Boston vs New York City: Which Should You Pick?

The short answer

Boston is a historic city at the heart of the American Revolution. The Freedom Trail, a red line on the ground, and Boston Common, America's oldest public park, anchor every visit, and it is known as 'America's Walking City'. The guide suggests 3 to 4 nights.

New York City packs museums, Broadway, the skyline and food from around the world into one city. Manhattan's grid makes navigation easy, and Midtown and Downtown are best explored on foot. The guide suggests 4 to 6 nights and says hotels and prices run high, so budget planning matters.

Best for: Boston suits travelers who want to walk the Revolutionary sites along a red line and take their time with parks, harbor islands and seafood such as clam chowder and lobster rolls. New York City suits travelers who want to fill each day with museums, shows, skyline views from decks and bridges, and food from many neighborhoods.

• Full Boston travel guide →
• Full New York City travel guide →
• Incheon → Boston flights →
• Incheon → New York City flights →

From the airport to the city

Boston is served by Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). The Silver Line SL1 bus picks up at the curb of every terminal and runs via the Seaport to South Station; it is free from the airport to downtown and includes a free transfer to the Red Line. You can also take the free on-airport shuttle bus to Airport Station for the Blue Line subway.

For New York City, the guide says the cheapest way from JFK is the AirTrain to Jamaica or Howard Beach, then the E, J/Z or A subway into Manhattan; the LIRR from Jamaica is faster. The New York City guide also covers Newark (EWR) and LaGuardia (LGA).

• Boston Silver Line SL1: free from the airport to downtown; check the official timetable
• Boston free shuttle + Blue Line: USD 2.40 per subway ride
• Boston taxi: about USD 25-35 to most hotels in Boston and Cambridge
• New York City JFK AirTrain + subway: about 60-75 min, about USD 11-12
• New York City JFK yellow cab: about 45-75 min depending on traffic, about USD 70 flat + tolls and tip

How many days, and what it costs

The guides suggest 3 to 4 nights for Boston and 4 to 6 nights for New York City. In Boston, one Freedom Trail walk links Downtown, the North End and Charlestown, and you add Cambridge across the river and the harbor islands. In New York City, you tend to give a day each to areas and sights such as Central Park and the museums, the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, the High Line and Broadway.

The Boston guide plans the budget around transport fares, free sights and a few paid historic sites, and says accommodation is most of the budget, so compare prices for your dates on booking sites. The New York City guide gives daily budgets at three levels. In New York City, listed prices exclude sales tax (about 8.875% in NYC), and tipping of usually 15-20% of the pre-tax bill is standard at restaurants.

• Boston transport: USD 2.40 per 'T' subway ride (children 11 and under free)
• Boston free: walking the Freedom Trail, Boston Common and the Public Garden, Faneuil Hall, USS Constitution, the Bunker Hill Monument and Harvard's official tour
• Boston paid example: Old North Church Discovery Pass USD 10 for adults (USD 15 with the bell chamber tour)
• New York City daily budget: budget about USD 120-150, mid-range about USD 300-400, high-end about USD 700+
• New York City food: pizza slice about USD 4-6, bagel about USD 5-15, pastrami sandwich about USD 25-30

Monthly weather side by side

The Boston guide describes June to September as warm, with average highs of 22-27°C, good for walking and harbor island trips, and October as cool, with the Head of the Charles rowing regatta on the Charles River. The New York City guide picks April to June and September to November as the most pleasant walking weather. June and September, where the two guides' good times overlap, are good walking months in both cities.

The two cities' figures come from different sources and periods. Boston: WMO World Weather Information Service — National Weather Service (USA), Boston (WMO city data), 1981–2010. New York City: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), U.S. Climate Normals, New York Central Park station, 1991–2020. Because the periods differ, treat this as a rough comparison. Each line shows average high/low and rainfall for the same month.

The Boston guide says December to February is cold, with average highs of 2-5°C and lows of -5 to -2°C. The New York City guide says July and August are hot and humid and January to February can be bitterly cold. New York City's holiday season (Thanksgiving to New Year) is magical, but hotel prices spike.

• January: Boston 2/-5℃, 85mm; New York City 4/-2℃, 93mm
• April: Boston 13/5℃, 95mm; New York City 17/8℃, 104mm
• June: Boston 24/15℃, 94mm; New York City 27/18℃, 115mm
• July: Boston 27/19℃, 87mm; New York City 29/21℃, 117mm
• September: Boston 22/14℃, 87mm; New York City 25/17℃, 110mm
• October: Boston 16/8℃, 100mm; New York City 18/11℃, 111mm

A day on foot: the Freedom Trail vs Manhattan

A Boston day can follow the Freedom Trail alone. This 2.5-mile red line links 16 historic sites through Downtown, the North End and Charlestown; the suggested route starts at the Boston Common Visitor Information Center (139 Tremont Street) and ends at USS Constitution, but you can visit the sites in any order. The Old State House, built in 1713, is Boston's oldest surviving public building, and a ring of cobblestones nearby marks the site of the 1770 Boston Massacre. Faneuil Hall, the 'Cradle of Liberty', is free to enter.

In the North End, Old North Church (1723) is Boston's oldest church building, where two lanterns were hung in the steeple on 18 April 1775 to signal Paul Revere's ride. Homemade pasta and cannoli in the North End make a good lunch, and clam chowder and lobster rolls a good dinner.

A New York City day moves between neighborhoods. The guide's sample days include the 9/11 Memorial (the outdoor memorial pools are free; the museum is paid), then walking the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan toward Brooklyn for skyline views in DUMBO, and walking the High Line, a free elevated park on an old rail line, north from Chelsea to Hudson Yards. The Brooklyn Bridge is least crowded early in the morning.

• Boston: walking is free; some sites and guided tours charge (official tours with 18th-century costumed guides run 362 days a year)
• Boston: one paid ticket covers the Old State House and the Old South Meeting House (check prices officially)
• New York City: if you choose one observation deck, go at sunset; all are paid with timed entry
• New York City: Times Square and Broadway are best at night

Parks and the water: Boston Common and the harbor islands vs Central Park and the Statue of Liberty

Boston Common is America's oldest public park; its Frog Pond is a skating rink in winter and a spray pool for children in summer. Next door, the Public Garden was the first public botanical garden in America, with its Lagoon and Swan Boats that have run for over 100 years. From May to October, ferries run from Long Wharf to Spectacle Island or Georges Island, where you can see Fort Warren, a Civil War-era fort (check ferry tickets and schedules officially).

New York City's Central Park is free and best explored on a morning walk or by bike, with Bethesda Fountain and Bow Bridge as highlights. On the water, the free Staten Island Ferry from the southern tip of Manhattan has views of the Statue of Liberty and the skyline. For the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, take the official ferry from Battery Park; pedestal and crown access is limited, so reserve early.

• Boston: USS Constitution (launched 1797) at the Charlestown Navy Yard and the Bunker Hill Monument are free
• Boston: 34 islands and peninsulas in Boston Harbor form a national and state park
• New York City: the Staten Island Ferry is free
• New York City: Lower Manhattan is a place to stay close to the Statue of Liberty ferries

How to choose, and what to check before you go

Choose Boston if you want to walk the Revolutionary sites along a red line and enjoy parks, harbor islands and seafood on foot. Choose New York City if you want museums, shows, the skyline and food from many neighborhoods, with a few more days to spend. Both guides include a 4-day sample itinerary, so if you visit both on one trip, use each to split your days. Check the official information before you go for how to travel between the two cities.

Check the U.S. government's official information on entry requirements (visa, travel authorization, etc.) before you travel.

• Boston: historic sites change their hours with the seasons; check official hours before you go, especially in the busy May-October season
• Boston: visitors 18 and over boarding USS Constitution may be asked for a photo ID
• New York City: costumed characters and people handing out CDs in Times Square will ask for money; politely decline
• New York City: late at night, ride in subway cars with other people and keep your phone and bag close

• How Many Days in Boston? A 3-Night, 4-Day Route →
• Boston Harbor Islands in a Day: Fort Warren and Seafood →
• First Trip to New York: Prep, Stay and a 4-Day Route →
• New York's Three Airports: JFK vs Newark vs LaGuardia →
• Washington, D.C. vs Boston: Which Should You Pick? →
• Washington, D.C. or New York City: Which First? →

FAQ

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