitely made the most of our time in Boston while staying in Malden, but next time we will absolutely stay in downtown Boston, within walking distance of Boston Common. There are many reasons for this, mostly the morning/evening commute was a bit tiring combined with not having a place to rest during the day. At our time of travel, lodging in Boston was VERY expensive compared to what we usually pay, so just plan accordingly.
* Pro-tip: August 2021 a 3-star downtown hotel would have been $550 for 3 nights, we paid $332 to stay in Malden.
** Total savings over 3 nights to stay outside downtown: $218 (not worth it 😊)
4. Food – Eating at restaurants while traveling can quickly add up, especially if 4 people eat out 3 meals a day. For this trip, we stayed really tight on our food budget by only eating 1 restaurant meal a day which worked out great. A large package of peanut butter crackers and dried fruit in this backpack was great for on-demand snacking. Definitely grab Regina Pizzeria, where you can get a large cheese pizza for $16. There are 7/11 stores and several small grocery stores around Boston Common to grab food for a picnic: we did lunch for $13 compared to $50+ at a sit-down restaurant. Take peanut butter crackers into Fenway, the Fenway Frank might be the most overrated hot dog of all time.
* Pro-tip: splurge for the cannoli at Mike’s Pastry, they are $5 each but definitely sharing size.
** Total savings by buying food compared to eating 3 daily meals at restaurants: $200+
5. Exploring Boston – We had an amazing guided experience on the Freedom Trail using a free walking tour from Free Tours by Foot. These amazing guides just work off tips, and they earn every penny! You can also opt to download their audio tour to listen to at all of the landmarks along the way. Most of the sights in Boston are free to see (we chose not to pay to go into North Church or Paul Revere house), but you will miss out on a lot if you don’t use some type of guide.
* Pro-tip: Plan to do a lot of walking, there’s history everywhere.
** Total savings for 4 people compared to a trolley or duck boat tour: $160.
Paris was one of our first stops during a year-long trip around the world! To see all our travel adventures, head over to our Instagram page.
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If you have questions or tips for traveling to Boston with your family, let us know!
